The story of The Shepherdess has been set to music with narration by Conservatoire composer Cam Athanasiades and additional music by Soul Zisso.  Paintings and animations by Birmingham City University Visual Communications student Daniella Allen, based on the originals in the book, have also been created as part of the project.

The Shepherdess will be performed on the final day of the Festival by 70 young players from across the UK and marks the 30^th anniversary of the death of the recorder player and early music scholar Walter Bergmann.  It was to Bergmann that the original, unpublished, book was dedicated.

Walter Bergmann (1902-1988) escaped to England from Germany in 1939 and spent the war years interned on the Isle of Man.  His associations with Michael Tippett and the countertenor Alfred Deller led to a revival of the countertenor voice.  He was a key figure in the Society of Recorder Players encouraging playing by amateurs, and his role at Schott’s publishers enabled the publication of arrangements and new editions for recorder.  He is remembered not only as a fine music editor and scholar, but also for his tireless and generous support of young recorder players.

The concert will also feature Bergmann’s final (unpublished) recorder and piano quartet arrangement of Mozart’s piano sonata for four hands K381, plus his solo recorder sonatas and other music for children.

The Festival, which takes place over four days, features over 30 different events and includes headline performances by Birmingham’s own folk-world outfit the Bonfire Radicals, Synth-Bach with The Art of Moog, marking the 50^th anniversary of Wendy Carlos’s seminal album Switched-on Bach, and   Baroque music and dance from the London Handel Orchestra in Baroque Rebellion.  As well as concerts, the Festival includes workshops, masterclasses, an Early Music market and demonstrations such as Tim Cranmore Makes a Recorder from a Carrot – sure to be one of the tastier sessions.

Birmingham International Recorder and Early Music Festival runs from 15-18 February at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.  The Walter Bergmann 30^th Anniversary Concert, featuringThe Shepherdess, is on Sunday 18 February at 3pm.

Returning to Birmingham’s NEC from 20 to 25 February, the Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show 2018 is the family-friendly event to visit this half-term, with children aged 15 and under going free and a host of activities for all of the family. The show brings together over 370 exhibitors as part of the UK’s largest showcase of caravans, campervans, motorhomes, caravan holiday homes and lodges as well as new season tents, trailer tents and folding caravans.

Throughout the six-day show, fun and free activities are on offer. Children can learn basic survival skills at bushcraft workshops, challenge themselves on the climbing wall with guidance from experienced instructors, clamber over the assault course and enjoy the new-for-2018 skate rink. Adults can take advantage of free campervan test driving sessions, with opportunities to brush up on motorhome manoeuvring and caravan towing skills*. The Top Dog Arena also provides a variety of entertainment, with performances from four-legged friends.

Explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes and female adventurer Anna McNuff take to the stage to recount tales of their latest journeys and show support for the event’s ‘24 hours outdoors’ initiative, encouraging people to spend more time with nature in 2018. The campaign aims to motivate people and raise awareness of the mental and physical health benefits of being outdoors. A study by The Camping and Caravanning Club also shows 55% of people agree camping is a great way to re-engage with old friends and family^.

The Discovery Theatre’s line-up of celebrity names includes wildlife presenter Gordan Buchanan, who officially opens the show on 20 February, and Chelsea Ladies FC captain Katie Chapman. Renowned cooks such as Rustie Lee, Paul Da Costa Greaves, Dean Edwards and Eat Well For Less’ Chris Bavin host live cookery demonstrations, sharing their top tips and favourite camping recipes.

“Rock Form”, the much-loved sculpture by renowned artist Barbara Hepworth, will go on temporary display at Wolverhampton Central Library while the city’s art gallery undergoes a refurbishment.

The popular piece was being moved out of the Lichfield Street gallery today ready for its move to the main foyer of the library in Snow Hill.

“Rock Form” has been housed at the art gallery since 2015 after its owner, Royal Bank of Scotland, agreed to keep it on long-term display in the city.

The bronze sculpture has a long association with the City of Wolverhampton having been on public display in the Mander Centre since the 1968 after being donated by the Mander family.

The art gallery is undergoing significant improvement works which means “Rock Form” requires a new temporary home.

Cllr John Reynolds, City of Wolverhampton Council’s cabinet member for city economy, said: “Rock Form has a long history with the City of Wolverhampton and the art gallery has been proud to house this iconic piece for the last two and a half years.

“We need to move it temporarily for the next year or so while improvement works are carried out at the gallery and Central Library is the perfect venue. It means it will still be very much on public display where lots of people, including children, will be able to appreciate this magnificent work of art.”

Rock Form will be installed in the library next month after some minor works are carried out to its plinth.

Barbara Hepworth created Rock Form in 1964. It is one of 6 similar bronze castings - the others are held in the at Edinburgh Royal Botanic Gardens, Truro, The Boston Museum of Fine Arts, The Association for Public Art in Philadelphia and the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena.

Hepworth is considered one of the most significant sculptors of modern times. Her work is internationally famous and during the 1950s and 60s she was one of the most successful artists in the world.

Wishing everyone a very Happy Chinese New Year 2018 as we enter the Year of the Dog!

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West Midlands-based motor sport, automotive supply chain, transport technology and plastics and composites companies have the chance to join a trade visit to Le Mans, home of the world’s oldest active motorsport endurance race.

Organised by West Midlands Chambers of Commerce, the visit will take place between Tuesday, June 12, and Friday, June 15, and is aimed at small to medium enterprises (SMEs).

Andy Smith, International Relationships Manager for the EU/ DIT co-financed SME International Growth Project, said funded places were available for eligible West Midlands SMEs, which have the opportunity to win business through a series of high-profile B2B meetings with some of the Europe’s leading automotive and transport companies firms.

“This is the perfect opportunity for the innovative motor sport, automotive and supply chain companies in our area to showcase their expertise to a global market,” he said.

“The West Midlands has a long and proud heritage in this industry and we’d love to see more businesses introducing their products to markets across the world. These B2B events around the iconic Le Mans race provide an excellent platform for them to do so”

The programme includes up to 12 timetabled one-to-one meetings as part of the International Business Days Le Mans 2018, networking opportunities and conferences covering topics such as additives and automotive / mobility innovation. There is  also a parallel one-day multi-sector plastics and composites event Plasti-Ouest, which will cover aerospace, packaging, construction, medical and automotive usage of these materials.

Places are strictly limited and to receive a funded place, applicants must be eligible under the DIT’s SME International Growth Project (IGP).

Fed up with the same old walkies? Stuck for ideas on how to keep your hound happy in the winter months? Well worry no more… pet insurer MORE TH>N has developed a free ideas generator for days out with dogs - owners simply pop in their postcode and push the button, and hey presto, the tool will recommend dog-friendly holidays and days out for dogs in the UK.

So whether you and your faithful friend want to explore the paw-fectly named Roundball Woods or Barky Beach, or you’re simply looking for a nearby dog-friendly beach, dog-friendly pub or a new walking route in the countryside, town or a new dog-friendly park – all the information is at a touch of a button.

The generator has a number of filters enabling owners to select a location and the distance they are willing to travel with a dog for some new fun. The results page also includes testimonials from other dog owners who use the recommended places regularly.

MORE TH>N’s vet Andrew Moore said: “No matter what the weather, dogs need to be walked and go out every day. This new dog days out tool is the perfect solution for owners stuck in a rut, as new smells, sights and sounds are very stimulating for dogs and a paw-some antidote to the rainy day blues.”

Owners can click here for the generator and to find the perfect dog-friendly holiday or day out.