Community News

The Commonwealth is offering exceptional young people who are making a difference in their communities a chance to win a Commonwealth Youth Award. Nominations are opening for the 2019 edition of the awards, which includes a cash grant and a trip to attend the awards ceremony in London next March, during Commonwealth Week.

The awards have been running since 1985 and are delivered in partnership with the Commonwealth Youth Council and the Commonwealth Youth Networks. Layne Robinson, Head of Social Policy at the Commonwealth, says they are a golden opportunity to celebrate the role of young leaders as nation builders and partners in development, amplifying the impact of their work.

“Entrepreneurs, inventors, environmentalists, women’s rights advocates, health campaigners and political activists are just some of the diverse nominees we have had in the past. What they all have in common is their creative ideas, passion for their community and a commitment to excellence and to making a difference in their communities and the world at large. This award gives them a global platform to promote their innovations, and some funding to help them scale up their development projects,” he stated.

This year, the Youth Awards take place during the same week as International Youth Day – the UN’s annual celebration of the role of young people in creating positive change across the world. The theme of the Day is ‘Safe Spaces for Youth’.  It focuses on protecting young people’s dignity and safety and helping them to make valuable contributions to development work, particularly in relation to the internationally agreed Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Shortlisting for the Commonwealth’s awards will be based on the impact and sustainability of the nominee’s work, their level of innovation and problem-solving, the quality of their achievements, and the supporting evidence provided.

Nominees must be:

• aged 15 to 29 years;
• a citizen of a Commonwealth member country;
• been engaged in development work for more than 12 months - either in a professional or voluntary capacity;
• have a strong track record of implementing innovative ideas and linking their development work and its impact to one of the 17 SDGs;
• and have demonstrated an understanding of the importance of youth engagement in key areas of development.

Sixteen finalists will be shortlisted from four Commonwealth regional categories: Africa and Europe; Asia; the Caribbean and Canada; and the Pacific. A winner will be selected from each region, and one exceptional entrant will be awarded the Commonwealth Young Person of the Year.

Last year’s winner, Usman Iftikhar, a young advocate for the empowerment of migrants and refugees in Australia, reflected on receiving the prestigious award. “Young people are leading the way in achieving the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals and are an incredible asset in our quest to create a better future,” he said.

“Receiving the 2018 Award was an incredible honour and privilege that has created new opportunities for us to have an impact. One example is being invited to share our work at Catalysr during a panel at the UNCTAD World Investment Forum 2018, and launch a game-changing policy guide on entrepreneurship for migrants and refugees.”

This year’s finalists will receive a trophy, a certificate and cash grants to help them continue their development work. All finalists will be awarded £1,000. Each selected regional winner will receive an additional £2,000, bringing their total win to £3000, and the Commonwealth Young Person of the Year will also receive an additional cash grant of £2,000, bringing her/his total award to £5000.

For more information about the Awards, and to apply or nominate someone, please visit: https://commonwealth-youthexcellence.awardsplatform.com/. Entries must be received online via the link by 23:59 GMT on 31st October 2018.

The Queen of Soul was forced to cancel a series of concerts and appearances earlier this year after being warned to rest by doctors, and it is now being reported that the music icon has fallen seriously ill.

A source close to Ms. Franklin spoke to Associated Press on condition of anonymity, where the information regarding her condition was first revealed, but no other information was given.

However, it has since emerged that the songstress is “resting and surrounded by close friends and family” according to close family friend, singer/songwriter Evrod Cassimy, who tweeted out the information yesterday.

It has also been reported that Aretha Franklin has been ill for a long time, but Franklin’s nephew, Tim Franklin, spoke to People.com and confirmed that she’s “alert, laughing, teasing and able to recognise people” despite her illness and that the family remain hopeful that her health will turn around for the good.

“We believe she’ll pull through it, she believes she’ll pull through it, and that’s the important thing,” he said.

Since news broke about Franklin’s health, there has been an out-pouring of support from celebrities and fans, alike.

Beyoncé and Jay-Z dedicated their “On the Run II” concert to Aretha Franklin on Monday night, while playing in her hometown of Detroit.

“This show is dedicated to Aretha Franklin” Beyoncé said. “We love you and thank you for your beautiful music.”

All of us here at The Phoenix Newspaper hope she makes a swift and full recovery.

Britain’s world-leading researchers and entrepreneurs in the West Midlands will benefit from an additional £270 million to create the technologies of tomorrow, the Chancellor announced today.

Philip Hammond will expand successful ‘catapult centres’ which are fuelling innovation across the country, including in the West Midlands, as part of the UK’s ambitious, modern Industrial Strategy. This new funding backs Britain’s brightest talent – supporting work in high-tech labs, cutting-edge factories and advanced training centres.

So far this has helped create hundreds of new products, services and inventions, including a portable pollution sensor that parents can attach to a child’s buggy, cellular therapies to fight cancer and improve recovery of stroke victims, LED treatment for blindness, and more-efficient wings for aeroplanes.

The Chancellor made the announcement during a visit to the West Midlands on the day GDP figures showed the UK economy has grown by 0.4%.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, said: “We are backing innovative British companies to grow and create jobs, as we build an economy fit for the future.

“Today’s £270 million investment for the West Midlands will support innovators across the region to create the technologies of the future and the better, highly-paid jobs we all want to see.”

Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “In terms of job creation, exports and investment, the West Midlands is a genuine economic success story. Innovation is right at the heart of this.

“We identified some years ago the sectors and industries in which the West Midlands had a natural advantage and focused our attention and investment on these.

“Warwick Manufacturing Group, the MTC and the Energy Systems Catapult are leading-edge research and development centres that are working with businesses on the technologies, products and services of tomorrow and therefore creating the industries and jobs of tomorrow.”

Mr Hammond met with apprentices and workers, who specialise in automation and machining, at the Manufacturing Technology Centre in Coventry. This high-tech facility will benefit from £122 million of government funding, and is currently a world-leader in 3D printing. The funding will also go to Warwick Manufacturing Group (£99 million) and the Energy Systems Catapult, in Birmingham (£50 million).

The UK has a reputation for innovation and is building on this strength with the largest investment in research and development in 40 years. This is part of our balanced approach, getting debt falling while investing to create more opportunities for the high-skilled, well-paid jobs of the future.

The catapult network supports sectors and technologies that are going to be in high demand in the years ahead. It brings together the best of UK business, science and engineering to work side by side in research and development to ‘catapult’ products from ideas to market. It helps remove barriers to growth, which often can include access to finance, inadequate facilities or skills shortages.

Taking inspiration from Claude Cormier’s 18 Shades of Gay installation—the famous colorful balls overhanging a section of Sainte Catherine Street — Tourisme Montréal is launching its We’ve Got Balls campaign on the Toronto, Canada, New York, USA and California, USA markets. The campaign highlights the audacious side of Montréal, a city known for being a safe and welcoming destination for the LGBTQ+ community.

“Montréal is a creative, forward-thinking city and a must-visit destination for this visitor segment. We want to remind them that the city has a lot to offer with its vibrant arts and culture scene, exciting nightlife and rich and varied food scene,” explained Danièle Perron, Vice President, Marketing at Tourisme Montréal.

Montréal Pride has offered praise for the bold campaign and Tourisme Montréal’s efforts to reach out to LGBTQ+ visitors, a very important tourist segment for the city. “The balls overhanging St. Catherine Street have become a Montréal icon. Besides adding colour to the city, they make an excellent showcase for the tourism campaign,” said Éric Pineault, President and founder of Montréal Pride.

Developed by lg2 (creation) and Touché!, this campaign is part of the broader Never Grow Up communications platform launched in May. The campaign invites visitors to experience the city’s youthful energy with the message that Montréal is an immense playground where anything is possible!

Football, rugby and cricket fans along with people visiting events and concerts are urged to avoid rail travel to and from Euston station over three summer weekends.

As part of Britain’s Railway Upgrade Plan, Network Rail is replacing North Wembley junction - a major intersection on Europe’s busiest mixed-use railway.

The junction is old and replacing it will mean passenger and freight users will benefit from better, more reliable journeys in future.

Unfortunately doing this vital job requires shutting the line.  The least disruptive time to do this work, jointly agreed by rail industry partners, is over the following three weekends:

• 18-19 August
• 25-27 August (bank holiday weekend)
• 1-2 September

Train passengers are advised to plan their journeys in advance at www.nationalrail.co.uk/westcoast and using information on their train operators’ websites.

If customers cannot avoid travelling on these weekends and have plans to attend sporting events, including Warrington fans heading to the Rugby Challenge Cup at Wembley and football fans travelling to fixtures in London, they’re advised to expect very different journeys to normal - busier trains and longer, diverted routes. The advice is, as always to ‘check before you travel’ at www.nationalrail.co.uk

Martin Frobisher, managing director for Network Rail’s London North Western route said: “There is never an ideal time to shut the railway but these three weekends are the least disruptive times to do it.

“We have worked together for the past three years with train operators to carefully plan this closure of the railway in a way that minimises the impact on customers.

“It’s vital the track at North Wembley is replaced to continue to safely meet the huge demand of passenger and freight rail services on the West Coast main line. This work will result in better, more reliable journeys in future.”

Peter Broadley, executive director for customer, operations and safety at Virgin Trains on the west coast, said: “With no services into or out of Euston we strongly advise our customers to avoid travelling to London on the days affected. We know this will impact on people’s travel plans, particularly over a Bank Holiday weekend so we encourage customers to plan ahead and where possible travel at other times.”

Andrew Conroy, customer experience director for London Northwestern Railway said: “Our aim is to keep people moving if they have to travel on these dates. Improvement works are never convenient for anyone, but we have a tried and tested plan for operating buses to connect with alternative routes to and from London when Euston is closed. We still advise customers to travel on alternative days as these options will take significantly longer.”

Alan Riley, customer services director for Chiltern Railways said: “The Chiltern Railways' services between Birmingham and London Marylebone will be much busier than normal.  However, we will be doing everything we can to make it as comfortable as possible and we’ll have extra capacity where we can and extra Chiltern ambassadors at stations to help.”

Euston’s shops and access to London Underground will remain available throughout the three weekends.

Following the successful move to Perry Park and a sold out MADE Festival, the team turn their attention to the prestigious Genting Arena in Birmingham, joining forces with AEG, one of the world’s leading live music promoters, to deliver ‘MADE For The Weekend’, a two day indoor festival, unlike anything this iconic venue has seen for many years. MADE For The Weekend will take over on Friday 12th October with a massive line up of hip hop, grime and bass with Giggs, Pusha T, Stefflon Don, Maleek Berry, Preditah, Nasty C, then, on Saturday 13th October, get ready for the giants of drum ’n’ bass and house music, including Chase & Status (DJ Set) & Rage, Andy C, My Nu Leng feat. Dread MC, SaSaSaS, Gorgon City present Kingdom, Notion, Bushbaby brb Sammy Virji, Catz ‘N Dogz, Max Chapman, Eli Brown and many more yet to be announced. MADE Festival continues to raise the bar bringing this unmissable weekender to Birmingham.

As MADE Festival continues to grow, so does the scale of the team's ambitions. In partnering with AEG, MADE Festival steps up another level to bring something new to the Genting Arena; a feast of urban and electronic music guaranteed to make your weekend.

MADE Festival Director Pete Jordan comments,

“After the 5th year of the MADE Festival summer edition and a 12,000 sell-out at Perry Park in July, we felt it was time to take the brand to the next level. We wanted to bring the extravaganza of the festival into an indoor setting, and in Autumn when the UK festival season is well and truly over. Choosing the world class Genting Arena at the NEC for our new two-day event felt like an appropriate move and we cannot wait to see the all-star, multi-genre line come to life there.”

Oscar Tuttiett, AEG Promoter said,

“We are really excited to be working with the MADE Festival team. They have built a great event with a strong following and we’re looking forward to seeing how we can build on this together. We are thrilled to be doing MADE For The Weekend in Birmingham. It’s an amazing city that has been such a strong market for touring in recent years, and we hope the local community will be pleased to see this new indoor festival arrive!”

Friday 12th October will see US hip hop royalty land in Birmingham as Pusha T takes to the stage. The rapper, president of Kanye West’s GOOD Music label, has just released his new album, ‘Daytona'. With all tracks produced by Kanye, the critically-acclaimed album debuted at #3 in the Billboard 200 and crashed the charts around the world, underlining Pusha T’s status as one of the most influential names in hip hop right now. Pitchfork concluded Daytona to be “Pusha’s best work as a solo artist” - Birmingham crowds at MADE For The Weekend should prepare for an artist at the top of his game.

Representing the best of the UK is Giggs, one of the biggest names in grime. His influence is felt across rap music and he guested on two tracks on Drake’s 'More Life’ album in 2017. He remains as popular as ever with his last mixtape 'Wamp 2 Dem’ hitting #2 in the UK album charts, matching the performance of 2016’s seminal album ‘Landlord’.

The biggest female artist in UK rap, recently signed to Polydor Records, also steps up to the MADE For The Weekend stage. Stefflon Don comes alive in front of the big crowds and is sure to light some fires.

DJ and producer, Preditah, another homegrown Birmingham talent, will take over the turntables to get the Genting Arena jumping, showing why Fabric requested his unique mix of UK house, grime and garage, at the helm of a coveted Fabric Live album release.

Completing the opening bill at MADE For The Weekend is British-Nigerian, Maleek Berry, known for working with the likes of Davido and Wizkid, and his unique and addictive sound which sublimely fuses influences of R&B, afro-pop, reggae and hip-hop. And the superbly skillful MC, Nasty C, who’s currently riding high on the release of his 'Strings and Bling' sophomore album.

Saturday 13th October is another stellar line up sure to shake the Genting Arena to its foundations. Drum ’n’ Bass superstars Chase & Status arrived with a bang in 2009, hitting the UK top 10 with ‘End Credits’ featuring Plan B and have maintained their position at the pinnacle of the genre, consistently headlining major festivals around the world.

Andy C is an artist who can confidently share the spotlight with Chase & Status (they even played B2B at Amnesia in Ibiza last summer). After recently selling out Wembley Arena in only 3 days and headlining his own Ram Arena at MADE Festival 2018, his popularity just keeps on rising. The Ram Records head honcho is an integral part of drum ’n’ bass culture and his skills as a DJ and producer are second to none.

Saturday’s line up also includes some of the hottest names in house and bass, with Gorgon City bringing their bass-infused Kingdom brand to the Genting Arena in a special extended DJ set. Known for their crossover UK top 10 hits including ‘Ready For Your Love' ft MNEK and ‘Here For You’, as well as a top 10 album ‘Sirens’, Gorgon City are preparing to drop their brand new album ‘Escape’ so expect the hype around this talented duo will be at a peak when they take to the MADE For The Weekend turntables.

My Nu Leng featuring Dread MC also join the line up. The Bristol duo recently underlined their rising status with a big remix for the new Rudimental x Major Lazer track ‘Let Me Live’ and their unique, danceable vibe, crossing bass, grime, UK garage and drum ’n’ bass has seen global demand for their live sets.

Hot off the heels of their stellar performance at MADE Festival 2018, SaSaSaS will appear at MADE For The Weekend. The MC-led D ’n’ B supergroup remain one of the biggest acts to come out of the underground taking their blend of hard hitting, energetic music alongside the very best UK MC culture has to offer to festival and club stages everywhere.

Notion, one of bassline’s most prominent new-generation artists, will also step up at the Genting Arena, showing why he’s been steadily denting the game with weapons on labels likes White Peach, 877, Four40, Crucast, and his 2017-launched own label N Music, that have seen him gain support from established names such as DJ Q, Flava D and Preditah.

Saturday at MADE For The Weekend sees a not-to-be-missed back to back set from Bushbaby and Sammy Virji. The former is a key member of Brighton’s perennially on-point bass collective Southpoint, and the latter, an artist with a distinctive sound regularly supported by TQD, TS7 and many more. Expect monster basslines and broken bumpers from the duo.

The duo talent continues to hit hard when Polish groove masters, Catz ‘N Dogz, step up to the plate. The Watergate residents will no doubt have bag of weapons ready to unleash from their ever-popular pop ‘Pets’ label.

Resonance Records head honcho Max Chapman will fly the flag for UK talent. Hot from serving up his prestigious Essential Mix on BBC Radio 1 back in April, Max is primed to deliver a set of pumping, rolling house beats to crowds at MADE For The Weekend.

Finally completing the bill for now, is Eli Brown, a house producer popular with Toolroom Records, SubSoul and other leading imprints. With over a decade to his name, expect nothing short of perfection when he steps into the booth for this mammoth weekend of clubbing.

MADE For The Weekend looks certain to live up to its title; a huge two day spectacular dropping some of the hottest established, and up and coming artists into the illustrious Genting Arena for an event big enough to carry on the MADE Festival five year celebrations. With AEG also on board, the team at MADE Festival are about to break new ground and deliver a party Birmingham will never forget. Keep on socials for further line up announcements.

Popular character, Stick Man, based on the children’s picture book written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler, features in a new free activity trail officially launched at Martineau Gardens, Edgbaston Birmingham on Thursday 23 August 2018, which will encourage children to get outdoors and explore the natural world.

The Stick Man Trail Welcome Event will celebrate the arrival of the Stick Man Trail in Birmingham. Taking place on Thursday 23 August, between 10am and 4pm, there will be opportunity to enjoy activities such as Make Your Own Stick Man, Listen to a Reading of Stick Man and following the Stick Man Trail around the beautiful 2.5 acre community garden.  Families will be also able to enjoy exploring the woodland, food growing areas, Shipwreck play area and picnics are welcomed. Hot and cold drinks will be served from the Pavilion. Entrance to Martineau Gardens and participation in the Trail is free – donations welcomed for the drop-in activities (sessions at 11am, 1pm and 2pm).

Martineau Gardens was chosen to host the trail as part of a nationwide scheme supported by Stick Man brand owner Magic Light Pictures and Social Farms & Gardens, a charity which promotes land-based activities that encourage learning and improved well-being.

The self-guided trail offers an interactive learning experience for three to seven year olds and has been designed to help children go on their own adventure with the character. Brightly coloured boards featuring Stick Man and other characters from the picture book will be used alongside an activity pack, with children able to claim a Stick Man Trail Certificate for completing the trail.

Gill Milburn, Director of Martineau Gardens said: “Learning about nature and the environment and creating community resources are very important parts of what we do here, so we’re thrilled that we can host a trail at our site. Stick Man is extremely popular with young children, so being able to have this trail is a real boost. We’re expecting lots of interest from regular visitors and hopefully some new visitors, who will be able to find out more about the work we do here.”

The trail is part of a unique national project devised by Social Farms & Gardens, which uses the Stick Man character to help thousands of parents and young children ‘twig' just how much fun learning through nature can be.  There are estimated to be more than 2,500 social farms and gardens in the UK, which do great work in helping transform people’s lives and the places where they live.

Heidi Seary from Social Farms & Gardens said: "Modern life sometimes means children don’t always have access to the countryside or regular opportunity to play and learn outdoors. We hope that the trail at Martineau Gardens will inspire young children and their families to go on their own outdoor adventure with Stick Man, where they can have fun, as well as learn more about the natural world and how things grow.”

Daryl Shute, brand director at Magic Light Pictures, said: "Encouraging exploration and learning about nature are core values for the Stick Man brand so we are really excited to bring these trails into a new setting and reach a wider audience."

West Midlands rents are expected to rise as fewer new properties are put on the rental market according to the July 2018 RICS UK Residential Market Survey.

Demand in the West Midlands lettings sector has long outpaced the number of new properties coming to market but this month 18% more respondents* reported a fall in new instructions and is the ninth consecutive quarter in which this indicator has recorded a negative or flat number.

This pattern reflects the shift in the Buy-to-Let market in the wake of tax changes which are still in the process of being implemented, as smaller scale landlords exit the sector. Significantly, the drop in instructions is evident in virtually all parts of the country to a greater or lesser extent.

At the headline level the number of new tenants looking for a new home in the West Midlands grew in July, and as the number of fresh rental stock continues to decline, demand for rental properties continues to outpace supply.

The consequence of this imbalance is that rents in the region are expected to rise once again. In the coming three months, 36% more respondents expect rents to rise, and at the 12 month mark the West Midlands expectations are one of the strongest in the UK with rents projected to increase by 2%. This is also reflected at the five year point where rents are expected to rise by approximately 3%.

Looking at the West Midlands sales market, little has changed from June. It is perhaps no surprise that as speculations built ahead of the August Bank of England rate rise, the number of people looking to buy a home in the region subdued. The number of new properties coming to the market also shows little change in July, as the net balance remains flat. The survey also suggests chartered surveyors don’t anticipate much growth in sales activity in year ahead.

Despite the little change in activity, and stock levels remaining near all-time lows, the West Midlands housing market is stronger than other parts of the UK. Prices continued to firmly rise in the last month and expectations for the three months ahead remain resilient. London, the South East and East Anglia have seen activity and, now as a result, prices starting to fall, albeit slightly, in their regions.

Simon Rubinsohn, RICS Chief Economist, commented: “The impact of recent and ongoing tax changes is clearly having a material impact on the Buy to Let sector as intended. The risk, as we have highlighted previously, is that a reduced pipeline of supply will gradually feed through into higher rents in the absence of either a significant uplift in the Build to Rent programme or government funded social housing. At the present time, there is little evidence that either is likely to make up the shortfall. This augers ill for those many households for whom owner occupation is either out of reach financially or just not a suitable tenure.”

Abdul Choudhury, RICS Policy Manager, commented: “Our survey suggests that recent Government policy and legislation changes have impeded the growth of the Private Rented Sector (PRS), which is a vital part of a functioning homes market. Withdrawing tax breaks that small landlords relied on, placing an extra 3% on second home Stamp Duty, and failing to stimulate the corporate build to rent market, has understandably impacted supply.

“While the current focus is rightly on using regulation to improve the experience for tenants, Government must urgently look again at the PRS as a whole, including ways to encourage good landlords. Ultimately, Government must consider the impact of its policies, and if the wish is to move away from PRS, it must provide a suitable alternative.  If they wish to improve PRS, as we have suggested by professionalising through regulation and the PRS code, there is justification to reconsider the approach to tax taken.”

An employability support programme targeting 15 to 29-year-olds has helped three city residents land jobs at City of Wolverhampton Council.

The Black Country Impact project - which is funded by the Youth Employment Initiative, European Social Fund, Big Lottery Fund and the four Black Country councils - aims to support young adults not in employment, education or training (NEETs) break down the barriers that may be holding them back from finding work, improving skills or gaining qualifications.

It provides a tailored approach, designed to help the young adult build a future in a way that suits their specific circumstances.

Project participants Grace Odesanya, aged 29, Pele Harvey, 21, and Sofia Filipe, 23, have been successful in gaining employment with City of Wolverhampton.

All three received one-to-one customised support from their Impact key workers Stephanie Dean, Sunil Toor and Marcia Harvey, getting access to information, advice, guidance, and intensive employability support to increase their confidence and self-esteem and enable them to fulfil their full potential.

Through effective partnership working and strengthening links via the employer engagement officer – Julia Jackson Davies- Impact applicants were then short-listed for possible job opportunities.

Grace landed a job in the licensing department, while Pele and Sofia have both been recruited by customer services.

Sofia said: “I would advise anyone to join this project, as the staff are very helpful, and they enabled me to get a job. I am very pleased.”

Pele added: “Since starting on Impact in late Feb, I have gained employment and just started working as a customer service officer at Wolverhampton City Council. It’s a temporary short - term contract but a great opportunity for me to work and gain experience”

Grace said: “I have secured a job with Wolverhampton City Council in the licencing department. My Keyworker has been very supportive and at short notice has arranged for me to have travel and a clothing allowance. This has been a great help because I have been unemployed for some time and would have found this difficult to afford the cost.”

Councillor Lynne Moran, City of Wolverhampton Council Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, said: “Black Country Impact is determined to tackle the barriers that may be preventing some young adults from achieving what they are capable of.

“It is wonderful to see these three young ladies thriving after getting invaluable support and guidance through the programme.

“It provides specialist services, ranging from coaching to managed work placements, that ultimately give our young adults the best employability prospects for the future, benefiting them and our communities.”

In the City of Wolverhampton Black Country Impact has engaged with 1,557 participants since its launch in August 2016. Almost 600 have gained a qualification, or employment upon leaving the programme.

Birmingham Repertory Theatre are looking for a dog to play the role of Toto in their Christmas production of The Wizard of Oz. Open Auditions will be held at The REP on Centenary Square on Saturday 25 August from 10am to 5pm.

The role of Toto, Dorothy’s canine companion, in The Wizard of Oz is a pivotal one and The REP is looking for a new canine star to join the company over Christmas. The show runs from 24 November to 13 January and The REP is looking for two small dogs that have the enthusiasm and stamina to play the role over the 7-week run. No previous acting or stage experience is required, but good training and obedience is.   

Directed by Liam Steel, this epic stage version of the legendary MGM musical features everyone's favourite songs including Somewhere Over The Rainbow, If I Only Had A Brain and Ding Dong! The Witch is Dead. Liam said:

“This is the perfect opportunity to find talented, local pooches to tread the boards in one of the biggest festive productions in the city. We’re not looking for ‘prima-doggas’, just raw canine talent!” 

If you think your dog has what it takes, please register your interest by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and attaching a picture (max photo size 2mb). All owners and dogs must be available for the open auditions on Saturday 25 August and a follow up audition on Saturday 8 September. 

August 13th is national Prosecco day and a great excuse to celebrate Summer 2018! It also presents a great opportunity to get creative with your Prosecco – enter Cranes Cranberry & Blood Orange Liqueur.

Made from the highest quality cranberries and infused with natural blood orange juices, Cranes Liqueur is a mixologist's must have. This versatile on-trend liqueur is not only delicious neat and ideal for creating tantalisingly refreshing cocktails but is also perfect for pimping a glass of Prosecco, the Cranbellini.

Cranes Liqueur was developed by Co-Founders, and identical twin Brothers, Ben and Dan Ritsema in collaboration with one of the UK's top mixologists. Created in Britain, this award-winningly smooth liqueur, is made from natural ingredients, with over 115 cranberries going into each 50cl bottle.

In 1976 Edgbaston’s Tony Miles, a former pupil of King Edward’s School, became Britain’s first Chess Grandmaster. Just down the road from his former school, two boys from Hallfield School are on track to follow his example.

On 28 July, Rohan Pal from Solihull took part in the Under 9’s tournament at The British Chess Championships where he proved to be unbeatable, becoming the British Under 9 Chess Champion 2018.

Similarly, Year 10-year-old Manvith Sandhu - Hallfield’s strongest player and winner of many local and regional titles - had his best result ever when he came second in the Under 11 tournament in a field of Britain’s best young chess players.

Both boys were delighted with their achievements. Rohan said: “I knew I had a good chance, but to win is just amazing!”

Nick Thomas, Hallfield School’s Chess Coach, said: “Rohan was simply unstoppable. He has come a long way in the time I have known him – he is a very talented player.

“Manvith played fantastically well and scored 5/6 in a field of 59 of Britain's elite Under 11 players to come joint second, a brilliant result.

“This is the very top event for junior chess players in Britain and an incredible achievement for both boys and also for Hallfield.”

Hallfield School is one of the best schools for elite junior chess in the country being IAPS and ECF National Champions 2018.

Wolverhampton will come together next week to mark the 73nd anniversary of VJ Day – an event which effectively heralded the end of the Second World War.

Veterans, civic dignitaries and members of the public will be among those taking part in a service of remembrance at the Cenotaph in St Peter's Square on Wednesday 15 August, 2018.

It will commemorate 73 years since Victory over Japan Day – the day in 1945 that the Japanese Army surrendered to Allied forces. In doing so, it brought an end to a conflict which had claimed the lives of an estimated 60 million people around the world.

The City of Wolverhampton Central Branch of the Royal British Legion, the Wolverhampton and District United Ex-Service Council and the Burma Star Association’s Wolverhampton Branch will attend the annual service at the Cenotaph from 11.30am.

It will begin with a parade of standards and veterans followed by prayers, the Kohima homily, Royal British Legion exhortation, the Last Post and two minutes’ silence.

Mayor of Wolverhampton Councillor Phil Page will be among those in attendance. He said: “Commemorating VJ Day gives us the opportunity to remember the courage and bravery shown in the Far East by many thousands of British servicemen, some of whom were sadly never to return.

“It is now more than seven decades since the end of the Second World War and, as the number of veterans who are still with us sadly diminishes, it is very important that we continue to show our immense gratitude for the sacrifices they made for our freedom.”

Pat Johnson, chair of the Central Branch of the City of Wolverhampton Royal British Legion, said: “I’d like to invite everyone to join us and remember the sacrifices shown by countless Wulfrunians who served in the Far East during the Second World War, including the Chindits – the British India special force which served in the Burma campaign.”

Wolverhampton is a signatory of the Armed Forces Community Covenant, a pledge of mutual support between the city and its Armed Forces community.

It calls on local people to support the Armed Forces community, recognise and remember the sacrifices they have made over the years and encourage activities that help members of the Armed Forces integrate into local life.

It also encourages members of the Armed Forces support the wider community, and promote understanding and awareness among the public of some of the issues faced by former members of the Armed Forces as they return to civilian life.

The ‘squeezed middle’ in their 50s, 60s and 70s – who are often supporting children and grandchildren as well as elderly parents – are having to dip into pensions and savings to fund care.

In a survey of over 1000 friends and family adopting caring duties - conducted by Benenden Health - almost one quarter (24%) have used their savings and/or pension to fund the cost of care.

Across all carers surveyed, one in six said the cost burden of care had left them struggling for money and a third said they expected to have to raid their savings within the next five years.

There were 1.31 million new requests for care and support from people aged 65+ in 2015/16, yet less than half were awarded it (46.5%).

More than four in ten people caring for an elderly family member spend up to £1,000 of their own money on them each year, while three in ten pay between £1,000 and £10,000, according to a report by Benenden Health.

Altogether in 2017, friends and family spent up to £1.7 billion from their own pockets supporting elderly loved ones. This figure could increase to £2.8 billion by 2050 based on the growth of the UK’s ageing population.

This population growth will place 2020 as the point at which the 65+ population will outweigh under 15s, putting significant additional pressure on ‘the squeezed middle’.

On average, the carers surveyed already spend 168 hours per year caring for ageing loved ones - equivalent to 118 million hours across the country.

As a result, one third of those surveyed said caring responsibilities have an impact on their working lives including reduced working hours, shift changes and and/or frequently must leave work unexpectedly.

Bob Andrews, CEO at Benenden Health said, “Whilst we are so lucky that so many people are dedicating their time and money to support our ageing population, it’s a shocking statistic that people have to put their own financial security at risk because adequate support is not available.

“It’s also important that as people are living longer than ever, we ensure they have a respectable quality of life, which is why we’re trying to help carers recognise signals of deteriorating health in their loved ones, and prepare them for the care conversation through our series of helpful guides.”

West Midlands Combined Authority is one of only 37 UK organisations to achieve the National Centre for Diversity’s prestigious Leaders in Diversity award. Here, staff explain how the organisation has risen to the challenge…

“I was used to be being told what I couldn’t do, not what I could do,” says Lyndsey Roberts, the new scrutiny officer at West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA).

Lyndsey, 38, has been in post for a month – but it’s a job she almost didn’t apply for.

“Basically, I didn’t have the confidence,” she said. “I didn’t think I had the right experience, and I was used to getting on with my work in the background, staying in the shadows.”

Lyndsey’s story is not unique. WMCA’s Leadership Commission, set up by Mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street, spent nine months investigating why so few senior positions in organisations across the West Midlands were held by women, or people from the black and ethnic minority and LGBT communities.

It found employees from under-represented parts of society avoided applying for promotions due to a lack of confidence and ingrained business cultures which left them feeling excluded.

[gallery ids="87142,87141,87140"]

In June, the Commission produced a detailed report, Leaders Like You, with various recommendations to improve equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in the region – and a challenge for WMCA to lead the way.

Now the authority’s commitment to EDI has been underlined by a national award – the National Centre for Diversity’s Leaders in Diversity accreditation. WMCA is one of only 37 organisations in the UK to achieve this status, and its approach is already benefitting staff like Lyndsey.

It was WMCA chief executive, Deborah Cadman OBE, who first approached Lyndsey about a project management role with the Leadership Commission – a job Lyndsey says she would never have considered herself.

Sensing Lyndsey’s lack of confidence, Deborah provided one-to-one coaching and mock interviews to help her prepare.

Lyndsey explained: “I remember going into Deborah’s office for a chat about the job, and she said: ‘Don’t be scared. Embrace it.’

“That’s where my journey started, really. When the scrutiny officer advert was posted, I didn’t think I could do it because I didn’t have the confidence to speak up and challenge people.

“But when I went through the job specification with Deborah, she helped me see I’d already gained many relevant skills in my job, or in previous jobs.

“It was a lightbulb moment.”

Lyndsey nailed the interview, and was offered the job full-time. The scrutiny officer has to challenge the Mayor, and the combined authority, to ensure money is being spent properly. A month on, and she’s already made her mark.

Cllr Peter Hughes, chair of the WMCA scrutiny committee and Sandwell councillor, said: “When you see Lyndsey in action, it’s strange to think she almost didn’t apply due to a lack of confidence. I’m pleased she was given the support she needed to really go for it.”

Mayor Andy Street, said: “The Leadership Commission’s recommendations threw down the gauntlet for WMCA, and we’ve been quick to respond to that challenge.

“A truly inclusive economy removes barriers and obstacles and offers real career opportunities for everyone to fulfil their potential, regardless of their background.

“Lyndsey’s success, and the Leaders in Diversity award, are just the beginning for us in the region. Next, we’ll be speaking to business leaders across the region to encourage them to recruit and promote more diversely.”

Deborah Cadman believes businesses have a lot to gain by focussing on good EDI practices.

She said: “Lyndsey is a great candidate, but we almost missed out because she lacked confidence.

“Businesses can play a really important role in helping people in the West Midlands to reach their full potential by providing mentoring and support. Otherwise, employers could be missing out on the perfect candidates sitting right under their noses.”

The National Centre for Diversity accreditation was awarded after a lengthy review process, which saw inspectors visit the organisation, survey 245 staff members and rate the authority’s efforts on EDI.

The inspector’s report stated: “WMCA is developing into an exemplary organisation in terms of EDI. I was impressed by the staff, the environment and the overall feel I got from the organisation, and by the value it placed on EDI and the investment undertaken to make WMCA a progressive and inclusive organisation.”

Cllr Steve Eling, WMCA portfolio holder for cohesion and integration, and leader of Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council, said: “The help and support WMCA gives to its staff provides a great example for other organisations which could be overlooking ideal candidates for promotion within their existing staff.”

There’s no doubt summer is the height of wedding season in the UK, but just how much does the nation know about one of the biggest legal contracts they will ever enter?

The University of Law, the UK's longest-established specialist provider of legal education and training, has reviewed some of the world’s strangest marriage laws, and polled 2,000 UK residents¹ to see if the nation can spot which laws are real, and which are fake.

When it comes to UK weddings, three-quarters of the nation (75%) thought the law that “couples in England and Wales must specify a room within a building for the ceremony to take place – not in the open air or under a marquee” was untrue, when it is in fact a condition to gain approval of premises for civil marriage and partnership. Couples wishing for a garden wedding must have the legal ceremony separately before or after the big day.

Another UK law that the nation struggled to identify as real, was about the requirements for a legally granted divorce. This law has recently been under fire thanks to a selection of high profile cases, but as it stands, the only way to successfully achieve a divorce is if one party takes the blame for the marriage falling apart – a fact over half (58%) thought was false.

On the other side of the spectrum, for those successful marriages racking up 65 years together, more than one in ten (12%) believed a marriage license renewal was required in the eyes of the law – a statement which is not true in the UK.

It’s not just strange UK marriage laws that confused the nation though, the survey also included several real and fake marriage laws from around the world to test the nation’s knowledge. Probably the most baffling being the law which states women in Saudi Arabia have legal grounds for divorce if their husband fails to bring them a fresh cup of joe in the morning, a fact that more than four in five (86%) didn’t know.

Others that stumped the nation include the Russian law which makes it illegal for the groom’s family to contribute to the wedding costs, a law two thirds (65%) of those asked weren’t familiar with, and Austria’s legal requirement for couples to court a minimum of five years before they’re allowed to tie the knot - something three quarters (75%) failed to know.

Probably the strangest of marriage laws in the United States is one surprisingly known by 44% of Brits - married couples in Massachusetts are not legally allowed to sleep nude in a rented room. Similarly, 44% knew that in Kansas, the mistreatment of mothers-in-law can be used as grounds for divorce.

When it comes to who American citizens choose to marry, California residents are legally allowed to marry their first cousins, a fact Brits couldn’t get there heads around. When asked, 49% said they thought this was true if they’re both single by the age of 35, with the remaining 61% failing to believe this is permitted at all.

Commenting on the results, Lysette Gauna, Head of Brand & Content Marketing at The University of the Law, said: “It’s interesting to see some of the weird and wonderful laws that exist both here at home and all over the world, some of which sound as though they should be completely fictional.

“A lot of us like to think we know our facts when it comes to the law, so we wanted to build this quiz to test any potential legal experts out there on some of the more obscure laws that exist across the globe.”