Community News

Ian McKellen is to celebrate his 80th birthday in 2019 by raising funds for theatres, with a new solo show which will play on 80 stages across the UK.  Ian McKellen on Stage will visit the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon on Sunday 21 July. There will be two performances: one in the Swan Theatre at 2.30pm, and one in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre at 7.30pm.

Celebrating 80 years, this intimate show is a mixture of anecdotes and acting, including Tolkien, Shakespeare, others...and you the audience.

Ian has a long association with the Royal Shakespeare Company where his work has included title roles in Trevor Nunn’s productions of Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet and King Lear.

All proceeds from the performances at the RSC will go towards the Company’s Stitch in Time campaign to restore and redevelop the RSC’s Costume Workshop.

The show will begin its journey around the UK with a tour of London.  Then, across the country, Ian will visit theatres large and small with which he has personal connections and happy memories, including amateur groups he knew as a child and notable playhouses he has played in as a professional actor over the past half-century.

Ian McKellen said “I’m celebrating my 80th birthday by touring a new solo show to theatres I know well and a few that I don’t. The show starts with Gandalf and will probably end with an invitation to act with me on stage. In-between there will be anecdotes and acting. I open at my local arts centre in January and end up by August in Orkney.

“Live theatre has always been thrilling to me, as an actor and in the audience. Growing up in Lancashire, I was grateful to those companies who toured beyond London and I’ve always enjoyed repaying that debt by touring up and down the country myself, with the RSC, the National Theatre, Prospect Theatre, the Actors’ Company, as well as with commercial productions.

“I first came to the old Memorial Theatre in Stratford (now the Royal Shakespeare Theatre) as a schoolboy, camping at Tiddington and queuing through the night for half a crown standing places at the back of the stalls. There I saw the theatre giants of my youth.

“In 1976 for the RSC I was Romeo, Leontes and Macbeth (with Judi Dench). Most recently I was King Lear in The Courtyard Theatre (the RSC’s temporary theatre whilst the Royal Shakespeare Theatre was redeveloped), followed by a world tour. So it’s with gratitude and excitement that I’ll be making my debut in the Swan Theatre, and on the same day be back on the main stage where I last performed with Prince Charles as part of Shakespeare Live! From The RSC - which marked the 400^th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death - in 2016.

“In my new solo show I can share memories of Stratford and reprise Shakespeare. There’ll also be a chance for you to get onstage with me. All profits will support the Stitch In Time campaign, restoring and redeveloping the RSC’s costume workshops. See you there, I hope!”

Gregory Doran, RSC Artistic Director, said: “I am thrilled that Ian will be bringing his one man show to Stratford to play in both the Swan and Royal Shakespeare Theatres.  We are grateful that the proceeds from the performances will go towards Stitch in Time, our public fundraising campaign to restore and redevelop our Costume Workshop, which has £250,000 left to raise.  The RSC has the largest in-house costume-making department of any British theatre, but the current workshops are in urgent need of attention to create modern-day costume-making facilities.”

IAN McKELLEN ON STAGE is presented by Ambassador Theatre Group and directed by Sean Mathias.

Despite schools having a legal duty to tackle bullying and the wealth of interventions to eradicate it, bullying remains a serious problem, entrenched in children’s everyday experiences of school, and associated with anxiety, depression and even suicide.

In my research I’ve found that some pupils are beaten up, hit, spit on and kicked as they walk between lessons; children with learning difficulties are often called ‘thick’.  Some are ostracised to the point that they spend playtimes alone; pupils whipped with sticks and forced into bins; and children who misbehave have spent several days alone in isolation booths unsure of what they have done wrong.

Overlooked

Unfortunately, many schools I have worked in and researched, misunderstand the nature of bullying and implement strategies which do not stop the bullying; in many cases reporting bullying can cause it to escalate.  Teachers tend to perceive bullying as a binary phenomenon whereby children are either being bullied or they are not.  In doing so they overlook, and are dismissive of, more nuanced experiences of bullying children have, such as bullying between ‘friends.’  If children retaliate to being bullied, they are no longer seen as being victimised and are instead identified as a ‘bully’ and punished for their behaviour.  Children who report bullying have been told by their teacher, ‘you are not being bullied, because if you were, we would deal with it; we take bullying very seriously’.

When schools do attempt to address bullying they usually instil punishment measures such as giving ‘bullies’ detention, putting them in isolation or making them miss their playtime.  The punishment children experience makes them angrier, which they subsequently take out on the individuals who they victimise.  Consequently, children who report bullying are often bullied even more for ‘grassing’ or being a ‘snitch’.

The vicious cycle of bullying continues and children get enmeshed within abusive relationships with their peers and teachers who they feel do not respect them.  Conflict and hostility can thrive in relationships between teachers and certain pupils.  Although some teachers can bully their pupils through humiliating them and unfairly targeting them, some pupils can enjoy victimising their teachers if they have the opportunity to do so.

Understanding bullying

Teachers are not usually encouraged to reflect on how common practices in school can contribute to bullying.  Systems in school, such as streaming, can create hostilities and tensions between those who are in the top and bottom set. Children in the bottom set get teased and tormented because many of them are struggling academically and can take their anger out on ‘swots’ who are succeeding academically and bully them.   Bullying is so prevalent in school that pupils and teachers are coerced into reinforcing it rather than challenging it.

Schools need to improve their understanding of bullying and take into account the nuances involved.  It is helpful to perceive bullying as a spectrum of negative interactions ranging from severe to mild for example, name-calling to being beaten up.  Rather than associating bullying with a minority of pathologized individuals, educators need to consider how all children, to some extent, are involved in bullying and are affected by it.

A mentoring programme for children who persistently engage in bullying would help schools understand and resolve the underlying reasons why they are engaging in bullying.  Mentees meet with a member of staff to talk about what they have done, reflect on the effect their behaviour is having on others and develop more respectful behaviours.  Once mentoring has been provided to pupils who are persistently in conflict with one another, staff can bring these pupils together into a meeting to talk about the problems they are having with each other and agree how to move forwards.

Challenge normalised practice

To challenge normalised practices which enable bullying, teachers can collaborate with pupils to learn about their experiences of bullying.  Ask children about their experiences of bullying, why children bully, how is bullying dealt with in school (is this helpful or unhelpful?) and how should it be dealt with?  Pupils can become researchers who reflect on their own experiences of bullying and who work with their peers and teachers to develop strategies to resolve their bullying.

School staff would also benefit from reflecting on how they can improve their practice and school strategies for tackling bullying through learning about pupils’ experiences of bullying and their recommendations of how it should be dealt with.  Encourage children to develop healthy relationships with their peers and teachers, understand when their relationships have become abusive and how to challenge relationships which have become harmful.

Educators can ensure children learn how to behave respectfully through interacting and speaking respectfully to children all the time.  Teachers also need to feel confident enough to tackle bullying effectively so schools should find out what support staff feel they need to do so.  Establishing support groups for pupils and teachers to meet and discuss bullying and what to do about it can ensure schools are better informed of the bullying their pupils are experiencing.  Furthermore, it can help pupils and staff to become part of a community strengthened with resources to understand and tackle bullying together.

Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity is jumping for joy after reaching its £230k Out to Play Appeal target.

The appeal, which launched in December last year, raised vital funds for the hospital’s outdoor play area – which after 12 years of constant use is outdated and unfit for purpose.

The final cash boost of £1,800 came from 10-year-old Flo Turner – who also helped launch the appeal last year.

The Turner family were chosen to front the appeal as they are one of hundreds of families at the children’s hospital who have experienced first-hand the positive impact the playground can have on patients, siblings and families.

Flo’s older sister, Millie, is treated at Birmingham Children’s Hospital for a rare chromosome condition called Potocki Lupski Syndrome.

Last year, Millie had major neurosurgery to remove a build up of fluid on her spine. The operation, which was extremely complicated carried many significant risks and lasted over 10 hours.

In the lead up to the operation, the anxieties felt by Millie’s parents were immense. Mum, Kathryn, 36, remembers: “It was an extremely scary time for us all and although I was incredibly concerned for Millie, I was also worried about the impact on my other two children, Flo and five-year-old Stan.

“The hospital’s playground provided a little bubble of fun and relief for Flo and Stan. It meant our chats could happen outside rather than in a closed clinical room, adding a bit of normality to their lives in what was an unusual and very difficult situation.

“As Millie got stronger the first place she wanted to go to was the playground and Flo took great pride in wheeling her there. The play area also served as a great physiotherapy incentive as once Millie was outside she seemed to relax a little and wanted to get around and move about more than she did on the ward. Which really aided her recovery.”

Millie and her family were so passionate about the appeal; they took part in videos and interviews, fundraised at the hospital and spread the word to their school, local community and beyond. The Out to Play Appeal was even given the nickname ‘Millie’s Mission’, and now 10 incredibly successful months later it is fitting that Millie’s family has raised the final £1,800 which was enough to close the appeal.

To bring the appeal over the line, Flo organised a raffle and a tea party and invited all her family and friends, as well as the local community.

Serena Daw, Public Fundraising Manager at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Hospital Charity, added: “We’re so pleased to announce that thanks to the Turner family’s final boost, we have crossed the line and reached our £230,000 target, meaning our Out to Play Appeal has now closed.

“We’d like to thank everyone who has supported, fundraised or donated to the appeal as we are now one step closer to offering our patients a vibrant, new outdoor playground. This will allow them to escape from the clinical atmosphere of the wards to get fresh air and exercise as well as much-needed time with their siblings and family.

“A special thank you of course has to go to Millie, Flo and Stanley for sharing their story and supporting the appeal throughout. Without them, we wouldn’t have been able to close the appeal as quickly as we have. We can’t wait to welcome the whole family back into the hospital once our new playground is revealed!”

Leader of City of Wolverhampton Council, Cllr Roger Lawrence, has been named ‘Leader of the Year’ at a prestigious national award ceremony.

Cllr Lawrence was recognised at the Local Government Information Network (LGiU) Councillor Awards at an event attended by more than 200 of his peers from across the country at London’s Guildhall this week.

Judges acknowledged his “inspirational leadership” of the council which has enabled Wolverhampton to go from “strength to strength”.

A statement from the LGiU said: “Not only has Councillor Roger Lawrence shown consistently strong leadership in implementing a long-term vision for Wolverhampton, but has also had an important impact on a regional and national level through his work setting up the West Midlands Combined Authority.

“In addition, he has had an important impact on local employment with the successful Wolves@Work scheme and through the impressive regeneration projects he has overseen.”

Cllr Lawrence said: “I am pleased that the city has been recognised for our collective achievements once again. This award is not for me, but for the people of the city and the wider region who have sought to deliver transformation and deliver services in difficult times.

“I was up against some very worthy competitors. I would like to thank colleagues from across the political spectrum because without their support I would not have been in the running for this award.”

Two other Wolverhampton councillors had also been shortlisted for an award at the ceremony.

Councillor Beverley Momenabadi, ward member for Ettingshall, was in the running for ‘Young Councillor of the Year’ and Cllr Celia Hibbert, ward member for Penn, was a finalist in the ‘Community Champion’ category.

The LGiU Councillor Achievement Awards are the only awards celebrating the important work of councillors and elected members.

The Local Government Information Unit (LGiU) is a London-based thinktank and registered charity. Established in 1983 as a membership organisation for UK local authorities, the LGiU states that its mission is to strengthen local democracy and put citizens in control of their own lives, communities and services.

Birmingham will fall silent on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, as the city remembers the fallen on Sunday - 100 years after the First World War ended.

A Day of National Remembrance Service will take place on Colmore Row, opposite St Philip’s Cathedral, on 11 November, attended by military veterans and representatives of the region’s armed forces.

The parade will include ex-service personnel, regular, reserve and cadet units from the Armed Forces who, with representatives of other local uniformed organisations, will march on from Temple Row from 10.30am.

At 10.50am the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Cllr Yvonne Mosquito, and Chaplain Rev Msg Canon Robert Corrigan will - along with senior representatives from the Army, Royal Air Force and Royal Navy - walk from the Council House to Colmore Row.

The service will begin at 10.55am.

A two minute silence will be observed at 11am, after which wreaths will be laid at the Cenotaph by Armed Forces representatives, veterans and dignitaries. The event will end with a march past at 11.40am.

The Lord Mayor, who will unveil a commemorative stone outside the Hall of Memory before the service, said: “This year, as we mark the centenary of the First World War ending, we will honour our promise never to forget all those who sacrificed so much.

“While we mark this poignant anniversary, we take the opportunity to remember all men and women who have died while serving their country, at war and in peacetime.”

Members of the public are encouraged to attend and pay tribute to the men and women who lost their lives in service.

Following Sunday’s service, a free exhibition of films, photos and memorabilia - Birmingham At War, organised by Ladywood History Group - will be open to the public at the Council House from 12pm to 4pm.

The Library of Birmingham, acting as the city's beacon of light, will be lit red, white and blue on Sunday, as beacons are lit across the country at 7pm.

A lone piper will play a lament on the steps of St Peter’s Church, in Wolverhampton, at 6am on Sunday morning to provide the poignant start to the city’s observance of remembrance.

That time marks exactly 100 years since the armistice agreement was signed to end the First World War. The guns stopped several hours later at 11am.

The piper will play ‘Battle’s Over’ – a traditional lament - as part of a coordinated national campaign which will see 1,000 similar events across the country.

Later on Sunday morning, Wolverhampton’s official service of remembrance will get underway.

There will be a parade through the city centre by detachments from veterans, regular forces, reserve and cadet units as well as representatives from local uniformed organisations.

Led by the Pipe Band of West Midlands Fire Service, the parade will move off from Wulfruna Street at 10.35am and make its way through Princes Square, Lichfield Street, Queen Square, Exchange Street and into St Peter's Square.

A traditional drumhead service will take place at the Cenotaph at 10.45am, a 2-minute silence will be observed at 11am and wreathes will be laid by the Mayor, armed forces and other dignitaries.

A civic service of remembrance will then take place inside neighbouring St Peter's Church.

Councillor Linda Leach, chairwoman City of Wolverhampton Remembrance, said: "Remembrance has extra special meaning this year being the centenary of the end of the First World War.

“I know there will be a strong turnout from people from our city to remember and honour the sacrifice of the fallen during the First World War and all conflicts since then.

“I would encourage everyone, young and old, to join us along the parade route and in St Peter’s Square to demonstrate how we will never forget those who gave up their lives for our freedom and security.”

City of Wolverhampton Council has organised a programme of events throughout 2018 to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War.

These include creating an updated roll of honour, currently on display in the Civic Centre, which features the names of previously 'forgotten' victims of the conflict who have never appeared on any public memorial before.

The city's two First World War Victoria Cross winners have been honoured with the unveiling of two memorial stones.

Posters featuring mosaic images of poppies made up of the faces of Sandwell people have gone on display to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War.

The images can be seen on more than 50 poster sites and billboards around Sandwell with the strapline ‘The people of Sandwell remember’.

Sandwell’s museums, libraries and archives teams invited people to submit selfies or have their photo taken for the project.

A selection of these photos has been used to create several different poppy images.

The poppy mosaic posters have also been sent to 1,500 addresses which were the homes of the next-of-kin of some of the many men from Sandwell who were killed in the Great War. The council is encouraging current occupants of these addresses to display a poster in remembrance.

Sandwell Council Leader Councillor Steve Eling said: “This is a very creative and visual way for Sandwell people today to show their gratitude to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. I would like to thank everyone who has taken part.

“This is just one of the many ways we are remembering those people who gave their lives for our country a century ago.”

More than 5,000 men from within the borders of what is now Sandwell died during the war or later from their injuries.

With huge bat-like ears and a long tongue, Tug is an unusual looking pooch. So much so, RSPCA staff caring for the senior dog are concerned that his unique appearance is putting off potential adopters.

Twelve-year-old Tug, a bearded collie cross, was in a terrible state when he arrived at the RSPCA’s Coventry Animal Centre, run by the Coventry, Nuneaton & District Branch in September.

Tug was one of two dogs rescued by RSPCA inspectors due to welfare concerns.

Kennel supervisor Danni Holder said: “Tug was in an awful state. His coat was so badly matted that he had to be completely shaved - which has resulted in his rather unusual look!

“Tug is such a wonderful dog, he’s an elderly puppy with such a zest for life.

“He’s been with us for a few months now but he hasn’t had any interest at all. Not a single visitor, phone call, email or like on Facebook.

“On paper, he’s the perfect dog for many families. He’s friendly, well-behaved, family-friendly and dog-friendly. But no one seems to want him and it’s heartbreaking.”

Despite his age, Tug loves going out on walks and exploring. He’s well-socialised and good with other dogs but is looking for a home where he’ll be the only pet.

He’s very friendly and affectionate, loves snoozing in front of a fire and would be good for a family with children of secondary school age.

Danni added: “Tug really is the paw-fect pooch so it’s strange that he’s had no interest at all.

“It could be because he has a bit of a strange look going on at the moment! Or maybe it’s his age.

“However, we’d urge anyone thinking of getting a dog to come and meet our lovely boy. We’re sure he’ll tug on your heart strings and win you over in no time at all!”

Tug knows ‘sit’ and other commands

Tug could live with children of secondary school age

Tug can be left alone for short periods

Tug would prefer to be the only dog

Tug wouldn’t be able to live with a cat

Tug may be an older chap but he’s young at heart

Tug loves food and treats!

Crowds gathered in Wylde Green to celebrate the launch of the John Taylor Hospice charity shop.

The store in Birmingham Road is only the second shop for the hospice which provides specialist care for people living with a terminal illness and support for their families.

The ribbon was cut by John Taylor’s Lead Nurse Jody Thompson following short speeches from hospice CEO Penny Venables and Wylde Green Councillor Alex Yip.

The charity is hoping the store will build on the success of its first retail venture which opened in Erdington High Street in May and had been hugely popular with shoppers.

“We were very keen to ensure a presence in Wylde Green as it is a vibrant shopping centre which is very close to our hospice,” said Penny. “We have been delighted at the response to our Erdington store and are confident Sutton Coldfield shoppers will ensure our second retail unit is also very successful.

“Our charity shops are bringing in much-needed income which is used to provide care and support for local families. Everyone who donates goods, volunteers or spends their money at our shops is helping us be there for families at a very difficult time.”

And she promised future John Taylor Hospice stores across the region.

“We are currently finalising deals on at least two other properties and will be aiming to open these shops in the near future. Our next shop will be in Castle Bromwich and we are looking at early December for an opening date.”

Councillor Yip said: “I was delighted to be asked to be part of this opening event. The hospice is a local charity doing so much valuable work. It’s brilliant that John Taylor Hospice now has a shop right here in Wylde Green.”

Also in attendance was Chris Brewerton, recently appointed Business Development and Relationships Manager with Sutton Coldfield, Lichfield and Tamworth Chambers of Commerce.

He said: “Our chamber is really passionate about supporting John Taylor Hospice, which is the Sutton Coldfield Chamber Charity of the Year. I visited the hospice just this week and saw for myself what a difference it is making.”

John Taylor Hospice’s charity shop at 370 Birmingham Road, Wylde Green B72 1YH is open Monday-Saturday 9am-5pm.

Head of Retail Andrew Ray appealed to local people to donate goods for the shop.

“We would like to say thank you to everyone who had already donated items for the launch of our shops. Now we’d love to receive your clothing and accessories for women, men and children, household goods, books, CDs and DVDs, toys and bric-a-brac – by giving goods to our shops you’re helping us make every moment matter for hundreds of local families.

“Merchandise can be donated at the Wylde Green or Erdington stores where we have drop-off zones behind the shops or at our hospice in Grange Road, Erdington.”

And he added: “I am also grateful to all of our retail volunteers who are essential to the smooth-running of our shops. If anyone is interested in joining the team please drop into our shops and speak to our managers or see our website.”

A heroic Haringey soldier – the last person to receive a Victoria Cross in the First World War – has been honoured yesterday, in a touching ceremony.

A commemorative paving stone was unveiled in memory of Acting Major Brett Mackay Cloutman at the Hornsey War Memorial. The ceremony was attended by Haringey Mayor Cllr Gina Adamou, Lieutenant General Tyrone Urch CBE, and Tottenham Hotspur Club Ambassador Gary Mabbutt.

Born in 1887 in Muswell Hill, Major Cloutman was awarded the Victoria Cross for “conspicuous bravery” in 1918 for preventing a bridge from being destroyed under enemy fire. Major Cloutman survived the First World War and went on to attain the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

The Mayor said: “It is a privilege to be able to pay tribute to a true Haringey hero, Major Cloutman, 100 years since the end of the First World War. His bravery was marked with the Victoria Cross – the highest honour, and now we have a fitting tribute here in our borough. Over the last few months we have been marking the bravery of Haringey’s First World War heroes – their amazing courage will live on in our borough.”

The event was marked by having the Last Post played, a minute of silence and a poem read. It is the last of four paving stones that have been unveiled in our borough over the last year as part of the Department for Communities and Local Government campaign to recognise those who received the prestigious award because of their bravery in the face of the enemy.

Lt General Tyrone Urch said: “I am honoured to have been included in the event to celebrate this great member of the Haringey community. With the end of hostilities imminent, this extraordinary act of bravery by an ordinary man underlines the sacrifice made by millions of other ordinary people during the war who were not so honoured. On Remembrance Day this year, the centenary of the end of the First World War, I hope everyone will find a few moments to remember not only the sacrifices made in the past but those that continue to be made by members of the Armed Forces today.”

Tottenham Hotspur ambassador Gary Mabbutt said: “As a Club we are delighted to be marking the heroic actions of all four Victoria Cross recipients who lived in Haringey. During this time of Remembrance, it’s important for us to come together and reflect on the incredible courage displayed by those who made the ultimate sacrifice for us.”

More than three hundred Wolverhampton schoolchildren will join war veterans and serving soldiers to march through the city centre on Friday (NOV 9).

Youngsters from primary and secondary schools will take part in the parade through Dudley Street – the city’s main shopping street.

Led by a group of veterans, the children will march alongside serving armed forces personnel from the army, navy and RAF before taking part in a public remembrance service in St Peter’s Square outside St Peter’s Church.

Each child will be carrying a poppy on which they will have written the name of someone from Wolverhampton who died during the First World War.

The event is part of ‘Wolverhampton Remembers’ – a programme of activity to commemorate the 100^th anniversary of the end of the First World War.

The parade will set off from Dudley Street just outside the Wulfrun Shopping Centre at 10.30am, through Queen Square and into St Peter’s Square where a public outside service will then take place at the cenotaph.

The service will be attended by Mayor of the City of Wolverhampton, Cllr Phil Page, and led by the Rector of Wolverhampton, Rev David Wright.

At the service, children who won a competition to write a letter home imagining they were in the trenches on the Western Front, will read out their work.

The outdoor service will then be followed by a private service inside St Peter’s Church where more letter competition winners will read out their entries and Wolverhampton Central Youth Theatre will perform two pieces with a First World War theme.

Mayor of the City of Wolverhampton, Cllr Phil Page, said: “It is absolutely vital that our young people learn about the enormous sacrifice that previous generations made for us.

“This is why we organised this service for our city’s schoolchildren to be able to play an active part in our programme of remembrance for this very special 100^th anniversary year of the end of the First World War.”

Cllr Linda Leach, chairwoman of Wolverhampton Remembrance Committee, said: “It will be an incredibly moving sight to see our young people, all holding poppies with the name of someone from Wolverhampton who died during the First World War, marching through our city centre alongside serving armed forces personnel and veterans.

“I hope lots of people come out to watch this poignant and special event.

“It will be the precursor to our main remembrance event two days later on the Sunday. I think it is wonderful that our young people are getting involved in honouring the sacrifice of the fallen.”

City of Wolverhampton Council has organised a programme of events to mark the 100^th anniversary of the end of the First World War. These include creating an updated roll of honour, currently on display in the Civic Centre, which features the names of previously ‘forgotten’ victims of the conflict who have never appeared on any public memorial before.

Silent soldier silhouettes have also been placed across the city, as well as memorial benches and lamppost poppies.

The city’s two First World War Victoria Cross winners have been honoured with the unveiling of two memorial stones.

Ahead of the opening of Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery’s new major all-female contemporary art exhibition – Women Power Protest – MPs Jess Phillips (MP for Birmingham Yardley), Preet Kaur Gill (MP for Birmingham Edgbaston) and Dame Caroline Spelman (MP for Meriden) visited the museum to choose their favourite artworks.

The three MPs were given a sneak peek at the exhibition which was programmed as part of the Arts Council Collection’s (ACC) National Partnership Programme and brings together artworks from the ACC and Birmingham’s own collection. Opening to the public on Saturday 10^th November, the show takes a contemporary look at women’s rights in the anniversary year of the first women getting the right to vote.

The MPs were shown around by curator Emalee Beddoes-Davis and asked to pick their favourite artworks. Their choices will be highlighted in the display.

The visit came ahead of an event on Saturday 17^th November at BMAG where all three MPs will be joined by Shabana Mahmood (MP for Birmingham Ladywood) for a discussion to mark 100 years since the Parliament (Qualification of Women) Act passed, allowing women to stand for Parliament. The discussion will be chaired by leading feminist campaigner Caroline Criado-Perez.

Jess Phillips

Chosen by Jess Phillips, Cerne Abbas Lady: Self Portrait (1985) by Liz Rideal, is an Arts Council Collection work created from a collage of photobooth prints to depict a female version of the Cerne Abbas giant. The original giant is carved into the landscape in a small village in Dorset and this version focuses on the 20th century female body.

Jess said of the artwork: “The point is that it’s real and it is about representing women that haven’t been represented. The Cerne Abbas Giant has been there since the prehistoric era as an image of man…so to me to have something the represents the image of a woman, that should be how we were always presented in our beauty. I wish it had always been there (on that hill) so that woman wasn’t always just a vision of male gaze.”

Dame Caroline Spelman

Caroline Spelman picked a colourful self-portrait by Birmingham-based painter and visual artist Emily Sparkes called An Ode to Christian Joy (2015). The painting, which is part of Birmingham’s permanent collection, shows the artist dressed in a vibrant home-made outfit in tribute to the costume designer Christian Joy.

Caroline said: “I really love to support young artists. She’s young and empowered and referencing the great history of women’s portraiture with the lovely traditional background but done in a completely new way.”

Preet Kaur Gill

The artwork picked by Preet Kaur Gill was Arts Council Collection work Mr close-friend-of-the-family pays a visit whilst everyone else is out (1985) by Sonia Boyce. The charcoal drawing explores the abuse of trust experienced by a young woman and reflects some of Boyce’s concerns about power relationships.

Preet said: “As a parent, and as a mother, it’s your worse fear that your child, who is vulnerable, being abused and you’re not able to protect them. That’s the first thing that resonated with me.

“We don’t focus enough on victims; we don’t want to see, feel or even read sometimes their testimonies because as a society we can’t accept that abuse is an inherent issue grounded in the inequalities that women face. It’s an image that needs to be here in this exhibition, people do need to feel uncomfortable and people do need to think that this is sadly happening all the time around us.”

Limited free tickets are available for the Women in Parliament event on Saturday 17^th November and can be booked at www.birminghammuseums.org.uk/bmag/whats-on/women-in-parliament-past-present-and-future

The Women Power Protest exhibition is an Arts Council Collection National Partners exhibition and runs from Saturday 10^th November 2018 to Sunday 31^st March 2019 www.birminghammuseums.org.uk/bmag/whats-on/women-power-protest.

For the navy, army. royal air force officers here, the veterans, their families and the families of veterans gone, I want to say;

The Parliament of the World’s Religions (PWR) – the single largest interfaith gathering in the world – commenced its seven-day programme today in Toronto, drawing an enthusiastic audience interested in learning more about interreligious harmony. It was created to cultivate harmony among the world's religious and spiritual communities and foster their engagement with the world and its guiding institutions to achieve a just, peaceful and sustainable world. The themes for this year's Parliament are: The Promise of Inclusion, the Power of Love: Pursuing Global Understanding, Reconciliation and Change.

Bhai Sahib Bhai Mohinder Singh OBE KSG, the Co-convenor and Co-chair of the Charter for Forgiveness and Reconciliation addressed the opening plenary at the Parliament. He reflected: “Humanity’s journey with the interfaith movement has been long and arduous. The world is still in agony and the learning continues. Peace eludes us.”

He expressed continuing support of his organisation, Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha (UK), for the work of the Parliament. He also highlighted a proposal for advancing and accelerating the work of the interfaith movement, to achieve harmony and peace. “However, before we seek peace outside, we have to generate peace within ourselves. To create and sustain peace, we must reconcile. But to reconcile we must forgive. This is why in a humble effort we are proposing together, with committed friends, a Charter for Forgiveness and Reconciliation. The love in our hearts has to be stronger than the disagreements in our minds.”

Having heard other faith leaders share their commitments to reconciliation, Bhai Sahib finished his address with a prayer for the days ahead, “May the promise of oneness of humanity guide us as this Parliament begins.”

The Preamble of the Charter states:

“The vision of the Charter for Forgiveness and Reconciliation is that the process of forgiving is vital if healing and reconciliation are to take place, as part of our collective efforts to seek justice, harmony and sustainable peace.”

A Seminar on Forgiveness and Reconciliation: Perspectives from the World’s Religions, hosted by the Charter project, took place on 2 November 2018 and was very well attended by 140 participants. They listened to the highly informative presentations of the world class speakers on the panel. Bhai Sahib Bhai Mohinder Singh (Sikh), Rabbi David Rosen (Jewish), Prof Mohammed Abu-Nimer (Muslim) and Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati (Hindu) spoke with great passion about forgiveness and reconciliation in the context of their respective faith traditions. The panel was moderated by Dr Josef Boehle, the Director of the Charter for Forgiveness and Reconciliation.

With over 6000 participants attending the Parliament, with dozens of high-profile guest speakers and more than 1000 spiritual programs, lectures, and interactive cultural experiences, the event offers an opportunity to advance interreligious dialogue and cooperation, responding to the critical issues of our times. The initiators of the Charter for Forgiveness and Reconciliation sincerely hope that the Charter will be embraced and acted upon, to foster forgiveness, reconciliation and peacebuilding worldwide.

Ahead of opening night, the all-star cast of The Full Monty took to the rooftop of Birmingham Hippodrome for a unique photo opportunity looking out across the vast Birmingham skyline.

Leading cast members Gary Lucy, Joe Gill, Kai Owen, Andrew Dunn, Louis Emerick and James Redmond posed on the theatre roof, seven stories above street level against recognisable landmarks such as the Selfridges building and the spires of St Martin’s church.

Simon Beaufoy’s award-winning stage play based on the Fox Searchlights Pictures Motion Picture plays at Birmingham Hippodrome until Saturday 10 November.

The stage adaptation of The Full Monty has enjoyed nightly standing ovations and sell-out audiences across multiple tours of the UK and Ireland. This current tour will mark the final ever chance for audiences to see this award-winning production.

The Full Monty tells the story of six out-of-work, impoverished steelworkers from Sheffield and is based on the smash hit film of the same name. The production is adapted for the stage by Oscar-winning writer Simon Beaufoy, who also wrote the screenplay for the original film. This hilarious and heartfelt production also features the iconic songs from the film including hits by Donna Summer, Hot Chocolate and Tom Jones.

The Full Monty runs at Birmingham Hippodrome from Monday 5 – Saturday 10 November with tickets from £18.