Birmingham Hospice’s Dragon Boat Race is moving to the iconic Brindleyplace canal and running across two action-packed days this year – making it bigger and better than ever.

Teams from across Birmingham are invited to come together – whether colleagues, friends or family to compete in this exhilarating water sport challenge, all to raise money for Birmingham Hospice, which provides expert end of life care for local people. This year the event runs across Friday 26 and Saturday 27 June, giving more opportunity to be part of this epic challenge.

Participants need no prior experience, and all training, safety gear and equipment will be provided, ensuring a safe and exciting day for all involved. Spectators are also encouraged to attend, with plenty of food and drink outlets on offer at Brindleyplace as well as family-friendly activities available throughout the day. 

Samantha Julius, Events Officer at Birmingham Hospice, said: “We’re so happy we’ve been able to extend the Dragon Boat Race across two days, so we can welcome more teams in 2026, and even more thrilled to be holding it at Brindleyplace.”

“Brindleyplace is such a special venue and has so much to offer that it will be a memorable day for participants and their supporters. We are hoping to raise £20,000 from this event - money that will fund specialist palliative care for those living with a terminal diagnosis.”

Each day will culminate in a grand finale where the fastest teams from the initial heats go head-to-head to be crowned the 2026 Birmingham Hospice Dragon Boat Race Champions. Matt Long, Senior Asset Manager for Praxis at Brindleyplace said: “We are delighted to welcome Birmingham Hospice’s Dragon Boat Race to Brindleyplace in 2026.

“This exciting event will be a great addition to our calendar, while raising funds to support the vital work of Birmingham Hospice. Hosting the Dragon Boat Race reflects Brindleyplace’s ongoing commitment to community-focused events and partnerships that make a positive impact.”

Registration is now open! To sign up or find out more, visit www.birminghamhospice.org.uk/dragonboat.

Children in Birmingham are being given the chance to turn their artwork into a real cake masterpiece this Mother’s Day, thanks to a special competition running at any Birmingham Cake Box store.

Passengers travelling across the North West this Easter period have been warned to plan their journeys ahead of time as major rail improvements take place.

The award-winning Royal Three Counties Show, the UK’s premier agricultural and countryside living event, will return to Three Counties Showground in Malvern from 12th – 14th June 2026, with a host of special guests and leading voices from the worlds of food and farming, plus exciting entertainment, family fun, local food and drink, and lots of animals!

There is still time for people to have their say on plans to introduce a new Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) in Wolverhampton.

A programme of improvements is being rolled out across several parks in Caerphilly County Borough to enhance the quality, accessibility and inclusivity of local play facilities for children and families.

The search for Birmingham artists to transform a city centre site into a mural to highlight help available for those experiencing domestic abuse, is launched today (8 March 2024),

This Mother’s Day (Sunday 15th March), The Grand Hotel Birmingham is providing the perfect setting for celebrations, whether guests are looking to indulge in a decadent afternoon tea, enjoy a roast dinner with all the trimmings, or get dressed up and sing along to music’s most-loved female icons.

Passengers heading to Cheltenham Festival next week have been issued key travel tips to help them stay ahead of the pack.

Passengers on the Chiltern Main Line have been warned to check before travelling next weekend (14 and 15 March) as key upgrade work is completed.

The Blackpole Inn has undergone an exciting refurbishment, reopening as a ‘Grandstand’ sports pub, following an investment of over £349,200.

Transport for Wales will introduce one of the most significant timetable changes for North Wales in a generation this May (from 17th).

A paratrooper from Sutton Coldfield, in the West Midlands, has jumped into France to train alongside French airborne forces.

During the summer months Worcester Cathedral joined forces with leading local solicitors to offer its supporters the opportunity to write or update their Will in exchange for a donation to the Cathedral.

First time buyers across the West Midlands and the South West have been given a boost this week, with one of the UK’s oldest homebuilders launching a dedicated new helpline.

For a second year now, Ramadan Streets returned to Birmingham, where people of all backgrounds were invited to a five-day cultural night market celebrating the spirit, community and shared experience of Ramadan.