Leiths have announced that City Harvest will be their Charity of the Year for the second year in a row.

"The charity do incredible work rescuing delicious surplus food from supermarkets and restaurants and delivering it to the hungry, so it's wonderful to be able to offer continuing support."

"As usual, we'll be raising money at our annual Canapé Party in March, but we're also trying something new!"

The Foodie Family Parent and Child Cookery Day will be held on Friday 24th August 2018, and for every child that enrols, Leiths will donate £10 to City Harvest.

Parents get to spend time in the Leiths kitchens with their little food lovers, and their donation will deliver 40 nutritious meals to those in need.

This year marks the 128th Crufts event, the most hotly anticipated dog show of the year which brings together top dog breeders and trainers from across the globe, all competing to take home one of the prestigious awards.

Every year thousands of dog owners, trainers and enthusiasts mark their calendars for the biggest doggy event of the year, and get ready to celebrate the coveted “Best in Show” pooch. To get into the spirit Lintbells, a Crufts’ event sponsor and manufacturer of premium natural pet supplements, which will be attending for the 11th time, is sharing some of the ways dog owners can celebrate their very own best in show at home.

1. Pamper time

2. Healthy treats

3. Cosy cuddles

4. Walkies

5. Try supplements

If you would like to find out any more information or advice about the health and wellbeing of your dog you can head to the Lintbells stand at Crufts (Stand 121 in Hall 3) to chat to the friendly team.

The team will also be asking “What makes your dog’s tail wag?” encouraging customers, both new and existing, to share thoughts and experiences about their own canine companions, and adding stories to the Lintbells #tellyourtail wall. With one lucky visitor winning a dog friendly UK holiday worth up to £750 with Forest holidays. A Lintbells hamper and discount code for 2018 will also be up for grabs.

A host of Lintbells’ products will be on offer to purchase from the stand including a brand new product, YuMOVE PLUS for dogs which is exclusively available through Lintbells only. This is an extension of their already popular joint supplement YuMOVE, packed with even more ActiveEase® Green Lipped Mussel providing extra strength for older and much stiffer dogs. There will be some fantastic offers available including up to 50% off RRP on selected products. The experienced team will be on hand to offer tips and advice on any of the products.

Alethea Maillard, Marketing Manager for Lintbells, said: “We are so excited to be returning to Crufts this year, and are thrilled to be one of the sponsors for the event for the first time. The health and wellbeing of dogs is at the heart of everything we do and we can’t wait to meet lots of fellow dog lovers and let them know about the benefits of our products. We are also looking forward to hearing everyone’s ‘tails’ about their own best friend  and invite everyone to come along to your stand and share their stories.”

A cute little black-and-white kid is the latest member of the rare Bagot goat family in the Sandwell Valley – the latest newcomer to a project to save the species from extinction.

The female has been born at Sandwell Council’s Forge Mill Farm at West Bromwich and is now available to be seen by visitors.

Melissa Underwood-Grattage, the farm manager, said “She is a cute little thing and is the latest introduction to the farm’s breeding stock and will play a part in helping to increase the number of these rare animals for years to come."

Staff at the Valley are supporting a scheme run by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust to breed the rare goats as there are fewer than 200 registered breeding females left.

The Bagot family of goats are a popular attraction for visitors to  Forge Mill. The Bagot is believed to be Britain’s oldest breed of goat with records of them being around in 1389 at Blithfield, the Staffordshire home of Sir John Bagot.

The exact origin of the Bagot goat is unknown - one theory is that they were brought to Britain during the Crusades in the Middle Ages, while others believe they originated from native goats in medieval times.

The first elected Mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street, visited the Ronald McDonald House in Birmingham, to meet the families of seriously ill children staying at the ‘home away from home’ accommodation.

In 2017, over 1,000 families stayed at the House, free of charge, while their children were being treated in nearby Birmingham Children’s Hospital. Mr Street met current residents and the team at the Ronald McDonald House, who work around the clock 365 days a year to provide vital accommodation for the families.

The Mayor said: “It was great to see the fantastic work done by the brilliant volunteers and fundraisers at the Ronald McDonald House in Birmingham. They give a first class welcome to the West Midlands to all the families that use the House every day of the year.”

Doug Wright, Chair of the Board of Governors at the Ronald McDonald House in Birmingham said: “We are delighted that the Mayor has taken the time to visit us so he could see the great work and passion of the team here at the House. The House is heavily funded by donations from the community, from kids raising a few pounds for their sponsored PJ Day at school, to large corporate donations.  This House is vitally important and gives all our families the peace of mind they need.”

Ronald McDonald House Charities provides free accommodation to families of children receiving treatment at specialist Children’s Hospitals across the UK. The 14 Houses across the UK offer somewhere for families to cook their own meals, sleep in their own ensuite bedrooms, and to get valuable respite whilst being able to remain close to their children who are being treated in specialist hospitals.