Community News

Purveyor of London spirit, Portobello Road Gin, has launched the world's first Pechuga Gin to ensure your Christmas celebrations and merry-making are filled with good cheer.

Created by master distiller Jake Burger, the limited edition Director's Cut No:3 Pechuga Gin pays homage to a unique distillation process used by Mexico's artisan Mezcal producers whereby a raw chicken or turkey breast - or pechuga as it translates to in Spanish -  is suspended in the still, cooking in the slowly emanating vapours, adding subtle yet distinct flavours to the spirit.

To create the Pechuga Gin, Jake redistilled Portobello Road Gins signature 171 blend in a 400 litre copper alembic still with organic turkey breast and a flavourful combination of 13 botanicals: apples, pears, plums, currants, raisins, sultanas, apricots, brown rice, passion fruit, cinnamon, cassia bark, as well as nutmeg and mace that Jake harvested personally on the beautiful Spice Island, Grenada.

Traditionally, Mezcal De Pechuga is imbibed on occasions of great celebration such as baptisms, marriages and quinceañeras. The combination of dried fruit and spices in the Pechuga Gin results in a distinctly festive flavour; making it the perfect drink to toast the celebratory Christmas season.

The process of making the Director's Cut No:3 Pechuga Gin is incredibly inefficient, taking two bottles of regular Portobello Road Gin to make one bottle of the festive delicacy.

The Director's Cut limited-edition is a small-batch gin, launched every year to mark the birthday of Portobello Road Gin and it's founding director Ged Feltham. These unique blends allow the gin's directors to flex their creative muscles and introduce discerning drinkers to more unusual flavours and distillation processes. Previous Director's Cut blends include a smokey gin flavoured with juniper berries that were hand-smoked in Irish peat and a quintessentially English gin made using asparagus sourced from Cambridgeshire.

While bottles of Mezcal De Pechuga typically retail between £100 and £200, in keeping with the season of the goodwill bottles of Director's Cut No:3 will retail at £35 and is available to purchase from 1st November from Portobello Road Gin's website, as well The Distillery's Bottle Shop located on their namesake road.

Jake Burger, master distiller and director at Portobello Road Gin, says:

“My love for gin is matched equally by my passion for tequila and mezcal; and so for the third instalment in our Director's Cut series it was a natural choice for me to look across the atlantic and take inspiration from our Mexican spirit producing brothers and sisters.

“As the alcohol vapours pass through the turkey breast during distillation they add something almost indefinable to the gin. You wouldn't really say it was turkey flavoured gin, the flavour is very subtle, and whilst it adds it also takes away, absorbing some of the more intense fruit flavours and stopping them from overwhelming the taste of the gin.

“With its warming spices and dried fruits, this poultry-infused potable develops a distinctly festive flavour and we think that Christmas presents a perfect opportunity to drink this very special and uniquely indulgent gin.

“So with the launch of what we believe to be the world's first Pechuga Gin, as well as one of the most festively flavoured spirits, I wish you a Merry Christmas -  or 'Feliz Navidad' as they say in Mexico.”

Talented young people from more than 20 schools across Wolverhampton will celebrate the City’s rich diversity at a special event next month.

Now in its 30th year, the annual Schools Diversity Celebration takes place at the Civic Hall on Thursday 2 November, 2017, and will see hundreds of pupils from 22 schools and groups take to the stage to perform dance, drama and music in front of a specially invited audience.

The celebration, entitled One World, One People, One Voice, will showcase the range of cultures, languages, traditions and faiths found in Wolverhampton.

The performers include children from Penn Hall School (performing In My Hands, Feet And Heart, Wodensfield Primary School (Sing), Perry Hall Primary MAT (We Are All In This Together), Merridale Primary (Bhangra Beat), Amethyst Trust (Africa), Lanesfield Primary School (I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing), St Michael’s CE Primary and Christchurch CE Infants School (Turn to Me), Bantock Primary School (Shine), Green Park School (Altogether We Are One) and Goldthorn Primary (We Are The World, We Are The Children).

Also performing will be St Andrew’s CE Primary (Amani Utupe), Diversity Community Choir (Count On Me), Northwood Park Primary and Villiers Primary (One Family), Bilston CE Primary School (One Love), Stow Heath Primary School (We Are One), Springvale Primary School (Working Together), St Luke’s CE Primary (Living In Harmony), Elston Hall Primary MAT (Faded), Loxdale Primary School (Where Is The Love), Trinity CE Primary School (Coalition), Wolverhampton Music School String Orchestra (Rockin' All Over The World by J Fogarty arr Edwards) and The King’s C of E School (I Smile).

There will also be a performance of One Love by Marley and Mayfield by the Wolverhampton Music School String Orchestra, and the show will end with children and young people from all the schools coming together in a spectacular rendition of The World In Union by Gustav Holst.

Councillor Claire Darke, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for Education, said: "This wonderful annual event is one of the highlights of the educational calendar, and showcases what a diverse and multi-cultural City we live in.

"It is a tremendous opportunity for pupils from across Wolverhampton to take to the stage in the famous surroundings of the Civic Hall and perform before family and friends."

Councillor Val Gibson, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, added: "The pupils have been hard at work fine tuning their performances and I’m really looking forward to seeing what they can do."

Also in attendance will be the Mayor and Mayoress of the City of Wolverhampton, Councillor Elias Mattu and Asha Mattu and Director of Education Meredith Teasdale.

Entry to the event is by invitation only, but people can follow the evening on Twitter using the hashtag #wolvesdiversity.

The Schools Diversity Celebration has been made possible through sponsorship from CPN Systems, AM Griffiths, Concept Education, William Gough, Community Trade Union and the Rotary Club of Tettenhall.

Six spectacular switch-ons for all the family will light up City of Wolverhampton for the countdown to Christmas.

The festivities kick off with a huge city centre lights switch-on and firework display in Queen Square on Wednesday, November 22.

The fun-packed evening starts at 5pm, with entertainment from the Free Radio roadshow, a mini-funfair, real reindeer located in Lichfield Street and traditional Christmas music from the Wulfruna vintage steam organ.

Mayor of Wolverhampton, Councillor Elias Mattu, stars from this year’s Grand Theatre pantomime, Jack and the Beanstalk, children’s picture book character, The Gruffalo, and British Citizen Youth Award winner, Louis Johnson, will join Father Christmas to switch on the lights at 6.30pm, which will be followed by a spectacular fireworks display.

There is also the chance to grab some fabulous Christmas gifts and goodies at the festive market taking place on Dudley Street from 10am to 8pm.

And you can meet Father Christmas in his Winter Wonderland, in the Mander Centre lower mall, between 4pm and 8pm – everyone who meets him will get a present.

The city centre fun is followed by five more evenings of festive celebrations when the lights are also switched on by Father Christmas and the Mayor of Wolverhampton at Wednesfield, Tettenhall, Bilston, Bantock Park and Northycote Farm.

Entertainment will be provided by Dicky Dodd and the Signal 107 roadshow.

Councillor John Reynolds, Cabinet Member for City Economy, said: “Each year we get more and more families coming along to enjoy the lights being switched on to mark the start of the countdown to Christmas - they really are great free evenings out.

“And what better time to also take advantage of the city’s diverse range of shops. Our offer is improving year on year and visitors can now make the most of Mander Centre’s new flagship Debenhams store.”

All the below Christmas events are free:

Wednesday, November 22 – Wolverhampton, Queen Square – event starts 5pm, lights switch on 6.30pm

Thursday, November 23: Wednesfield, High Street - event starts at 4pm, switch on 5.30pm.

Saturday, November 25: Tettenhall, Upper Green – event starts at 5pm, switch on 6.30pm

Sunday, November 26: Bantock Park, Finchfield Road – event starts at 5pm, switch on 6.30pm. You can also meet Father Christmas in the Drawing Room of Bantock House Museum between 5pm and 6.15pm.

Friday, December 1: Bilston, Church Street – event starts at 5.30pm, switch on 6.30pm

Saturday, December 2: Northycote Farm, Underhill Lane – event starts at 4pm, switch on 5pm. Free craft and storytelling session for children from 4pm.

Starting prices for the Wolves in Wolves charity auction have been revealed. Members of City of Wolverhampton’s wolf pack from the city’s biggest ever public art event will officially go under the hammer in the Hayward Suite, at Molineux Stadium, next week (Thursday, November 2).

The wolves to be auctioned off are Wild, Colour, Love, The Sitting, Sunset, Compton, Kiyiya, Rainbow, Meditation, Endless Opportunities, Dynasty, Garden, Sacred Grandfathers, Zeus and Beowulf.

Fielding Auctioneers Ltd are running the auction and will start the bidding at £1,500 for each wolf.

The proceeds will be shared between Outside Centre and the Mayor of Wolverhampton, Cllr Elias Mattu’s chosen charities.

Will Farmer, Director of Fielding Auctioneers Ltd, who is well known for his appearances on BBC’s Antiques Roadshow, will lead the auction proceedings and entertainment will be provided by Dicky Dodd of Signal 107.

The remaining wolves will either be retained by their sponsors for use in projects, such as Hope at Headstart and Aurora at Talentmatch, both being used for activities with young people.

A handful of the wolves are set to remain on display in the city centre, such as Hunter outside the University School of Art, Old Gold in the Wolves Museum, Thomas at Marston’s House, Support Life at the University of Wolverhampton, Mander at Mander House, Beanstalk at the Grand Theatre, and roaming wolf Claude.

Almost 40 mini-wolves from the Wolverhampton Art Gallery exhibition will also be auctioned off on the night, with bidding for each one starting at £100.

Will said: “I am thrilled to be the auction partner for this fantastic and very successful project.

“It will be wonderful to find some new homes for the wolves and to raise a huge amount of money for charity.”

The majority of the wolves are currently resting in a warehouse ahead of the auction.

Councillor John Reynolds, City of Wolverhampton Cabinet Member for City Economy, said: “The wolves have really captured people’s imaginations and the whole project has been a howling success.

“The auction now gives people the chance to bid for their favourite wolf and raise money for charity at the same time.

“Wolves in Wolves has showcased the city to visitors and the wolves have helped put the city on the map as a cultural centre.

“It has also been a great way for people of all ages to get active and discover the city and what it has to offer.”

On the day of the auction, doors will open at 4pm for viewing, with the auction starting at 7pm.

Severn Trent’s own ‘Poo-wer Rangers’ have been recognised for their work to support WaterAid by designing a solution to waste issues in Nicaragua.

The company’s team of Water Innovators were given the best presentation award for their plan that tackled the sanitation issue of removing sludge from septic tanks.

The group of seven Severn Trent employees, who named themselves after the ‘90s TV show, have also carried out various challenges, including triathlons, half marathons and the Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge to raise more than £5000 for WaterAid.

The team received the award at a special ceremony at EY’s UK headquarters in London.

Declan Barlow, who took part in the challenge, said: “It’s fantastic to be recognised for the hard work we’ve put into the competition for such an amazing cause.

“In Nicaragua 800,000 people don’t have access to clean, safe water, and two million live without access to a decent toilet.

“We’ve developed a business plan that outlines how we would improve sanitation in Bilwi. It provides employment for local people, reduces the environmental impact of sludge disposal and improves the health and safety of the population.

“We hope our work will help to promote the amazing work that WaterAid is doing to implement and drive improvements for people living in the Central American country.”

Since April this year Severn Trent has raised more than a quarter of a million pounds for WaterAid with more fundraising events to come.

It’s that time of year again when Japanese knotweed’s growing season draws to a close and the plant dies away, but specialists Environet are urging homeowners not to delay tackling the weed as it remains very much alive, waiting to emerge bigger and stronger with new shoots next March. 

Although still standing, the bamboo-like canes will now be turning brown and brittle, which can fool homeowners into believing the plant has died or that their own efforts at treating it through cutting the plant back, or burning it, have been successful. However, like many plants, the rhizome system beneath the ground is healthy and lying dormant throughout the colder winter months.

Herbicide treatments cannot be used during winter as they require the plant to be in leaf, but that doesn’t mean treatment needs to be postponed until spring. In fact, Japanese knotweed can be dug out at any time of year using the environmentally friendly Resi-Dig-Out method, which involves digging out the rhizome roots and sifting out every viable piece before returning the clean soil to the ground. An insurance-backed guarantee can then be secured for the treatment which will ensure the property can be bought or sold without difficulty. 

Nic Seal, MD and Founder of Environet comments: “Each winter we see enquiry levels fall, but we know Japanese knotweed hasn’t magically disappeared, it’s simply a case of out of sight, out of mind. Savvy homeowners will take action through the autumn and winter to tackle knotweed on their land, ensuring they don’t face an even bigger problem next spring. Digging knotweed out of the soil is an instant solution, giving homeowners complete peace of mind and the freedom to sell their property if they so wish.”

Homebuyers should be particularly vigilant when viewing properties during the winter months, when property owners may have taken advantage of the plant’s apparent demise in order to deliberately conceal it. Often the canes have been removed but the crown is still visible in the ground, or in extreme cases membranes are laid horizontally in the ground to conceal the knotweed, with a path or lawn laid over it. 

A surveyor should be able to identify knotweed if it is visible, but deliberate concealment is illegal and sellers are required to answer truthfully to the direct question about Japanese knotweed on the TA6 Property Information form, completed during every property transaction. If a seller is dishonest or claims not to have known about the presence of knotweed, the buyer may have a claim for misrepresentation and are likely to be awarded the cost of professional treatment and legal fees, as well as any decrease in the property’s value.

Families in Tipton are now settling into their new homes as the keys to the latest council houses are handed over.

Sandwell Council has been working in partnership with developer Kier Living to create affordable homes for families on the former Princes End primary school site in Tibbington Terrace.

The seven homes, made up of six three-bedroom and one-two-bedroom properties will provide families with contemporary living spaces, private gardens and driveways.

The development  is part of the council’s millions of pounds worth of investment into new housing and was completed on schedule.

Councillor Kerrie Carmichael, Sandwell’s cabinet member for housing said: “This is great news. The completion of this scheme sees another seven new council  homes giving people the opportunity to set down roots and become part of a community.

“This is another example of the council working in partnership with a developer such as Kier Living to increase the quality and choice of housing in the borough.

“By the end of March next year we will have created nearly 200 new council homes since 2016 with hundreds more in the pipeline.

“This is part of our on-going strategic housing plan to increase the number of council-owned affordable homes.”

Chris King, managing director for Kier Living, said: "We are pleased to be able to support Sandwell Council in their drive to build more affordable homes in the borough.

"Kier has focused on providing high quality design and materials to create homes that offer a liveable and flexible space for tenants from day one."

The development also includes a further 22 properties for private sale built by Kier Living.

Staff and volunteers at John Taylor Hospice in Birmingham are inviting families and friends to join them at Light up a Life.

The annual remembrance event is a special time to remember loved ones who have died and to make a dedication in their memory.

Light up a Life will be held on Sunday 10 December at 6pm at Hollyfields Centre in Erdington. The short service will feature music, readings and a quiet moment for reflection – all dedicated to people who are very special to us.

A tree full of lights is illuminated during the service and there is the opportunity to make a dedication in the hospice’s Book of Remembrance.

This year, the hospice has introduced dedication stars as a new way to write a personal message to someone special. Each dedication pack contains two stars with space to write a message – one star is to keep and one can be returned to John Taylor to decorate Christmas trees inside the hospice during December.

Joining this year’s Light up a Life in memory of their mother Betty Morris are sisters Joanne and Helen Morris. When Betty was diagnosed with womb and lung cancer in May 2016, her wish was to be cared for at John Taylor Hospice. Joanne and Helen say they will be ‘forever grateful’ for the care and support their mother received from the hospice – both in her own home and at the hospice in Erdington, Birmingham.

“Mommy was very caring and was always thinking of others,” said Helen, 54. “The three of us lived very happily together in our home in Great Barr. When the ambulance arrived to take Mommy to the hospice she waved goodbye to her home of 58 years.

“This was our first experience of a hospice and from the moment she arrived she was welcomed by all staff. All of the care Mommy received at John Taylor was exceptional and this made such a terrible situation quite bearable. We know she was looked after so well and there was never any doubt in our minds which was very reassuring for us all.”

Joanne, 58, added: “We found all the staff to be quite remarkable and it is because of these wonderful people we have lots of happy memories. We always speak so highly of John Taylor and mention hospices to people to make them aware of what fantastic places they are. We will never forget all that was done for Mommy and feel we will be forever grateful.”

Hospices around the UK host Light up a Life events during the festive period and they are open to anyone – not just people whose loved ones were cared for by a hospice. As well as being a special time to remember loved ones, Light up a Life donations help to support the work of hospices by raising vital funds.

“Hundreds of families joined us for last year’s Light up a Life and it is always a very special and moving service,” said John Taylor’s Community Fundraising Manager Darren Dudley. “We feel privileged to stand side-by-side with families, friends, hospice staff and volunteers to honour the lives of people we love and miss and will always hold dear.”

There is no need to register for the event but dedications for the Book of Remembrance will need to be with the hospice by 1 December.

From eating out every week to going on holiday twice a year or starting a new business, new research conducted by pension advice specialist, Portafina reveals how Brits are planning to spend their retirement.

Despite recent reports about the future of the state pension, Brits aren’t letting their anticipation for their ‘golden years’ be dampened as they plan big for their retirement years.

The study, which involved a poll of 2,000, looked into attitudes to retirement, levels of financial preparation, and plans for the future.

With over half of working Brits stating that they are eagerly anticipating their retirement, Portafina  reveals the top ten ways the nation plans to spend its retirement years:

1.     Spending more time with family (35%)

2.     Taking up a new hobby (34%)

3.     Being more active (33%)

4.     Travelling the world (27%)

5.     Spending more time with friends (24%)

6.     Fulfilling a lifelong dream (24%)

7.     Starting their own business (18%)

8.     Eating out once a week (17%)

9.     Going on holiday twice a year (17%)

10.  Getting work experience in a dream career (14%)

Over a quarter (26%) of those in current fulltime employment did express concern about the cost of retiring, but the research showed this isn’t deterring our ambitions; with 29% planning on using retirement years to travel the world, 33% hoping to master a new language, and 27% even planning to learn to play a musical instrument.

A third (32%) hoped to be able to quit work completely – with the average aspired age sitting at 57 - but 40% said that semi-retirement was definitely an option, and not just for financial reasons.

Whilst 15% of those deliberating semi-retirement said their decision would ultimately come down to a need for extra income, more than half (53%) felt it allowed you to ease into the change, and 31% even believed that semi-retirement could be the perfect time to fulfil lifelong job ambitions, or start a business.

Of those currently enjoying semi-retirement, 30% said the time had offered them the chance to start a new career.

Suzi Grant, 67, (current location: Ibiza) said, “I became a blogger three years ago at the age of 64 and it’s now ridiculously successful.  I never expected that what started as a hobby would become nearly a full-time job!

“I worked in TV and radio most of my working life, trained as a nutritionist then wrote three books before happily retiring at 60. Because photography, writing and health are my passions, I have taken to my new career like a duck to water.”

Jamie Smith-Thompson, managing director of Portafina commented “There is always so much negative press about retirement, which must seem so depressing for younger generations that feel they are facing decades of work in order to secure the future lifestyle they want – and deserve.

“With semi-retirement revealed to be a viable option for so many, and numerous retirees already using this as a way to fulfil lifestyle and career ambitions, the nation’s dream retirement age of 57 may be achievable to some degree – that’s something I think we can all get behind. It’s important to remember that this can only come about through people taking retirement planning into account as early as possible”

Commonwealth citizens are set to benefit from improved legal services in a range of areas as law ministers ended their meeting in The Bahamas with a package of agreements and pledges.

Tackling terrorism, addressing climate change, responding to natural disasters, meeting sustainable development goals and eradicating early and forced marriage were all on the wide-ranging agenda.

After three days of deliberations, ministers pledged to pursue key law reforms in a number of areas.

“This was a critical moment for the Commonwealth for so many reasons,” said Secretary-General Patricia Scotland. “Dominica and Barbuda are still in ruins after devastating hurricanes Irma and Maria, and millions of people in Asia and Africa are still suffering the after-effects of mudslides, floods and desertification.

“Countries at the table are also dealing with a frightening escalation of violent and virtual crime, the impact of global terrorism and violent extremism, and with young girls being taken out of school and forced into marriage. These are just some of the challenges facing the nations represented at our meeting, and I am so proud of the diligence, commitment and resolutions of law ministers to find solutions to these issues.”

Ministers and attorneys-general agreed to review and strengthen legal frameworks and legislation to prevent the grooming and recruitment of terrorists and to stop them crossing borders and being funded. They discussed how to make this aspiration a reality and recognised the importance of community involvement.

Delegates also focused on law reforms to help their countries achieve targets to lower global temperatures and to support the smooth operation of relief efforts during and after natural disasters. They discussed how they will work, as legal advisers to government, to develop legal frameworks to improve health, education, employment, financial and other critical services relevant to the achievement of their sustainable development goals.

“There were many aspirations expressed at this meeting and to ensure that we are able to turn them into action, the Secretariat offered ministers a number of tools and support mechanisms,” said the Secretary-General.

“Our new legislative drafting handbook and guide to law reform will take legal drafters and those responsible for law reform through a step by step, stage by stage guide to create or amend laws in any of the areas discussed. These are going to help all our countries, but will be particularly valuable to developing and smaller nations with limited resources.”

She continued, “The theme of the meeting was Strengthening the Rule of Law through Technology, so we offered all ministers access to our Office of Civil and Criminal Justice Reform, which provides technical assistance and an online platform with best practice guides, model laws, standards, templates and legal insight on a range of issues.”

The Secretariat also presented a new secure messaging mobile app which will be trialled in 2018. This app will enhance international cooperation by helping countries to collaborate to tackle cross-border and organised crime.

Delegates underscored the importance of these meetings as a forum for sharing best practice, one of the Commonwealth’s greatest advantages. Marlene Malahoo Forte, Attorney General of Jamaica, said this year’s summit provided an opportunity for vibrant discussion and collaboration on key issues.

Anisul Huq, Minister for Law, Justice & Parliamentary Affairs in Bangladesh, said “The issues that have been taken up in this conference are very pertinent to us and it is important that we come here, we share our experiences and we exchange ideas to improve on these issues.”

Samoa’s Minister of Justice & Courts Administration, Faaolesa Katopau Ainu’u, praised the Commonwealth Secretariat for preparing a strong agenda.

Ravi Shankar Prasad, Minister of Law & Justice & Electronics & Information Technology in India, said, “This is an occasion to share the best practices, the smaller countries, the big countries. In that way this interaction is very very meaningful, very very purposive. We make good friends, many of the problems are similar in many ways, the solutions can be similar.”

The Bahamas’ Attorney General, Carl Bethel, who hosted the event, described the summit as a very important forum for law ministers across the Commonwealth, "to come together to share best practices and consider our responses, both as a commonwealth and as individual countries to shared challenges.”

As Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery (BMAG) continues to plan for an ambitious re-development project, Birmingham Museums Trust is taking an important step to bring new perspectives to some of the city’s most significant stories.

The Past is Now – Birmingham and the British Empire, opening on Saturday 28^th October, is the first in a series of prototype exhibitions in the ‘Story Lab’ gallery at BMAG. The gallery will see Birmingham Museums Trust work directly with the city’s diverse individuals, communities and activists to help define innovative new ways of understanding Birmingham’s collection of museum objects.

The city’s historic and encyclopaedic collection covers almost every imaginable subject area across art, human history, natural sciences, and science and industry, and this new approach will help Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery to reach new audiences and tell new stories.

For this first exhibition, Birmingham Museums Trust has the taken the bold, experimental approach of collaborating with local activists to curate the exhibition. The co-curators include graphic designer, Abeera Kamran; artivist, Aliyah Hasinah; writer, Mariam Khan; cultural activist, Sara Myers; textile designer, Shaheen Kasmani, writer and researcher Sumaya Kassim.

The full history of Birmingham’s relationship to the British Empire has traditionally been under-represented and this exhibition aims to tell a different story about the outcomes of colonialism and encourage discussion.

Key topics of focus within the exhibition include; Joseph Chamberlain’s role as Colonial Secretary and his work to expand British rule in South Africa, which resulted in deepening divisions in the region, and the end of British colonial rule in South Asia and the Partition of India and Pakistan, which led to largest mass migration in human history.

Other themes include capitalism and Birmingham’s position as one of the manufacturing centres of the British Empire. While this role was celebrated in Birmingham at the time, many of the objects that were manufactured were shipped across the world to be traded for goods and people, as the colonies were exploited and oppressed.

The new specially designed ‘Story Lab’ space within BMAG will be used to test new ideas and radical approaches over the next two years. Community groups and campaigners will continue to be involved in the process and future exhibitions will tackle a range of topics. The displays will provide vital insight and feedback for the plans for the museum re-development.

The ‘Story Lab’ gallery is an Arts Council England funded project and part of the Change Makers Programme. The programme is aimed at increasing the diversity of senior leaders within England’s arts and cultural sector, and included funding to host a training placement for senior museum professional Sara Wajid.

Throughout 2017 Sara has led the programme to reinterpret the collections on display at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery to reach a wider audience. A specialist researcher, Rachael Minott, was also recruited to work closely with co-curators on The Past is Now exhibition.

Sara Wajid, Head of Interpretation at Birmingham Museums Trust, said: “Story Lab builds on a powerful movement to democratise knowledge production within museums. The Past is Now could only happen in Birmingham, where we have the perfect cocktail of talented cultural activists, progressive curators and knock-out collections.”

The Past is Now – Birmingham and the British Empire, will be on display at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery from Saturday 28^th October until Monday 12^th March. Prototype exhibitions will continue in the space throughout 2018 and visitors are encouraged to share their thoughts and feedback.

The Black Country Chamber of Commerce are dedicated to celebrating the support and success of the Patron members. The current members between them contribute substantially to the local economy.

The Group have an aim to support the Chamber and local business in the Black Country, through investment of their time and financial input into the region. The Black Country Chamber wanted to thank the members of this commitment by holding a VIP evening meal, where each Patron was presented with a plaque to commemorate their length of membership. A special mention was also made to The Midcounties Co-Operative, University of Wolverhampton and Wolverhampton Racecourse, as they have been Patron members for over 16 years.

Corin Crane, Chief Executive of the Black Country Chamber of Commerce, commented: “We are a membership organisation, that is here to support local businesses and we would not be able to do this without the continued support and time given by our Chamber Patron Group. They are all excellent businesses that are dedicated to improving their social impact and are committed to developing the local economy. They all deserve recognition for their business success and we thank them for their support of their local Chamber.”

One of the longest serving Patron members, David Roberts the Managing Director of Wolverhampton Racecourse, commented: “We are incredibly proud of our unbroken Patronage of the Black Country Chamber since its inception, and the continued partnership that helps improve our business on a day to day basis.”

The Black Country Chamber of Commerce Patron Group is a bespoke membership package for leading companies based in or servicing the Black Country. It uses the idea of Civic Business to allow members to act as ambassadors for the Chamber and to raise the profile of their brand at the highest levels. Our Patron members reflect the strength of the Black Country economy but demonstrate real social impact from our joint work.

As the UK exits the EU, new trade agreements for meat and agricultural products like milk, gelatine and hay could trigger a significant increase in the number of veterinary certifications needed, requiring many more vets to perform this role, highlighted the British Veterinary Association (BVA) in its response to the Environment Food and Rural Affairs Committee (EfraCom) inquiry into the impact on the UK’s trade in food after Brexit.

When the UK leaves the EU it may no longer enjoy the same trading freedom with EU countries and could be treated as a ‘third country’ by the EU. As such, exports and imports of animals and animal products to and from the EU will need new veterinary certifications. These will need to be developed and supervised, which will require an increase in the number of ‘Official Veterinarians’ to perform this role. According to the UK Chief Veterinary Officer, Nigel Gibbens, the volume of products requiring veterinary certifications could increase by as much as 325%.

The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), a reference organisation of the World Trade Organization (WTO), has recognised veterinary services and certification as “fundamental” for food safety. Veterinary surgeons, employed by their respective governments, work as official controllers in settings like farms and food premises to protect animal welfare, food hygiene and safety, and public health. For every animal or animal product that is imported or exported, specially trained ‘Official Veterinarians’ certify and supervise this process to and from third countries, ensuring smooth trade.

There are currently 1,063 Official Veterinarians authorised by the Government’s Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) to certify food products for export to third countries from Great Britain, and this number would need to increase significantly to accommodate the rise in certification that could happen post-Brexit. BVA is urging the Government to undertake a major timely review of third country certification to ensure we have the capacity to fulfil new trade agreements. To combat the potential shortage in veterinary capacity, BVA is also calling on the Government to guarantee working rights for non-British EU vets and veterinary nurses currently working and studying in the UK.

British Veterinary Association Senior Vice President, Gudrun Ravetz said:

“Vets are absolutely vital to facilitating UK trade by ensuring standards so that consumers at home and abroad have confidence in the food safety and welfare of the products they choose to buy. Veterinary certification is required not only for meat, but a whole range of products such as gelatine in sweets.

“Ironically, it is non-British EU vets who make up around 50% of our new workforce each year. However, since the EU referendum, we are facing serious problems in recruiting and retaining EU vets, which makes the need for more vets to perform this crucial trade-task an even more pressing concern. Vets’ role in the future of UK trade must be recognised and planned for, as an integral part of forthcoming trade negotiations.”

The BVA trade submission also outlines that access to veterinary medicines could potentially be restricted post-Brexit. In order to protect animal and public health, BVA is calling for any new trade deal with the EU to maintain the link with EU veterinary medicine approval systems.

The UK currently has high standards of animal health, animal welfare and public health, including food safety, in its food production. These standards help prevent the spread of pathogens and diseases in animal products, ensure farm animals have a humane death, protect food safety and safeguard responsible antimicrobial use. BVA’s submission to the EfraCom trade inquiry emphasises that, as public goods, the UK must prioritise the maintenance of these standards in all trade negotiations moving forwards.

A popular community centre and local landmark building is undergoing a makeover.

Hill Top Community Centre, Hill Top is benefitting from £65,000 worth of refurbishment work being carried out to the front and rear of the building.

The external improvement works include minor roof repairs, gutter replacements, woodwork and minor stonework repairs plus repainting.

Councillor Pam Hughes, Town Lead for Wednesbury, who campaigned for the upgrade, said: "It's good news that these eagerly-awaited repairs are now underway.

"The building has housed a community centre since the 1970s and is extremely well-used and much-loved by local people and acts as a local landmark.

Councillor Paul Moore, cabinet member for regeneration, said: "I'd like to thank Councillor Pam Hughes for highlighting the need for these improvements.

"I'm pleased we are now carrying out the improvement works to this much-loved local building as it was beginning to look tired on the outside.

"This scheme will ensure the building's continued use by the local community and will also help to preserve it for future generations."

The foundation stone for the Hill Top building was laid in 1897 and the building  served as a local police station for 73 years.

It was turned into a community centre to complement the existing library.

The community centre hosts a wide range of activities including: aerobics, keep fit, luncheon club, older peoples' groups, police surgery, sewing classes, knit and natter and a youth club.

The centre also offers room hire for clubs, parties and social meetings.

The head of China’s principal organisation for international investment has described Birmingham City University as “beautiful and impressive” following his visit.

Fang Qiuchen, Chairman of the China International Contractors Association (CHINA) was shown, from the fifth floor balcony of the University’s £63 million Curzon building, the site where high speed trains will be arriving in to the Second City from 2026.

With 3,000 members, CHINCA is currently responsible for one in five infrastructure projects being undertaken across the globe. In 2014, the newly-signed contract value of China’s contracted projects abroad amounted to $191.8 billion, with a turnover of $142.4 billion, and covered 190 countries and regions around the world.

Fang Qiuchen, Chairman, China International Contractors Association (CHINA), said:

“It is a pleasure and an honour to be here, and I am sure it won’t be the last time we visit. There are so many opportunities for investment in Birmingham and the wider region, and we have all been impressed by the Midlands’ ambitious infrastructure plans.

“Furthermore, partnerships with institutions such as Birmingham City University will enable us to understand local cultural and legal environments to ensure cooperation takes place going forward. As construction of high speed railway station progresses, it will be fantastic to see the area around the University develop into a modern place for the international community to gather – just like in the University’s classrooms today.”

Fang Qiuchen visited the University as part of a distinguished delegation led by Sun Tong, Director-General of the Department of Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao Affairs. A senior official from China’s Ministry of Commerce, the Director-General was accompanied by more than 40 other senior delegates from mainland China and Hong Kong.

Birmingham City University’s fast-developing campus offered the Director-General and his delegation the best possible view of the proposed High Speed Two (HS2) terminal, including the Grade I listed entrance building to the original Curzon Street railway station – the world's oldest surviving piece of monumental railway architecture.

The visitors also heard presentations about the University by the University’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Julian Beer and the City of Birmingham’s economic growth was mapped out by James Betjemann, Regeneration Manager and Richard Woodland, Principal Capital Investment Officer, both from Birmingham City Council.

The visit forms part of a nationwide tour organised by the UK’s Department of International Trade and the delegates spent Friday exploring various enterprises found in the Midlands region and potential investment opportunities.

Dr Colin Clinton, Regional Manager, Department of International Trade Midlands Engine, said:

“The UK Midlands offers some of the most innovative and exciting companies and universities in the country, and we are keen to encourage more investment into our projects across the region to drive this economic growth.”

The economic growth plan for the Midlands region – known as the Midlands Engine – is worth £222 billion each year to the UK economy and if the region matches the predicted growth rate for the UK over the next 15 years, it could create 300,000 jobs and boost the national economy by £34 billion.

Professor Julian Beer, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Birmingham City University, gave strong support to the Midlands Engine, highlighting his institution’s contribution to the regional economy.

“Birmingham City University is supplying graduates to the region who contribute towards its economic growth, helping ensure that Birmingham as a city is constantly reinventing itself to secure a robust future. With the arrival of HS2, this is happening literally right in front of us, as the area around our City Centre Campus is set to emerge as an internationally-important focus of transport and education.

“We are proud of our close educational links with the People’s Republic of China. Thirty-one per cent of our international students are Chinese, enriching our campus communities here in the UK, and our partnership with Wuhan Textiles University saw the Birmingham Institute for Fashion and Creative Arts open in China last year.”

Located in Hubei's capital city, the Birmingham Institute for Fashion and Creative is the first non-profit Chinese-foreign cooperatively run educational institution in the province offering undergraduate programmes. It welcomed 280 students in its first intake and represents Birmingham City University’s most significant engagement with China to date.

Birmingham City University has over 5,000 Chinese alumni and recent graduates now occupy senior positions in a wide range of organisations including Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Jaguar Land Rover, Kimberly-Clark Professional, Lenovo, Michael Kors and Shanghai Disney Resort.

Christmas in Birmingham is just four weeks away, with the Frankfurt Christmas Market, big wheel and ice rink returning to the city next month.