Gross domestic product figures (GDP) for the second quarter of 2017 are a further sign of the economy showing its resolve, Greater Birmingham business leaders said today.

GDP was estimated to have increased by 0.3 per cent between Q1 and Q2. Growth in Q2 was dominated by the service sector which grew by 0.5 per cent.

There was also relatively strong growth in government spending and investment, although household spending (0.1 per cent) and business investment (unchanged) during the same period were “sluggish”.

Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce chief executive Paul Faulkner (pictured) said: “It was reassuring to see a pick-up in GDP growth levels for Quarter 2 as once again the British economy demonstrated its resoluteness in the face of wider political uncertainty.

“It was also heartening to see an increase in service sector output which made up for the slower level of growth in the manufacturing and construction sectors.

“Nevertheless it remains to be seen how long service sector growth can be sustained given the relative slowdown in consumer spending caused by higher inflation levels and weak wage growth.

“Business Investment was also revealed to be sluggish this quarter, a theme we saw reflected in our Q2 Quarterly Business Report, as local firms reported stagnant investment levels in light of Brexit uncertainty.

“Surveying for our current Quarterly Business Report is now open and it will be interesting to see if these are trends are still prominent in the latest findings.”

Accessing My Account got even easier for one lucky Haringey resident who scooped an Apple iPad 4 in celebration of being the 54,000th person to sign up to the online service. Jennifer Asenso receiving her iPad from Cllr Jospeh Ejiofor

Jennifer Asenso, from Tottenham, clicked her way to success by registering her details online to access a range of council services – from updating council tax details to searching the borough’s extensive libraries catalogue – through My Account. Her registration made her the automatic winner of a competition to celebrate reaching 54,000 registrations.

The milestone represents half of Haringey’s households signing up for My Account, which enables people to securely access their council tax and housing benefit accounts, report environmental issues such as fly-tipping and potholes, search and reserve from the council’s library catalogue and complete online forms for a variety of queries.

Jennifer said: "My Account makes everything easier. I was surprised I was the 54,000th person – I was like, wow!”

Delighted with her prize, Jennifer pledged to use her new iPad to regularly access My Account. Cabinet member for Customer Services, Cllr Joseph Ejiofor said: I was delighted to present Ms Asenso with her prize. This is a significant milestone for the council as we continue our commitment to modernise services and make it easier and quicker for residents to access the services and information they need. With council budgets facing significant reductions, My Account is also a really cost-effective way for residents to access council information, saving local taxpayers money that could be better spent on providing the services that local people rely on.”

John Taylor Hospice has joined forces with local solicitors to offer people a discounted will writing service during September.

And every person who makes a will during the month-long promotion will also know they are helping the hospice care for local families.

From 1-30 September solicitors who are supporting the scheme are offering people the opportunity to make a single will for £60 and a double will for £110, with half the fee being donated to John Taylor Hospice.

“Making a will is the only way to ensure your wishes are followed after you are gone,” said hospice Patient and Family Support Worker Angie Donovan. “Knowing your will is made gives you peace of mind that everything will happen according to your wishes after your death.

“You may not consider yourself to be wealthy but, when you add everything up, you may find that you have more than you realise and it’s important that you are the one deciding who your beneficiaries will be. Writing a will means you can choose the family, friends and charities you’d like to remember in your will.”

Legacies form an important part of John Taylor’s fundraising with more than one quarter of the money donated to John Taylor Hospice this year received from people who have made a gift in their will.

This money is vital in ensuring John Taylor’s teams can be there for people when they are needed most. Founded in 1910, the hospice has been caring for local people for four generations. For the people who leave us a gift in their will, their legacy is helping make every moment matter for generations to come.

Carol Bernard has been receiving support from John Taylor Hospice since early 2016. She said: “I’d do anything to help John Taylor Hospice. I love going there so much, I only miss my time at the day hospice if it’s an emergency! The staff are amazing and they brighten your day if you’re feeling low. I’ve made incredible friends and I really would be lost without the support of the hospice staff, volunteers and fellow patients.”

And Carol, aged 71 of Newtown, Birmingham, added: “I’ve made my will as I didn’t want my son to have to worry about anything. By making a will, nothing is left to chance and it takes pressure away from your loved ones who are safe in the knowledge that your wishes are being fulfilled.”

Solicitors participating in John Taylor’s Wills Month include Baches, Sutton and Co and Robert Shaw and Co - for the full list see the www.johntaylorhospice.org.uk website.

“We’re really grateful for the support of our friends at Sutton and Co, Baches and Robert Shaw and Co again this year,” said hospice Head of Fundraising Katie Mitchell. “By helping people to make a will, we’re offering the peace of mind of knowing that your wishes are followed after your death.

“The money we receive from gifts in wills is so important to John Taylor Hospice and we’re hoping that, if the time is right for them, people will consider leaving a gift in their will to the hospice.”

Cats Protection has outlined a series of steps which can be taken to help keep felines safe throughout the year.

Although cats often enjoy exploring, their curiosity can lead them into trouble. A few simple measures can help keep cats away from danger and enjoying life.

Keep cats inside during hours of darkness. Cats are at increased risk of road injuries and theft after nightfall. Keeping cats indoors overnight and timing meals to coincide with rush hour will help keep cats away from busy roads.

Ensure cats are neutered, vaccinated and microchipped. Making sure cats are neutered provides a host of benefits in addition to preventing unwanted kittens being born. Neutered cats are less likely to roam, lowering the risk of car accidents and less likely to fight and contract serious diseases which are spread by saliva. Microchipping offers a safe and permanent method of identification, while ensuring cats are vaccinated will protect against parasites and diseases.

Encourage cats to stay close to home. If cats are content, they are more likely to stay within their own home and garden. Planting cat-friendly plants such as catnip and lavender, providing logs for scratching and long grass for relaxing or to assist with expelling hairballs can all add to the creation of a cat-friendly space.  Poisonous substances often found in the home or garden, such as antifreeze, disinfectants, insect and pest killers should be kept securely.

Certain plants can be toxic to cats, for example lilies can be lethal if any part of the plant is ingested. If your cat does show any signs of poisoning, you should seek veterinary advice as soon as possible.  A full list of plants that are hazardous to cats can be found on International Cat Care’s website www.icatcare.org

Remain vigilant to possible acts of cruelty. If you suspect somebody is acting suspiciously towards cats in the area, report your concerns to the local police and/or RSPCA, along with any descriptions and car number plates you may have noted. If there is a local Neighbourhood Watch, make them aware and inform your neighbours that there may be suspicious activity taking place.

Mark Beazley, Director of Operations for Cats Protection, says: “We often have reports coming into our branches and centres across the country of cats that have strayed, become injured in fights or been poisoned by seemingly harmless substances around the home. Simply following these guidelines and remaining vigilant can help keep cats safe and enjoying themselves throughout the year.”

Sandwell Council’s taxi licensing team is carrying out spot check operations to make sure vehicles, drivers and passengers are safe.

The latest operation by Sandwell Council’s taxi licensing enforcement team, West Midlands Police, the DVSA and MOT testers stopped 22 vehicles – 18 from Sandwell and four licensed by City of Wolverhampton Council.

Of the Sandwell vehicles stopped, 14 passed the checks with flying colours. Four needed lightbulbs replacing, two were found to have brake pads that would soon need replacing and one vehicle had tyre and lighting issues as well as an insecure battery.

The tyre, bulb and battery issues were fixed during the checks.

One other Sandwell driver was issued with a delayed prohibition to get an excessively worn universal joint fixed – which will need repairing and a fresh MOT for the vehicle.

Of the Wolverhampton vehicles stopped, all four were found to have issues.

One driver was warned that their brake pads were worn and two front tyres were close to the legal limit, another driver was issued with a notice to fix an excessively worn universal joint and an Uber driver was found to have defective lights and seriously underinflated tyres. The bulbs were replaced on site.

Sandwell Council’s cabinet member for public health and protection Councillor Elaine Costigan said: “These operations are really important to make sure vehicles are safe to be on the road. Our taxi licensing team carry out these spot checks every couple of months.

“Many of the issues the vehicles need are easily fixed – such as bulbs -  and are done there and then to get the cars back on the road.

“Our colleagues in Wolverhampton have been informed about the issues raised on their vehicles.”

Back in 2008, Victoria Ganderton was 36 weeks pregnant when she was diagnosed with an aortic dissection. The aorta is one of the body’s major blood vessels and so when doctors diagnosed heavily-pregnant Victoria as having an aortic dissection the doctors had to act quickly. Of all people who have aortic dissections, 50% die before making it to hospital and of those who do make it to hospital, 50% will not recover.

Amazingly, Victoria had been walking around for ten days before she was correctly diagnosed. After the diagnosis she was immediately taken off for an emergency caesarean. Victoria said: “I got to spend ten minutes with my son Jack and husband Leigh before having open heart surgery under the care of the amazing, late Professor Bonser at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham.”

The operation was a success and after a long period of recuperation, Victoria was able to return home to her family. Victoria had follow-up surgery in 2013 and final open heart surgery in 2014. During the course of this operation, Victoria’s kidneys failed, her lungs went into respiratory shock, she contracted pneumonia and her heart began to fail.

Victoria’s life was saved thanks to the ECMO machine at QEHB, one of the few hospitals in the UK to have one, which performs the role of the heart and lungs in order to keep the patient alive. Victoria spent a month in a coma and a total of 56 nights in intensive care. This long period of recuperation was made far easier by the staff at the hospital, Victoria said: “There is nowhere in the world where such care and compassion is shown by all staff, from surgeons to nurses to porters and cleaners. They never failed to greet me with a smile and bring a little light to my days.”

Nearly three years on, Victoria’s husband Leigh is taking on the 100-mile Velo Birmingham cycling challenge, the first closed-road cycling race in the area, this September.

Leigh will be cycling for QEHB Charity alongside England cricketing legend Ashley Giles. Both men have been inspired to take part in Velo Birmingham after the treatment that their wives have received at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham.

Ashley Giles and his wife Stine set up The Giles’ Trust, part of QEHB Charity, after Stine was successfully treated for brain tumours at QEHB on two separate occasions. Stine said: “It is wonderful to see that other people have been motivated to take part in fundraising events after their loved ones have been treated here at QEHB. I wish Leigh all the best for his training and I look forward to seeing him cycling alongside Ashley on the day itself.”

Leigh is busy preparing for the challenge and said: “I’m really looking forward to cycling for QEHB Charity and raising money to support the amazing research and work that goes on at the hospital. The care that they gave Victoria was nothing short of incredible and it’s really nice to give something back.”

Regional law firm FBC Manby Bowdler, which has offices in Wolverhampton, Willenhall, and Shropshire, is the official legal partner of Warwickshire County Cricket Club, where Ashley is Sports Director, and is supporting the cycling event.

Adam Wilson, an Associate in the Serious Injury and Clinical Negligence Team at FBCMB said: “Leigh is a close friend of mine and knowing about his wife’s treatment and the firm’s links with the cricket club, we wanted to sponsor the challenge.

“The treatment that QEHB provides to people in our region and beyond is nothing short of amazing so we’re delighted to support the fundraising effort for the hospital.”

Cathryn Worth, fundraising manager for QEHB Charity said: “Velo Birmingham promises to be a brilliant day and it will be great to know that Leigh and Ashley are there cycling with the other QEHB Charity cyclists. They’ve both got amazing stories to tell and I know that they’re making their wives very proud. Our thanks also go to FBC Manby Bowdler for their support.”