The Bank of England in partnership with Windsor Fellowship is recruiting for the African/African-Caribbean Scholarship Programme. The Programme is for students from a Black or Mixed African/ Caribbean background who are currently living or studying in Greater London, Manchester, Birmingham and surrounding areas and planning to start a full-time undergraduate degree in autumn 2018.

The African/African-Caribbean Scholarship Programme will offer successful applicants: · Up to £30,000 to be used to support living costs during an undergraduate degree · Paid Internships at the Bank of England in the summer holidays between 1st and 2nd years and 2nd and 3rd years · Mentoring, Coaching and Support from a member of the Bank of England team.

Eligibility and Application Criteria

· The Programme is open to students who have no restrictions and are eligible to work and study in the UK · Expected to secure at least 104, (Pre 2017, 260 UCAS points) UCAS points and have 5 A*-C GCSEs (or equivalent) including Mathematics and English · Have a household income below £50,000 · Have no restrictions on living/working in the UK

To find out more about the Bank of England and their Early Careers Programmes visit www.Bankofenglandearlycareers.co.uk/our-programmes

Further information about the Programme is available on the Windsor Fellowship website www.windsor-fellowship.org together with the link to the on-line application form.

The deadline for receipt of applications is midday GMT on the 22nd January 2018.

One in ten UK adults said they were considering buying or giving a home to a dog or cat before the end of the year, according to new research from Sainsbury’s Bank Pet Insurance, with an even split between those intending to get a cat or  a dog.

Throughout the festive season 5% of UK adults said they were considering buying a puppy or a kitten while 3% planned to give a home to a rescue dog or cat.

Sainsbury’s Bank says those who have a new puppy or kitten should get their pet insured from a young age as they can be particularly vulnerable to parasites and prone to accidents as they explore their new home.

Analysis of Sainsbury’s Bank’s claims data shows that from 2013 to 2017 there were 24% more claims for pets aged under two than those aged between two and three.

Further analysis of the claims data shows that the ailments that younger pets (aged 0-1) suffer more frequently than older pets (aged 2-3) are: leg/hip/shoulder disorders (56% more common), skin disorders (41% more common) and accidents and injuries (38% more common).

Birmingham’s John Taylor Hospice is aiming to reach more local families as it launches The Way Ahead, its new Three Year Strategic Plan.

The hospice, which has been at the heart of the city for more than 100 years, will achieve its aim by extending the hours of its Hospice at Home service which cares for people at end of life in their own homes, updating its day service and introducing new clinics.

An expert in providing care to people with a range of conditions including motor neurone disease and multiple sclerosis, John Taylor will also expand its non-cancer provision, ensuring more people with terminal illnesses can receive help when, how and where they need it.

Hospice CEO Penny Venables said: “We are really proud of our three year strategy which will help us achieve our mission of a compassionate and dignified death for all.

“We know that John Taylor Hospice can make all the difference as people approach end of life and we are determined to ensure that care is available for more and more people in the future.”

The strategy document, which is available to view or download on the hospice website,also sets out the hospice’s plans to increase income by opening shops and supporting fundraisers in organising events.

“Like most hospices, we receive funding from the NHS but we also need the financial support of people and businesses to ensure we can provide the care we know local families need,” said Penny.

And John Taylor, which was a pathfinder for the national Hospice UK Open Up Hospice Care campaign last year, is also committed to changing society’s perceptions around death and dying.

“The more society talks about death and dying, the more people will demand specialist care which meets their needs,” added Penny. “As a hospice, we have an essential part to play locally and nationally in ensuring end of life care remains a critical part of healthcare funding. We’re also building partnerships with other health providers including hospices to meet local need.”

John Taylor Hospice was founded in 1910 and became part of the NHS in 1948, becoming independent in 2011. It provides care for local families at its hospice in Erdington and in the local community.

Services include its In-Patient Unit, Living Well Centre which provides day services, Well-Being Service and Community Teams including Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Pharmacists and Patient and Family Support Worker.

Penny added: “Our mission is to provide specialist care for people living with a terminal illness and their families and we need to respond to an every changing health environment. The Way Ahead - Our Three Year Strategic Plan provides us with the tools to do that. It is an exciting time for us and we look forward to the changes we will be making to bring our specialist care to more local families.”

West Midlands Ambulance Service’s Deputy Chief Executive, Diane Scott, has been named in this year’s New Year’s Honours List as one of only two England- based recipients of the Queen’s Ambulance Service Medal (QAM).

The QAM ensures that the dedication of ambulance staff has the same level of Royal recognition as other members of the emergency services.

Diane is an Executive Director of the Trust Board and is responsible for the Corporate and Clinical Directorates. She is also a Health and Care Professions Council registered paramedic.

Speaking about her award, Diane, who’s career spans more than 30 years having started with Hampshire Ambulance Service in 1985, said: “I am immensely proud and honoured to receive this award. It is a great privilege and the QAM represents the pinnacle of my ambulance career.

“I have been proud to work for, and with, many good people at all levels throughout the ambulance service and the NHS, including many skilled and compassionate colleagues who provide excellent care on a daily basis to patients and the public.

“Whilst I have been fortunate to receive the award, it would not have happened without the hard work and support of my colleagues from within the ambulance service to whom I am extremely grateful.”

A University of Wolverhampton art graduate was short listed in this year’s Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year competition.

Lindsay Pritchard, 46, from Wolverhampton graduated with an Honours and Master’s Degree in Illustration in the Visual Communications department of the Wolverhampton School of Art.

Having worked in the financial sector for 20 years, she left banking in 2007 to pursue her interest in art and now works in the creative industries running workshops, exhibiting her work and taking commissions.

Lindsay entered the national competition and recently appeared as one of eight shortlisted artists on Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year 2017 filmed at Knaresborough Castle in Yorkshire.

She said:  “My work is mainly focused on the urban environment with a particular interest in dereliction and decay so I spend quite a lot of my time in derelict factories and junk yards.

“It was an amazing adventure being short listed for such a prestigious competition.  All the artists had to set up and complete a landscape painting in one day whilst being filmed so the pressure was really on.  Then we had to wait for our work to be judged. Whilst I didn’t make it through to the next stage of the competition, the experience was incredible.

“Studying Illustration at the University really opened up a whole new world for me and helped me to harness my true potential as an artist.”

Lindsay is an active member of the Black Country Urban Sketchers whose aim is to encourage people to sketch in their local environment. She is also a member of the Wolverhampton Society of Artists exhibiting in their exhibitions and attending their regular meets.

Penn Library will be temporarily unavailable to customers from next month to enable improvement work to take place.

The £60,000-plus investment will see the library redecorated and its back-office space reconfigured to create a new community lounge and meeting room. The layout of the library will also be reviewed to make better use of the space.

Due to the extensive nature of the work, it will be necessary to temporarily close the library from 4pm on Saturday 6 January until 9am on Tuesday 6 March 2018. The car park will also be closed during this time.

Customers are reminded that, during the closure, they can continue to use any other library in the City – the nearest are Warstones Library on Pinfold Grove, Blakenhall Library at the Bob Jones Community Hub on Bromley Street and the main Central Library on Snow Hill – and can renew any items they have borrowed by visiting www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/libraries or calling the 24-hour renewals line, 01902 552500.

Customers are also invited to sign up to the new BorrowBox service and choose from a selection of hundreds of eBooks and eAudiobooks to download to their mobile device for free – for more information, please visit www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/libraries.

Councillor John Reynolds, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for City Economy, said: "While in other parts of the country libraries are closing, here in the City of Wolverhampton we are continuing to invest in these important community assets.

“We are always seeking ways to improve our libraries and make them modern, vibrant and sustainable, and are carrying out this work at Penn Library as part of our 10-year transformation strategy for Wolverhampton’s libraries.

“The work will make Penn Library more community-orientated and increase the number of people who are able to make use of this vital facility. We will also be taking the opportunity to replace old shelving and review the layout of the library so that we can maximise the use of space.

“I would like to thank customers for bearing with us while this essential work is completed."