Community News

City of Wolverhampton Council has joined forces with a number of key partners to develop the city’s Canalside area. The announcement was made on Tuesday at a Houses of Parliament event showcasing Wolverhampton as a city of opportunity to a room full of high-profile developers and investors, and MPs. The Canalside Delivery Partnership also includes the Canal & River Trust, Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), Network Rail, and the West Midlands Combined Authority.

The start of works to rebuild Erdington Leisure Centre, one of three existing leisure centres across the city to be replaced by Birmingham Community Leisure Trust (BCLT), working in partnership with Birmingham City Council (BCC) has begun. A fourth centre at a new site at Icknield Port Loop in Edgbaston will also be built and managed by the Trust. Established in 2015, BCLT is tasked to create and maintain a first class range of health, leisure and recreational activities and facilities to serve all parts of the community.

Over thirty thousand people from across the West Midlands went bonkers in bandages today in support of Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity’s fourth annual summer fundraiser – The Big Bandage. Celebrities such as Connie Talbot, UB40, Wolverhampton Wanderers Captain Danny Batth, the cast of Doctors and Aston Villa star Nathan Baker joined a host of businesses, schools, community groups, patients and staff by putting on a bandage and making a donation.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan today said the city was one of the best places in the world to visit as new figures show the capital remains the favoured destination for international travellers. According to the Office for National Statistics International Passenger Survey, London received a record 3.8 million visits from overseas travellers in the first three months of this year, an increase of seven per cent, when compared to the same period in 2015.

In collaboration with the Black Country Growth Hub, the Black Country Chamber of Commerce is inviting members of the local business community to join them for a unique networking experience to mark Black Country Day 2016. Taking place on 14^th July at the Wolverhampton Business Solutions Centre, this Black Country Day event is free to attend and will serve as the ideal opportunity for delegates to come together and celebrate the cultural heritage of the region.

Direct Line Pet Insurance can reveal millions of cats are at risk of life threatening illnesses as a result of being overfed and not doing enough physical activity. Over two fifths (42 per cent) of the nation’s cats are overweight. Direct Line Pet Insurance is urging responsible pet ownership as more than a quarter (26 per cent) of vets surveyed said that more than half of the cats they treat are now overweight.

Nationwide Building Society asks members to vote online for the charities they would like to receive a £5,000 donation, as part of the Society’s initiative – The Big Local – and make a difference to lives and communities across the UK. Each month Nationwide selects three charities nominated by its members from a different UK region. The three chosen charities will each be awarded £200 and both the public and Nationwide members can vote for which of the three they would most like to receive an additional £5,000.

The search is on to find the UK’s most dog-friendly places, as the Kennel Club launches its Be Dog Friendly Awards 2016. The competition, now in its tenth year, is part of the wider Be Dog Friendly campaign which aims to break down barriers for man’s best friend by encouraging more businesses and public spaces to welcome dogs.  With around 8.5 million dogs in the UK, and around one in four households owning a dog, the great British public are always on the lookout for places where their four-legged family members are also welcome.

The Ageing Better in Birmingham programme, a Big Lottery Fund investment project designed to support isolated people over 50 across the city, was officially launched last week. Ageing Better in Birmingham will be delivered by a partnership of voluntary sector organisations. The Ageing Better Partnership, led by Birmingham Voluntary Service Council (BVSC), was allocated £6million to deliver the six year programme.  

With the Royal Mail’s postmen and women working six days a week delivering letters and parcels to 29 million addresses, dog attacks are unfortunately a common issue which increase by a quarter during the school holidays when children and parents are at home and pets are left to roam the garden. If your postie is worried about their safety when entering your property, they have a legal right to refuse delivery to you.

Musical Connections, a community music and wellbeing project based in Birmingham, is appealing for votes in this year's National Lottery Good Causes Awards. The project, run by Quench Arts and delivered in partnership with Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust’s Community Engagement Team, beat off competition from more than 600 organisations to reach the public voting stage of the awards, which each year look for worthy projects to benefit.

A volunteer counselling scheme that helps more than 100 children and young people a week has been nominated for a West Midlands PCC Outstanding Citizens award. The volunteering team at The What? Centre in Coventry Street, Stourbridge, helps young people aged between 13 and 25 who are troubled or battling mental health issues. All of the volunteers are trained counsellors who give up their free time to help 120 youngsters a week via 5,500 sessions a year.

The Mayor of Wolverhampton is encouraging people to put their little grey cells to the test when he hosts four charity quiz nights over the next few months. The general knowledge quiz is returning by popular demand and will be taking place in the Mayoral Suite at the Civic Centre on Thursdays 1 September, 15 December, 9 February and 4 May.

In an exciting move by YHA (England and Wales), dogs are now welcome to stay with their owners at Youth Hostels that offer camping and cabins accommodation. The move will not only enable YHA to reach new customers but also enable dog owners to take advantage of nearly 60 YHA sites that offer camping pods, cabins, tipis, bell tents and pitch up facilities in their grounds. 

While spring and early summer may bring a welcome break from the shorter days of winter, the rise in the pollen count can cause many humans to suffer from hay fever and other seasonal ailments. However, what is less well known is that pets can suffer just as badly. A survey in 2012 showed almost half (44%) of pet owners didn’t realise their pets can suffer from allergies. 43% admitted they wouldn’t know how to tell if their pet was suffering from an allergy.  

With police recording over 4,500 offences involving stolen dogs in the last two years in England and Wales, ethical retailer Pets Corner has put together an owner’s guide to help safeguard your dog from theft and what to do if an animal is stolen. Lucy Ross is an animal specialist and Head of Training at Pets Corner.  She said: “The emotional impact of losing a cherished pet is profound so if an animal goes missing it can be an incredibly distressing time for its owners.  There are a number of things that owners can do to help protect their pet from thieves as well as procedures they can follow if an animal is taken.”