Mount Cinnamon Resort & Beach Club is a relaxed, high-end resort set in tropical gardens around a central clubhouse on Grand Anse Beach in Grenada.

This year marks the fourth year of Green Globe certification for the property. Pursuing sustainable goals has not only been a fulfilling journey for staff, it has resulted in successful achievements that go beyond the resort’s original action plan.

“Green Globe has definitely helped to guide and tailor our efforts, enabling us to formalize our intentions and increase our marketing through a commitment to the global community,” said Jonnel Edwards, Marine Biologist & Environmental Sustainability Consultant at the resort.

The island of Grenada is populated by just under 100,000 people, fostering a close community spirit. As a British-owned property, Mount Cinnamon appreciates the opportunity to make a difference in the small town of Grand Anse. The resort supports local farmers, tradesmen and businesses and is also actively involved in local community projects. In June this year, the Green Team visited the Queen Elizabeth Home for Children delivering food, toiletries, and other much needed items to twenty-five children. In 2018, the resort aims to make community initiatives a top priority with a focus on charity events, beach clean-ups and a strong supporting presence in local schools.

Resource management including the conservation of water is an ongoing challenge for the property and dive shop staff have devised an innovative method to significantly reduce water consumption. Glass juice bottles are recycled, filled with sand and placed in toilet tanks. Over 1,000 gallons of water is saved per year using this simple technique which displaces and decreases the amount of water used per flush.

Environmental planning at the resort is carefully undertaken to ensure natural surroundings are protected. Native fruit trees dot the property providing fresh fruit for guests. The trees also serve as a food source for animals and birds thereby supporting biodiversity. Valuable ecological and gardening knowledge is also gained from the cultivation of these trees.

On Sunday 10 September, Stirchley Baths, a community hub on Bournville Lane, Stirchley, will be showcasing its heritage as an Edwardian swimming baths and public washhouse.

Harvesting the sweet nectar from its resident 350,000 Buckfast bees, a brand new Honey Afternoon Tea and Buzzy Bees Kid's Tea will be available from 4th September at the St. Ermin's Hotel. Every tea purchased throughout the month will come with a Certificate of Adoption, allowing guests to name their very own St. Ermin's bee and learn about the very specific role it plays within it's hive on the third floor Bee Terrace. In its continued efforts to support beekeeping, the hotel will be donating £1 from each sale of the Honey Afternoon Tea to the British Beekeeping Association to support their vital work and the St. Ermin's will once again be offering Urban Beekeeping Taster Workshops, lead by top beekeeper Camilla Goddard of Capital Bee.

Served in the pretty Tea Lounge or out on the sunny Caxton Terrace, the new Honey Afternoon Tea is available at £29pp or £35pp with unlimited prosecco and £15 per child for Buzzy Bees Tea. A delectable selection of savoury bites and indulgent sweet treats, the new seasonal menu not only showcases the hotel's own honey, but uses fresh produce grown on it's flourishing Roof Kitchen Garden – including salad leaves, vegetables, fruits and herbs:

• Sweet treats: 'mini beehive' – orange yoghurt mousse and honey sponge; chocolate espresso cup, honey cheesecake with lemon & sesame praline; burnt honey jelly with lavender panna cotta and a matcha sponge with yuzu & honey crème mousseline and blackberry jelly.
• Finger sandwiches: Honey & mustard chicken with coleslaw, goat's cheese roll with apricot chutney, almond flakes & bee pollen, smoked salmon with crème fraîche & cucumber and glazed pork loin with smoked cheddar, caramelised onion and watercress.
• Honey Cocktails: A selection of four special honey cocktails will also be available at the hotel's Caxton Bar priced at £12 each – served in special bee glasses.

With only a few days to go Birmingham Heritage Week organisers are encouraging local people and visitors to start planning what they will see and do, as the countdown to over 100 events begins.

New events have been added to the line-up, including Flatpack Film Festival’s Birmingham On Film taking a new look at Birmingham’s waterways, with fun sessions and film screenings – with one even aboard a canal boat! Other new events include tours of St Margaret’s Church in Ward End, which dates back to 1516 and is home to a fascinating collection of Heritage monuments, and Beatfreeks will be hosting a series of masterclasses, talks and stalls as part of its Social Exchange event at Mac Birmingham.

Birmingham Heritage Week (7-17 September 2017) will offer something for everyone, whether you want to visit places that are not normally open to the public, take part in a city tour exploring everything from architecture to the city’s musical heritage, enjoy live music in a unique setting or view a classic film in a new context.

Highlights include:

· Seige! at Aston Hall (Saturday 16 Sept) – Be part of the action and experience a live Civil War in a recreation of the siege of Aston Hall that took place in 1643. Sponsored by Weslyan, this event will see visitors become part of the story!

· Positively Birmingham Tour (Sunday 17 Sept) – Follow in the footsteps of the great Birmingham artist, Edward Burne-Jones and see some of the city’s most historic buildings and gain an understanding of the city’s origin.

· Blakesley Hall Ale Festival (Saturday 16 Sept) – Fans of real ale there will be a able to sample a wide variety of ales and ciders in the picturesque and historic setting of Blakesley Hall’s gardens.

· A Walk around Medieval Yardley (Saturday 9 Sept) – Join experts from the Birmingham and Warwickshire Archaeological Society in a stroll around the village of Yardley and discover its hidden medieval history.

· Help Keep Moseley Road Baths Open Day (Saturday 9 Sept) – One of Birmingham’s most important heritage buildings and one of the nation’s most significant swimming pools will be hosting guided tours of this Grade II* listed building.

· My Story, Our Journey: Sikh Migration into Birmingham and the Black Country (7-17 Sept) – This exhibition at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery traces the journey of the Sikhs from rural Punjab, to modern day Britain.

For full listings visit birminghamheritageweek.co.uk

Birmingham is one of the greenest cities in the UK and there will be a number of events exploring Birmingham’s green spaces. 4 Ways to a Greener Birmingham will be leading a number of guided walks around the city’s parks. There will also be open days at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, as well as a number of historic gardens located at properties across the city. There will even be the chance to do an Urban Safari based around the city’s canal system.

Birmingham Heritage Week coincides with this year’s Heritage Open Days celebrations, which run from 7 to 10 September, and is the UK’s biggest festival of history and culture.

Getting married is one of the most life-changing moments people experience, so it stands to reason that people choose to spend it with their nearest and dearest. But many Brits will have noticed a subtle change in the wedding pictures peppering their social feeds of late: alongside the bonny brides and gorgeous grooms are esteemed guests of a furrier variety. In fact, new research conducted this wedding season by national pet charity Blue Cross has today revealed that as many as one in 10 Brits have given pets a central role in their wedding ceremony.

When asked why, over a quarter (26%) said they did so because it helps them remain calm and overcome anxiety on the big day. Brits also said they involved their pets because they are such an important part of the family (20%) and some said they had to come along simply because they are so cute (12%).

Although we might have become accustomed to the sight of animals making a cameo at wedding ceremonies, the study actually shows that pets are taking on a much more expanded role. In fact when asked what important role their pets would be playing on the big day, a massive 92% of those in favour of pets’ involvement said they wanted to walk down the aisle with their pet as maid of honour. Over half wanted their pets to have a starring role in wedding photos and video (56%) and, although their dinner speeches may leave a lot to be desired, they’re clearly doing something right as a close third came best man (54%).

Ryan Neile, Senior Animal Behaviourist from Blue Cross commented on the results: “Whether they are, companions, our best friends, or our comforters, pets play a huge role in our lives and it isn’t surprising to see how many Brits want to involve them in such an important moment. Even without weather worries, dress disasters, late caterers or missing rings to worry about, your wedding day can be an incredibly nerve-wracking experience and having your pet by your side might just help settle some of those jitters, as long as you take steps to ensure that your pet is comfortable too.”

“At Blue Cross we recognise that every pet we receive, rescue, rehabilitate and rehome is a pet that can enrich its new family’s life in return. Pets are just as much as part of the family as mums, dads and siblings and this is why Brits love them to be involved in important events like this.”

When Katia and her husband John got married on Valentine’s Day two years ago, their beautiful English springer spaniel cross Bingo, who was rehomed from a Blue Cross centre, played a special role on the big day when he ‘gave the bride away’ at the altar. Katia said: “Bingo has become such an important part of our lives that there was never any doubt he would have to come to our wedding. He helped to make our big day even more special and he looked very handsome in his bow-tie! We’re so happy to have Bingo in our lives that we asked our guests to make a donation to Blue Cross instead of giving us gifts – it was lovely to be able to say thank you to them for helping us find Bingo and to make a difference for more pets like him.”