Community News

The head of the Irish Catholic Church has said partition causes him "a deep sense of loss and sadness". Archbishop Eamon Martin was addressing a service to mark the centenary of Ireland being divided and the formation of Northern Ireland.

In 1921, the island was divided into Northern Ireland and the Irish Free State. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson joined 150 guests from both sides of the border at the event, with Archbishop Martin saying that for the past 100 years, partition had polarised people on this island.

School children from across Birmingham have been writing poems and creating ‘orange hearts’ artwork (the international symbol of welcome to refugees) to welcome those seeking sanctuary in the city, as part of a nationwide ‘week of action’ led by Together With Refugees. Joined by local charities, faith and community groups, they are coming together to call for a kind and fair approach to people seeking safety, while opposing the Governments Nationality and Borders Bill which is due to be debated in Parliament from this week.

Research from hospitality insurer NFU Mutual today reveals that 95% of dog owners are considering taking their dog on holiday, as thousands of canine guests are expected to accompany their owners during next week’s half term break.  

Against a backdrop of pandemic puppies and a surge in staycations, nearly two thirds (60%) of dog owners say they will always take their pet away with them.

In line with the publication of the Government’s net zero strategy today, the Future Homes Standard, which aims to reduce the carbon footprint of residential homes by 80%, will come into effect in 2025. The legislation aims to ensure that new homes in England are futureproofed with low-carbon heating systems and high levels of energy efficiency, including heat pumps replacing gas-powered boilers.

A Coventry man who was found guilty of allowing his van to be used to dump waste in Selly Oak was ordered to pay almost £4,000 after a trial at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court.

Kulvir Singh Dhaliwal, aged 47, of Crampers Field, Coventry, was in legal control of the vehicle when it was filmed by a local resident on land at the rear of flats on Hollybank Road in Selly Oak, in Birmingham, on April 3 of this year.

On Friday December 3, the oldest and biggest sleepout in the UK returns to Birmingham. The new venue for St Basils Big SleepOut 2021 is Millennium Point - and the organisers hope to fill it to capacity.

Abigail Vlahakis, the CEO of Millennium Point said: “It is a pleasure to support the important work St Basils achieves every year in tackling youth homelessness.

Birmingham City University criminologist, Professor Elizabeth Yardley, says our criminal justice system is not set up to respond to domestic abuse, as new figures show a huge rise in domestic abuse cases being dropped.

“The data highlighted today, that nearly 13,000 cases have been dropped in the last five years, highlights to me that there is a problem with the way our criminal justice system recognises and responds to domestic abuse.

Car parks in Wednesfield are to be named in honour of two well-loved local residents under a community-led approach to celebrating their lives and contributions to the village.

City of Wolverhampton Council-owned car parks off Woodhouse Fold are to be named after Steph Clarke, a community activist and photographer, and William “Harry” Busby, a Second World War veteran.

Diwali, the festival of lights, will be celebrated in Wolverhampton at a free event on Saturday October 23. The fun will take place between 4pm and 8pm at Phoenix Park, off Dudley Road in Blakenhall.

Hosted by The Elias Mattu Foundation, the event will feature entertainment by Lehmber Hussainpuri, DJ Mac, Gaggi Dhillon, Wolvo Jatti, Lucky Rai, Dhol Frequency and Ultimate Bhangra.  

A statue designed by Jamaican sculptor Basil Watson has been chosen to stand in London's Waterloo Station as a tribute to the Windrush generation.

The 12ft-high (3.6m) statue, selected from a shortlist of four designs, will be of a man, woman and child dressed in their "Sunday best".

The winners for the third round of the You Matter Communities Community Fund have been announced. McLaughlin & Harvey, the lead contractor for Birmingham City Council at the Alexander Stadium Redevelopment, has finalised ten community projects that will each receive a grant of up to £1,000 to support their work within local communities.

Launched last year, McLaughlin & Harvey’s You Matter Communities initiative provides support to local communities through volunteer time, small grants, and the use of excess materials from the construction process.

Our Creative Lockdown brings together five exhibitions showcasing the people of Wolverhampton’s artistic responses to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Wolverhampton Art Gallery and Library Service, Wolverhampton Society of Artists, Changing Lives Charity, Still Lively and the City Council’s Music Service have all come together to share the artwork that was created during lockdown.

A long-standing Midlands housebuilder has delivered a £28,750 donation to eight charities as part of its commitment to its Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) strategy. Kendrick Homes, which currently operates seven sites across the Midlands and Oxfordshire, has donated £1750 to Paralympics GB and £2500 to Midlands Air Ambulance, Mind, Primrose Hospice, The Prince’s Trust and Voluntary Action Stratford-on-Avon.

Employees at the Birmingham branch of business accountants and tax specialists Haines Watts have taken up the challenge to raise funds for West Midlands-based charity St Basil’s, one of the UK’s leading charities working to prevent young people becoming homeless.

After voting for St Basil’s as their chosen charity, the team based at their Edgbaston headquarters have pledged to raise £5,000.

The Leader of City of Wolverhampton Council has spoken of the city’s ongoing commitment to celebrating diversity as demonstrated by activities organised for Black History Month.

Councillor Ian Brookfield said that as the leader of one of the most diverse cities in the UK, he was proud that the council had organised events and was raising the profile of Black History Month throughout October.

The installation of a new canal bridge has marked a major milestone in the £56 million redevelopment of University railway station in Birmingham.

Spanning the Worcester & Birmingham Canal, the bridge links the new station to the University of Birmingham campus and will be crossed by thousands of passengers a day when it opens next summer.