Jacqui Kennedy, Acting Strategic Director of Place, urges Brummies to showcase the city’s ‘super’ side during Super September. Some might say (in jest) that Birmingham is the centre of the universe, but this month it really will be with a series of major events taking place over the next few weeks. From the Rugby World Cup – with Villa Park hosting two matches – to the reopening of New Street Station and unveiling of Grand Central, featuring a flagship John Lewis store – there’s no doubt all eyes will be on our city.

There are 20 million people currently renting a property in the UK with nearly half (45 percent) of all prospective home buyers in the UK expecting to remain shut out of the property market for the foreseeable future, according to the latest Post Office Money Mortgages survey.

Housing and homelessness charity Shelter has revealed the potentially devastating impact of government plans to sell off council housing, with new research showing that 5,840 council homes in the West Midlands could face being sold on the private market. The proposed scheme would force council homes worth more than a set threshold for the region to be sold once they become vacant.

On a very rainy day near Tower Bridge, Comedian and TV presenter, Rowland Rivron, assisted Londoners and tourists,  as they braved the downpours in the city. The Rain Ranger handed out free Travel Republic umbrellas and sheltered soggy passers-by from the rain.

Waitrose is inviting budding designers and cooks to get creative and design  a special birthday cake to celebrate the historic occasion of The Queen’s 90th birthday next year. The winning design will be created by the retailer’s organic brand, Waitrose Duchy Organic, and will be sold exclusively in Waitrose branches in celebration of the The Queen’s birthday next year.

One in 10 smartphones end up in the washing machine, new research has revealed. Batty Brits also mistakenly wash money, keys, headphones and jewellery on a regular basis, according to a survey by laundry experts Dr. Beckmann. Of the 2,000 people quizzed about their washing woes, younger Brits suffer the most mishaps with 16% of 18 to 30 years olds admitting to machine-washing their phone in the past three years.