Community News

A father of six who overcame financial hardship and the devasting death of his wife has told how he was able to turn his life around after enrolling on a West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) funded training scheme and landing a job with HS2.

At the beginning of his construction skills training course, Geoff Carter, from Kitts Green, Birmingham, had sadly lost his wife to cancer and had even spent one stage of his life living in his car while unemployed. But through his strong work ethic and his unstinting commitment to provide for his family, he was able to make a change in his life and become an inspiration to his six children by earning the qualifications that eventually landed him a job on the HS2 high speed rail line currently being built in the West Midlands.

Coinciding with Volunteers’ Week 2023 the Commonwealth Games Legacy Charity, United By 2022, has launched its volunteering legacy with the Volunteers Collective and a new report on Event Volunteering in the West Midlands. The Volunteers Collective is a new digital match-making service that coordinates people looking for volunteering opportunities with organisations looking for volunteers, supported by Spirit of 2012. This is a moment to celebrate the contribution that volunteers make and offer new opportunities for people that want to volunteer.

At every moment and in every location, the award winning 14,000-strong Commonwealth Collective of volunteers, in their stand-out Balti Orange uniforms, were the beating heart of Birmingham 2022. The new platform will support them to continue being part of an amazing volunteering team until at least 2025. Initial invitations will go to 22,000 people.

This summer, English Heritage is encouraging its visitors to explore England’s historic sites using the five senses of sight, hearing, taste, touch and smell, in a bid to help them connect more deeply with the past.

To provide inspiration, the charity has reintroduced the much-loved ‘Ministry of Works’ signs. Often censorious in the past, the new signs are a playful update on the original – cautioning visitors not to miss out on sensory experiences, such as removing their shoes and standing where history happened or appreciating memorable views that have remained unchanged for centuries.

A Birmingham couple who are on a mission to redefine modern Black British family life has launched a roadshow to educate and empower African and Caribbean communities in subjects such as financial education and economic empowerment.  

Nathan and Sabrina Dennis, who co-founded the charity First Class Foundation, will take their Legacy Planning & Financial Preparation Roadshow to cities across the UK later this year. In partnership with Pentecostal Credit Union, the events aim to improve social mobility and access to financial resources that wouldn’t usually be available. 

From dog walking to van driving, from data entry to campaigning on animal welfare issues - the RSPCA offers a tremendous variety of roles for aspiring volunteers to get stuck into. The animal charity has enjoyed a boom in volunteer numbers in recent months, helped by over 1,000 people signing up to be a Wildlife Friend as part of the Big Help Out. In all, around 1,500 people applied for volunteer roles with the society in a two-month period.

And as the RSPCA marked Volunteers’ Week (June 1-7) by celebrating the superb contribution of its existing volunteer base, it is looking for even more people who can help make a difference to the lives of animals.

A new sensory and memorial garden funded by Transport for Wales has opened in Ton Pentre providing support for local veterans.

The garden serves as an integral part of the Valley Veterans community hub, offering mental health support and community to veterans. Valley Veterans was founded over 10 years ago, initially as an informal support group for veterans dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), it now helps more than 140 active participants.

This week is the 100th annual Bike Week, marking a century of celebrating everyday cycling for everyone. On 30 May 2023, to celebrate Bike Week, Birmingham Central Mosque hosted The Active Wellbeing Society to hold free cycling sessions for children living in deprived areas of the city. 

45 children took part and they’ve now been registered for a free cycle scheme. The children participating were from the Dream Chaser Youth Club (DCYC) - a Birmingham-based non-profit organisation for Somali children which organises sports activities as a way to escape youth crime and support sporting talent within the community.

Top market analysts at CMC Markets predict a wave of bad news after UK inflation did not fall as low as expected. The new Ofgem price cap changes little for household bills, but the end of the two government schemes helped lower inflation. They forecast three bleak scenarios: further squeeze on consumers, another rise in the base rate, or the UK going into recession. There is, however, the cautious chance that the long streak of rate hikes may be nearing an end.

A packed church with generations of siblings from the United Pentecostal Church of God gathered together at Cannon Street Memorial Baptist Church on Saturday to witness the ground breaking installation of pastors, a deacon and an evangelist. 

As the church congregation prepared themselves for the ordination service, the candidates were invited to enter the church in white clothing, and were presented one by one to the massed community.

AutoFlight, the global eVTOL (electric Vertical Take Off and Landing) pioneer, is thrilled to announce its participation in the highly anticipated 2023 Paris Air Show, scheduled to take place from June 19th to June 25th in Le Bourget, France. AutoFlight's first presence at this world-class event will provide an exclusive opportunity for industry professionals and aviation enthusiasts to witness the world’s first public presentation of their cutting-edge eVTOL aircraft, Prosperity I - including full interior design of the cabin.

An action-packed tournament for football teams at primary schools in Oxfordshire was recently held by a football club in Benson.

Supported by local developer David Wilson Homes, Benson United Football Club hosted the tournament with Benson CofE Primary School, with a goal to promote community engagement and sportsmanship to schools across the county. The tournament – held on the sunny evening of Tuesday 23rd May – witnessed the participation of 13 teams from six primary schools, bringing together over 100 enthusiastic children along with their supportive parents.

West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) leaders will next week be asked to agree a funding package to launch construction on the second phase of the Wednesbury to Brierley Hill Metro extension. Construction is currently under way on phase one of the line from the West Midlands Metro Depot at Wednesbury to Dudley town centre and is due to be completed next year.

Father's Day is just around the corner and what better way to show appreciation for the father figure in your life than with a thoughtfully curated Cornish hamper? 

Trewithen Dairy's 'Cornish Lager and Pasty Hamper' captures the essence of Cornwall. From the moment it is unwrapped, recipients will be transported to the rugged coastlines and warm-hearted communities that define this remarkable region. All hampers come carefully packaged and have the option of adding a personalised gift message and a selection of optional extras.

Residents, students and staff are being invited to help create a mosaic for the new University Railway Station building ahead of its opening later this year. The local community, including students of the University of Birmingham and patients of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, will be able to create clay tiles which will feature in the finished art work.

Tiles can be designed by pressing clay tools, letters or any other items into the clay to create patterns, words or shapes. The tiles will then be brought together to create the mosaic, which will depict a University Railway Station logo for display at the station. The new station buildings are nearing completion as part of a major redevelopment to replace out of date facilities and massively increase passenger capacity.

A new funding scheme to help improve air quality in Birmingham has launched today (Thursday June 1st), with funding available to support schemes in every one of the city’s council wards. The Brum Breathes Fund will support schemes and projects that improve air quality, encourage active travel and, in doing so, also help to raise awareness of the impact poor air quality can have on health.

Ahead of World Environment Day, the contribution of communities across the West Midlands to improving the natural environment and tackling the climate emergency is being celebrated.

The West Midlands Combined Authority’s (WMCA) Community Green Grants fund is helping to restore waterways, plant trees, create ponds, wildflower meadows and urban parks, as well as to grow fruit and vegetables.