Work will start next week on Wolverhampton Art Gallery’s improvements programme.

The Sensing Sculpture room will be closed from Wednesday, January 10 as first-floor redevelopment - funded by external grants - gets underway.

It will be transformed into an exhibition space that will welcome larger touring exhibitions and workshops, allow for items from collections to be on display, and improve the hire of the venue.

For example, the popular Lichfield Street gallery has been able to host part of the Natural History Museum’s World Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition in recent years – and the new gallery space will now allow it to display the whole exhibition.

The new gallery space is expected to open in March.

A limited number of items from the Sensing Sculpture room will be on display elsewhere in the gallery throughout the works.

Councillor John Reynolds, City of Wolverhampton Council Cabinet Member for City Economy, said: “Thanks to successful bids for external grants we are able to carry out these major improvements, which will enhance the visitor experience and allow the gallery to be used to its full potential in the future.

“We apologise for any disruption or inconvenience caused to visitors during these works.

“The gallery is a historic building which has a place in many people’s hearts and we want to make these improvements to ensure it continues to be a much-loved asset for the people of Wolverhampton.”

The next phase of the improvements on the gallery will see the café moved to the ground floor, alongside a new kitchen area and education space.

It is anticipated this work will commence in spring.

The improvements programme is being funded by a £431,723 Arts Council England small capital grant in addition to £750,000 of borrowing from the council's capital budget - which will be paid back by income generated from the new café - and a £65,000 grant from the Department for Culture, Media & Sport's Wolfson Gallery Improvement Fund.

From mowing the lawn to cleaning the toilet, when it comes to moving in together, making compromises with your partner is inevitable. They say that you don’t truly know your other half until you live together, but what are the pet peeves that are really infuriating couples across the nation?

A recent study1 by bed and sleep specialist, Time 4 Sleep, reveals the things that annoy Brits the most about living with their partner.

The researched discovered that, when it comes to annoying bedroom habits, snoring tops the list, with over 28 million people (44%) in the UK admitting that their other half’s noisy sleeping habit irritates them.

Other bedroom habits testing the nation’s relationships include; hogging the bed sheets (23%), leaving the bed unmade (16%), eating in bed (15%) and having different sleeping patterns (15%). Recent research by Furniture Choice2 also revealed other bed sharing habits that are annoying the nation, includes; fidgeting too much (30%), taking up too much space in bed (23%) and stealing or encroaching on their pillow (15%).

It’s not only our bedroom habits that are winding up our other halves either. If you’re looking to dodge an argument, it might be worth avoiding the following top five biggest relationship pet peeves:

• Leaving dirty laundry on the floor (29%)
• Not doing their share of the chores (28%)
• Not doing the washing up (27%)
• Leaving dirty plates and glasses around the house (26%)
• Not being romantic enough (22%)

Other relationship compromises include agreeing to cook and clean more (27%), having to change our eating habits to suit our partner (19%) and spending more money (17%).

Robyn Haldane, 25 year old Business Development Executive from Leeds, reveals her biggest pet peeves when living with her boyfriend. She says: “I love my boyfriend very much but sometimes it’s like living with a man child along with our actual 5 year old daughter! He just loves winding me up at every opportunity.

“Some of his more annoying habits include; taking every pair of shoes off in the living room and leaving them there as a collection, eating everything, if I make lunch for work the next day he will eat it, turning off the TV when I’m halfway through watching something, never emptying the bin and tripping me up all the time when we go shopping! He is good at doing the washing and hanging it out to dry though.”

The UK’s leading feline welfare charity Cats Protection is calling on cat owners in the West Midlands to nominate their remarkable moggies for 2018’s prestigious National Cat Awards.

Now in its tenth year, the awards celebrate the difference cats make to owners’ lives by highlighting heart-warming stories of devotion, companionship and courage.

Entries open on Tuesday 9 January and owners have until noon on Friday 9 March to nominate their cat for one of five categories:

• Hero Cat – Cats that save the day
• Most Caring Cat – Cats that positively impact a person’s health or wellbeing
• Furr-ever Friends – Tales of friendship between children and cats
• Outstanding Rescue Cat – Fabulous felines adopted from animal charities
• Purina® Better Together – Celebrating the special bond that has transformed and enriched the lives of both a feline and human

Evie, who is now on the road to recovery, said: “I missed her every day I was in hospital and my family could tell she missed me. She’s my best friend and is always there when I need her. I was so happy to win our category but to win the overall title as well was really amazing, incredible.”

Chizzy Akudolu, from Holby City and Strictly 2017, said: “As a cat owner myself, and having attended last year’s awards, I’ve seen first-hand what a tremendous difference they can make to people’s lives. So get nominating as this is their time to shine.”

A panel of celebrity cat-lovers has the hard job of selecting the deserving category winners as well as honouring this year’s National Cat of the Year. Sponsored by PURINA® for the seventh year, winners will be presented with a trophy and prizes at a star studded ceremony at the Savoy Hotel in London on Thursday 2 August 2018.

Families in the West Midlands will get tips for healthier snacking when Public Health England’s (PHE) Change4Life roadshow comes to the Black Country next week. First stop will be Walsall Tesco Extra, Littleton Street on Monday 8 January. Next will be Dudley Tesco Extra at Town Gate Retail Park on Tuesday 9 January, followed by Tesco on New Street in West Bromwich on Wednesday 10 January. All roadshows will be open from 9.30am to 5.30pm.

In February the Change4Life roadshow will also visit Tesco Superstore at Keyway Retail Park in Willenhall (Thurs1 Feb). There will also be stops in Stoke-on-Trent, Telford, Burton, Coventry and Birmingham (see Notes to Editors).

The Change4Life roadshow will visit 30 supermarkets and 14 shopping centres nationwide, encouraging parents to “Look for 100 calorie snacks, 2 a day max”. This is because half the sugar children consume, currently around 7 sugar cubes a day, comes from unhealthy snacks and sugary drinks, leading to obesity and dental decay. Recent data show 24.2% of 4- to 5-year-olds (Reception Year) are overweight or obese in the West Midlands region, increasing to 37.1% in 10- to 11-year-olds (Year 6).

Dr Lola Abudu, PHE West Midlands Director of Health and Wellbeing, said: “Changing our children’s snacking habits can be a real challenge and we want to make it easier for families to find healthier options. By asking parents to Look for 100 calories snacks, two a day max, we’re helping them to give heathier snacks, while giving them less frequently.”

At the event, families will see live demonstrations of the new Change4Life ‘Food Scanner’ app; which works by scanning the barcode of products and helps bring food labels to life by highlighting the number of calories, as well as how much sugar, saturated fat and salt is in everyday food and drinks. Families will also be shown how to swap to healthier snack options using front of pack ‘traffic light’ labels.

On the day, parents can sign up to Change4Life for additional support and money-off vouchers to help them try healthier snack options, including malt loaf, lower sugar fromage frais, and drinks with no added sugar.

With selected supermarkets signposting parents to healthier snacks and special offers, including fruit and vegetables, Change4Life is making it easy and simple for the whole family to “Look for 100 calorie snacks, 2 a day max.”

An extra 50 volunteers joined City of Wolverhampton Council’s volunteering scheme ‘Snow Wolves’ assisting council officers in clearing snow and ice from pavements during the severe winter weather last month.

Snow Wolves has around 220 dedicated volunteers who lend their community a helping hand during the winter period.

Now in its third year, the council is looking to drum-up more volunteers to join the pack, with the aim to hit the 1,000-mark by the end of the year.

Volunteers will receive a free snow shovel, two 3kg shaker tubs of rock salt and a high visibility vest to undertake the works.

In return, they are asked to make a commitment to use the equipment for the benefit of their community in the event of heavy snow and ice, complementing the council's winter service.

Councillor Steve Evans, Cabinet Member for City Environment, said: "By joining our team of Snow Wolves you will be a true hero for your community when the weather takes a turn for the worst.

"In the event of heavy snow and ice, the council's priority is to grit and clear the highway network to keep the roads safe and moving - ensuring the city doesn't grind to a halt.

"This vital work means that we can't always get out to treat all pavements and driveways as quickly as we would like to - that's where Snow Wolves come in.

“Our team of volunteers braved the snow and ice to clear pavements and doorsteps of elderly, disabled and vulnerable residents last month. They did an amazing job – we just need more people who know their local areas to pitch in and help their neighbours in need.

“If this sounds like you, I strongly encourage you to sign up and join our fantastic team.”

Many Snow Wolves have been praised by their neighbours for their hard work in assuring their streets, pathways and driveways are accessible and safe to use.

Volunteer Ahsan Saeed joined Snow Wolves last winter, he said: “It was great to be able to help my local community. The scheme allowed us to have the amenities to help local elderly people by defrosting and clearing walkways and pathways.

“The road was also rather hazardous with cars skidding a great deal, the shovel helped by allowing us to make a clear way for vehicles to get out of the street safely. Overall, Snow Wolves is a great initiative and effective to help those who need it most.”

Councillor Evans added: “I would like to thank our existing Snow Wolves for all their hard work and dedication especially during the recent heavy snowfall. You have all made a significant difference to your community and for that, you should be proud.”

Snow Wolves packs will be distributed on a first come, first served basis. Applicants should be physically fit and aged over 18.