The Belgrade Theatre is hoping to spread the festive cheer even further this Christmas by giving away over 600 tickets for its pantomime Cinderella to local families in need as part of its Making Memories campaign.

Building on the success of last year’s campaign, the Theatre will once again partner with Coventry Foodbank to offer families from across Coventry and Warwickshire quality time together and the opportunity for every child to experience the magic of theatre this winter. Families such as Laila’s:

Laila lives in Coventry with her mum and four older brothers and one younger sister. The family have recently returned to the city, after escaping domestic violence, and are living in a two-bedroom flat until a more permanent home can be found. Laila is a bright and friendly little girl, but has found it difficult to cope with her step-father’s suicide last year.  Laila is just 6 years of age and has never been to a pantomime.

(Laila’s name has been changed to protect her identity, but her story is real.)

The Theatre is already a quarter of the way towards reaching its target of raising £7,200 to give 120 families the opportunity to see the Belgrade pantomime and create unforgettable memories, thanks to many generous donations.

After an exceptionally successful campaign last year, the Theatre is setting itself the challenge of raising even more money and needs your help to give as many families as possible an unforgettable experience.

Helen Hotchkiss, Head of Development at the Belgrade Theatre said, “We are committed to making the theatre an accessible and welcoming place to all. For many families facing significantly challenging situations, such as financial hardship, illness or isolation, a trip to the theatre is a luxury they simply cannot afford – some may have never been to a theatre before. Making Memories provides them with a brief escape from the challenges of day-to-day life and the opportunity to spend quality time together as a family. A donation of £15 will help one child and £60 will help one family, so please give what you can. Thank you.”

Iain Lauchlan, who writes, directs and stars in the Belgrade pantomime said, “We want to make sure that everyone across Coventry and Warwickshire is invited to the Royal Ball this Christmas! This year’s show is set to be more magical than ever, with spectacular sets, costumes, colourful characters and plenty of laughter. There’s also double trouble, with not one, but two dastardly dames as the Ugly Sisters! With your generous support, we aim to give a touch of magic and make-believe to as many families as possible during the festive season.”

As a registered charity, all the money given, raised or earned by the Belgrade is reinvested into its work in the community and to produce outstanding productions. Last year, the Belgrade Community & Education Company was able to offer over 11,000 participation opportunities for children, young peo ple and over 50s.

According to Arts Council England, studies show that engagement with arts and culture is associated with a higher level of wellbeing and there is growing evidence to support the benefits it can have on specific health conditions. Participation in the arts can also contribute to community cohesion, reduce social exclusion and isolation, and make communities feel safer and stronger.

Cinderella is the wonderful rags-to-riches tale guaranteed to delight all the family and make a trip to the Belgrade a truly unmissable Christmas treat. Join her quest to win the heart of the dashing Prince Charming, with a little help from her best friend Buttons and the enchanting Fairy Godmother. But with her evil Ugly Sisters determined to ruin her chances and the clock about to strike midnight, will Cinders manage to win the Prince’s love before the spell runs out?

Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice is remembering loved ones lost this Christmas with a touching, alternative light switch on.

For the first time ever, the local Hospice will be hosting its seasonal ‘Light up a Life’ ceremony at Brindleyplace – creating an evening of music, celebration and remembrance.

Taking place on Thursday 30 November from 6pm, Light up a Life will see the charity switch on Christmas tree lights in Oozells Square, with the lights symbolising the lives of those no longer with us.

Alongside the switch on, there will be live musical performances from The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, Town Hall Gospel Choir and The Uptone Girls – a student choir from the University of Birmingham that recently competed in BBC One’s ‘Pitch Battle’.

Before the event, there will also be an opportunity to honour loved ones in the Hospice’s ‘Book of Remembrance’, which will be displayed at the Brindleyplace ceremony.

Birmingham St Mary’s is an independent hospice which provides vital care to individuals and families living with terminal illness. Its Light up a Life event is an opportunity to bring local people together to celebrate their loved ones, whether or not they were supported by the Hospice.

Tina Swani, chief executive at Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice, said: “Christmas is a time to be with family and friends, and to remember those loved ones who are sadly no longer with us. The festive season can be a difficult time for anyone who has experienced loss and so our Light up a Life event is an opportunity to come together to remember and honour the life of someone special.

“We are very grateful to Brindleyplace for allowing us to host Light up a Life in Oozells Square this year. By being in the heart of Birmingham’s city centre, we hope that many more people will be inspired to join in with this special event.”

Light up a Life is part of the Hospice’s ‘Care at Christmas’ campaign – a festive appeal that aims to increase support for the charity leading up to and over the Christmas period. It costs £22,000 to run the Hospice on Christmas Day and so all donations will make a big difference to the local families the Hospice supports over the festive season.

In addition to the Light up a Life evening at Brindleyplace, the Hospice will also be hosting two more remembrance events at its home in Selly Park. They will both take place on Thursday 14 December, with an afternoon event at 4.30pm and an evening one at 7pm.

A unique 50th Anniversary celebration of Pink Floyd's legendary performance at the now sadly burnt down Ritz Ballroom next to the Hare and Hounds in King's Heath will be held on Sunday 3 December.

Still fronted at that time by the charismatic but increasingly erratic Syd Barrett, Pink Floyd's appearance in December 1967 was one of their first in the Midlands and came shortly after the release of their second single See Emily Play and their first album The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn. On the same bill that night were The Rare Breed including Ozzy Osbourne and Geezer Butler who would later find fame and fortune as members of Black Sabbath.

Joining Syd Barrett on the tiny Ritz Ballroom stage 50 years ago as part of Pink Floyd were Roger Waters, Rick Wright and drummer Nick Knight who was born in Edgbaston, Birmingham. Two years afterwards the group would return to Birmingham to record the live album Ummagumma at Mothers Club in Erdington.

50 years later they have become one of the most bestselling and influential groups of all time and were earlier this year the subject of a major retrospective exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

From 3 pm to 6 pm a great selection of local musicians including Peters & Dog whose recent single was about Syd Barrett will perform their favourite Pink Floyd songs at Fletchers Bar on York Road

There is just over a week to go until the stunning new Christmas Light Trail is unveiled at Dunham Massey.

On Friday 1 December over 100,000 lights will officially be switched on for the first time to illuminate the brand new magical family experience, transforming the outdoor space into a glowing winter wonderland.

The Georgian Stately Home and its ancient deer park will be awash with colour as visitors explore over 22 individual scenes along an hour-long trail with interactive elements and immersive experiences.

From a Meadow of Light featuring a sea of fibre optics and a Fire Garden aglow with hundreds of flaming installations, to a giant mistletoe sculpture, visitors will be awed by the sheer scale of illuminations.

The lawn will be adorned with oversized baubles and Dunham Massey's renowned copses, will be dressed with vibrantly coloured lights as well as dramatic wintery whites to emphasise the beauty of the silver birches.

The great lake will feature floating light installations and reflections from the architectural lights will transform the House's exterior.

As well as illuminations, the landscape will be filled with seasonal sounds including Singing Trees and festive musical performances as well as delicious food and drink to keep spirits high.

The trail has been specially designed for visitors of all ages to enjoy.

Beloved local drinking spot, The Bailey Head in Oswestry has won the DogBuddy Dog-friendly Pub Award for the West Midlands.

Leading online dog-sitting platform, DogBuddy.com, has today announced the 12 regional winners of its nationwide Dog-friendly Pub Awards, as voted for by pub-going dog owners across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.

Now in their second year, the awards recognise the deserving pubs across the UK that truly embrace ‘paw power’ and welcome not just two, but four legged customers too.

Encouraging hound-lovers and pup parents up and down the UK to show some well-deserved appreciation of existing dog-friendly establishments, the Dog-friendly Pub Awards also promote dog-friendly values across all pubs nationwide, inspiring UK dog owners to discover and visit their local pubs.

The Bailey Head is well-loved within the Oswestry community, with its friendly staff and most importantly, little touches that make the pub the perfect pit-stop for a pint after a dog-walk!

Duncan Borrowman, The Bailey Head’s landlord, is delighted with the results; “We are absolutely delighted for our doggy customers that we’ve won this award! Being dog-friendly is part of our whole ethos of creating a friendly atmosphere for everyone. It’s great because it means we can get more doggy visitors paying us a visit for a drink and a snack”.

John Taylor Hospice in Birmingham is asking local communities to get behind its festive appeal to raise £15,000 – enough to fund running costs at the hospice on Christmas Day.

The hospice has been at the heart of communities for over 100 years, caring for generations of families. Today more than 600 people living with a terminal illness and their loved ones will receive the care they need from John Taylor teams.

Showing his support for the Gift a Christmas campaign is Peter Knight from Birmingham. For Peter, having John Taylor’s Hospice at Home Team on hand made all the difference when he was caring for his wife Ann.

Ann was diagnosed with breast cancer in the summer of 2012. Despite intensive rounds of chemotherapy the cancer spread and in September 2013 the family was told her condition was palliative. The couple were heartbroken but determined to be together, with Ann remaining in their Tile Cross home through the duration of her life.

“Everybody loved Ann,” says Peter. “She was kind and considerate and never spoke a bad word about anybody. She was very gentle but also very strong.”

That strength was what made Ann determined to make the best of her last few months. “I was doing everything for her but by this time I realised I needed help,” says 66-year-old Peter. “So the district nurses referred Ann to John Taylor Hospice.

“They came every day and did whatever she wanted them to do. They might give her a bed bath or a flannel, they might wash her hair. Sometimes they might just sit and talk to her. It was whatever she was up for that day. And when I say every day I mean every day – even Christmas Day. The Hospice at Home Team did so much for Ann and she really looked forward to them coming to visit. They became friends.”

With the support of the district nurses and the Hospice at Home team, Ann’s wish to die peacefully at home was fulfilled in February 2014. Peter, a retired company director, was so keen to support other families that he is now a volunteer photographer with the hospice and supports staff at events such as Light up a Life.

“I don’t know how we would have managed without them and now I feel I need to pass on to others the help that we had,” adds Peter. "I would encourage people to show their support for the Gift a Christmas campaign as I know just how compassionate and caring the hospice staff are and what a difference they make for the families they care for."

The hospice is now inviting everyone, not just those touched by hospice care, to join the Gift a Christmas campaign and help make a huge difference for local families.

“Every moment matters here at John Taylor Hospice and our patients are at the heart of everything we do,” explains Darren Dudley, Community Fundraising Manager at the hospice.

"We do everything we can to make sure the festive season is an extra special time packed full of fun, entertainment and laughter. If patients are unable to spend Christmas at home then we bring it here to the hospice and help families to create precious memories they can cherish. Patients and their loved ones are welcomed as if they are part of our family and our home is their home.

“Our services are free to those who need them but it costs £15,000 every day to provide this care. We’d be really grateful for your support as together we can help ensure we’re there for families when they need us most – now and in the future.”