Community News

A new urban village comprising thousands of homes and commercial space with the potential to create 3,500 jobs is set to be created at the NEC Campus in Solihull.

A masterplan for 67 acres of land next to the M42 has been unveiled by the NEC Group which it said could one day be home to 11,000 people.

More than 3,000 new trees will take root across Wolverhampton this month as City of Wolverhampton Council organises five special planting events to help tackle climate change, boost public health and support nature. Trees will be planted at sites across the city to support the council’s Tree and Woodland Strategy as well as recognising our recently declared climate emergency. 

Research released to coincide with COP 26 shows Birmingham’s statistics on  activities around energy and recycling   

People in Birmingham are actively participating in a range of activities to save the planet with more than 91% trying to do their bit now to save the planet according to research revealed today.

Birmingham City Council is supporting Talk Money Week, the annual campaign to get the nation having conversations about money.

Talk Money Week in Birmingham aims to encourage people to have conversations about money, as nine out of 10 people – that’s 47 million UK adults - aren’t talking about money, despite COVID-19’s effect on personal finances.

Electric vehicle charge-points will appear in greater numbers and at strategic locations across Birmingham because, today, the city council has accepted a 12-year electric vehicle strategy that will contribute to meeting its net-zero target by 2030.

The rollout of more than 3,000 electric vehicle charge-points across Birmingham is predicted to contribute to around 50% of the reduction in city emissions from cars and vans in 2030, compared to 2020 levels.

With global leaders in Glasgow for COP26 to address the threats that climate change and nature loss bring, Severn Trent PLC have announced that by 2025 it will have restored over 2,000 acres of peatland across England and Wales.

Severn Trent PLC, made up of water companies Severn Trent and Hafren Dyfrdwy that provide water and waste services to customers its chillacross the Midlands and into mid-Wales, is tackling the threat of nature loss and climate change, by restoring more peatland to help improve water quality on top of its other environmental commitments.

Birmingham City Council is asking people who live or work in or visit Birmingham to share their views on plans to introduce measures to tackle anti-social behaviour in the city centre.

The council is looking to implement a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) to prevent certain anti-social behaviours within the city centre – covering an area from Five Ways and Ladywood across to Digbeth, including the Jewellery Quarter, Chinese Quarter, Snow Hill and Lee Bank areas.

The largest and most ambitious programme aimed at addressing holiday hunger, inactivity, isolation and learning loss has proved hugely successful over the summer.

Bring it on Brum is the city’s Holiday Activity and Food programme that ran over the summer using government funding, with six weeks of holiday club provision, healthy food and activities for children and young people aged 5 to 16 who are eligible for free school meals and have additional needs.

People in Birmingham are actively participating in a range of activities to save the planet with more than 91% trying to do their bit now to save the planet according to research revealed today. Most popular activity undertaken in the city to help save the planet is recycling with 61% saying they are now recycling more than ever.

The Yo! programme of half-term events was a great success with hundreds of children and young people taking part in a wide range of fun days and sporting events across the city.

Held over the October school holidays, youngsters and their families took part in activities from local providers ranging from pumpkin carving, spooky scavenger hunts and arts and crafts to music workshops and free WV Active swimming sessions.

Unfortunately, one of life’s inevitabilities is that as we grow older our health starts to deteriorate and our reliance on support for our care needs increase. Sadly, every year over 50,000 elderly people are forced to sell their homes to fund their care. There are few options available to the growing number of the older generation, who need to pay care home fees.

So, the German Christmas Market in Birmingham is now officially opened with many of its main attractions back in full-swing.

Better known as Frankfurt Christmas Market Birmingham, there are 56 stallholders on show in the city this year - this smaller than normal because of Brexit and the Covid pandemic - that spread down New Street while ongoing works are carried out in Victoria Square, which means the sausages are back!

The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games has launched free online learning resources for primary schools, themed around Queen’s Baton Relay.

The Queen’s Baton Relay is a tradition that celebrates, connects and excites communities from across the Commonwealth during the build up to the Games.

A heartbroken family who lost their youngest daughter to deadly meningitis have launched a national charity’s Christmas Ribbon Appeal.

Eilidh Neave, from Kinross in Scotland, was just 8 when she became ill and died from meningitis whilst on a family holiday in France in July 2019. Now her parents Ann Marie and Stuart, and sister Zoë, are supporting charity Meningitis Now’s annual ribbon appeal, which offers everyone the chance to remember their loved ones at Christmas and donate to fight back against the devastating disease.

Thirteen-year-old Olivia Rudge, from Cradley Heath in the West Midlands, has been shortlisted for an award by the national disability charity, Sense. The nomination recognises the challenges she has overcome since the Covid pandemic and the progress she has made with her development.

Olivia, who is non-verbal and has multiple disabilities, has been shortlisted for the ‘Young Person of the Year’ award at the annual Sense Awards.

With forecasters predicting significant snowfall over higher ground by the end of the week, William Hill made Manchester 8-1 favourite for Bonfire Night snowfall.

Forecasters have been warning of snow flurries and an impending arctic plume in November for the last few weeks, but as the sky lights up with colourful fireworks on Saturday and Sunday, there could now be significant snowfall at higher levels and an early taste of wintry conditions in parts of Northern England and Scotland.