Community News

A Birmingham man, who is deafblind, will attempt to complete an epic 52 mile trek in the summer, walking the distance of the RidgeWay, a historic national trail in the South of England, helping to raise money for the national disability charity, Sense.

44 year-old John Churcher, from Erdington, has a hearing impairment and only 3% vision. His friend, 49-year-old Mark McGowan, from Glasgow, will be John’s sight-guide for the walk, assisted by Jay Owen (27) who is autistic.

John, who has Usher Syndrome, is no stranger to great feats. Over the last decade he has become an accomplished climber, competing at the Paraclimbing World Championships, and being recognised as the first blind person to climb to the summit of the Eiger.

John Churcher, a trustee for Deafblind UK, said: “I’m really looking forward to the walk in the summer. I don’t feel nervous, only excitement about taking on another challenge.”

Mark McGowan, who has become friends with John through climbing, and acted as John’s sight-guide for the Eiger climb, said: “I had a great experience doing the RidgeWalk last year, so invited John along this time. I’m a little nervous, as sight guiding for 52 miles straight will be mentally, as well as physically, exhausting.”

The RidgeWalk begins at Barbury Castle, an Iron Age hill fort in Wiltshire, and will see John travel through the night, walking the oldest road in Britain, past landmarks such as the Uffington White Horse, before reaching the finish line at Field Farm in Watlington.

The RidgeWalk will take place on June 9 and 10.  If you are interested in participating please visit www.sense.org.uk/ridgewalk

To donate towards Mark and John’s challenge, please visit: www.justgiving.com/Mark-McGowan4

The University of Wolverhampton is raising the bar on studying at a higher level with the launch of its new Chartered Legal Degree Apprenticeship.

The new qualification offered by the University of Wolverhampton Law School has been developed in collaboration with sector-leading employers and professional body, the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx).

The practice based programme builds technical understanding and professional behaviours needed by future Chartered Legal Executives and Solicitors.

The six year part-time degree qualification covers criminal law, conveyancing, civil litigation, family law, contract law and legal research skills with options to specialise in the final year.

Five students, three from Wombourne based property lawyers, Connolley and Company, and two from the City of Wolverhampton Council, have enrolled on the course.

Sukhninder Panesar, Head of the Law School at the University, said:  “It’s wonderful to welcome the first cohort of Degree Apprentices to the Business School.  We’ve been teaching Law for over 60 years and, during that time, we have been committed to reflecting the changes to practices over the years.

“Our new students will be trailblazers and are leading the way for change in the industry, applying their learning while they are working.  The new Degree Apprenticeship can be used by companies to upskill and retain their existing employees, to attract innovative talent into their organisation and develop a workforce that can meet their clients’ future needs.”

Jesse Salter, 19 from Wombourne, is a Legal Assistant at Connolley and Company.  He said: “I’m looking to further my career, and whilst I studied for A Levels, I didn’t go to University to study for a degree.  This gives me the best of both worlds – but what I’m learning on the Degree Apprenticeships will actually help me do my job. I can ask my employer for help during the course of my studies whilst at the same time bring what I’m learning back into the workplace.”

Sharon Lelkes, Director at Connolley and Company, said: “Without a doubt, the new Degree Apprenticeship scheme benefits the legal profession as a whole.  To have staff professionally trained and backed by a government scheme is such a benefit to this company and without the non-levy funding we would not be able to do it. The bottom line is that, at the end of the course, I’ll have three qualified legal executives that will undoubtedly bring huge benefits to this business.”

Having been awarded £250,000 funding from the Higher Education Funding Council (HEFCE) in 2017 to develop its Apprenticeship offer, over 150 apprentices are already studying for Higher and Degree level qualifications at the University.

The University of Wolverhampton has secured an additional £460k funding to deliver training for Degree Apprenticeships to non-levy paying companies. The allocation of money was approved by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) recently and means that the University can widen its support for local businesses looking to upskill their workforce.

The University offers Higher and Degree Apprenticeships in Chartered Management (CMDA), Higher Apprenticeship in Construction Management with pathways for Civil Engineering & Built Environment, Chartered Surveying, Chartered Legal Executive, Nursing Associate, Manufacturing Engineering, Product Design & Engineer and Healthcare Science Practitioner Degree Apprenticeships.

Future Higher/Degree Apprenticeships will include Digital Technologies, Civil Engineering, Architecture, Policing, Social Work, Nursing and Paramedic Degree Apprenticeships.

The RSPCA Coventry and Nuneaton branch are appealing for the paw-fect people to become volunteer fosterers and help them care for rescue cats and dogs.

The branch takes in animals who have been injured, neglected and abused to rehabilitate and rehome them - but they desperately need more fosterers to help them.

Jade Mason, from the RSPCA Coventry and Nuneaton branch, said: “We need both dog and cat fosterers but particularly dogs as there is a real shortage at the moment.

“Fostering an animal can help change their lives. Some pets don’t get on well in a cattery or kennel and need a home environment, sometimes the cat pods or kennels can be full to bursting and we have no space for more animals, and other times a dog or cat may be part of a prosecution case and need looking after for a longer period of time.

“For you, fostering means you get to experience the joys of caring for an animal without the lifetime commitment. There are no vet bills as the branch will cover medical costs and provide food and equipment. It is also very rewarding to give a pet a loving, temporary home where they can come out of their shell and thrive.”

Without fosterers there could be longer waiting times for new animals coming into RSPCA care, as fostering an animal frees up a space at a centre. Fosterers are a vital part of the work the RSPCA continues to do each day.

Simon Clark from Kenilworth near Coventry has been a dog fosterer for the branch for the last six weeks. He is caring for three-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier Lola who was found roaming around Coventry alone with infected ears which had gone untreated.

Lola has had an operation on her ears to save her hearing so the branch thought being in a foster home would be less stressful for her than being in the kennels.

Simon said: “I’ve shared my home with cats and dogs throughout my life. We had a cat for a long time until four years ago when 19-year-old Elsa died. Now the kids have moved out and I work from home it seemed the perfect timing. I wanted to do a little bit more than socialising and walking dogs which I’ve done as a volunteer previously. We don’t know if we would like to commit to having a dog just yet but if you can help lots of different dogs that are needy then that is a better contribution.

Scientists at the University of Birmingham are to investigate how a chemical found in a common garden plant could be better used to help heart patients.

Dr Davor Pavlovic has been awarded £170,000 by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) to study how different patients respond to digoxin – a chemical found in foxgloves.

Digoxin was first discovered in 1785 by a noted botanist William Withering who lived and worked in Birmingham. It is currently used in medicines to treat patients with a common heart rhythm disorder called atrial fibrillation and heart failure. Digoxin works by slowing the heart rate and reducing the strain placed on the heart muscle.

Recently, there has been debate between doctors about the safety and effectiveness of digoxin because, in some patients, it doesn’t always work as well as expected. But Dr Pavlovic and his team think that they may have discovered why.

Dr Davor Pavlovic, the lead researcher at the University of Birmingham, said: “We have found that a hormone in the blood - called cardiotonic steroids – may interfere with how the body responds to digoxin.

“Levels of cardiotonic steroids in the blood are higher in people with heart disease, but vary from person to person. This could be why digoxin works for some heart patients, but not as well in others.

“In this project we’re going to develop a new laboratory test for measuring cardiotonic steroids in the blood and also study their effect on heart cells in the laboratory.

“We hope that we can then use these results to propose new ways to personalise treatment for patients with atrial fibrillation and heart failure.”

Colleague Professor Wiebke Arlt is the William Withering Chair in Medicine at the University of Birmingham, commemorating the contributions of William Withering. She says “I am excited to work on this project and examine the roles of digoxin and related cardiotonic steroids, thereby going full circle back to William Withering.”

If successful, this test will then be applied to patients with atrial fibrillation and heart failure enrolled in the RATE-AF clinical trial led by Dr Dipak Kotecha.  The RATE-AF clinical trial is funded by the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR), which supports research within the National Health Service (NHS) in order to improve the health of the nation.

Professor Jeremy Pearson, Associate Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation, added:

“Atrial fibrillation and heart failure can severely impair quality of life of people with these conditions, and current treatment options can be unpredictable.

“By funding this work we hope to answer some fundamental questions about why digoxin works less well in some patients than others. It is only because of the generous support of the public that we can invest in projects like this which seek to improve the treatments and lives of heart patients.

More than half a million people are living with heart failure, and at least a million people have been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation in the UK. By finding answers to important research questions, the British Heart Foundation is working to ensure that patients receive the best treatments possible. None of this would be possible without people’s generous donations in the fight against heart disease.

RSPCA officers were really concerned after receiving reports of a swan which had been beheaded in Warrington. But, they had a pleasant surprise when they arrived to find a plastic model which was broken at the neck!

An upset woman contact the animal welfare charity on February 22 after spotting the swan laid out on the gravel at Europa Boulevard in Westbrook.

RSPCA inspector Claire Fisher visited the scene and quickly realised all wasn’t as it first seemed…

“When the woman called us she said the bird was collapsed with the neck stretched out and that it couldn’t move,” Inspector Fisher said.

“She thought the swan had been hit by a car before collapsing on some gravel beside a pond.

“I met the site manager on Gemini Business Park and we soon realised no veterinary treatment would be necessary - as the bird was a plastic model!

“We can only guess that a driver had seen the swan from the road - which was some distance - where it could have easily been mistaken for a real bird!

“He arranged some emergency treatment for the beheaded statue - some silicone and a screw or two - before returning her to her mate!”

The RSPCA takes all complaints of animal cruelty seriously and looks into all reports. However, sometimes the charity does discover reports aren’t always quite what they may seem.

Inspector Fisher added: “We all had a laugh about this one and, to be honest, were just relieved there wasn’t a swan that had suffered an awful death.”

To report animal cruelty or a welfare concern to the RSPCA, call the charity’s 24-hour hotline on 0300 1234 999.

Commonwealth Day Message by Her Majesty The Queen, Head of the Commonwealth We all have reason to give thanks for the numerous ways in which our lives are enriched when we learn from others. Through exchanging ideas, and seeing life from other perspectives, we grow in understanding and work more collaboratively towards a common future. There is a very special value in the insights we gain through the Commonwealth connection; shared inheritances help us overcome difference so that diversity is a cause for celebration rather than division.

We shall see this in action at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting which takes place in the United Kingdom next month, bringing together young people, business and civil society from across the Commonwealth.

These gatherings are themselves fine examples of how consensus and commitment can help to create a future that is fairer, more secure, more prosperous and sustainable. Having enjoyed the warm hospitality of so many Commonwealth countries over the years, I look forward to the pleasure of welcoming the leaders of our family of 53 nations to my homes in London and Windsor.

Sport also contributes to building peace and development. The excitement and positive potential of friendly rivalry will be on display next month as we enjoy the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, Australia. Contributing to the success of the Games, alongside athletes and officials, will be thousands of volunteers.

Voluntary effort, by people working as individuals, in groups or through larger associations, is so often what shapes the Commonwealth and all our communities. By pledging to serve the common good in new ways, we can ensure that the Commonwealth continues to grow in scope and stature, to have an even greater impact on people’s lives, today, and for future generations.

Commonwealth Day Message by The Rt Hon Patricia Scotland QC, Commonwealth Secretary-General Never before in the history of our family of nations has there been such a remarkable season of gatherings as that heralded by Commonwealth Day 2018.

Over coming weeks at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and associated forums, leaders and representatives of the people in all 53 of our member countries will assemble to work and plan together. We will share and learn from one another, and be motivated to ever greater heights of endeavour and achievement.

There will also be the Commonwealth Games, with compelling scenes of athletic prowess, tenacity and triumph. Huge new audiences worldwide will deepen in understanding of what the Commonwealth is, what it does, and how it brings positive change for the good of all.

An example of this is the Commonwealth Blue Charter currently being developed. By agreeing to protect the health of oceans and marine life, and to use the precious resources they yield in responsible and sustainable ways, we will be sharing more fairly the benefits they bestow, and preserving these for future generations.

Wherever we live – on island or coast, or inland where streams and rivers flow to the sea – our actions and the way we live affects life in the ocean. In turn, the health of the ocean affects our own wellbeing, our weather, our food, our trade and our prosperity. Industrial and domestic waste pollutes great rivers and their tributaries, or flows directly into the sea. Plastic and other toxic waste materials poison the ocean, which belongs to us all and is vital to our common future.

Just as we work together in the Commonwealth to preserve the health of the ocean, we cooperate in many other ways for the common good. Our member countries have committed to nurture and protect democracy, development and respect for diversity so that people of all communities can live safer and healthier lives, and share in the fruits of prosperity. This includes preventing greed and corruption, unfairness, or partisan discord from poisoning politics and public life.

We work together to achieve this by creating channels through which good ideas and clever ways of doing things flow from the governments and people of all our countries into a continually renewed and refreshed Commonwealth ocean of knowledge. It is an ecosystem of experience and expertise in which all give and all gain.

Through our ‘Faith in the Commonwealth’ project, we draw wisdom and insights from secular streams of thought, and from the many communities and traditions that are the sea of faith. Such resources and riches add to all that we celebrate on Commonwealth Day, and they are indeed treasures to be cherished and shared.

There are opportunities for each and every one of us as members of the worldwide Commonwealth family to become involved. With our fellow citizens, we live, learn, work and play in countries set in every continent and ocean – all 2.4 billion of us, representing a glorious spectrum of diversity and talent. It is by living and working for the good of one another, towards a common future, that we build our Commonwealth.

Veteran Army Lance Corporal and Invictus Games athlete, Clive Smith, is this week taking on a new sporting challenge.

The 38 year old has been selected for one of two Help for Heroes teams who will be taking part in an exhibition match at the first ever Wheelchair Rugby Quad Nations tournament.

Clive, from Wolverhampton, lost both of his legs above the knee in a blast in Afghanistan in 2010. Four years on he was part of the inaugural Invictus Games in London and also brought home a silver medal in wheelchair rugby from last year’s Games in Toronto.

“Since the Invictus Games I have been building on my upper body strength with resistance weight training at my local gym 3 times a week. I also attend training days with a local wheelchair rugby team. I embrace any opportunity to play wheelchair rugby. I love the sport. I love the team atmosphere. And I must admit I love the ruthlessness of the sport! It’s hard core; just what I like”.

Taking place from 9^th – 11^th March 2018 the Wheelchair Rugby Quad Nations is an international tournament that will feature four wheelchair rugby teams; all ranked within the top 5 in the World. For three days the Leicester Arena will play host to World Champions and Paralympic Gold, Silver and Bronze medallist teams from around the globe. Help for Heroes is proud to have put together two teams who will play an exhibition match before the Great Britain versus Japan match on the first night of the tournament.

Steve Schollar, Head of Recovery for the East and Midlands, said: “Sport plays a big part in the recovery journey for our Veterans and Service Personnel who have been wounded, injured or sick as a result of their service. It gives them a second chance at life; enabling them to regain their purpose and sense of confidence. We encourage anyone that might want to try sport for the first time post injury to be inspired by these athletes and they too could experience the power of sport in their day to day lives.”

Tickets start at just £5 with special offers available for groups and families. Tickets are available from http://www.wrquadnations.com along with a full match schedule.

Severn Trent will be paying compensation to any customers who were without water for more than 12 continuous hours, or for more than 15 hours of intermittent supply, after the freezing temperatures and sudden thaw caused supply issues across the Midlands over recent days.

A payment of £30, which is roughly the same as having a month free on the average combined water and waste bill, will be offered to all homes affected so customers don’t need to do anything.

Sarah Bentley, Chief Customer Officer at Severn Trent, said: “We’re incredibly sorry for the disruption which was caused by a huge number of bursts that put intense pressure on our water network.

“Our teams have faced an unprecedented number of leaks since the cold weather began. While we had extra teams in place working round the clock, and have hundreds of people out and about fixing bursts, we know that some customers were without water, and I really can’t apologise enough for that.

“While some customers are seeing water coming and going, the situation is much improved so we wanted to let people know about compensation.

“So, we’ll be compensating the people and families who were without water for 12 continuous hours or for more than 15 hours of intermittent supply with a deduction from their bill, and, once again, we’re just so sorry for the inconvenience this week.”

Customers across the Midlands were affected by the huge increase in bursts caused by the sudden thaw after the Beast from the East. We’ve been working round the clock, and have brought in additional teams from outside the organisation to help fix leaks, ramped up production at our treatment works, and used our tanker fleet to keep on vital services such as hospitals. In addition, a number of bottle drops were organised in key locations and the company hand-delivered water to vulnerable customers.

Domestic customers who will be receiving compensation do not need to do anything and will be contacted in the coming weeks. We’re always happy to discuss compensation claims from anyone who’s been affected on a case by case basis.

We’ll also be working with business customers and their retailers who were also affected.

Community housing projects and charities are being urged to put their case forward as Nationwide - the UK’s biggest building society - makes £250,000 available to help make a difference across communities in the West Midlands.

The Society is inviting applications for grants of up to £50,000 that have the potential to strengthen communities and help make a difference in local areas. Projects could range from innovative new housing, improving rented accommodation conditions, to supporting the most vulnerable.

Applications will be accepted from across west and central areas of the UK, including the following areas: Shropshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Gloucestershire and West Midlands areas of Birmingham.

John Worthy, Nationwide’s Area Director for the West Midlands, said: “As a building society, ensuring that everyone has a place fit to call home is at the heart of what we do. Nationwide was founded to help people save and borrow money for land and materials to build their own homes. One hundred and thirty years on, we still have the same core purpose - helping people into homes of their own.

“We recognise there is a housing crisis, resulting in many people living in unsuitable, insecure or unaffordable accommodation. So, we are delighted to award £250,000 to communities within the West Midlands to support housing projects and make a real difference.”

Nationwide members will get a final say on which projects are supported in their local communities and a Community Board, which is comprised of members, employees, housing charities and experts, has been appointed.  The Board will review all grant applications and put forward a number of local projects to a member vote. Nationwide members will then be able to vote, in branch or online, for a shortlist of charities to be awarded up to a maximum of £50,000. The Board and Nationwide branches within the region will also be providing time, contacts and expertise to these charities.

As part of the Society’s new social investment strategy programme, to provide everyone a place fit to call home, Nationwide plans to roll this initiative out across the UK during 2018, providing a £4million annual fund for community housing initiatives and charities – helping make a difference to communities up and down the country.  There has been £270,000 already awarded to nine different housing charities and organisations in the north of England this year.

Nationwide is now inviting applications for housing community projects in the West Midlands.

Edgbaston Stadium has made another industry awards shortlist with the Stadium Business Awards naming NatWest T20 Blast Finals Day 2017 - hosted there - as one of six candidates for Event of the Year.

To be held at Emirates Old Trafford in June, it recognises the best sports or non-sports event, guest event, concert or one-off spectacle held at a major sports venue in the last 12 months.

Finals Day at Edgbaston is named on the shortlist alongside WWE Wrestlemania at the Camping World Stadium in Orlando, World Boxing Organisation’s Battle of Brisbane, #Game4Grenfell at Loftus Road in London, the first Day/Night Ashes Test at the Adelaide Oval and the Arsenal FC in Sydney Tour.

Gareth Roberts, Commercial Director at Warwickshire County Cricket Club, said: “NatWest T20 Blast Finals Day at Edgbaston has already been shortlisted for the BT Sport Industry’s Entertainment Experience of the Year, arguably the biggest industry awards event in the UK. However, being shortlisted for the Stadium Business Awards puts us onto the international stage against some of the most recognised sporting events in the world.

Being shortlisted shows how far Finals Day has come, whilst it also demonstrates the strength of the partnership between the England and Wales Cricket Board, Sky Sports and Warwickshire County Cricket Club in delivering such a great event for the record crowd in attendance.”

Edgbaston hosted Finals Day for the eighth time in 2017 and it was widely recognised as being the best in the 15-year history of the tournament by breaking records on and off the field.

Finals Day returns to Edgbaston on September 15 this year, with ticket sales currently 170 per cent up compared to the same period in 2017.

In response the venue announced that it is boosting capacity by 850 seats as part of a commercial partnership with Arena Seating, which will see a temporary stand erected above the Stanley Barnes Stand at the Birmingham End of the ground.

A £9.6 million supported housing scheme in West Bromwich is helping local young people to kick-start their careers in construction.

The opportunities including  work placements, apprenticeships and traineeships have been created at the site in Oxford Road, where Sandwell Council is working in partnership with ENGIE’s regeneration division to build 93 much-needed affordable homes.

So far around a dozen students have taken up work placements with another ten in the pipeline during the coming months with the site offering valuable work experience and industry recognised qualifications in a variety of construction trades, from bricklaying and carpentry to plastering and quantity surveying.

Apprentice quantity surveyor Govind Mann (18) and apprentice ground worker Ryan Taylor (24) are learning their trades on the new supported-housing scheme. And Ryan Lawrence  (20) is working on the site as a trainee quantity surveyor.

Govind said: “After completing a week of work experience which was mandatory at my sixth form, I returned to ENGIE during the summer holidays to complete another two weeks. I was then offered an apprenticeship and haven’t looked back since. I am constantly learning new skills and meeting new people every day.”

Trainee quantity surveyor Ryan Lawrence, said: “When I was doing my A levels, I liked maths but wasn’t really sure what job I wanted to do. A careers rep from ENGIE gave a talk at my school and explained about the different jobs in construction. I applied for an unpaid internship with them and after that ended I got the traineeship I’m doing now.”

Councillor Ann Shackleton, Sandwell’s cabinet member for social care, who was visiting the site, said: “It was good to hear these young people speak so enthusiastically about their personal journeys into a career in the construction sector and how they are working towards achieving industry-recognised qualifications.”

Councillor Kerrie Carmichael, Sandwell’s cabinet member for housing, added: “It’s great that this new supported housing scheme provides another opportunity for Think Sandwell to work with partners such as ENGIE  to provide training and employment opportunities in Sandwell, creating better prospects for local people and  at the same time helping to plug skills shortages in the construction industry.”

Neil Baxter, new business director at ENGIE, said: “Part of building better communities is investing in the future prospects of local people. By providing apprenticeships and traineeships, we are giving them hands-on experience of what it’s like to work on a live construction site and teaching them the essential skills that they need to work in the construction industry.”

The Oxford Road development includes 93 homes for affordable rent, a mix of 58 apartments and 35 bungalows.

The scheme is expected to be completed in the summer.

One of Hawaii’s favorite food festivals is just around the corner! The annual Waikiki SPAM JAM Festival presented by Outrigger Resorts will hit the streets of Waikiki for its 16th year as visitors and locals alike gather to celebrate one of the state’s most beloved foods. The event will bring thousands of visitors and Waikiki residents to the bustling Kalakaua Ave. in the heart of Waikiki for delicious culinary creations that feature SPAM brand products, live music and entertainment.

Attendees will sample a selection of creative SPAM dishes from 20 participating local restaurants including Hula Grill, Buho Cantina and Mahaloha Burger, and see first-hand the variety of ways SPAM products can be prepared and enjoyed. From SPAM® Corn Dogs to SPAM® Brand-inspired cocktails, festival goers can expect to be well-fed and entertained as they feed their SPAM® Brand curiosity while getting serenaded by some of the island’s best musical acts from three stages. Additionally, guests can take advantage of street shopping during the festival as they peruse SPAM®-themed merchandise and a variety of unique retail products and crafts made only in Hawaii.

Admission to the family-friendly event is free. Attendees are encouraged to support the event by bringing a non-perishable food item such as a can of SPAM product for donation. Monetary donations collected will benefit the Hawaii Foodbank and other local charities, including the Waikiki Community Center and the Visitor Aloha Society.

Last night, Birmingham’s Bullring & Grand Central was taken over by World Champion dancers from the Scanlon School of Irish Dancers, as Grand Central was turned green ahead of St Patrick’s Day.

Tomorrow will see one of the city’s calendar highlights, the annual St Patrick’s Day parade, arrive in Birmingham and tens of thousands of people are expected to hit the streets to celebrate.

To kick-off the weekend of festivities, seven dancers aged 13 to 16 - including 14-year-old four-time World Champion - Alliyah O’Hare, jigged their way through the centre as the Grand Central atrium was turned green to pay homage to St Patrick. They danced their treble reel steps to ‘The Scoddy Reel’.

Bullring also marked the occasion with Birmingham’s iconic bull donning his St Patrick’s Day hat.

The Scanlon dancers will be returning to the centre next Saturday on St Patrick’s Day itself to perform for shoppers by the bull outside Bullring.

Michaela Moore, General Manager of Bullring & Grand Central, said: "It was a pleasure to have such a talented group of young dancers perform in centre to celebrate St Patrick’s Day ahead of tomorrow’s parade. It is such an important day in the calendar for Birmingham and we wanted to mark the occasion with our own celebration at Bullring & Grand Central. We are excited for the group to return next weekend to perform for our visitors.”

The Eden Project is launching a new three-week programme of activities for Easter including a giant inflatable challenge, spring maze and golden egg hunt (March 24 to April 15).

There will be a range of outdoor games for the whole family to have a crack at and lots of Easter prizes and treats to enjoy.

How Does Your Garden Grow? is a plant-themed obstacle course in the Stage area where teams have to scramble up all the elements needed to grow a plant.

Participants can slide down giant inflatable slides and rummage through a pond ball pit which sits behind oversized flowers and grass and an enormous greenhouse. They will be looking to find the vital ingredients - soil, seed, rain and sunshine.

There is a chance to explore the whole of the Eden site as the popular Golden Egg Hunt returns.

Elusive eggs will be hidden inside and outside the Biomes in different locations daily and the best egg-hunters will be rewarded with delicious chocolate prizes.

In the Arena there is a chance to get lost in a specially-built spring maze made of hundreds of hay bales.

Visitors can enjoy the first signs of spring on the discovery trail. Among the best plants to see at Eden will be colourful tulips, beautiful jade vine and gorgeous geraniums.

Younger children can enjoy an under-fives soft play area in the Stage, a hoopla game or guess-who activity with animal faces in the Orchard.

There are also board games and a bee buzz challenge where a steady hand is needed to guide the bee on its pollination journey.

In the Mediterranean Biome there will be another chance to see the fun family show Operation Earth exploring Earth's amazing science and stories in partnership with the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC).

During the interactive performance the audience will be invited to become trainee environmental scientists when 'Earthy' – a mini version of the planet earth – takes a trip to the doctors.

Shannon Wilby, programme lead for Easter at Eden, said: “We're really excited to be running a three week-long Easter programme for the first time at Eden with loads of new activities which will be cracking fun for all the family.”

All Easter activities are suitable for all ages and included with admission to Eden. Booking is not required.

Former West Bromwich Albion player, Brendon Batson, will be cycling 75km across the West Midlands to help raise vital funds for Birmingham St Mary’s.

Brendon, who played for the Black Country club from 1978 to 1982, will be taking on the charity’s annual cycling challenge – ‘Ride the Reservoir’.

Taking place on Sunday 18 March, Ride the Reservoir is an exhilarating cycle sportive which starts at Bartley Green before extending into the scenic villages of Romsley, Belbroughton, Chaddesley Corbett, Barnt Green, and then back to the reservoir. All funds raised from the ride will go towards Birmingham St Mary’s, which provides vital care to local families living with terminal illness.

Brendon – who will be joined by hundreds of other keen cyclists – is showing his support for Birmingham St Mary’s after the Hospice cared for his wife Cecily in 2009. He said: “The care Cecily and my family received was just incredible. It was a massive comfort that she was cared for at home and I’ll never forget the kindness and dignity the nurses and doctors showed us.

“Taking on Ride the Reservoir is my way of continuing to say thank you to the Hospice for their amazing support during that time. As a keen cyclist, I’m looking forward to getting back on my bike again and kickstarting the season with this brilliant ride.”

Last year, the cycle sportive attracted more than 350 riders, raising over £16,000 for the Selly Park-based charity.

Lucy Watkins, events manager at Birmingham St Mary’s, said: “It’s fantastic to have Brendon on board for Ride the Reservoir this year. Whilst the route may look pretty, it’s actually really challenging with plenty of ups and downs along the way.

“It will cost £8 million to run our hospice this year, so funds raised from this event will be absolutely vital in ensuring that we can continue to provide our care to even more local families living with terminal illness.”

Ride the Reservoir is approved by British Cycling – the national governing body for cycling in Great Britain – and is supported by local, independent bike shop, Red Kite Cycles. Registration for the ride costs £20 and participants can book, here: https://www.birminghamhospice.org.uk/Event/rtr2018

Greene King, the country’s leading pub retailer and brewer, today celebrates National Apprenticeship Week 2018 by announcing that it has supported a record 10,000 of its team members through its award-winning Greene King Apprenticeship Programme. The 10,000 milestone accounts for team members who have graduated from the programme, as well as those currently in training, since its launch in 2011.

The Greene King Apprenticeship Programme offers roles for leadership and management, brewing, chefs, bar and front of house staff, and will help team members achieve industry-leading qualifications and build a long-term career in hospitality. Since it began, the scheme has been repeatedly recognised both by the hospitality industry and externally for its dedication to high quality training and development.

To complement the apprenticeship programme’s objective of supporting young people into work, Greene King launched the Get Into Hospitality programme, in partnership with The Prince’s Trust in 2016. The three-week intensive programme addresses the skills and experience gaps that prevent unemployed young people from getting into work through providing work experience and training. So far supporting [160] young people through its Get Into Hospitality certification, those who go on to work for the pub company are then encouraged to enter the Greene King Apprenticeship Programme to further develop their skills and qualifications.

Greene King apprentice Rachael McAtee has done just that. She said: “The Get Into Hospitality Programme really gave me the confidence to explore a career in hospitality, and it was fantastic to be offered a front of house role with Greene King at the end of it. I settled into that role quickly and it didn’t take long before I was recommended to apply for the Greene King Apprenticeship programme. I’ve not only achieved a Level 2 F&B services, an industry recognised qualification, but I’m working my way up the ranks and exploring further development opportunities available to me. For those wondering what a career in the hospitality industry would be like, I encourage them to take the leap. It’s definitely worth it!”

Rooney Anand, chief executive at Greene King, said: “We have invested in our apprenticeship programme for seven years now and it’s great that we’ve been able to support 10,000 of our team members during that time. But it won’t stop there as we recognise it’s more important than ever that we continue to bring young people into the hospitality industry and show that it can provide a stable, exciting and rewarding career. Our apprenticeship programme and partnership with The Prince’s Trust are leading the way and we look forward to welcoming others to develop their skills and build a career with us.”