Youngsters are on the career ladder thanks to an imaginative initiative between Haringey Council and a range of companies and charities. Called the Tottenham Charter it aims to ensure Tottenham residents get the most from the regeneration in the area in terms of jobs, health, education and training.

The organisation signs up to the charter and pledges, in their own way, to improve the quality of life for residents in the area.

One of these is leading engineering and construction company VolkerFitzpatrick, currently working to improve Northumberland Park’s railway station. Thanks to the charter, VolkerFitzpatrick’s Anglia Rail Skills Academy was brought together with Haringey Play Association which runs a popular adventure playground in north Tottenham. A ‘pre-apprenticeship programme’ was launched which saw a group of 16-19-year-olds build a new sandpit and water play area in the playground, aided by VolkerFitzpatrick staff who also organised a site tour and a construction workshop.

Indeed, the programme has been so successful that one of the group, 16-year-old Asha Clarke, has recently secured a job at the company as a trainee engineer.

“I did the pre-apprenticeship programme and then came on a week’s work experience at VolkerFitzpatrick,” he said. “I think they liked my attitude and how I performed but I was shocked when I was phoned to be told the good news. I couldn’t stop smiling for the whole day!”

Asha admits his life could have turned out very differently. He had fallen in with a particular crowd at school and found himself on a final warning.

“Six months ago I never would have dreamt I would have a full-time job in engineering. But this is my time to shine.”

Asha’s ‘mentor’ at the adventure playground in Somerford Grove was Tam Carrigan who encouraged Asha to apply for the programme.

“I’m so proud of him,” said Tam, beaming. “He still comes in to see us every week and tells the younger kids to think about their future and he is also a constant encouragement for his peers, just by the example he has set, which is wonderful. The charter is a great idea and it gives big companies like VolkerFitzpatrick the opportunity to give something back to the community.”

A major campaign designed to help businesses address the region’s alarming productivity gap is being launched by Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC).

Growth Through People – which gets underway on Monday 26 February - is a month-long campaign of seminars, workshops and leadership content which aims to inspire businesses to develop skills within their organisation and manage employees more effectively.

GVA per head in West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) area is £19,423 – nearly £3,500 lower than the national average.

At a national level, the UK’s productivity is 30 per cent lower than the USA and 35 per cent lower than Germany.

And new figures from the GBCC’s Quarterly Business Report for the fourth quarter of 2017 show that just 31 per cent of organisations in the region offer employees formal training opportunities in leadership and/or management skills and techniques.

Henrietta Brealey, director of policy and strategic relationships at GBCC, said: “We are excited to be launching this campaign for the second year running.

“People are often a business’s biggest cost – and asset. These latest statistics show that many organisations in Greater Birmingham are not training their employees in leadership and people management, a key component of productivity which feeds into low productivity figures for the region.

“We hope that by offering these free sessions, professionals in the region will take up the opportunity to develop these crucial skills and that, long term, businesses might be encouraged to reconsider investing in them.

“The Chamber is striving to create a real, lasting change to the productivity gap in the region, and as always, to ensure our members are equipped with the best skills to thrive and grow.”

GBCC will deliver 20 events over four weeks in partnership with more than 40 organisations across the region.

Events will range from intimate, interactive workshops to larger, high-profile panel discussions.

All Growth Through People events are free to attend for Chamber members and non-member businesses.

Events include a session on the importance of Developing More Female Leaders on International Women’s Day (Thursday 8 March), National Apprenticeship Week events and a ‘Get On Board’ event which will provide an overview of the Asian Business Chamber of Commerce’s new pledge to encourage greater diversity at board level.

The West Midlands Combined Authority is the official partner for the first week of the campaign, focusing on Growth Through Responsible Leadership.

Aston University are sponsoring Growth Through Attracting & Retaining Talent week.

Sponsorship is available for the third week of the campaign - Growth Through Workplace Environment week.

Curium solutions are sponsoring Growth Through Unlocking Potential week.

Children will be getting breakfast with their books during half term "Cereal Readers" sessions at several local libraries as the popular scheme returns to Sandwell for the half-term holidays.

Cereal Readers is a library initiative in which children and their parents are invited to share a bowl of cereal and a glass of fruit juice as they take part in book related activities at the library during school holidays.

All the refreshments have been provided by local supermarkets and other community groups and all the sessions are run by library volunteers and it has proven popular with local families.

Councillor Syeda Khatun, deputy leader, said: "This is a brilliant idea for young people who love books and like to get along to their local library."

Cereal Readers sessions are taking place from 19 to 23 February at the following libraries.

Blackheath Library – Monday – Friday 9.30am-11am

Glebefields Library  Monday – Friday 9.30-10.30am

Rounds Green Library - Monday, Wednesday and Friday 11-11.30am

Stone Cross Library -  Monday, Tuesday and Friday 9.30-10.30am

Wishing all of our readers, advertisers and friends a Happy Valentines Day! Treat your loved one to something special, and if you don't have a special someone, treat yourself!

Roses are red Violets are blue I know it's hard But you'll make it through With your hear up high And your friends at your side Ready to hold you Just in case you cry You have so much left So much to do That alone's a motive For you to fight through And the roses are still red The Violets still blue They'll be here for a while And so should you.

The National Wedding Show returns the NEC Birmingham again highlighting the biggest name in wedding events offering every bride and groom much needed inspiration, advice and planning tips for their big day, all in one place.

Show-stopping favourites will run alongside brand new features over three days, during which guests will have the chance to imagine the reality of their own wedding day providing over 300 of the best experts, planners and brands the world of weddings has to offer, including David’s Bridal, Confetti.co.uk, Debenhams, Oasis, Ben Sherman, Your Singing Waiters, Exclusive Yacht Weddings and Warwick Castle alongside many more.

Brand new for 2018 is the Money Matters Theatre, the must visit feature for all couples seeking budgeting and financial advice ahead of their big day. The theatre welcomes a host of expert speakers who’ll advise on everything from “Spend V’s Save” and “How best to create a reliable wedding budget.”

Must visit show-stopping features include: ‘The Catwalk’ where you can take a seat at the FROW where the season’s newest wedding dress designs are showcased alongside beautiful bridal hair, accessories and make-up, as well as the latest looks for the whole of the wedding party, including suits and bridesmaid dresses.

Following sell out sessions in the Autumn, ‘The Inspiration Lab’ offers brides, grooms, family and friends the chance to be inspired ahead of their big day.  The workshops, ranging from calligraphy to creating flower crowns, help guests tap into their own creativity and flair, encouraging them to take away armfuls of tips in how to create something personal, unique and beautiful for their special day.

An extraordinary panel of planning experts, from artisan cake companies to photographers, will be on hand at the ‘Hitched.co.uk Wedding Planning Platform’ to answer any queries and relieve any wedding worries.  They’ll be ready to answer any questions!

Weddings and honeymoons are held around the world. ‘TUI Wedding Travel Lounge’ will be hosting the Wedding Travel Lounge and providing the ultimate in destination wedding and honeymoon services at the show, including advice on creating a celebration that is unique and bespoke, as well as the ability to book the perfect weddings and honeymoons there and then.

Visitors will be invited to take a time-out and toast each other, or a loved one, when they reach the heart of the show, at ‘The Champagne Bar.’

With so much to enjoy, the ‘VIP Experience’ is also a must for visitors this Spring.  No queues for the VIP’s as they swan past the crowds at the door and make their way straight to the private lounge, collecting their goody bag on the way.  They’re also the envy of the bunch as they get seated in the VIP section for The Catwalk!

The National Wedding Show NEC Birmingham (Between February 23 and 25) will provide everything a couple needs to plan their dream wedding in one exciting event.

All National Wedding Show ticket holders will receive complimentary access to visit ‘The Destination Wedding & Honeymoon Show’ which is also new for 2018, and an essential event for all couples planning a wedding or honeymoon abroad, hosted in association with BookYourWeddingDay.com.

A pair of Gentoo penguins at the National Sea Life Centre in Birmingham have been treated to a private Valentine’s Day serenade by a violinist from Birmingham City University’s Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.

Parents to the aquarium’s baby penguin chicks born last year, Arabel and Pablo have been working hard to raise their young, but like many new parents, they can sometimes struggle to find time for romance amidst the demands of parenthood.

As the attraction now begins to prepare for breeding season, animal care experts at the National Sea Life Centre, with the help of nearby friends at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, have rewarded Arabel and Pablo with a well-earned extra special date experience for Valentine’s Day. However, the rest of the colony soon followed behind to see what all the fuss was about.

“Every parent knows it’s hard to get time alone once a little one comes along,” said Jonny Rudd, Curator at the National Sea Life Centre.

“With Valentine’s Day being so close to the start of breeding season it was the perfect opportunity to treat our dedicated penguin parents, in the hope we can encourage another successful period of breeding.”

Last year, two of the aquarium’s resident penguins Arabel and Pablo became parents to two chicks, nicknamed Hulk and Dumpling due to their sizes. The rare pair are the first to hatch at the centre as part of a global breeding programme after Gentoo penguin numbers declined rapidly. Their parents crossed continents to conceive, coming all the way to Birmingham from as far as New Zealand, Canada and Denmark.

Royal Birmingham Conservatoire student and violinist Markéta Nádvorníková said: “Students at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire get to play in some of the world’s greatest venues, but this is certainly the most unique place I’ve performed in!

“I am delighted to have played my part in creating such a special Valentine’s Day for the National Sea Life Centre’s infamous penguins and hope that my performance has helped reignite a spark ahead of breeding season.”

Originally from Police nad Metují in the Czech Republic, Markéta is currently in her final year of study on the Birmingham music and acting college’s BMus Music undergraduate course.

Visitors can meet the Gentoo penguin family for themselves at the Penguin Ice Adventure exhibit at the National Sea Life Centre in Birmingham.