Community News

BE OPEN Art, an online art gallery set up by BE OPEN think tank, a humanitarian initiative founded by international businessperson and philanthropist Elena Baturina, is running a new competition for emerging artists, aimed to support those whose art best represents their regional, cultural and ethnic identities – BE OPEN Regional Art.

With the beginning of year 2023, BE OPEN expert community team started selecting those of the artists who best represent the artistic tradition of a certain region to feature in the BE OPEN Art gallery and offer them greater visibility.

Budding young photographers are being encouraged to enter the RSPCA’s high-profile national young photography competition which is now celebrating its 33rd year. The 2023 RSPCA Young Photographer Awards is now open for entries and runs until Tuesday 15 August.

The judges are looking forward to another year of impressive entries – having last year had more than 4,000 to sift through. With ten different categories* to choose from, there’s something for everyone, whatever their interest – and some fabulous prizes to be won. All animals are welcome, from pets to wildlife, insects, farm animals and more. 

Yesterday was the big day as King Charles III was crowned at Westminster Abbey, and the party is expected to last until at least Monday, with one of three bank holidays that month. And there’s one group of people not looking forward to the aftermath at all – those hardworking teams from the UK’s waste and recycling companies charged with clearing up after the celebrations.

UK waste collection company Divert.co.uk says the worst part is going to be separating the recyclable rubbish from the stuff going to landfill and warns there may be record amounts of the latter. “Every bank holiday brings a spike in waste,” says Divert.co.uk spokesperson Mark Hall.

Social, digital and technological trends are fast changing the way we work and what people actually do for a living.

Research suggests that in 10 years’ time around half of all jobs will be changed by automation as we move towards an increasingly digital, low carbon economy focussed on green industries and new technology. This shift will demand fresh ideas, critical thinking and constant digital upskilling as people and technology combine to deliver new types of products, services and health care.

On 11 October 2022, Buckingham Palace announced that the Coronation of His Majesty the King would take place on Saturday, 6 May 2023. Nearly 70 years after the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in June 1953, this landmark event is expected to draw thousands of spectators from around the world to celebrate the new monarch.

A petition to save the O2 Academy Brixton from permanent closure has reached 50,000 signatures. The south London venue had its licence suspended after two people died during a crush outside the building ahead of a gig by Afro-pop singer Asake last year.

The petition was set up after the Met Police said it was seeking for the licence to be revoked. Academy Music Group (AMG), which runs the venue, said its proposals would "enable the venue to reopen safely".

As King Charles III’s coronation approaches, the dispute around the Kohinoor diamond has resurfaced. The famous diamond, which is believed to have originated in India and passed through the hands of various rulers and conquerors, including the British Empire, has long been a subject of contention between India and Pakistan.

The Kohinoor diamond is one of the largest diamonds in the world, weighing in at 105.6 carats. It has a rich and complex history that spans centuries and continents.

The heavy and priest-like golden robes King Charles III will wear for his Coronation have been revealed. During the service, the King will put on layer upon layer of glittering vestments, some of which were created for his great-grandfather George V.

Representatives from over 80 leading British businesses met with more than 275 ex-military personnel this week at a national Employment Fair hosted by the Career Transition Partnership (CTP) in Edinburgh.   

With more than 14,000 people leaving the UK Armed Forces every year, employers, Service leavers and veterans came together to network and plan for their futures. There were in excess of 1,000 job opportunities and career pathways available on the day and the one-day event gave exhibitors the chance to promote their brand and showcase the careers they offer.

Cristiano Ronaldo might not have had the best year on the football pitch. However, Ronaldo’s dwindling football career hasn’t impacted his social media popularity. According to the numbers presented by SafeBettingSites.com, Ronaldo gained 169.8m new followers on his social media accounts during the past year. 

Despite his struggles at club and national levels, Ronaldo was the most famous footballer this past year. According to Football Benchmark data, the Portuguese superstar gained a combined 169.8m followers on his various social media accounts.

Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) has appointed leading UK shared transport operator Beryl to deliver the region’s brand new e-scooter hire scheme. The first phase of the scheme will see e-scooters hit the streets of Birmingham in June, with further phases to be rolled out during the rest of 2023 and beyond.

The UK-based operator was awarded the contract following an open tender process. TfWM, which is part of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), supports a well-run and regulated e-scooter hire scheme as an affordable and environmentally-friendly alternative to the car for those shorter journeys around towns and cities.

Eilat, the resort city of the State of Israel, is presenting the world's first sunscreen that is scientifically formulated not only to protect the skin from UV rays but to feed and nourish endangered coral reefs. 

Eilat is home to the ecological wonder of the planet's northernmost shallow-water reef and passionate about protecting it and other coral reefs. Coral is facing serious threats from climate change, pollution, and other human activities, with an estimated 14,000 tons of sunscreen ending up in the world's oceans every year. As many as 80% of ordinary sunscreens contain chemicals that contribute to coral bleaching and dying reefs.

Vehicles seized by Birmingham City Council from criminal fly-tippers are being put to life-saving use by West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS).

A number of vehicles, which have no alternative operational or resale value, have been donated for WMFS training exercises. Two of the vans were delivered to Sutton Coldfield fire station, where they were used by firefighters to perfect their life-saving road traffic collision (RTC) rescue skills.

New research has revealed the areas in England and Wales most susceptible to cybercrime, with Greater Manchester coming out on top. The study by cyber security experts CloudTech24 analysed the latest data available from the National Fraud & Cyber Crime Reporting Centre to see which areas reported the highest levels of cybercrime for every 10,000 people.

WaterSafe, the UK national accreditation body for approved plumbers, has put together its five top tips to help people moving home in The Midlands. The plumbing register asked its members for their top advice for customers moving into a new home.

Elder fraud is where fraudsters target your parents, grandparents and those from the elderly community. Fraudsters often take advantage of those who aren’t tech-savvy, so familiarizing yourself with scams can lead to preventing the fraudsters from being successful.

Cybersecurity expert Brandon King from Home Security Heroes has compiled a list of tips to spot and prevent fraud. Fraudsters target seniors in elder fraud by tricking them into giving sensitive information or offering fake financial benefits.