Community News

Since 2017 when Andy Street CBE was elected Mayor of the West Midlands, the face of the region has changed almost to the point of being almost unrecognisable from its former self, proudly boasting the fastest growing economy anywhere outside of London.

 From redevelopments across the West Midlands both towards local infrastructure and public transport, to Commonwealth Games related new builds and redevelopments, alongside the completion of projects like the facelift at Symphony Hall, the region has flourished, despite the last few years of uncertainty and downturn during the pandemic.

These redevelopments would not have been possible without the local, national and international investment in the region that Andy Street has been able to secure, including more than £3bn of Government investment to support the local economy with no Mayoral precept added to council tax bills. The level of transport investment this year was seven times higher than in the year before Mr Street became Mayor.

Before the Pandemic struck, the West Midlands enjoyed record-breaking housebuilding, with over 48,000 homes built, nearly doubling the target originally set when Andy Street became Mayor.

“Our region was doing well before COVID struck, with record-breaking numbers of jobs, record house building and the best growth anywhere outside of London,” explained Andy. “Now we need to recapture that success and surpass it.”

Andy also helped to secure both the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and Coventry City of Culture for the region, alongside creating over 97,000 new jobs in the three years before the pandemic.

“From the day I was first elected I said I wanted to be a Mayor for the whole of the West Midlands, not only reaching out to the different communities that make up the region, but also recognising that our diversity is one of our greatest strengths.

“As we begin our recovery, I think those principles of equality and inclusion are even more important now, because it’s vital that all of our communities benefit from investment we attract.”

Looking forward, post-pandemic lockdowns, Andy has already got a strong vision as to what he wants to target. “The West Midlands needs a Mayor who can deliver an ambitious but practical plan, and drive our recovery as we come out of the pandemic - I’ve pledged to create 100,000 new jobs in the first two years and continue to bring billions of pounds of investment in to create new opportunities for local people.”

Andy is also committed to reaching the region’s target of becoming net zero by 2041, using large-scale green programmes to reduce carbon emissions in transport, industry and homes, as well as maintaining the record-breaking house building rates achieved pre-pandemic, especially with his ‘brownfield first’ policy, protecting the green belt.

Polling day is May 6^th, so if you’ve not already completed your postal vote, make sure you get to your polling station on the day and ensure that your voice is heard.

Jay Singh-Sohal, who is standing to be the regions next Police and Crime Commissioner, has welcomed the announcement that 628 police officers have been recruited in the West Midlands in the first year of Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s campaign to recruit 20,000 by March 2023, as part of the 8,771 additional officers that have been recruited across England and Wales.

This means the Conservative Government’s target of recruiting 6,000 by March 2021 in the first year of the programme has been dramatically exceeded, with the halfway milestone likely to be reached within the coming weeks.

The addition of these new officers brings the total number of police across the West Midlands up to 7319, meaning there are now more frontline officers on our streets to keep the public safe.

The pledge to recruit an additional 20,000 police officers was one of Boris Johnson’s key pledges during the Conservative Party leadership contest nearly two years ago.

The new figures have also confirmed that every single force across England and Wales has met or exceed their recruitment targets. 139,000 people have applied to join the police since the start of the recruitment programme. Analysis of diversity data shows that there are now 10,218 officers from a Black Asian and Minority Ethnic background – the highest number on record. 

In addition to recruiting 20,000 additional police officers, the Conservative Government is supporting the police with the powers they need to crack down on crime, including through introducing the landmark Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill – which will give the police additional powers to get knives off the streets, a £636 million funding boost for police forces this year, and a new police covenant – which will enhance support and protection for frontline police officers.

Commenting, Jay Singh-Sohal said: “Getting more police officers onto our streets is one of my top priorities, and so I am delighted that this Conservative Government has already delivered an extra 628 officers across the West Midlands.

“Every one of these officers will make an enormous difference in helping to cut crime and keep people safe – and I know that many more will follow as this Government continues to deliver on its promise to recruit 20,000 extra officers over three years.

“If elected as Police and Crime Commissioner next Thursday, I will work constructively with the Government to ensure that the West Midlands gets as many of those officers as possible - and I will cut out politics and waste to free up funding for even more.”

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “When I became Prime Minister, I made a commitment that we would recruit more police officers, cut crime and make your streets safer.

“In just one year, we have hired an extra 9,000 extra police officers, smashing our first-year target and putting us well on track to recruit the 20,000 new officers we promised.

“But we need Police and Crime Commissioners locally who can continue to work with the Government to recruit police officers and cut crime as we Build Back Safer from the pandemic, so I’d urge people up and down the country to vote for their local Conservative candidate on Thursday 6th May.”

Home Secretary Priti Patel said: “As Home Secretary, keeping you, your family and our country safe is my number one priority.

“One of the Government’s key promises was to put an extra 20,000 police officers on our streets, and I’m delighted that one year in we have surpassed expectations and already recruited nearly 9,000 additional police officers.

“Our police officers are the very best of us and I will continue to give them the resources and powers they need to keep us and our loved ones safe. But I need local Police and Crime Commissioners to work with me to get crime down as we emerge from the pandemic, so I’d urge everyone to vote for their local Conservative candidate on Thursday 6th May.”

Knife crime is an epidemic on our streets, according to Desmond Jaddoo, speaking at the Matthew Boulton College.

Jaddoo was one of six panellists at the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner Hustings, an event hosted by The Lunar Society, Chairing the session, New Style Radio's Charmaine Burton was central to proceedings as the panel tackled knife crime, racism in the police force and illegal substances, amongst other matters.

On the panel alongside We Matter Party's, Desmond Jaddoo were Labour candidate Simon Foster and Mark Hoath of Reform UK. Also, Jon Hunt of Liberal Democrat, Conservative's Jay Singh-Sohal and Julie Hambleton (Independent). Billed as an opportunity for the public to hear from candidates for the role of West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) before the election on Thursday, May 6, 2021, the event streamed live via zoom.

"I don't see knife crime as a phenomenon," Jaddoo said via a video presentation. "I see knife crime as an epidemic on our streets."

He said: "We're doing a lot of work on knife crime over the years. I've been involved in school education programmes, Weapons Surrender Bins - indeed, yesterday we opened our Weapons Surrender Bin in Sandwell, the only knife bin in West Bromwich. In addition to that, over the past three weeks, we've collected in excess of one hundred and fifty knives off our streets. "We also place Bleed Control Kits out.

“We've place out over a hundred and twenty Bleed Control Kits now, and that is increasing. "Developing awareness and having, an --- what we call --- 'In Your Face Campaign,' in layman's terms, is what we need to be doing. We need to energise communities. We need to have a zero-tolerance approach to knife crime, but what does that zero-tolerance approach look like?"

He said: "We don't need any more reports. We don't need any more seminars. What we require now is affirmative action, to work with young people particularly, to educate young people about the ills of knife crime, and also as well to get to the root causes." The votes counted in Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Dudley, Sandwell, Coventry, Solihull, and Walsall will decide the next PCC.

People who are indulging in retail therapy or heading off to a beer garden this Bank Holiday Weekend are being urged to stay safe.

With more retailers now open following the relaxation of Covid-19 restrictions, people are reminded that face coverings are mandatory in shops, supermarkets, shopping centres and indoor markets, premises providing personal care and beauty treatments such as hairdressers, and public transport, unless they are exempt for any reason. For full details of when and where face coverings should be worn, and exemptions, please visit https://bit.ly/34xSC7t.

A face visor or shield may be worn in addition to a face covering, but not instead. This is because face visors or shields do not adequately cover the nose and mouth, and do not filter airborne particles as face coverings do. Meanwhile, pubs and restaurants able to serve food and drink outside and customers should follow the rule of six or two households when meeting up with people they don't live with, and maintain social distancing of two metres from anyone who is not in their household or support bubble.

Face coverings should also be worn if people need to go into the pub or restaurant, for instance to order food and drink, to pay or to go to the toilet.

John Denley, Wolverhampton's Director of Public Health, said: "Businesses in Wolverhampton are working really hard to ensure shops, pubs and restaurants are safe and welcoming places for people to visit. The vast majority of customers are responding tremendously to the various measures which have been put in place, wearing face coverings, practicing social distancing and following one-way systems where required.

"It’s incredibly important that everybody continues to play their part in stopping the spread of the virus so, if you are off to the shops, remember to take not only your bags and your money, but also a face covering too. Respect your fellow shoppers and shop staff by wearing your face covering and keeping a safe distance from one another.

“And if you are off to the pub, please remember that you must maintain social distancing from people who are not in your household or support bubble. Wherever you are heading, take a bottle of hand gel with you or use hand sanitisers or handwashing facilities where available, and try to pay using contactless where you can as this reduces the possibility of transmitting the virus by handling coins or notes.

“If you are going to meet with extended family or friends, the best protection you can give them is by getting a rapid Covid-19 test first so you can be reassured you don't pose a risk to others. And please remember that you must continue to follow these guidelines even if you have had one or both your Covid-19 jabs.”

Symptoms of Covid-19 include a fever, a new, continuous cough and loss or change to a person’s sense of taste and smell. To book a test, visit www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test or call 119.

We're flushing away or binning an astonishing 11 billion wet wipes every year which can take up to 100 years to biodegrade. BusinessWaste.co.uk, waste management specialists, are concerned about the volume of waste being created by the number of makeup wipes and says that women and men across their country need to change their ways.

“Makeup wipes are the quickest and cheapest way to remove makeup on the market, but this doesn’t mean they’re the best option for the environment,” says Mark Hall, company spokesman. “But as global sales of all wet wipes are set to hit £16 billion by 2021*, it’s time to scrub away our nations unhealthy habits of using makeup wipes,” he says.

Using makeup wipes is bad for the environment, but because they’re an incredibly convenient way to remove makeup, it’s easy to convince yourself that one wipe a day won’t cause too much damage. Millions of consumers rely on makeup wipes as they promise to wash away the day in seconds using just one product, making them cost effective and a low maintenance part of their daily routines.

But despite the plush cotton feel makeup wipes have on your face, they actually contain a mix of plastic fibres such as polyester and polypropylene which prevent them from biodegrading. BusinessWaste.co.uk warns that they break down into micro-plastics and smaller fibres which will end up polluting the oceans and entering the food chain.

“With such a high number of wipes being used, there’s a lot of single-use plastic coming into the world,” says spokesperson Mark Hall. “The only way to prevent this happening is to stop using them.”

To add to the damage, makeup wipes and other wet wipes are not recyclable, meaning that the only way they can be properly disposed of is to put them into your rubbish bin. “For heavens sake do not flush makeup wipes down the toilet,” warns Mark Hall, “you’ll only break your toilet and block up the sewers.

"You don’t want poo flooding your bathroom, do you? I know it’s hard to get hold of toilet paper at the moment, but this is not the answer.” With 9.3 million wet wipes being flushed down the loo every day, they account for a staggering 93% of all sewer blockages, and makeup wipes are a big contribution to this problem.

BusinessWaste.co.uk explain that flushing anything other than toilet paper down the loo could add to ‘fatbergs’ in the sewers, which are caused by a build-up of fat and non-biodegradable materials such as wet wipes, which can lead to sewers blocking or overflowing. Fortunately, several brands are leading the way, such as high street store Holland & Barrett pledging to remove all wet wipes from their stores, and brand Huggies aiming to remove all plastics from their wipes in the next five years.

“Thank god people are taking action, otherwise our entire planet is going to be covered in a layer of makeup wipes,” says Hall, “imagine a squishy wet wipe mush underfoot everywhere you go. Yuck.”

With many people knowing that makeup wipes are bad news for the environment, alternative ways to remove makeup are becoming increasingly popular, so why isn’t everyone is making the change?

“I’ll admit, I buy the cheap makeup wipes from the supermarket, but then I end up using 4 instead of 1,” says shopper Heidi in Lancaster. “But I still think it’s cheaper than whatever else is out there.” Makeup wipes can cost as little as a pound for a pack, whereas plastic free alternatives can cost ten times that, so it’s easy to see why people are finding it hard to make the switch.

A list of inexpensive alternatives to help people cut down on makeup wipe use.

·         Try one of the many cleansers such as micellar water available on the market with a flannel, a bottle can last for ages, and the flannel is washable

·         Invest in a washable makeup remover cloth which only needs to be run under a tap before use. It can be chucked in your washing machine when you’ve used it, which over time will be much cheaper than restocking on makeup wipes

·         Use a gentle soap and some water and little bit of arm power

·         Stop wearing makeup every day, saves on wipes and saves you money! This is the ideal lockdown solution

“Ultimately, we need to get people to realise that makeup wipes are a single-use plastic, like carrier bags and straws says Mark. “If people can take their own bags to the supermarket, then they can wipe out the wet wipe.”

University of Wolverhampton academics have shared their recent research on police stations designed specifically to respond to victims of gender violence at the United Nations’ 65th session of the Commission on the Status of Women.
Such police stations are a unique invention that emerged in Latin America in the mid-1980s. In Spanish they are called la Comisaria de la Mujer y la Familia (CMF), translated as ‘police stations for women and families’.
A world-first study on how CMFs prevent violence in Argentina was concluded in 2019 by Queensland University of Technology, Australia, the National University of Litoral, Argentina and the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
This year, a global collaboration of experts, including the University of Wolverhampton, has undertaken research in Australia, Canada and the UK to assess which aspects of these specialist police stations could inform the re-imagining of the policing of gender violence.
Through the project, the team have been surveying domestic and family violence workers, including the police, in the three countries, and found that there is support for woman’s police stations.
Dr Elaine Arnull, Director for the Institute of Society and Community at the University of Wolverhampton, said: “Through the survey, we have also seen endorsement for a multi-disciplinary ‘one-stop-shop’ for domestic violence and sexual violence victims. These would includes social workers, police, psychologists, and lawyers.”
Research in Brazil found a 50 per cent drop in the rate of homicide of women aged 15 to 24 in cities and for all women by 17 per cent in areas where women’s police stations were found following their introduction of women’s police stations in 1985.
“A similar impact in the UK would be an outstanding achievement given we have yet to find a solution that brings down the number of women killed each year by intimate male partners,” added Arnull. “We do however have a good history of developing effective multi-agency work and co-operation and should now draw on that to implement a model of tackling violence against women and girls that has been shown to work elsewhere, whilst adapting it to our particular needs and circumstances.”
The international survey asked which of the following 12 aspects of the Argentinian model could improve the way policing operated in these countries:
• Designed to receive victims
• Provide childcare
• Multi-disciplinary teams
• Work from a gender perspective
• Provide emergency support
• Operate from suburban houses
• Staffed predominantly by female police officers
• Prevention work in community
• Collaborate with local agencies
• Work with victims to break cycle
• Work with offenders to break cycle
• Interview rooms for victims

Dr Arnull said: “Overall Australia showed support for 11 of the 12 aspects, with the responses varying between 56 and 86 per cent. Canada’s workers also showed stronger support for 11 of the aspects, with their responses varying between 66 to 89 per cent in favour.
“The UK survey is still underway, and so far it shows support for nine of the aspects, with responses varying between 58 to 82 per cent.
“The greatest area of agreement across the three countries was the aspect ‘Provide emergency support to victims of violence’.
“Having a multi-disciplinary ‘one-stop shop’ for domestic violence and sexual violence was endorsed by 89 per cent of workers in Canada, 86 per cent in Australia and 74 per cent in UK.
“Another key finding shared across all three countries was to ‘Allow female victims of male violence to choose a female police officer to receive their complaint’, endorsed by 92 per cent in Canada, 86 per cent in UK and 78 per cent in Australia."
The team’s presentation ‘Re-imagining the policing of gender violence: what can the world learn from Latin America’s police stations for women?’, delivered at United Nations’ 65th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, shared the survey’s report.
The session also included input from the University’s Dr Mahuya Kanjilal. It can be viewed, along with recordings of other webinars and seminars delivered by the University of Wolverhampton Social Work and Social Care team, on the Social Work Wolverhampton YouTube channel.
The 2021 research project involves The University of Wolverhampton, Queensland University of Technology, Australia; the University of Guelph, Canada; Bedfordshire Police; and the UK’s National Police Chief’s Council, has undertaken research in Australia, Canada and the UK to assess which aspects of these specialist police stations could inform the re-imagining of the policing of gender violence.

National Lottery funding of more than £35.4 million has been given to good causes in Birmingham in 2019/20 according to new figures released today to mark the launch of The National Lottery Awards.

A total of 538 National Lottery grants were allocated in this period providing crucial support to arts, sports, heritage and community organisations in Birmingham.

The National Lottery Awards are the annual search for the UK’s favourite National Lottery funded people and projects and, this year, the actress and TV presenter, Jacqueline Jossa, has joined forces with the National Lottery in the search for inspirational individuals and groups throughout the UK.

Jacqueline, who is known for portraying Lauren Branning in the BBC soap opera EastEnders from 2010 to 2018, and winning the nineteenth series of the ITV series I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! in 2019, is encouraging the public to nominate the people and projects who do extraordinary things in their community with the help of National Lottery funding - especially during these challenging times.

Last year there were 5000 nominations made and once again, the National Lottery is looking to hear about those who are going the extra mile, doing amazing things and inspiring others. Anyone who has received National Lottery funding is eligible for nomination.

Winners in each category will receive a £3,000 cash prize for their organisation and a coveted National Lottery Awards trophy.

Urging people to get their nominations in, Jacqueline Jossa said: "I really hope lots of people nominate [a local hero] because these people deserve to be celebrated, especially during these challenging times when many need the support more than ever.

So much National Lottery funding goes to great causes and allows these local heroes to continue their inspirational work within our communities and its thanks to National Lottery players that this can continue."

Encompassing all aspects of National Lottery good causes funding, the 2021 National Lottery Awards are seeking to recognise outstanding individuals in the following sectors:

·         Culture, Arts & Film

·         Heritage

·         Sport

·         Community/Charity

There will be a special Young Hero Award for someone under the age of 18 who has gone that extra mile in their organisation. All nominees must work or act for a National Lottery funded organisation or have received National Lottery funding.

Winners of these categories will be chosen by a judging panel made up of members of the National Lottery family and partners.

In addition, projects from any sector who have received National Lottery funding are eligible to enter The National Lottery Project of the Year category. Sixteen shortlisted finalists will compete in a UK-wide public vote in September to claim this title.

To make your nomination for this year’s National Lottery Awards, tweet @LottoGoodCauses with your suggestions or complete an entry form through our website www.lotterygoodcauses/awards. Entries must be received by midnight on 7 June 2021.

New laws that could leave flat owners facing bills for fire safety measures are "indefensible," say Grenfell Tower survivors and bereaved relatives.

The Fire Safety Bill is aimed at making homes safer following the 2017 blaze, in which 72 people died. But a push to include more financial protections for leaseholders was defeated in a Parliamentary vote, despite a large Tory rebellion.

The government has made a £5bn fund available to remove cladding.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said the government was paying for remedial work to thousands of buildings around the country. She said the bill will actually help to save lives by changing some of these awful regulations and guidelines that existed previously.

After the Grenfell tragedy, thousands of blocks of flats were found to be covered in similar cladding. Other defects were also discovered, leaving leaseholders facing large bills to pay for protective measures such as fire breaks, new balconies, safer doors and sprinkler systems.

Ministers say a loan scheme will ensure costs are capped at £50 a month for safety works and that residents in the tallest tower blocks in England will not have to pay to have cladding removed. Leaseholders have described being trapped in homes they cannot sell, with their lives on hold potentially for years, because lenders will not offer mortgages until the cladding is removed.

Reports of the toll on residents' mental health have been widespread.

Campaigners say leaseholders should be protected from all remediation costs that have arisen through no fault of their own. Critics, including some Conservative MPs, had argued the government should meet all the costs upfront and then recoup them from property developers.

The group, Grenfell United, which was set up after the tragedy in west London four years ago, said it was deeply disappointed that ministers have broken their promises to leaseholders who have done absolutely nothing wrong. It described the government's position as indefensible saying it was a grave injustice that many innocent leaseholders will be financially ruined over fire safety issues that were not of their own making and it accused ministers of letting those responsible continue to get off scot-free.

The campaigning group End Our Cladding Scandal said the legislation had passed unchanged much to the horror of hundreds of thousands of innocent people across the country whose lives are being ruined by the building’s safety crisis. It said the government had fought hard against changes that would have saved leaseholders from widespread bankruptcy and financial ruin caused by bad regulations, corporate malfeasance and shoddy building work.

"This Bill pulls the rug out from under a generation of homeowners" it added whose lives were still at risk from unsafe buildings. The group has vowed to continue opposing the reforms, tweeting "We have the right to be angry. But the fight isn't over yet".

The new legislation modifies a previous law to clarify that building owners must manage and reduce the risk of fire in their properties. The government was under pressure to get it passed before the end of the parliamentary session yesterday.

The government said it is striking the right balance in protecting leaseholders and being fair to taxpayers. A spokesperson for the department for housing, communities and local government said ministers were prioritising making the tallest buildings with the most dangerous cladding safer, backed by £5 billion government funding.

"We have been clear throughout that owners and industry should make buildings safe without passing on costs to leaseholders - and we will ensure they pay for the mistakes of the past with a new levy and tax to contribute to the costs of remediation.

"For lower-rise buildings which have a lower risk, our generous capped finance scheme will ensure bills are a maximum of £50 per month."

Almost two thirds (62%) of people living in Birmingham still have tasks to tick off their to do list before lockdown measures lift this summer. However, over two thirds (83%) admit to putting tedious household tasks off until the last minute, according to new research out today.

Gas Safe Register – the UK’s official registration body for gas engineers and businesses – who commissioned the research among householders, has teamed up with Cleaning Queen and household hero, Aggie MacKenzie, to head off ‘lockdown fatigue’ and encourage people up and down the country to tackle the seemingly sensible tasks they’ve been putting off – including booking a safety check for their gas appliances – before lockdown restrictions lift this summer.

With two months to go until the expected lifting of lockdown measures in June, garden maintenance (30%), cleaning the windows (27%) and scrubbing the oven (23%) are ranked as the top three tasks that the people of Birmingham are determined to tackle.

However, worryingly, when it comes to gas safety in our homes, only (11%) are hoping to book in a safety check/servicing this spring for their gas appliances, with nearly a third (28%) also admitting that gas safety checks often slip to the bottom of their to-do lists. 

With a tendency to procrastinate on chores that we are not excited about, when it comes to the reasoning as to why there are still outstanding household tasks on their to-do lists this year, almost half (44%) admit they’ve put them to the back of their minds as they ‘can’t see’ them, and nearly half (48%) cite a lack of motivation.

Aggie MacKenzie, who has been keeping us clean, organised and tidy for two decades since appearing on Channel 4’s How Clean is Your House?, says: “Personally, I love getting the less glamorous household tasks ticked off my to-do list! But if it brings you less enjoyment, now is the time to get the sensible sorted and a Gas Safety Check with a registered engineer should be top of that list. Booking in your annual service now will reduce disruption to your house in the long term. Get it booked whilst we are still at home, so that your summer can be that bit more carefree!”

In fact, tackling the more ‘tedious’ tasks can be good for us. Over two thirds (61%) of ‘Brummies’ admit to receiving a positive boost and a serotonin hit when they do tick these tasks off the admin list.

TV behavioural psychologist Emma Kenny, who is also supporting Gas Safe Register’s campaigning efforts, shares her thoughts on why we get a ‘buzz’ from being sensible. She says: “Life in lockdown has felt overwhelming and fatigue has well and truly set in. It’s easy to understand why many of us have found it difficult to tackle those tasks we had to set out to do at the start of the year.

“Getting on top of your life admin – including those household tasks that we often ‘can’t see’ and put to the back of our minds - is great for positive mental health and wellbeing. Knowing that you have ticked off important tasks, such as having your gas appliances checked, so that you protect both yourself and your family is a small win, that makes a huge difference to all of your lives.

“Being organised this way helps you to feel in control of your world, whilst ensuring the safety of the people that mean the most to you in it. The science clearly shows that when you feel that you are on top of your roles and responsibilities you feel happier, and more content, which is something everyone needs after the challenging year we have faced.”

This spring, Gas Safe Register is encouraging Brits to ensure that the servicing of gas appliances in their homes, which should be booked annually, is on the top of their to-do lists. From cookers, boilers to gas fires, many faulty appliances – left unchecked - can pose life-threatening risks such as carbon monoxide poisoning, a gas leak, and in some instances fires, or even an explosion.

This has proven to be as important as ever with the research showing a lack of knowledge amongst people living in Birmingham around the signs of an unsafe gas appliance. More than 4 in 10 (42%) wrongly thought that smoke was a sign of an unsafe gas appliance, a third (31%) claimed the smoke alarm going off was a sign whilst 14% attributed mould and 8% a build-up of dust.

Bob Kerr from Gas Safe Register added: “As it starts to get warmer and the further easing of lockdown restrictions are now firmly in sight, you probably haven’t given your boiler a second thought! But, after a heavy winter of use whilst we’ve all spent more time than usual in our homes, springtime is the ideal season to book in your annual gas safety check with a Gas Safe Registered engineer.

As today’s research shows, with a lack of awareness around the signs and symptoms of an unsafe gas appliance, it’s even more important to make sure that your appliances are fit for use. You can find and check a local registered engineer to you on our Gas Safe Register website. There’s never been a better time to Be Gas Safe than Sorry.”

Aggie’s Spring to-do list before lockdown ends:

1. Clean the windows

2. Tackle the dust on the tops of kitchen cupboards and high-up/out-of-reach surfaces

3. Book a gas safety check

4. Cleaning the oven

5. Painting/decorating the house

6. Cleaning behind the fridge

7. The showerhead/curtain/taps/screen/

8. Pillows and duvets

9. Garden maintenance and cleaning your greenhouse

10. Rescue the barbie

Gas Safe Register’s six simple steps to help householders stay Better Gas Safe Than Sorry this Spring, are:

1.    Only use a Gas Safe registered engineer to fit, fix and service your appliances. You can find and check an engineer at GasSafeRegister.co.uk or call 0800 408 5500.

2.    Check both sides of your engineer’s Gas Safe Register ID card. Make sure they are qualified for the work you need doing. You can find this information on the back of the card.

3.    Know the six signs of carbon monoxide poisoning – headaches, dizziness, breathlessness, nausea, collapse and loss of consciousness.

4.    Check gas appliances for warning signs that they are not working properly e.g. lazy yellow flames instead of crisp blue ones, black marks or stains on or around the appliance and condensation in the room.

5.    Fit an audible carbon monoxide alarm. This will alert you if there is carbon monoxide in your home.

6.    Have all your gas appliances regularly serviced and safety checked every year. If you rent your home, ask for a copy of the landlord’s current Gas Safety Record.

How has lockdown been for you? Have you succumbed to the Lockdown 14? For those who missed this on social media, ‘Lockdown 14’ is the estimated average number of lbs fitness experts are saying we have put on over the past 12 months. If this is you and you want to get rid of yours, how about training for the St Basils ‘Hike for Homeless’?
 
Hiking popularity has boomed during lockdown as it’s a great way of getting fit and also raising money for a wonderful cause at the same time, win, win. Oh and did I mention it finishes at the pub, what’s not to love?
 
Teams get a map and a guidebook, before navigating their way to the various check points, so this really is more of a challenge than the average charity hike. Each check point has experienced marshals, a toilet, water, and emergency energy bars.

This year’s hike takes place on Saturday July 24, around the beautiful countryside of Warwickshire taking in such sites as the historic hamlet of Berkswell, the windmill in Balsall Common and Kenilworth Castle providing plenty of photo opportunities to share on social.

Teams are made up of 3 to 6 people, so grab your friends, family or colleagues and start training. Of course, this is a fundraising event and the more cash you raise for the challenge the more young people we can help.

Steve Rainbow, Events Manager for St Basils, said “The Hike for Homeless has been one of our most popular fundraising events for over 20 years and this year’s hike has been kindly sponsored by IM properties.

“The event gives friends, families, and colleagues the chance to really tackle a challenge together but in the most beautiful surroundings. We have teams who have signed up year after year and love the weeks of training too. The money raised from the hike really makes a difference to St Basils Vital work supporting the most vulnerable in our community.” 

Drivers in the West Midlands are seeing the biggest drop in car insurance costs in more than three years, new data reveals. The average cost of car insurance in the region dropped by £97 (13%) in 12 months, following a turbulent year which has sparked significant changes in driving habits. This means drivers in the West Midlands can now expect to pay £652 for their car insurance, on average. That’s according to the latest car insurance price index by Confused.com (Q1 2021), powered by Willis Towers Watson. Based on more than six million quotes per quarter, it’s the most comprehensive new business price index in the UK.

According to the data, drivers in Birmingham will have seen the biggest drop in their car insurance price when shopping around. Prices in the area fell by £110 (13%), with the average premium now £731. However, the data also shows that drivers in Birmingham are in fact paying out the most for their insurance, despite facing the biggest savings across the year.

It’s a similar picture across the rest of the UK, where prices fell by £87 (14%) in 12 months. This brings the average price of car insurance in the UK to £578. And throughout this past year, prices have been steadily declining, as drivers spend less time on the road. In fact, research suggests the average mileage of UK drivers dropped from 7,239 to 4,113 (43%) during the pandemic. And as a result, prices have decreased by £37 (7%) in the past three months alone (Q4 2020 – Q1 2021), as insurers adapt their pricing to reflect the current level of risk on UK roads. With fewer people driving regularly, the risk of accidents is much lower, meaning insurers are paying out less in claims.

However, Louise O’Shea, CEO at Confused.com, explains that not all drivers will see these savings. While those shopping around and buying a new car insurance policy could have saved as much as £87, further research of UK drivers found that almost half (45%) of drivers who received their renewal in the past three months saw their price increase by £45, on average(1). This suggests they could be paying more by opting to renew with their current insurer.

In fact, of the UK drivers who saw their renewal price increase this past quarter, almost half (48%) chose to stay with their current insurer, despite their price being more expensive. Of those who stayed with their current insurer, one in 10 (11%) claim the company automatically renewed the policy on their behalf. And it’s this practice which makes it difficult for motorists to opt out of their policy and find a better deal. This is something that is being investigated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which is looking into changes that will make it easier for customers to cancel their policy and benefit from the price savings being reported for new policies.

The FCA’s proposal will not just make it easier to cancel auto-renewals, it is also set to prohibit insurers from calculating a price based on whether the customer is a new customer or a renewing customer. However, this does not mean that renewal prices will stay the same or decrease, as they could still increase year-on-year. The FCA has been clear that shopping around will still give customers opportunities to save.

While most drivers across the UK will see a cheaper price when shopping for a new policy, some will see some very significant savings – in particular, male motorists. The cost of insurance for men dropped by £91 (14%) year-on-year and £38 (6%) in the past quarter to £574, on average. Meanwhile, female drivers shopping around will also have saved money during this past three months, with premiums now £82 (15%) cheaper than 12 months ago, and £36 (7%) less than last quarter. This means women are now paying £477, bringing the gap between male and female drivers to £97, on average.

Similarly, prices fell across all regions of the UK, but drivers in Manchester and Merseyside are seeing the most significant savings of all. The cost of car insurance in the region decreased by a whopping £122 (15%) in 12 months. This brings the average premium for drivers in the region to £708. Meanwhile, drivers in Inner London saved £116 (12%) on average when shopping for a new car insurance policy this past year, and are now paying £846, on average. But despite these significant savings, Inner London and Manchester and Merseyside are the two most expensive regions in the UK for car insurance. At the other end of the scale, the Scottish Borders is revealed to be the cheapest region in the UK for car insurance, with motorists paying £352 per year for their policies, on average. This is £62 (15%) less than 12 months ago.

Meanwhile, drivers of all age groups will also have seen a drop in price when shopping for car insurance this past quarter. And those in their early twenties are the biggest winners, seeing savings of up to £141 compared to last year. In particular, 21-year-olds are now paying £1,144 following a £141 (11%) drop in prices year-on-year, while 23-year-olds pay £994 – £136 (12%) less than 12 months ago, on average. However, these are still among some of the highest prices paid for insurance by all drivers. Although, 18-year-olds top the list of having the most expensive car insurance costs, forking out a whopping £1,442, despite an £80 (5%) drop in prices compared to this time last year. This is almost five times the amount paid by drivers in their late sixties, which is found to be the sweet spot when it comes to car insurance costs. The data reveals that prices are lowest for those aged 69, who pay £311 per year, on average, following a £67 (18%) drop in prices year-on-year. This is followed by 68-year-olds and 70-year-olds, who now pay £312 and £316 for their car insurance respectively, on average.

However, while the price of car insurance is decreasing, some motoring costs are in fact starting to creep up as the UK eases out of lockdown. In fact, Confused.com’s fuel price index suggests that petrol and diesel prices have been on the up since the end of last year. According to the data, drivers can now expect to pay 124p for petrol, on average. This is 11p more than December 2020. Meanwhile, diesel prices have increased from 118p to 127p in the same period. With these costs increasing, drivers will no doubt be looking to making savings where they can, starting with their car insurance.

Louise O’Shea, CEO at Confused.com comments: “It’s been just over a year since we went into lockdown for the first time and this triggered a lot of changes in how we’re using our cars. And this is a change that could be here to stay for the foreseeable future, so it only seems right that our car insurance costs are cheaper to reflect this.

“What we are seeing is the biggest drop in prices in the West Midlands in more than three years. But it’s important to remember that these lower prices are only benefiting those who shop around. It’s clear from our research that automatically renewing could in fact cost you more money. Loyalty clearly doesn’t pay! But if the increase is small, or you are fortunate to see your renewal price drop, please don’t settle for this as there will be an insurer out there willing to offer a better price. At Confused.com we’re so certain of this that we’re offering to beat your renewal quote or give you the difference, plus £20.”

The flag of St George flies high and proud to celebrate the patron saint of England as the hero who slayed the dragon is marked today.

And, as he is not just the patron saint for England, people in Aragon, Catalonia, Georgia, Lithuania, Palestine, Portugal, Germany, Greece, Moscow, Istanbul, Genoa and Venice are all also marking the Day with their own acknowledging his place in their own respecteve histories. Said to have born in Cappadocia - an area which is now in Turkey, very little is actually known about St George with plenty of stories about him that are full of myth and legend.

Living during the 3rd Century, his parents were Christians and, after his father died, his mother took George to live in the Middle East, where she was originally from. He became a Roman soldier but protested against how Rome treated Christian people badly.

He was put in prison and tortured because of this, but he refused to turn away from his religious beliefs before he was eventually executed.

It is said that the Roman Emperor's wife was so impressed by how George did not give up his faith that she became a Christian too. It is also believed that she was executed in the same way George had been.

Earliest recording of the saint slaying a dragon dates around the 11th century, but only became popular knowledge in the 15th century, when it was printed in a book called The Golden Legend.

Although some people have actually campaigned for St Edmund to be the patron of England, as they believe he is more English and more suitable for the title, the country's patron saint has not been changed - as St George remains thw patron saint of Engand.

Boris Johnson said he is deeply troubled by failures to properly commemorate Black and Asian troops who died fighting for the British Empire during World War One. Some troops were commemorated collectively or their names were recorded in registers, while their white counterparts had headstones.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace apologised in the Commons after a report blamed pervasive racism. He pledged to "take action".

The prime minister offered an unreserved apology over the findings of the review by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. "Our shared duty is to honour and remember all those, wherever they lived and whatever their background, who laid down their lives for our freedoms at the moment of greatest peril," he said.

Mr Wallace expressed deep regret in the House of Commons, as he told MPs there was no doubt prejudice had played a part in what happened after WWI. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission, which is tasked with commemorating those who died in the two world wars, has also apologised over its findings.

Labour MP David Lammy, who was critical to bringing the matter to light, called it a "watershed moment". Mr Wallace said: "On behalf of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and the government both of the time and today, I want to apologise for the failures to live up to their founding principles all those years ago and express deep regret that it has taken so long to rectify the situation. Whilst we can't change the past, we can make amends and take action."

He said there were cases where the commission "deliberately overlooked evidence" that would have allowed it to find the names of the dead. And he said there were examples of officials employing an overarching imperial ideology connected to racial and religious differences in order to divide the dead and treat them unequally in ways that were impossible in Europe.

Outlining the next steps, Mr Wallace said the Commonwealth War Graves Commission will:

•       search in the historical record for inequalities in commemoration and act on what is found

•       renew its commitment to equality in commemoration by building physical or digital commemorative structures

•       use its online presence and wider education activities to reach out to all the communities of the former British Empire touched by the two world wars to make sure their hidden history is brought to life

•       and, over the next six months, assemble a global and diverse community of experts to help make this happen

Mr Wallace also announced a public consultation over plans to waive the visa fee for service personnel from the Commonwealth and Nepal who choose to settle in the UK in order to honour their contribution.

An inquiry by the commission was set up following a 2019 Channel 4 documentary, called Unremembered, which was presented by Mr Lammy.

The report found that at least 116,000 casualties from WW1, most of whom were of African, Indian or Egyptian origin, "were not commemorated by name or possibly not commemorated at all". But that figure could be as high as 350,000, it said.

It also cited racist comments such as the governor of a British colony saying in 1923 that: "The average native... would not understand or appreciate a headstone."

Shadow justice secretary Mr Lammy said that while making the documentary in Kenya and Tanzania, he discovered mass graves in which Africans had been dumped with no commemoration whatsoever. He said it was a travesty that men who served the British Empire were not commemorated properly, but welcomed the report.

"I'm just really, really pleased that the dignity that these men deserved - who were dragged from their villages and commandeered to work for the British Empire - that dignity that they deserve in death can be granted to them," he said.

Mr Lammy added that work must be done to find their names in archives where that is possible, and to establish how local communities would like them to be commemorated.

He also said Commonwealth soldiers should not be "whitewashed" out of history books, while Mr Wallace said it was a "deep regret" that his own WW1 education had included "very little about the contribution from the Commonwealth countries and the wider at the time British Empire".

Historian Prof David Olusoga, whose TV company produced Unremembered, said that apologies were not enough and resources would need to be committed if the commission was serious about restorative justice.

"If the Commonwealth War Graves Commission had set up a committee and discovered that 100,000 white British soldiers lay in mass graves - unmarked, uncommemorated - and the documentation proved that that had been deliberate, what would they do?" he said.

Six million soldiers from the British Empire served in WW1. Between 45,000 and 54,000 Asian and African personnel who died in the conflict were "commemorated unequally", the commission said.

The report concluded that the failure to properly commemorate the individuals was influenced by a scarcity of information, errors inherited from other organisations and the opinions of colonial administrators.

"Underpinning all these decisions, however, were the entrenched prejudices, preconceptions and pervasive racism of contemporary imperial attitudes," it added.

The report picked out an example from 1923 when the governor of the Gold Coast colony, now Ghana, argued for collective memorials rather than individual ones. At a meeting in London, it was said that the governor, F G Guggisberg, said: "The average native of the Gold Coast would not understand or appreciate a headstone."

In response, commission employee Arthur Browne said: "In perhaps two or three hundred years' time, when the native population had reached a higher stage of civilisation, they might then be glad to see that headstones had been erected on the native graves and that the native soldiers had received precisely the same treatment as their white comrades." The report said Mr Browne's response showed "what he may have considered foresight, but one that was explicitly framed by contemporary racial prejudice".

The commission, which was founded in 1917 as the Imperial War Graves Commission, said the events of a century ago were wrong then and were wrong now. Its director general, Claire Horton, said: "We recognise the wrongs of the past and are deeply sorry and will be acting immediately to correct them."

As part of the commission's work to search for unnamed war dead and those who are potentially not commemorated, it will also look at those who died in World War Two, although it is not thought that inequalities seen in WW1 were as widespread then.

Ms Horton said: "The report was sober reading but gave the commission the ability - now that we know the numbers and the areas to look - to start the searches properly to right the wrongs of the past".

Seven charities from across the Midlands have been chosen by employees at Mondelēz International sites throughout the region, to receive a donation of up to £5,000.

Guide Dogs in Birmingham, Molly Olly’s Wishes in Warwick, Scope4SEN in Derbyshire, Papyrus Prevention of Young Suicide and Friends of Herefordshire Alzheimer's & Dementia Sufferers has each been granted £5,000 from The Cadbury Foundation, whilst Birmingham-based Kingfisher Foodbank and St Anne’s Hostel each received £2,500 from the Foundation, as part of Mondelēz International’s ‘Your Charity Your Choice’ scheme. 

Each year, the company’s employees are invited to nominate charities or projects close to their hearts, with the final shortlisted charities voted for by the wider work force. 

Michelle Darragh, assistant visitor services manager at Cadbury World, nominated Guide Dogs for the significant donation, as part of the attraction’s ongoing fundraising efforts for the charity. With the team seeing the support and life-changing work of the charity first-hand, Michelle’s nomination received huge backing from her colleagues at Cadbury World.

Molly Olly’s Wishes is a small charity supporting children with life-threatening or life-limiting illnesses, as well as their families. Georgia Evans, an operator at the Bournville-based factory, nominated the charity, which will use the donation to grant individual wishes and provide therapeutic toys and books to children and to hospitals across the UK.

Colleagues from the Bournville-based site also chose the charity Scope4SEN to receive a further £5,000 grant. The charity provides free telescopes and other astronomy tools and materials for special educational needs schools and hospitals throughout the country.

PAPYRUS (Prevention of Young Suicide) has also received a £5,000 contribution from The Cadbury Foundation. PAPYRUS aims to reduce the number of young people who take their own life by breaking down the stigma around suicide and equipping people with the skills to recognise and respond to suicidal behavior.

Mondelēz International’s Marlbrook-based employees chose Friends of Herefordshire Alzheimer's & Dementia Sufferers to receive the £5,000 donation. The charity provides support to people affected by dementia and Alzheimer's, as well as campaigns for change, funds and research to help find a cure. 

A further £5,000 grant was split between Kingfisher Foodbank and St Anne’s Hostel after a voting tiebreak. The Cadbury Foundation’s donation will contribute towards distributing food and essential items to those in need across the West Midlands region; meanwhile for St Anne’s Hostel, the grant will partly fund a patio area for social events for its residents when Covid-19 restrictions lift.  

The Cadbury Foundation was set up in 1935 in recognition of Richard and George Cadbury and their investment in the welfare of their employees and the local community. Across the entire ‘Your Charity Your Choice’ campaign over £95,000 has been donated to local charities close to the hearts of its colleagues.  

Kelly Farrell, community affairs manager at Mondelēz International, said: “We’re extremely proud to be able to support the charities and projects that are important to our people through our ‘Your Charity Your Choice’ scheme. We’re delighted to know that with The Cadbury Foundation’s help, all of the charities can continue to provide invaluable support to local people in need.”