Community News

The Duke of Edinburgh was laid to rest in an intimate funeral at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle yesterday. The Dean of Windsor paid tribute to Prince Philip for his kindness, humour and humanity during the ceremony.

The congregation wore masks and was socially distanced in line with Covid rules, with the Queen seated alone. The duke's children walked behind his coffin in a funeral procession, followed by a national minute's silence.

More than 730 members of the armed forces took part in the event, but there was a limit of 30 mourners inside St George's Chapel, under coronavirus rules.

Prince Philip’s coffin was carried the short distance to St George's Chapel on a modified Land Rover, which the duke himself helped to design. The funeral procession was headed by the Band of the Grenadier Guards, the Major General's party, and military service chiefs.

Princess Anne and Prince Charles made up the front row behind the vehicle, followed by Prince Edward and Prince Andrew. Prince William and Prince Harry walked either side of their cousin Peter Phillips.

The brothers sat on opposite sides of the aisle but were seen chatting together after they left the service. Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence and the Earl of Snowdon also walked behind the coffin, trailed by members of the duke's household staff.

The Queen, 94, travelled with a lady-in-waiting in the State Bentley at the end of the procession. A ceremonial gun fire at nine locations across the UK and in Gibraltar marked the start and end of the national minute's silence.

No planes landed or took off at Heathrow for six minutes to coincide with the silence and all major sporting events were rescheduled to avoid a clash with the funeral. The funeral service was conducted by the Dean of Windsor, with the Archbishop of Canterbury pronouncing the blessing.

The Dean paid tribute to Prince Philip's kindness, humour and humanity and the "many ways in which his long life has been a blessing to us".

"We have been inspired by his unwavering loyalty to our Queen, by his service to the nation and the Commonwealth, by his courage, fortitude and faith," he said. The duke's association with the Royal Navy and love of the sea was also a focus of the service but no sermon was delivered, in line with his wishes.

The music included the 1860 hymn Eternal Father, Strong to Save, by William Whiting, which is associated with seafarers and the maritime armed services. There was a reduced choir of four singers but the congregation did not sing, in line with coronavirus restrictions.

Buglers of the Royal Marines sounded Action Stations - a signal that all hands should be ready for battle - as the coffin was lowered into the Royal Vault at the end of the service.

Buckingham Palace said the funeral plans had been modified to take into account public health guidelines.

The funeral took place entirely within the grounds of the castle and the public were asked not to gather there or at other royal residences. But the ceremonial aspects of the day and the service remained in line with Prince Philip's wishes and reflected his military affiliations and personal elements of his life.

Ahead of the funeral, the Queen shared a favourite photograph of herself with her husband in Aberdeenshire. Taken by the Countess of Wessex in 2003, the picture shows the couple relaxing on a picnic rug on the grass at the Coyles of Muick beauty spot, near the Queen's private estate of Balmoral.

Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, died at Windsor Castle on Friday April 9, aged 99.

The Worshipful The Mayor of Sandwell Councillor Dr Ann Jaron has sent a letter of condolence to Her Majesty the Queen and the Royal Family on behalf of the people of Sandwell.

Cllr Jaron also observed a minute’s silence yesterday (Saturday 17 April), to coincide with the national silence marking the start of the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral service.

People were able to join in individually, in their homes, on their doorsteps or wherever they are at the time.

Flags at public buildings in the borough reverted to full mast today (Sunday 18 April).

The council’s online book of condolence will close tomorrow (Monday) morning.

Bishop Dr Desmond Jaddoo has announced that he will be standing for West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner at the forthcoming May 2021 elections.

Jaddoo, who is party leader of the newly formed We Matter Party, is a well-known campaigner for equality and social justice.

He said, “It is time for strong and responsible leadership in order to ensure that the communities are the police and the police the community.

“The people of the West Midlands are clearly seeking change and this is the beginning of it. Divisions only lead to tragedies, and we need to stop pointing fingers and work together to seek solutions.”

He added, “There is no space in public safety for political spin or rhetoric.”

The elections will take place on Thursday May 6 with votes being counted in Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Dudley, Sandwell, Coventry, Solihull and Walsall.

The We Matter Party will be announcing a date for a formal launch of the Party Leader’s election campaign.

The Duke of Edinburgh's funeral will be a profound chance for the Queen to say farewell to her husband of 73 years, the Archbishop of Canterbury has said.

Justin Welby said "She will behave with the extraordinary dignity, extraordinary courage that she always does." At the ceremony, there will only be 30 mourners in line with coronavirus restrictions.

Buckingham Palace said the Queen had faced some very difficult decisions in selecting the mourners from the 800-strong congregation originally planned, and she wanted all branches of her husband's family to be represented.

Mr Welby said many people had seen family members die in the Covid pandemic this year and the funeral service would resonate very deeply for a lot of people. He said: "I think there will be tears in many homes because other names will be on their minds, faces they've lost that they don't see again, funerals they couldn't go to as many haven't been able to go to this one because it is limited to 30 in the congregation. That will break many a heart."

Mr Welby said he expected the Queen at the service to behave with the extraordinary dignity, extraordinary courage that she always does. He added: "And at the same time she is saying farewell to someone to whom she was married for 73 years.

“I think that must be a very, very profound thing... in anybody's life." The archbishop, who will pronounce the blessing at the funeral service, suggested that people of faith could pray for the Queen, or alternatively sympathise and in their hearts offer their condolences to her and the hope for her to find strength in what must be an anguished moment.

The Earl and Countess of Wessex and their daughter Lady Louise Windsor viewed flowers and cards left in memory of Prince Philip at Windsor Castle. Earlier, the head of the UK's armed forces said the funeral will have the duke's "fingerprints all over it, reflecting his wide interests and his attention to detail." Gen Sir Nick Carter, chief of defence staff, said: "It's obviously been slightly affected by Covid, but nonetheless it will reflect military precision."

Sir Nick also hailed the extraordinary war record of Prince Philip - who served in the Royal Navy in World War Two - and the dozens of different military decorations and awards he had. "I think people will realise that this is a life worth looking into and I think they will be surprised by what he achieved and what he did in his 99 years," he said.

The Queen decided that there will be no military uniforms worn by members of the Royal Family, and those attending will instead wear morning coats with medals, or day dress.

Her Majesty The Queen thanked people around the world for their kindness and support following the death of her husband Prince Philip, ahead of his funeral.

The Queen sent a message to well-wishers who offered messages of condolence and tributes following the death of the Duke of Edinburgh.

A spokesperson for Buckingham Palace said that The monarch, 94, and her family were said to be grateful for the kindness and support shown by people from around the world and were touched by the tributes.

"Her Majesty and the Royal Family are grateful for all the messages of condolence from around the world and have been touched to see and hear so many people sharing fond memories of the Duke in celebration of his life,” the spokesperson said.

"The tributes received from young and old are truly a testament to the remarkable life and lasting endeavours of His Royal Highness." At the ceremonial service, The Queen will sit by herself and wear a face mask throughout. Princes William and Harry will not walk shoulder to shoulder during an eight-minute procession before the funeral.

Buckingham Palace went on to say: “The Queen faced some very difficult decisions as she selected the 30 guests permitted under Covid-19 rules, from the original 800-strong congregation, and had tried to ensure all branches of the duke’s family were there.

The Countess – Penelope ‘Penny’ Knatchbull, previously known as Lady Romsey and later Lady Brabourne – will join the Queen and the duke’s four children and eight grandchildren, as well as their respective spouses, at the service in St George’s Chapel. Countess Mountbatten is the wife of Earl Mountbatten, Norton Knatchbull – the grandson of Philip’s beloved uncle the 1st Earl Mountbatten, who was murdered by the IRA in 1979.

Three German relatives – whose ancestors were denied a place at Princess Elizabeth and Philip’s wedding because of anti-German feeling after the second war – have been included.

They are Bernhard, Hereditary Prince of Baden; Prince Donatus, Landgrave of Hesse; and Prince Philipp of Hohenlohe-Langenburg.

Downing Street has revealed how Prime Minister Boris Johnson plans to observe and mark the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral.

It comes as the Archbishop of Canterbury says he hopes the nation would offer their prayers and condolences to the Queen during the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral, rather than speculate on her wellbeing.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson left a wreath for the Duke of Edinburgh and said that the nation owes more than words can say. A handwritten message was placed with the PM's tribute outside St George's Chapel in the grounds of Windsor Castle. It read: 'In grateful memory of a man to whom the nation owes more than words can say.

'Sent on behalf of the nation. ‘From the Prime Minister'.

Mr Johnson will watch Prince Philip's funeral from his Chequers country residence, after indicating that he will not attend in person to allow more space for family.  Mr Johnson left London to relax at the 16th century Buckinghamshire mansion, complete with a tennis court and indoor heated swimming pool. The Prime Minister turned down an invitation to Prince Philip's funeral at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle to allow more members of the Royal Family to attend.

The ceremonial funeral of the Duke of Edinburgh will see his coffin being transported to Windsor Castle chapel by a bespoke Land Rover Defender TD5 130, partially designed by the prince himself.

The specially-built hearse was in the works at Land Rover’s factory, in Solihull, in the West Midlands, since 2003, when the duke first approached Jaguar Land Rover with the idea. The vehicle is now ready to fulfil its intended function – albeit with the pandemic having altered original plans for the hearse to be driven to the castle from London.

The Defender has always been designed for functionality - from conflict zones to humanitarian disasters, far-flung research projects to domestic farmsteads. Because it was designed to operate in all terrains and all weathers, the SUV has come to represent a vision of an industrious, intrepid Britain.

Commentators believe it symbolises Prince Philip’s passion for engineering and practicality – but it’s also a vehicle that belongs to the same era, possessing something of the same aura, as the departing duke.

The duke saw to it that his funeral hearse would bear several features of his own choosing. Most significantly, he reportedly designed the Defender’s open top rear section, including the rubber and silver fittings that will secure his coffin on its journey to St George’s Chapel.

The military also feature. On the duke’s behest, the livery has been changed from the original Belize Green to Dark Bronze Green – the shade of green used by the military. Other details, such as the matching green hubs and black front grille, give the Defender a further stripped-back, martial quality.

The last royal funeral was held for the Queen Mother back in 2002, during which a more familiar horse-drawn hearse transported her coffin. So the duke’s funeral will certainly be distinctive, swapping hooves for off-road tyres, and mourning black for military green.

In a follow up to their History, Heritage and Identity Symposium series launched in the autumn of 2020, three churches in the United Kingdom with predominantly large, black congregations, are staging another public conversation, this time interrogating the present-day health and wellbeing of people of Caribbean descent living in the UK.

“As pastors and counselors in our churches, we are acquainted with the stories of hurt and pain faced by many our congregants, who feel disadvantaged and disenfranchised from the best of the health care system because of perceived stigma and racial bias”, asserts Bishop Tedroy Powell, who presides over the Church of God of Prophecy, UK.

“This is not an anachronism, it is present day reality for not just our members on record, but for so many people of colour in the African Caribbean Diaspora, who still feel disadvantaged in a proclaimed multiracial society”, maintains Bishop Powell, who leads the planning for the virtual Symposium being staged in collaboration with the University of the West Indies and scheduled for April 22 at 5pm GMT.

The UWI, ranked by Times Higher Education as among the Top 20 best universities in Latin America and the Caribbean, will present research data and perspectives from its Caribbean Institute for Health Research (CAIHR) on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and their prevalence and impact on the people of the Caribbean and its Diaspora.

CAIHR is the largest research entity in The University of the West Indies (UWI), with roots dating back to the 1950s when the UK’s Medical Research Council (MRC) commissioned pioneering research in severely malnourished children in the Caribbean. Today, CAIHR is the focal point of The UWI’s growing strength in health research innovation and interventions in nutrition, child development, chronic lifestyle diseases and sickle cell disease.

Professor, Sir Hilary Beckles, the Vice Chancellor of the UWI is confirmed to deliver another riveting dissertation on the unique ‘burden of disease’ borne by Caribbean people and their descendants, to be followed by a star panel of medical experts from the UK and the Caribbean Institute for Health Research, who will provide scientific perspectives and insights to guide how they overcome persistent health challenges.

Event Details

The media and general public are invited to attend this virtual symposium:

When: Thursday April 22, 2021          

Time: 5:00 pm GMT, 11:00 am Jamaica time.

Where: Streamed online via YouTube:  https://www.14dd5266c70789bdc806364df4586335-gdprlock/embed/wJfk6KiAeNU

REGISTER for the event at this link: https://bit.ly/3cy5HSc            

ABOUT THE HISTORY, HERITAGE AND IDENTITY SYMPOSIUM SERIES:

The History, Heritage and Identity Symposium series was initiated by the Church of God of Prophecy (UK), The New Testament Church of God and The New Testament Assembly in 2020 out of Christian conviction, and a transformative vision aimed at empowering people of African Caribbean descent and ancestry to be confident in their cultural heritage, and to lead fulfilling lives in the United Kingdom. These public symposia are therefore designed to construct the “intellectual infrastructure for a high-quality conversation” on the following touchpoints:

·         Education for Transformation

·         Race Relations and Social Justice Advocacy

·         Health and Wellness through Research and Knowledge Sharing

·         UK-Caribbean Trade and Business in the Post-Brexit Environment.

The central and local Government of the United Kingdom, companies and organisations in the Private, Public and NGO sectors, as well as individuals are welcomed to partner with this effort to build bridges of understanding and harmony in British society.

Five vehicles have been impounded in Hornsey and Wood Green for Blue Badge fraud following a joint operation by Haringey Council and the police.

One badge was being used by an individual even though the actual badge holder is deceased whilst four further stolen badges were identified. In addition, a fake Blue Badge and one that was lost were also picked up in the sweep that took place last week across various streets in the area. 

All those caught received a £130 penalty whilst those whose cars were impounded received a further £200 fine. Blue Badges offer a permit for those with mobility problems or hidden disabilities, allowing them to park closer to their destinations. 

Haringey Council, in London, works hard to ensure those that are entitled to a badge receive one, but it is also determined to crack down on Blue Badge fraud.

A Haringey Council spokesperson said: “We will not tolerate the misuse or fraudulent use of Blue Badges. Doing this makes it more difficult for those that are not able bodied to park as it takes up their spaces.

“If you are aware of anyone using a Blue Badge who should not, please contact the council.”

Anyone who has had their Blue Badge stolen is exempt from parking restrictions for three weeks whilst they wait for a replacement badge. This exemption is applied automatically once the council is made aware of a replacement badge application.

As part of its preparations for the launch of the Clean Air Zone on 1 June 2021 Birmingham City Council has to date issued just over £1 million in Clean Air Zone grants to Birmingham-licensed hackney carriage and private hire drivers.

The grant scheme, which aims to support Birmingham-licensed hackney carriage and private hire drivers to upgrade or replace vehicles that do not meet the emission standards for the Clean Air Zone, is part of a larger £35 million package of financial incentives to support Birmingham’s transition to cleaner air. 

Almost £15 million of this funding is dedicated to supporting Birmingham’s taxi community. To date Clean Air Zone hackney carriage and private hire scheme has supported 816 vehicle owners with grants to the value of £1,139,740. 

Stephen Arnold, Head of Clean Air Zone at Birmingham City Council said: “We recognise the challenges Birmingham’s taxi drivers and some other groups could have in getting ready for the introduction of the Clean Air Zone on 1 June.  The package of support available, which includes temporary exemptions and financial incentives, will help to make this change easier. 

“We are pleased with the progress made so far.  But with the launch of the Clean Air Zone just a few weeks away we are urging drivers and fleet operators to visit the Brum Breathes website to check whether or not they will need to pay the Clean Air Zone daily charge.  And if they do need to pay the charge they can also find about the various packages of support that they may be eligible to apply for.”

Owners of Birmingham-licensed Hackney Carriage vehicles may be eligible for a financial incentive if they are the registered owner or keeper of a hackney carriage taxi that will be charged and are licensed by Birmingham City Council as a Hackney Carriage driver.

Support measures include:

·         £5,000 (spread over four years) towards the running costs of an Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV) taxi

·         £5,000 (one off payment) towards a Clean Vehicle Retrofit Accreditation Scheme (CVRAS) solution for an existing vehicle

·         £5,000 contribution towards a Euro 4 petrol or Euro 6 diesel (or better) compliant vehicle, unless eligible for the government’s plug-in grant.

Private Hire drivers may also be eligible for financial support if they are the registered owner or keeper of a private hire vehicle that will be subject the Clean Air Zone charges. They also need to be licensed by Birmingham City and be the registered owner/keeper of that vehicle since before 10 September 2018.

Support measures include:

·         Up to £1,000 towards an upgrade to a compliant Euro 4 petrol or Euro 6 diesel vehicle or better. The vehicle must be no more than three years old as of January 2020

·         Up to £2,000 towards the purchase or lease of a hybrid vehicle or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle that is not eligible for the Government’s plug-in car grant and meets the Birmingham Taxi Licensing age requirements

·         Subject to purchase up to two annual payments of £1,250 towards running costs of a fully electric vehicle or long range plug-in hybrid vehicle

Drivers are encouraged to first check if they will be subject to Clean Air Zone charges before applying for support. This can be done with help from the Government’s Vehicle Checker tool.

Midlands Air Ambulance Charity has been awarded the Investors in People silver standard, demonstrating its commitment to investing in local people and excellent management practice.

Since 1991 Investors in People has been a nationally recognised accreditation, demonstrating employer excellence and outstanding places to work. In line with the charity’s dedication to continuous improvement, the organisation has yet again been accredited, this year achieving the silver standard.

Employees of the charity were once again overwhelmingly positive about their experiences with Midlands Air Ambulance Charity, and the assessor’s report noted a clear passion, enthusiasm and pride for working for the lifesaving service, which tends to more than 4,500 critically ill and injured people annually whilst also undertaking significant community outreach programmes to support with health and disease education.

Hanna Sebright, chief executive for Midlands Air Ambulance Charity, said: “People are at the heart of everything we do. As well as providing the very best advanced pre-hospital care to patients, the welfare and support of the aircrew and charity team are our top priority.

“Everyone has their part to play in helping to save lives across the region, and we are exceptionally proud this has been recognised once again by Investors in People.”

There is overwhelming public support for more devolution to the West Midlands according to Centre for Cities’ polling by Savanta ComRes ahead of next month’s election.

Just four years after the establishment of the West Midlands Mayor, 80% back giving more power to the office holder. Almost half (46%) support giving the Mayor more responsibility for providing affordable housing, while significant numbers back the Mayor having a bigger role in supporting business (42%) and providing access to skills and training (40%).

Just 5% of the public oppose further devolution to the West Midlands Mayor.

The polling was commissioned to understand the impact of devolution and the new office of Mayor since the elections in 2017. Seven in ten (70%) people polled in the West Midlands were aware that the city region has a mayor.

30% could correctly identify Andy Street has the incumbent Mayor – an eight percentage point increase in the past year. At 30% Andy his local public recognition in the West Midlands is higher than the Mayor of the Liverpool City Region (22%) and lower than the mayors of London (60%) and Greater Manchester (63%) in their respective cities.

People in the West Midlands were also asked to consider how the West Midlands Mayor, their local council and the Government have handled of pandemic. People in the West Midlands are largely approving of the performance of all three.

The UK Government has a net approval rating of +28, councils in the West Midlands have a net rating of +27 and the Mayor of the West Midlands has a net rating of +21 (the proportion approving of their handling of the outbreak, minus the proportion disapproving).

The public’s top priorities for the West Midlands Mayor’s next term are health care provision (45%), schools (43%) and emergency services (30%).

People’s priorities have shifted significantly during the pandemic. Schools (+15), support for businesses (+9) and colleges (+6) have all risen in importance. Meanwhile, transport (-10) and housing (-14) have both fallen in importance.

Centre for Cities’ Chief Executive Andrew Carter said: “People in the West Midlands overwhelmingly support shifting power out of Whitehall and down to the city region. Devolving more responsibility for providing affordable housing, supporting businesses and running adult education schemes are all popular with the public in the West Midlands.

At the 2019 election, the Government backed the principle of more devolution in England yet, more than a year later, we are still waiting to see what its plans are.

“As the West Midlands looks to recover from the pandemic, it is vital that the Government listens to demands for more devolution and gives the next mayor the powers and resources to build back better. People want Whitehall to do less, it’s time for it to listen.”

The tables for Dementia UK’s annual cake and tea event have been completely reset; backyard brews, driveway cake sales, and takeaway cuppa and slice deliveries are some of the brûléent ideas families, businesses and communities up and down the country have to raise funds and awareness of Dementia UK’s dementia specialist nurses, whilst keeping safe during the pandemic. 

Dementia UK is the only charity dedicated to supporting the whole family through dementia specialist Admiral Nurses. The event takes place May 1-8.  

When things get challenging or difficult for people with dementia and their families, Admiral Nurses work alongside them; giving compassionate one-to-one support, expert guidance and practical solutions which can be hard to find elsewhere. They are continually trained, developed and supported by Dementia UK. 

The charity’s annual fundraising event has raised over £1 million since its launch, with the support of fundraisers, Dementia UK staff and celebrities. One of the highlights from last year’s event included celebrity supporters dressing up as much-loved characters to recreate tea party scenes from the world of film; Phyllis Logan was Mary Poppins, music producer Naughty Boy was Jay Gatsby, Emma Barton was Holly Golightly, and Jess and Natalya Wright were Alice in Wonderland and the Queen of Hearts.         

Dr Hilda Hayo, Chief Admiral Nurse and CEO of Dementia UK, says: “Families with dementia have been adversely affected by lockdown for just over a year now. Care home visiting restrictions, the closure of support and respite services, and the resulting social isolation and loneliness, has disproportionately affected people living with dementia and their family carers.  

“Whilst Time for a Cuppa will be slightly different this year, we know that dementia support is needed more than ever. We are so grateful to all of our fundraisers who will be whipping up treats, enthusiasm, funds, and who are giving their time for others – in a socially distanced way, of course – in what will be a very special and important Time for a Cuppa.”   

Karen Houghton, whose mum Christine lives with dementia, is only too aware of the toll that the pandemic has had on people with the condition. With the support of her Admiral Nurse, Marie, the family has felt less alone: “Marie is so personable and has developed a great relationship with my dad, who had been struggling to cope with all the support services closing down.  

“We needed to move mum into residential care, but this was hard to do in the middle of the pandemic as we couldn’t really get a feel for the homes. Marie  picked up the phone and knew exactly what questions to ask the care homes so we could be confident that we were placing mum in the best place possible. Without her, we just would not have felt supported or valued as a family.”  

Dementia UK currently has 307 Admiral Nurses who have supported families throughout the pandemic across a range of care settings. The charity also has its Admiral Nurse Dementia Helpline, which is busier than ever before with responding to calls from families who have no one else to turn to.

Residents in the London Borough of Waltham Forest are still mourning the passing of its Mayor, Councillor Chris Robbins CBE.

A staunch servant to his community since 2002, as a ward councillor, cabinet member, Leader of the Council and then Mayor, he went about his daily business with immense dignity, grace, and compassion in every way.

Born in Bethnal Green in 1945, he lived in east London for his entire life, serving as ward councillor for Grove Green in Leyton since 2002. A Waltham Forest Labour Councillor for over 18 years, he was a Councillor there since 2002 before becoming Leader, for eight years - from 2009 – 2017.

Supportive of all efforts of humanitarian works – both at home and overseas – as equally and effortlessly, especially in his community, with his unerring work with the interfaith community; he was on the Queen's Birthday Honours – when he received his CBE for public service – in 2017.

Having served as a councillor for 15 years, he became leader of the Labour group in 2009 and led the party to win a majority, which it has not lost since, in the 2010 local election – after eight years of no overall control. He stood down in 2017, when Cllr Clare Coghill took the helm.

She said: “Chris loved the borough and its people. His motto as leader was ‘residents first’. Above everything, he was utterly devoted to his family and my heart goes out to them, and all of his relatives.

“We all lost a great man, a great leader and a great friend.”

A “giant” who led Waltham Forest Council for seven years, he is survived by his wife Shelley, and daughters Emma and Victoria. 

He was 76.