Community News

Every dog owner knows it, autumn and winter are the seasons we dread most when taking our pups out for a walk – and it’s not just getting stuck in the rain and wind we don’t like, but getting covered head to toe in mud!

In fact, new research by personalised pet brand Yappy.com has revealed that two thirds of us don't like our dogs getting muddy on walks and many of us will even choose a mud-free path to avoid our dogs getting dirty.

West Midlands bus fares are to be frozen at current levels until 2025 under a new plan agreed with operators to assist new and existing passengers with the cost of living - saving the average commuter £250 a year.

This means that people will be able to hop on and off the region’s buses all day for the same price they would have paid in 2013 – currently £4.20 for a multi-operator day ticket.

Global climate action NGO WRAP has produced a report for the G7 in support of the seismic shift in international strategies tackling greenhouse gas emissions expected to take place soon, and to help address the massive volume of greenhouse gases linked to ‘consumption’ currently passing unchecked into the atmosphere every year.

The National Pensioners’ Annual Convention heard calls for all four UK nations to have Older People’s Commissioners as more are plunged into poverty.

The NPC’s first public conference since before Covid (yesterday, 21 Sept) was expert given evidence of how our oldest and most vulnerable are facing increasing hardship in the face of soaring prices and growing ageism.

Homelessness charity, St Basils, is celebrating its 50^th anniversary by hosting a fundraising Gala Dinner at Edgbaston Stadium in Birmingham. Taking place on Friday 7^th October, the event will kick-start an exciting year of fundraising to build on the success of St Basils’ award-winning Live and Work scheme in Sandwell.

Business leaders and experts from across the West Midlands came together to discuss how to better secure and manage energy supplies at a more local level helping to shield households and businesses from sudden and massive price hikes in the future. The event, sponsored by SSE Energy Solutions, showcased Energy Capital’s mission to implement a place-based approach, meaning the challenges for energy are dealt locally so the West Midlands can handle its own energy supply and help keep future energy bills low for their residents and firms.

The £24 million development of a new Dudley Interchange station has achieved another major milestone after securing full planning permission.

Partners in the scheme, Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) and Dudley Council, will now move onto the next stages including securing remaining parcels of land and finalising the detailed designs to appointing a construction contractor, before building work can begin.

As members of Birmingham Faith Leaders’ Group – comprising of leaders from the city’s six major faith communities, who have met regularly for more than twelve years, to mould and develop mutual trust, fellowship and understanding – we share the pain and bewilderment of faith communities in Leicester following violence and unrest in parts of your city. We stand in unity with the communities of Leicester in condemning violence in the name of one’s faith.

Royal fans poured into the heart of London to experience the flag-lined roads, pomp-filled processions and, above all, brave a miles-long line for the once-in-a-lifetime chance to bid adieu to Queen Elizabeth II, who died after an unprecedented seven decades on the throne. And while in the capital, they’re packing hotels, restaurants and shops.

This year’s Yo! Summer programme, organised by the City of Wolverhampton Council, was a great success with thousands of children and young people taking part in a wide range of fun days, sporting activities and holiday clubs across the city.

Held over the school holidays, there were hundreds of different activities, many of them free, including athletics and multi sports at WV Active, martial arts with Wolverhampton Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, a summer camp at The Way Youth Zone, drama days with the Central Youth Theatre, WV10 Consortium's Rock School and Tech Play with LearnPlay Foundation.

Councillors David Leytham and Harry Warburton delivered pages from the book of condolences on behalf of Lichfield Cathedral to allow patients at St Giles Hospice an opportunity to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II.

Whilst hundreds of local people have flocked to sign the book s of condolences in memory of Her Majesty the Queen at the National Memorial Arboretum and Lichfield Cathedral, there are many vulnerable people of all ages who are sadly unable to make the journey.

The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) and the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) extended sympathy to the royal family and to the government and people of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the Commonwealth of Nations following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II last week.

Birmingham’s planned launch event for Black History Month went ahead, following careful consideration in light of the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

The event took place at The Patrick Centre, Birmingham Hippodrome, featuring inspiring speakers and creative performances – including pieces by Aston Performing Arts Academy, Eloquent Praise Dance, a reading from She’s Royal and poetry readings.

We are deeply saddened by the passing of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. Along with so many of you, we find ourselves mourning the loss of a truly inspirational woman – a figurehead of national unity.

Nomads will join those of you paying your respects to Our Queen on Monday 19th September. 

Tapping into a reservoir of grief and divinity, this was history as solemnity and spectacle were in equal measures as the world said their final “good-bye” to Queen Elizabeth II. With heads of state, dignitaries and community heroes and sheroes, side-by-side inside Westminster Abbey, the significance of the moment was almost audible on this once-in a-lifetime international occasion marked the end of an era – the end of the second Elizabethan Era.

The Monarch was then given a tour of the tram where she met workers behind the city centre extension, and even got in the driving seat herself for a look around the cab. She was fittingly dressed in fuscia pink coat and hat, a close match to the branding colour of the trams.

Among those to speak with the Queen was Nicky Haigh, who was West Midlands Metro’s head of engagement with businesses and communities along the route of the extension, responsible for keeping them updated on progress.