Community News

Birmingham City Council has launched a campaign for the community – Be Your Personal Best – to honour the success of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

The city council is calling out for Birmingham’s residents to share their ‘personal best’ stories – the achievements and everyday acts that they take great pride in.

Audience members will have the chance to see inside a rare example of a purpose-built jewellery manufactory in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter this September as part of BOLDtext Playwright’s ‘Gem of a Place’ show which is taking place during Birmingham Heritage Week and as part of the Birmingham 2022 Festival.

Households reliant on oven cooking could save up to £604 per year by switching to a more energy efficient cooking methods, according to new research by energy supplier Utilita. Joining together with frozen food specialist Iceland, the pair are embarking on a first of its kind partnership, that aims to help those struggling with the rising cost of living, by offering practical solutions and advice on how to save money. 

The cost of living crisis is worsening by the day - and with an average UK wedding costing upto £35,000, it’s no wonder brides-to-be are looking for tips and tricks to cut the cost. 

But just how can engaged couples save on the cost of their big day without skimping on the quality of the wedding they want?

In an age when many statues and sculptures in the public realm are being scrutinised due to their links with colonialism, it is refreshing to discover the work of Edmonia Lewis, a 19th century African America female sculpture who achieve international acclaim at a time when slavery was still legal.

City of Wolverhampton Council has ensured a range of measures are available to help families over the summer holidays and it’s still not too late to ask for support.

As part of a wider package of support to help people in the city get through the Cost-of-Living Crisis, the council is spending a projected £1.3 million on the Holiday Activity and Food this year.

Throughout August, Universal Support Practitioners from the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Children’s Services have been bringing fun to families in Wolverhampton with free events in local parks and venues.

Last week in West Park, there were art and craft activities, magic shows, balloon modelling and live animals on show for children to see and hold.

On Wednesday 10th and Thursday 11th August, Nottingham based company, Mellors Group, partnered with children’s charities, The Toy Library and Gedling Play Forum, to bring together local children for an all-inclusive day out which offered a whole host of smiles and laughter.

Spectators, residents, and visitors to the West Midlands helped the region’s public transport network reach record numbers during the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Local train, tram, cycle, and bus travel all saw record breaking numbers across the eleven days as hundreds of thousands of sports fans made their way around the region.

The RNBT (Royal Naval Benevolent Trust) is celebrating 100 years of giving crucial support to serving and former ratings of the Royal Navy and other ranks of the Royal Marines. As part of its centenary celebration, it has commissioned research across the UK which has revealed that families are struggling with the cost of living crisis, with worries about going into debt and energy prices top of their minds.

Wolverhampton’s Central Library was host to the city’s Story Trails last weekend, giving almost 2,000 visitors the opportunity to see the untold community stories in a completely new way using augmented and virtual reality alongside an immersive 3D map of the city. The Story Trail through Wolverhampton took visitors to the factory floor of Courtaulds Textiles Works, a major employer from 1926 to 1970 with factory chimneys that once dominated the city’s skyline.

The official auction and memorabilia marketplace for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games has officially launched, offering fans the opportunity to bring the Games home and own a piece of sporting history.

The rare, authentic and exclusive pieces of history and memories from the action, has gone on sale on the official website.

Rail passengers are being thanked for their patience while the main entrance to Stoke-on-Trent station has been temporarily closed for urgent roof repairs. Network Rail engineers acted quickly to secure loose decorative stonework above platform one and the ticket hall after it was found during a routine inspection.

A demonstration of Community Spirit in abundance was displayed as Birmingham 2022 stages the 16th official Queen’s Baton Relay – an epic journey across the Commonwealth’s 72 nations and territories, travelling 4,000 kilometres via land, air and sea over a period of 294 days before reaching Handsworth, in Birmingham.

Over 400 performers of all ages in fabulous costumes, colour, dance, community and the rhythms of Trinidad came together in a celebration of carnival.

Big, colourful costumes inspired by the 11 Caribbean islands were on parade at Birmingham’s iconic Bullring and Grand Central as It’s Carnival took over the centre in a celebration of carnival on 6 August.

The Birmingham Back to Backs, are calling for visitors to the city to come and discover local social history and Commonwealth ties by visiting their new exhibition spaces, which currently feature two installations created by community organisations. 

For the duration of the Commonwealth Games and beyond, the Back to Backs on Hurst Street are home to two exhibitions; ‘The Lost Children’ by Balsall Heath Local History Society and ‘Home from Home’ by the Wassifa Heritage Foundation and Blackstory Partnership.