Wolverhampton will come together to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War with a series of commemorative events over the coming months.

The guns fell silent after four years of bloody battle with the signing of the Armistice on 11 November 1918, and the City of Wolverhampton Council is working with partner organisations across the City to commemorate the centenary of this pivotal event in world history.

An extensive programme of activities is currently being developed, and will include a series of themed exhibitions and displays of memorabilia and art at Wolverhampton Art Gallery and Wolverhampton Archives and Local Studies.

Pupils from local schools will be encouraged to make poppies – each one representing a soldier from Wolverhampton who fought in the conflict – and lay them at the Cenotaph during a special ceremony on Friday 9 November. There will also be story, poetry and letter writing competitions, while many schools are expected to plan further First World War-themed activities of their own.

Wolverhampton Civic and Historical Society is working with the council to develop a walking map detailing the many war memorials which can be found across the City and the Society’s wolf from 2017’s Wolves in Wolves trail – The Fallen, which lists the names of those who died in the conflict – will be displayed in the grounds of Wolverhampton Archives and Local Studies’ Molineux Hotel. Archivists will also be conducting important research in an attempt to identify any soldiers who may be missing from the City’s Roll of Honour.

More than a dozen special First World War metal benches are to be installed at sites around Wolverhampton city centre, Bilston, Wednesfield and Tettenhall, and poppies will be attached to lampposts in key locations around Wolverhampton as the anniversary approaches.

Meanwhile, the council is making preparations to lay commemorative paving stones in honour of Lance Corporal George Onions from Bilston and Lance Corporal Roland Elcock from Wolverhampton who received the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry, for their actions on 22 August and 15 October 1918 respectively.

The City’s libraries will be hosting story and poetry competitions for adults and special storytime sessions for children, and National Libraries Week activities between 9 and 14 October will have a First World War theme.

This year’s Armed Forces Day commemorations on Saturday 30 June will focus on the anniversary, while the City of Wolverhampton Council’s bonfire at Wolverhampton Racecourse on Saturday 3 November will feature a two-minute silence led by members of the Armed Forces, as well as a themed firework display.

The extensive programme of commemorations concludes on Armistice Day, Sunday 11 November, with the City of Wolverhampton’s annual service of remembrance at the cenotaph in St Peter’s Square. Prior to the traditional service, a lone piper will support a nationwide initiative by playing Battle’s O’er, the traditional Scottish lament played at the end of battle, outside St Peter’s Collegiate Church at 6am. Finally, a Beacon of Light will be lit – simultaneously with hundreds of other beacons across the country – at 7pm.

Keith Ireland, Managing Director of the City of Wolverhampton Council, said: “The First World War touched every city, town and village in Britain; millions of people served in the conflict and tragically almost 1.1m British and Empire servicemen and women gave their lives so that future generations could live theirs.

"We have a duty to educate today's generation about what the country went through, and it is important that as a City we remember this terrible conflict and the sacrifices that were made a century ago.

“We and our partners will be organising and supporting an extensive programme of events and activities and we hope as many people as possible will get involved.”

More details of the commemoration programme will be announced in due course, while the City of Wolverhampton Council is developing a dedicated website which will detail events taking place across the City to mark the 100th anniversary, and enable organisations and individuals to share what they will be doing to commemorate the end of the First World War.

Sutton Coldfield Town Hall is holding an open morning for those interested in being a part of the historical venue's future.

When the iconic building got into financial difficulties and was threatened with closure 18 months ago, a committee, formed of local arts and heritage enthusiasts - Sutton Coldfield Arts and Recreational Trust - joined forces to keep the venue open.

Later this year, the trust officially receives the freehold ownership of the Town Hall from the City council, with the next step being for the new registered charity to fully restore it as a theatre and community venue for this and future generations.

A meeting and tour on Saturday 21 April at 11am  - 12 noon is for those interested in volunteering or learning more about being a Friend or sponsor of the venue, which was built in 1865 as a hotel, reopening in 1906 as Sutton Coldfield Town Hall.

Those interested in theatre may be interested in volunteering on the front of house team, where roles include ushering and serving teas and coffees. Productions range from pantomimes to musicals, talks to live music events. The Town Hall is looking for enthusiastic helpers happy to give one or two evenings a month to the venue.

Volunteers with practical skills such as painting and decorating are also urged to attend, plus volunteers who can distribute publicity packs to their local cafes, churches and noticeboards, spreading the word to help their own community learn about forthcoming shows.

An innovative and caring community partnership is celebrating a ‘25,000+ participants’ landmark in just over two years, as it continues to significantly overcome barriers and improve sport and physical activity uptake in Smethwick and the surrounding areas.

Benson Community Project hosts regular and free football and multi-sport sessions for disadvantaged youngsters at Sandwell Leisure Trust (SLT) facility Hadley Stadium on Wilson Road - and phenomenal participation levels  have seen the weekly number of sessions jump from one to four to meet demand and interest.

SLT’s Ian King, assistant manager at Hadley Stadium, explains: “The take up has been incredible, all by word-of-mouth and personal referral, so it’s a privilege to be part of. Benson first participated in the opening of the all-weather 3G pitch at Hadley in October 2015, but at this point were a relatively new set up, working predominantly in Victoria Park & receiving a little funding from Soho & Victoria Police, through PC Dave Harnett.

“The hard work, enthusiasm and infectious personalities of Benson founders Paul Landucci and Errol Mason did not go unnoticed and discussions quickly took place between site staff, PC Harnett, plus Paul & Errol around the possibility of them operating a regular weekly session at Hadley as an after school activity.

“Nobody could have expected the results that this initial Tuesday session has seen, which led to additional football sessions on Thursday and Saturday afternoon (now for ages 5-18) as well as an indoor multi-sports family orientated session on a Wednesday – and consequently 25,000+ local people seeing, feeling, experiencing and enjoying the benefits.”

Benson’s Paul Landucci says: “Hadley’s 3G pitch is perfect for us and since we started here I can count on one hand the number of times that only the heaviest snow and ice has defeated us. The kid’s parents love the fact they don’t come home covered in mud, but most importantly it allows us to work with their children on a consistent basis and make them properly feel part of a safe, welcoming, active and diverse young community.

“We run successful football teams from here now too, as well as coaching initiatives and subsequent volunteer placements at Hadley - and the partnership continues to flourish.

“The multi-sports session has really taken off too, with kids, parents and even grandparents playing and socialising together in a fun and friendly atmosphere. We can divide the hall if need be and they can do indoor cricket, archery, basketball and rounders, etc; basically use all of the facilities and equipment. They even bring a radio in sometimes for dancing.

“We liaise closely with Smethwick Police too and our work has dramatically reduced local anti-social behaviour and youth crime because we have an open-to-all, non-judgemental, with no bias approach that is person-centred and strives to make a tangible difference.”

Dogs have been celebrated as man’s best friend for centuries – and that’s no accident. Your dog is probably the best friend you will ever have, when you’re looking your worst or feeling under the weather they will be there to cheer you up.

This month will see pet owners up and down the country celebrating their furry friends as part of National Pet Month. In the spirit of this Lintbells, manufacturers of premium natural pet supplements, have shared a few reasons why our canine chums are the best.

They’re incredibly loyal

Our canine companions generally love being around people. They wait for you by the door; face smiling, mouth open and tail wagging, ready to dote on their best friend in the world. They are great listeners as most of us are guilty of confiding in our pets, especially after a hard day’s work.

Their mood can quite often reflect how you feel - when you're feeling blue your dog will remain by your side to comfort you, but when you're happy your dog will leap about and share in your excitement.

They keep you healthy

If you are looking to spring into action after the winter blues your dog can be the best companion. Our furry friends love being active – walks, fetching sticks, leaping into a pond or even just a game of frisbee. Even if you’re lacking energy and tempted to just stay in, the importance of ‘walkies’ will compel you to get out of the house.

Dog owners have also been found to have lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels and they can even promote emotional wellbeing thanks to their unconditional love.

They’re entertaining

Dogs often beat other animals on the entertainment scale with their goofy looks and antics. They’re unpredictable and silly and often entertain us with their playful nature and human-like behaviours. Simply watching them as they chase their own tail for hours or a game of peek-a-boo from around the corner will certainly keep you chuckling.

They can help you socialise

Walking your dog is a sure fire way to start conversations with fellow animal lovers. Their friendly and super social nature means you can make new friends at the same time as walking your dog!

They’ll never leave you hanging

We all have that one friend who cancels on you regardless of weeks of planning in advance. But with your furry little friend, you’ve got nothing to fear! They will always be there for you no matter what.

There is no doubt our pet pooch deserves gentle handling and should be showered with lots of love and affection. Lintbells offers pet owners a fantastic range of natural products that are designed to make your dog glow from head to tail. The recently launched YuMOVE PLUS for dogs is an extra-strength joint supplement that will make a tail-wagging difference to stiff and older dogs, helping to keep them mobile by soothing stiffness and supporting their joints.

Moseley and Kings Heath have been named as the best places to live in Birmingham, according to a recent poll. More than 1,500 Brummies took part in the survey, run by leading Birmingham based developer SevenCapital, to find out which areas of the UK’s second city were most popular amongst locals.

One fifth (19%) of voters agreed that the popular villages of Moseley and Kings Heath were the best places to live in the city, with Harborne taking second place with 15% of votes. Solihull, which is just outside Birmingham took third place with 14%, shortly followed by Sutton Coldfield (13%) and the city’s famous Jewellery Quarter taking fifth place with 12% of votes. Other areas which also featured include Edgbaston, Brindleyplace and Digbeth.

It’s not the first time Moseley and Harbone have topped best places to live lists – in the past three years both have been named in The Sunday Times’ annual list of Britain’s best places to live, with Moseley announced overall winner back in 2015.

Andy Foote, director at SevenCapital said: “There’s a lot of research being continually carried out into which places are most desirable or offer the best quality of life for residents across the city, region and the UK. Much of this is based upon factors including economical outlook, green spaces, house prices and so on. However these reports don’t necessarily take into account what is perhaps most important, and that’s the opinions of the people living and working in these areas. That’s why we decided to do our own poll of the city where we’re based and are most active, Birmingham, to find out if these national reports are reflected by the sentiment of the people in those areas. Judging by the results, it would seem they are.”

Since 2009 SevenCapital has become the most active residential developer in and around Birmingham City Centre, with developments either completed, under construction or in planning in areas including: Mailbox District, Jewellery Quarter, Fiveways, Digbeth and Erdington.

A new exhibit featuring some of the world’s most mysterious creatures has opened at the National Sea Life Centre in Birmingham. Guests sampled jelly-inspired mocktails and sweet treats as the attraction was unveiled to families.

Months in the making, the new ‘Jelly Invaders’ exhibit stars five different jellyfish species from across the globe, from the bizarre freshwater ‘upside down jellyfish’ to the glittering ‘sea nettle’ variety from the Indo-Pacific.

The unique creatures are the true Jekyll and Hydes of the marine world, with their harmless, tranquil appearance belying highly efficient hunting tactics and stingers.

The new experience will allow visitors to get a close encounter to these mystical creatures, with diverse species of jellies in a variety of colourful interactive displays.

Jonny Rudd, curator at the aquarium, said: “The new exhibit lifts the lid on this mysterious species. Jellyfish are actually older than dinosaurs, as it’s believed they first swam in our oceans some 500 million years ago. With more than 350 different species, there’s a lot to uncover!”

Despite their name, jellyfish aren’t actually a type of fish and are instead classed in a group of their own, due to them being unlike any other creature on earth.

“But jellies get a bad press,” explains Jonny.“Most are completely harmless to humans; it’s only a few such as the sea nettle jellyfish that give them a bad name as they can cause a painful sting.

“Jellies remain key to our ecosystem as they feed larger sea creatures, however one of the main fascinations is in their coastline invasions.”

Jellyfish flourish in conditions created by global warming, pollution and overfishing, as evidenced by their invasions onto UK coastlines as recently as last year.

“Jellies are superbly adapted to plug the gaps when other species decline, which is one reason why there have been such huge swarms of jellyfish appearing in recent years.

“Some scientists believe that jellyfish are even poised to take over the oceans one day.”

Jelly Invaders is included with all entry tickets. Guests can delve deeper into the jellyfish life cycle including the aquarium’s breeding programme on a Behind the Scenes Tour (additional charge of £3.50 applies).

The Merlin Entertainments-owned attraction is home to more than 2,000 aquatic inhabitants in over 60 immersive displays, including the UK’s only 360° tropical ocean tunnel.