Community News

City of Wolverhampton’s Victorian Christmas Market at the weekend saw visitor figures double on last year to more than 30,000.

Following the success of the inaugural market in the Wulfruna Street area of the city in 2017, the decision was taken to move it to Queen Square, Dudley Street and Lichfield Street.

It is estimated the three-day market, from December 14 to 16, generated over £500,000 for the local business economy – and it will return next year.

Families enjoyed the festive fun and snapped up Christmas goodies from more than 100 stalls during the three-day market, delivered by City of Wolverhampton Council’s approved market operator, LSD Promotions.

The whole event was set to the backdrop of a funfair and the offer included a variety of traditional and international street food, local produce, seasonal handcrafted and home-baked goodies, bespoke Christmas decorations and holly wreaths, festive novelties and exclusive gifts, accessories and jewellery.

Entertainment included street artists, choirs, vocalists, instrumental performances, dance displays, living statues and Victorian themed stilt walkers.

Organiser Dermot McGillicuddy, LSD Promotions Director, said: “The Victorian Christmas Market saw more than 30,000 visitors over the three days and the operational team were very pleased with how everything went.

“The atmosphere was wonderful, and the people of Wolverhampton really seem to have taken this annual market into their hearts.

“We are already receiving trader and entertainment enquiries for next year, and I’d like to thank everyone at the council for their support in making this happen.”

City of Wolverhampton Council Cabinet Member for City Environment, Councillor Steve Evans, added: “We are determined to grow and build the Victorian Christmas Market – and to double our visitor numbers in a year is great news for the City of Wolverhampton.

“It was the largest festive market the city has seen and it was wonderful to see it attract thousands of visitors – and boost the local economy.

“There was a great atmosphere around the market over the three days with people of all ages enjoying a variety of stalls offering festive goodies, plenty of food and drink, and fun activities at this special time of year.

“We are already now looking at ways we can make it even bigger and better next winter.”

While 69% of shoppers said they would try to cut down on single-use plastics like straws or carrier bags, a further 38% said they would choose gifts with less packaging, both steps which could help prevent our Christmas waste damaging wildlife.

The RSPCA has received more than 600 calls so far this year about animals which involved plastic - 88 from the West Midlands.

Just some of the calls received include:

• A swan with plastic packaging over its head in the West Midlands
• A bird with a plastic can holder around its beak
• A duck with a plastic ring around its neck

RSPCA Assistant Director of the Inspectorate Dermot Murphy said: “Sadly we see all too many animals coming into our centres sick and suffering due to the litter we throw away. It’s great news that shoppers are planning to be kinder to animals this Christmas in the choices they make and this could make a real difference to whether the animals around us also stay happy and healthy this festive season.

“Whether it’s reducing packaging, leaving food out for wildlife in the colder weather, volunteering or donating to an animal charity or shopping at a charity shop, there are lots of things you can do to be kinder to animals this Christmas.”

The poll by the RSPCA also revealed:

• Six out of ten people (62%) will be choosing cosmetics which haven’t been tested on animals*
• Half (53%) will be buying gifts from charities - like the RSPCA shop
• A third of people (33%) will be buying eco-friendly gifts
• Almost half of animal lovers (47%) will be taking a present or donation to an animal rescue centre
• A third (34%) will be buying higher welfare meat like RSPCA Assured labelled products

The RSPCA 2018 Christmas appeal asks animal lovers to Stock the Sleigh with vital items to make the festive season happy, healthy and safe for thousands of animals.

Last year during the festive season (1-31 Dec), the RSPCA answered more than 43,000 calls, many reporting neglected, abused or suffering animals. We also took in nearly 5,500 animals and gave them a warm bed, food, veterinary care and the care and attention they desperately needed, as well as continuing to look after thousands of animals already in our care.

People can give the gifts of care, safety and comfort to desperate animals this Christmas by stocking the RSPCA’s virtual sleigh at www.rspca.org.uk/giftofkindness.

The West Midlands is gearing up to align with the government’s Housing Deal targets of delivering nearly 16,000 homes a year out of a total nationwide ambition of 215,000, which will help meet the increasing demand in the region by 2031.

To help drive this objective, The National Homebuilding & Renovating Show is returning to the NEC, Birmingham from 28-31 March 2019 to assist consumers and the trade with turning their property ambitions into reality. Over the course of four days, visitors will gain a wealth of industry knowledge from more than 500 exhibitors and 16 free daily seminars and masterclasses.

Birmingham’s largest homebuilding & renovating event will welcome for the first time Sian Astley, lady builder and TV presenter for BBC2’s ‘Watch This Space’. She will tackle topics ranging from fresh design ideas, cost-effective styling, mixing traditional style with a contemporary edge, to underfloor heating and insulation, due to the vast knowledge she gathered from over 22 years of experience.

Another premiere at the show will be marked by the introduction of Land Hub, a self-build stage in association with Plotfinder, the UK's land and renovation finding service, and Potton’s Self Build Academy. Through the Land Hub masterclasses visitors will be able to access everything they need to know about finding, assessing and buying a plot of land within bitesize sessions.

The event is a prime showcase of cutting-edge products and services by specialist companies from a broad variety of industries, including kitchens; bathrooms; doors and windows; extensions and conversions; eco and heating; architecture; design; financial services; planning permission and many more. People can also interact with real case studies to find out the most common obstacles they might face during their self-build and renovation process.

The Advice Centre, a drop-in clinic for personalised, impartial guidance, is open to people who are keen to run ideas past industry-leading specialists with years of experience in their fields. This section will see the return of the Ask the Builder area, where members of the Federation of Master Builders will offer tips to visitors on hiring accredited, highly-skilled construction workers.

Visitors interested in finding out more about the design, planning and construction process are encouraged to visit the Ask the Architect area, where chartered specialists from RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) will provide tailored advice via one-on-one sessions.

For personalised tips on all aspects of self-build and renovation, the Ask the Expert zone will offer 15-minute consultations via interactive sessions with the UK’s leading property experts. Visitors will be able to discuss their ideas, plans or problems with Michael Holmes (director of content and product development for Homebuilding & Renovating magazine); Jason Orme (editorial director of Homebuilding & Renovating magazine); Mariana Pedroso (interior designer and architect); Peter Richardson (construction director of Sennocke International); Tom McSherry (finance expert for Buildstore); Mike Cruickshank (self-build and construction expert for Homebuilding & Renovating magazine); David Hilton (building expert and director of Heat and Energy Ltd); Tim Pullen (eco-expert of Homebuilding & Renovating magazine); Bob Branscombe (building expert of Homebuilding & Renovating magazine); Andy Stevens (builder and managing director of Eclipse Property Solutions); Jo Dyson (home renovator and co-founder of Mae House Design) and Sally Tagg (planning expert and managing director of Foxley Tagg Planning Ltd).

To assist visitors in the pre-construction phase, Oakwrights Design Consultation and The Potton Lounge will be offering bespoke consultations with members of their skilled design teams across the four days. Attendees who are interested in these sessions can pre-book their entry in advance via the event’s website.

All attendees can navigate their way on site with the help of the show app, available on iPhone and Android. They will be able to schedule and receive alerts for key seminars and masterclasses, browse through the list of professionals available at the Advice Centre, and access the latest offers and information.

Big-hearted staff from a Birmingham hospice surprised patients and their loved ones this December, with a music-filled Christmas celebration.

Team members from Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice swapped their notepads for guitars, as they played a lively set of Christmas tunes for patients to sing-a-long too.

The one-off ‘band’ – made up of hospice social workers, bereavement counsellors and volunteers – performed the set at Umberslade Nurseries in Selly Park, with the aim of spreading festive cheer to the people they care for.

Patients were also treated to turkey and stuffing sandwiches and homemade mince pies, as the team played classics such as ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’ and ‘Jingle Bells’.

Josephine Walker, who has been using the Hospice’s services for 18 months, said: “What a lovely surprise – it’s nice to be able to come down here and celebrate this time of year with other people. There’s been a wonderful atmosphere and I’m grateful that my son was invited to come along too – it’s good to spend time with him, doing fun things.”

Josephine, along with the other patients, is currently being cared for by the Hospice’s ‘Support at Home’ service – an initiative which sees trained volunteers visit people in their own homes to offer friendly companionship and a listening ear. The service aims to combat the growing problem of isolation in the community, as well as offer busy carers an opportunity to take a break for a few hours each week.

Birmingham St Mary’s lead palliative care social worker, Maxine Jones, hasn’t played guitar for over 25 years. She said: “It’s been fantastic to dust off the old guitar and get performing again. Although I felt a bit nervous, when I looked up to see people singing along and laughing, it made every second worth it.”

Hasun Tayyub, Support at Home lead at the Hospice, added: “Christmas is a time for celebration but for people and their carers who are living with life-limiting illness, it can be a lonely and quite isolating time. The idea of our surprise party was to bring a little Christmas spirit to the people we support, helping to bring people together and create a sense of belonging.

“We’ll also have volunteers visiting patients on Christmas Day, as well as offering a telephone befriending service, to make sure that no one feels lonely at this time of year.”

On Christmas Day, Birmingham St Mary’s will be caring for 400 people and their loved ones across Birmingham and Sandwell. The Hospice’s ‘Care at Christmas’ festive appeal aims to raise vital awareness of hospice care at this time of year, as well as boost support for the charity.

Wetherspoon has chosen City of Wolverhampton to host its national museum as part of official plans submitted to the council for a £7 million makeover of The Moon Under Water pub.

The exciting scheme also includes proposals to build a 70-bedroom hotel above the Lichfield Street venue.

The 40,000 sq ft space above the pub, with its Art Deco frontage, has been empty for more than 30 years.

It was previously home for the old Co-op store, which opened in 1931, and sits opposite the Grand Theatre.

If the plans are approved, it could generate up to 50 jobs.

The news follows the Grand Theatre’s recent announcement of plans to expand into the former post office next door to build a pop-up theatre and the council’s proposal to pedestrianise part of Lichfield Street.

Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon said: “We have great plans for the popular The Moon under Water pub in Lichfield Street, Wolverhampton.

“Subject to planning permission we aim to invest £7 million on the new pub, to extend it and also to build a hotel above it. It would also create many new jobs.

“We believe this will be great for the pub, its customers and just as importantly the city itself.

“We are also confident that it would act as a catalyst for other businesses to invest in Wolverhampton.

“We also feel the museum will prove popular with people who want to know more of the history of the company and see artefacts from the past. The fact that Wetherspoon wishes to house it in Wolverhampton is positive for the city.”

The vast five-storey building, where The Moon Under Water is based on the ground floor, takes up half of one side of Lichfield Street but only the pub is currently based there.

Its neighbour, the old tavern O’Connells, closed around five years ago and the majority of the 40,000 sq ft premises is currently dereclict.

Councillor John Reynolds, Cabinet Member for City Economy, added: “This planning application from Wetherspoon is very welcome and, subject to approval, will breathe new life into this building.

“There is currently £1 billion investment in the city centre and this exciting scheme is another example of the growing in confidence in our city.

“It will deliver a significant number of jobs and for a national chain like Wetherspoon to choose City of Wolverhampton for its national museum is an honour.”

Residents are being warned not to give out their bank details over the phone following reports of council tax cold calling scams.

Sandwell Council has received several complaints from people who have received scam calls about their council tax bands and council tax refunds.

The first scam involves a cold call from a company claiming to be able to recover overcharged council tax. The caller tells the householder’s that their council tax band is wrong.

The householder is told if they pay £150 direct from their bank account over the phone, they can get a council tax refund going back to the 1990s.

In another scam, an elderly man was called by someone claiming to be from Sandwell Council, asking for his bank details as he was due a council tax refund. He gave his bank details, but after alerting family, his bank accounts have been secured. He’s not thought to have lost any money.

Sandwell Council’s cabinet member for public health and protection Councillor Elaine Costigan said: “If you speak to someone who claims to be from the council, and you are not sure if they are genuine or you're not comfortable giving out your details over the phone, always contact the council yourself directly to make sure it's not a scam.

“Remember the scam awareness motto – ‘Don’t be rushed, don’t be hushed’.

“If you’re not sure if someone is genuine, don’t part with any money. Get some advice first and talk to someone about what’s going on.”

For help and advice about scams or you’re worried that you may have fallen for a scam, call the Consumer Helpline on 03454 04 04 06.

Wolves fans have the chance to own a memento from an historic day in the club’s history and raise money for charity at the same time.

The Mayor of Wolverhampton, Cllr Phil Page, is auctioning off banners and signage which were used at the Wolves Promotion Parade earlier this year.

80,000 people lined the streets of the city centre in glorious sunshine on May 7 as Wolves celebrated the club’s return to the Premier League.

The event was dubbed as the biggest party Wolverhampton has ever seen.

Now, Cllr Page, hopes that Wolves fans eager to own a piece of history will snap up the items in a charity online auction.

The lots include giant banners, some of which have been signed by the Wolves squad, which lined the parade route and adorned the front of the city’s art gallery on the day of the promotion party.

The gallery was the venue for a Civic Reception held in the club’s honour.

Also on offer at the auction the use of an executive box at Molineux for up to eight people when Wolves take on Liverpool on Friday December 21.

Cllr Page is raising money for his mayoral charities which are Inspire You, Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre, Kingswood Trust and Good Shepherd Relief in Need.

Cllr Page said: “The Wolves promotion parade was an absolutely amazing day which anyone lucky enough to witness will never forget.

“We have some of the banners and signs which were used on the day to line the parade route and around West Park and I thought that people might want to own a piece of history and bid for them to raise money for charity.

“I am also offering the use of an executive box at Molineux for up to eight people when Wolves take on title-contenders Liverpool in what will be a sell-out fixture next on 21^st December.

“Wolves have some of the most loyal and diehard fans in the world and I feel sure they will jump at the chance to own these collector’s items and help me raise funds for these really worthwhile charities.”

Dr Paul Sabapathy CVO CBE, immediate past Lord Lieutenant for the West Midlands, has joined the Birmingham Commonwealth Association (BCA) Board as a Non Executive Director.

Keith Stokes-Smith, Chairman of the BCA, commented, “ I was so pleased when Paul agreed to join the board bringing with him a wealth of knowledge, experience, energy, commitment and commonwealth connections. He is a man to be admired for his achievements and looked up to with admiration. He has been a great supporter of the BCA since its launch in March 2014 and, as he says himself, a passionate Brummie.

Paul will join myself, Tony Shergill, Wade Lyn CBE, Professor Martin Levermore MBE and Professor Louise Toner, on our team supported by Birmingham City Council.”

Forty years ago, Raymond Briggs’ beautifully illustrated book The Snowman transported children into the wintery wonderland of a boy and his snowy companion.

Now, celebrating its 25^th anniversary year, Birmingham Repertory Theatre’s twinkling live stage show of The Snowman returns, as a magical mix of exquisite dancing and live music lift the boy and his friend from page to stage.

The enchanting show tells the story of a young boy’s adventures when his snowman comes miraculously to life on Christmas Eve. Featuring a dazzling array of colourful characters including dancing penguins, a beautiful snow princess, wicked Jack Frost and of course, Father Christmas himself, The Snowman is a treat for all the family and a perfect introduction to theatre and dance for the very young.

First created in 1993, the Birmingham Repertory Theatre stage adaptation of The Snowman underwent many revisions in its early days since when the show has become a phenomenal success with tours in the UK, Far East and Scandinavia and a West End run at London’s Peacock Theatre of 21 years, where it is currently playing until 6 January 2019.

Stuart Rogers, Executive Director at Birmingham Repertory Theatre said:

“We are delighted to welcome The Snowman back home to The REP to celebrate its 25^th birthday, and look forward to sharing the show’s magic with existing fans and a whole new generation of children as well.”

Inspired by the film directed by Dianne Jackson and produced by John Coates, Birmingham Repertory Theatre’s production of The Snowman features virtuoso choreography by Robert North, direction by Bill Alexander, design by Ruari Murchison, lighting by Tim Mitchell and unforgettable music and lyrics by Howard Blake - including the timeless Walking in the Air.

Timber, the new outdoor arts festival celebrating the story of the National Forest, has won the highest accolade in the festival world, taking Best New Festival at the UK Festival Awards ceremony held in London last week.

It was chosen from a challenging field of national competition. This coveted award is just one of a clutch of accolades picked up by the festival recently. It also won Best PR campaign at the Outdoor Events Awards event in Bath last month, and at Leicestershire's Tourism and Hospitality Awards it was awarded Favourite Festival. The judges for the latter said: “The ambition and vision for this festival were exceptional … a unique and exciting event that embraced the spirit and ambition of its unique setting: the National Forest.”

John Everitt, Chief Executive for the National Forest Company, said: “We are thrilled with this array of awards for Timber in its first year. We wanted to make something truly exceptional that would engage people in the National Forest's unique story, and inspire people to reconnect with trees, woodlands and the natural world. All our supporters, partners, and the festival artists and performers, plus all the festival-goers themselves, helped us make Timber the success that it was, and we can't wait to present another amazing festival in 2019.”

The National Forest Company worked with award-winning festival producers Wild Rumpus to create the three-day camping festival, which took place in July this year at Feanedock Woods just outside Swadlincote. Through music, art, woodland activities and a lot of fun, it celebrated the transformative impact of forests.

John continued: “Feedback received from festival-goers this year spoke of a real connection with nature, and the amazing atmosphere. It was so chilled out and a contrast to other festivals with its imaginative use of extensive woodland spaces, and intimate music stages set within the woodland glades.”

The evolving skyline of the West Midlands is to be transformed further still by the efforts of number of construction experts who have recently joined The Mayor’s Mentors initiative launched last year by the West Midlands Mayor, Andy Street.

The latest business to join the scheme, which is to helping young people develop life skills and gain the advice they need to flourish is the international consultancy and construction company Mace, which recently signed up a sixth senior member of its Midlands team.

26-year old Mustafa Abdillahi is one of the mentees who is currently being supported by Mace. He said: “It’s still early days but this has been a fantastic experience so far. I’ve been matched up with John Egerton, an operations director for Mace in the Midlands.

“With my background in mechanical engineering, I was unsure of what route to take next and John has spent time helping me to work that out. He’s encouraged me to study for a masters in project management. As a result, I’m now shadowing John and his team at Mace, whilst I work towards an MSc at the University of Birmingham.

“My ambition is to become an accredited Project Manager and then hopefully like John, I’ll one day reach director level and have the opportunity to lead on flagship construction projects across the region.”

Mustafa is originally from Sweden and moved to Birmingham when he was 15-years old. Working part-time as a CCTV operator, he graduated from University in 2017. Over the past year he has worked for a recruitment company whilst completing a 9-month leadership programme with UpRising, a national youth leadership development organisation.

West Midlands Mayor Andy Street, said: “One of the first things I did after becoming Mayor was launch the Mayors Mentors initiative. The reason was that I passionately believe that one on one support through mentoring gives young people the best chance for the future.

“By sharing knowledge and experience, Mentors help to give young people the life skills and advice they need to flourish and fulfill their potential.

“Already we have exceeded our target of connecting over 1,000 young people in the West Midlands with mentors and it is great that Mustafa will be the latest person to benefit as well as working on such transformational projects.”

John Egerton, operations director for Mace, said: “The Mayor’s Mentors scheme is a great way of helping young people like Mustafa to prosper, simply by imparting some of your skills, knowledge and experience. A number of my colleagues have already signed-up to the programme and I’d encourage any professional who is working in the West Midlands and capable of motivating others to seriously consider getting involved. It’s just a couple of hours each month and a very positive experience.”

Mace’s team in the West Midlands have delivered many key infrastructure projects in the region including the project management of Birmingham New Street’s redevelopment, HSBC’s new HQ at Arena Central, and the redevelopment of the former municipal bank at 3 Centenary Square.

On Tuesday 11 December, George Moore, a patient at Birmingham Children’s Hospital, unveiled the ‘Choo Choo Express’ after winning a competition to name his very own special festive Chiltern Railways train.

Two-year-old George from Sutton Coldfield, who was treated at the hospital for croup and infected tonsils, beat off stiff competition to be announced winner of the exclusive children’s hospital competition.

After much anticipation, the family finally saw George’s design brought to life for the first time today. His mum, Fay, 32, commented: “It was such a special moment to see George’s Choo Choo Express design on the side of the train. George’s eyes lit up and he was just so excited. We’re so proud of him, this train is going to be seen by thousands as it travels across the country and George just loves trains so seeing his design was the perfect prize. We hope that this will be a memory he holds close to him for the rest of his life.

“We have been in Birmingham Children’s Hospital a lot over the past few weeks, with two visits to A&E with George for croup and infected tonsils as well as a stint on the High Dependency Unit for our daughter, Betty, who had pneumonia and bronchiolitis. It’s been a tough month but hopefully we’re all on the mend and can enjoy Christmas at home.”

Alan Riley, Customer Services Director at Chiltern Railways, said: “We are delighted to be supporting the children’s hospital with our special Christmas train this year following the success of last year’s Santa Train. Christmas is about giving, so we are pleased to be able to give this opportunity to George and his family and help them create festive memories at what must be a difficult time for them.”

Serena Daw, Public Fundraising Manager at Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity, said: “This year our Moments of Magic Christmas campaign is all about bringing magical moments to our patients and families and helping ensure their hospital experience is the best it possibly can be.

“We’re so grateful to Chiltern Railways for deciding to support our patients and families in this way by giving such a unique experience to George and his family.”

The Choo Choo Express, which it has now been formerly nicknamed, departed for its scheduled ride from Moor Street Station to Marylebone today.  It will be in service for the entire month of December. If you spot it on your commute or festive travels, take a picture and tag in @bham_childrens and @chilternrailway.