It’s no secret that big events held in the UK such as the Olympics and royal weddings have a positive effect on the economy. The Guardian has recently reported that in the lead up to the Royal Wedding retailers can expect an additional £60 million spending thanks not only to the influx of tourists but also the national pride that will no doubt sweep the nation.

Something which is often overlooked is the impact this boost in the economy has on the property market across the UK. Research carried out by My Home Move suggests that it’s not just Windsor’s residents who will benefit from the Royal Wedding - when looking at the monthly increases in house prices in years with royal weddings or births, the biggest month on month increase occurred in the same month as the weddings or births!

The month of William and Kate’s marriage saw the biggest month on month increase for 2011 sitting at 1.55%, the wedding of Charles and Camilla had a similar effect back in 2005 with a month on month increase of 1.49%. And, it’s not just weddings which boost the market, the birth month of Prince George saw prices rise by 1.12% month on month whilst the birth of Princess Charlotte saw the modest increase of 1.08% month on month.

With many areas across the South having royal connections, we are set to see an increase in tourism and, as a result, increased spending in the local economy – this will in turn positively impact the housing market. With more profit to be made, independent shops and restaurants along with farmers markets will thrive and attract more people into the local area increasing desire from buyers and tenants to move into the area.

This notion is backed up by research carried out by American Express which found that on average, in towns with lots of independent shops and eateries on the high street, properties are on average £40,000 more expensive. This is great news for locations such as Gerrards Cross, Sunningdale and Henley-on-Thames with bustling high streets full of independent shops and restaurants as they are also likely to benefit from the Royal Wedding effect.

Antony comments; “Whilst there is some debate on which came first, the high-end businesses or affluent residents, one thing we can be certain of, is properties in close proximity to amenities such as independent shops, high-end restaurants, are highly desirable and therefore achieve higher prices.

“The same concept can be applied to the Royal Wedding effect on house prices, the aspirational, glitz and glamour associated not only with the wedding but other locations associated with royalty will likely see a similar boost in desirability and possibly house prices.”

The Denise Coates Foundation has given a generous grant of over £1million to support the Critical Journeys Appeal at Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity.

The substantial donation will be used to provide the hospital’s KIDS/NTS ambulance fleet with the latest life-saving medical equipment needed so the hospital can respond faster and more effectively; helping vulnerable patients and their families get to the right place, at the right time for the right treatment.

Louise McCathie, Director of Fundraising at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, comments: “This incredible grant from the Denise Coates Foundation means we can now make further impact on the lives of the young children and babies we treat at our hospital. The journey to and from hospitals can be a very critical time for sick children, so to know that we have the right equipment in our mobile intensive care unit is vital. We are extremely grateful to the Denise Coates Foundation for such a generous donation.”

The new equipment will mean all four KIDS/NTS ambulances can be deployed at the same time to meet the critical needs of all patients, no matter their age or illness, allowing the KIDS/NTS team to respond to any emergency – neonatal or paediatric.

Denise Coates CBE said of the decision to support the Critical Journeys Appeal: “I am so pleased that the Foundation’s grant will enable the KIDS/NTS Ambulance Service to acquire state of the art equipment that will make such a positive difference to the quality of the medical care provided to children and babies across the Midlands region and beyond.”

In 2016, Kids’ Intensive Care and Decision Support (KIDS) and the Newborn Transfer Service (NTS) merged to form KIDS/NTS. The service offers an acute transport and advice service for the management of critically ill children requiring intensive care in the Midlands. It is dedicated to moving babies between neonatal units in the West Midlands to ensure right care for the right baby at the right time.

There's still plenty of time for local artists to enter Sandwell's Hidden Treasures competition.

Hidden Treasures is open to all amateur artists, schools and community groups, with 31 May as the deadline for entries.

Artists are being urged to submit a themed piece of work to feature in the borough's summer arts trail.

They can select a favourite building, open space, walk, view or local attraction as an inspiration their Hidden Treasures entry.

Art work will be shortlisted to a collection of pieces which will then be exhibited across the borough, allowing members of the public to vote for the best piece of art work.

Councillor Syeda Khatun, deputy leader of Sandwell Council, said: "This is a fantastic opportunity for people of all ages to get inspired and showcase their artistic talents. It will also shine a light on the many 'hidden treasures' across Sandwell's six towns."

• Painting - oils, acrylics, watercolours
• Drawing - pencils, charcoals, inks, pastels
• Photographs - colour/black and white
• Mixed media - mixture of the above

Parents of children in Wolverhampton who have missed their MMR (mumps, measles and rubella) vaccine are being encouraged to get it as soon as possible following a measles outbreak in parts of the West Midlands.

Public Health England is writing to all West Midlands GPs asking them to be alert to the symptoms of measles and to take the opportunity to immunise children and adults who may not have received two doses of the MMR vaccine.

The call comes as the outbreak, which originally focused in Birmingham and Solihull, spreads to other parts of the region – though no cases have yet been reported in Wolverhampton.

Symptoms of measles include: a high fever; sore, red, watery eyes; coughing; aching and feeling generally unwell; and a blotchy red brown rash, which usually appears after the initial symptoms.

John Denley, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Director of Public Health, said: "Measles can be a very serious illness and lead to severe complications, especially in people who are particularly vulnerable or have other health conditions.

"The good news is that the misery caused by measles is entirely preventable, and the free MMR vaccine is a safe and effective way of protecting against measles, as well as mumps and rubella."

The first MMR vaccine is given when a child is one-year-old, with a booster due at three years and four months of age. Parents who have missed one or both appointments are urged to contact their GP as soon as possible. Parents can check their child’s Red Book to see if they’ve received MMR vaccinations as scheduled, or speak to their GP if they are not sure.

Dr Bharat Sibal, from Public Health England West Midlands, said: “Most of the recent cases we’ve seen had not received the required doses of the MMR vaccine.

“It is possible for anyone at any age to get measles, and the illness can be more severe in teenagers and adults than in young children, which is why we are trying to make sure anyone who has missed vaccinations get immunised as soon as possible.”

Two Reservists and a Triathlete will be embarking on gruelling walk for charity. Matt, Rob and Ad who all work together at Design Built Exhibitions in Redditch love to push themselves to the limit. On 20^th May 2018 they will start at St Bees Bay in Cumbria and take on Wainwrights Walk all the way to Robin Hood Bay in Scarborough, in just five days. The walk was originally depicted in Alfred Wainwright’s 1973 book A Coast to Coast Walk and was described in 12 stages. The usual time to complete this walk would be 14-21 days.

The 192 mile walk reaching heights of 2,560ft will cross three national parks, the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales and the Yorkshire Moors. Their aim of five days will mean the trio will have to cover over 40 miles each day, which will be made tougher by carrying their own kit with all of their supplies weighing between 20kg and 25kg, depending on the weather conditions.

However, they aren’t just having a nice walk, they are setting themselves a challenge to raise £3,000 for their chosen charities: Dementia UK, Bliss and Charlotte & Craig Saving Hearts Foundation (CCSHF). Dementia UK provides dementia support for families through their Admiral Nurse service, giving them one-to-one support, expert guidance and practical solutions. Bliss exists to give every baby born premature or sick in the UK the best chance of survival and quality of life. CCSHF are raising money to install defibrillators into community venues to give people a better chance of survival should something happen.

Training for the event has been going well and has involved running or cycling to work every morning and circuit training twice a week. Matt said “I am running 10 miles to work every morning, which is quite a detour as I only live 2 miles away.”

Rob said: “I’m looking forward to the first two days in the Lake District the most as it will be the best scenery, and also when I can see the sea at Robin Hood Bay. I’ll be running to the end then!”

Every day is going to be challenging, but the longest day will be day four covering 48 ½ miles, especially after the hilly terrain of the Lake District on days one and two and 44 ½ miles on day three.

The endurance and willingness to succeed is something all three of them have in common, with Ad taking part in triathlons on a regular basis, his next one is just two weeks before this challenge. Matt and Rob, who are brothers, have both been in the Reserve Forces for 10 years and based at HMS Forward in Birmingham. Matt is a Royal Marines Reservist and Rob is a Royal Naval Reservist. They both said, “Being in the Reserves has given us the mentality to succeed and know that we are 100% sure we will complete this challenge as nothing is impossible.”

During their 10 years of Service they have been deployed on Operations and dedicated themselves to their training. If you’re interested in finding out more about the Reserve Forces you can find out more on West Midland Reserve Forces & Cadets Associations website www.wmrfca.org

You can find out how to sponsor the trio and follow their training and progress during the challenge through their Facebook page www.2343ec78a04c6ea9d80806345d31fd78-gdprlock/coasttocoastchallenge.

HeadStart Wolverhampton is supporting Mental Health Awareness Week (14-20 May) with a series of free events and activities designed to raise awareness and support emotional wellbeing.

This year’s awareness week focuses on the theme of “Stress: Are we coping?”, and the HeadStart team have developed activities designed to help young people in Wolverhampton cope with a range of stress-related issues, including exam stress and the pressures of social media, and to help parents better support their children to cope with stress.

The week of activities begins with the opening of a pop-up shop on the first floor of the Mander Centre, between New Look and The Works, on Saturday 12 May.

The shop is open to all and is offering a range of activities will help support emotional mental health and wellbeing throughout the day, including arts and crafts, Lego workshops and a chance to explore the new HeadStart support portal. Visitors will also be able to pick up free goodie bags with art activity packs and additional resources to help young people cope with stress.

Throughout the rest of the week, HeadStart’s commissioned providers will be continuing their weekly timetable of activities to support young people, parents and families living in each of HeadStart’s four target areas.

The WV10 Consortium, part of Bushbury Hill Estate Management Board, are holding a range of activities in Low Hill, The Scotlands & Bushbury South, including digital workshops, karate and cooking workshops. In Bilston East, Gazebo Theatre is hosting the “Place to be Me” club for young people, with dance, drama and musical activities.

Meanwhile, in Springfield, Heath Town, Old Heath and Eastfield; and in All Saints, Blakenhall, Parkfields, Ettingshall, YMCA Black Country is offering activities including zumba and yoga, ‘Relax and Craft’ arts and crafts sessions, and cookery workshops.

Andrew Wolverson, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s HeadStart Strategic Lead, said “We are delighted to support Mental Health Awareness Week again this year, and have a week of fantastic activities to support young people and encourage everyone to take care of their mental health and wellbeing.

“Stress is something which can affect anyone and everyone, and young people are no exception. We hope this week will help young people to cope better with stress, particularly exam stress and the pressures of social media.”

Mental Health Awareness Week runs from 14-20 May and is organised by the Mental Health Foundation. For more information, please visit www.mentalhealth.org.uk.

HeadStart Wolverhampton, funded by Big Lottery Fund, is designed to improve the emotional mental health and wellbeing of children and young people aged 10 to 16 by giving them the skills they need to cope with the challenges of modern life.

As well as running a series of specific programmes in its four key target areas, HeadStart Wolverhampton offers city-wide help through a Support and Guidance Directory at http://support.headstartonline.co.uk which provides emotional mental health and wellbeing resources from different organisations, including information targeted at young people, parents and carers, and professionals.