Sandwell Visually Impaired (SVI) officially opened its new offices at West Bromwich Town Hall with a special launch event.

Visually impaired people and their families and friends joined the celebration, which was also attended by local organisations, West Midlands MEP Sion Simon and Councillor Ann Shackleton, Sandwell Council’s cabinet member for social care.

The new offices, off Lodge Road, provide a central location for SVI, helping the voluntary organisation to extend what it does for blind and visually impaired people.

From supporting people to use the gym at Portway Lifestyle Centre and swim at West Bromwich Leisure Centre, to holding a group for over-50s and a young people’s programme, SVI offers a wide range of services and support. SVI also sends out the free weekly Sandwell Talking Newspaper.

SVI chair Tony Averis said: “It was wonderful to officially welcome everyone to our new offices. It was a fun atmosphere, with some great entertainment too. I want to thank everyone who came along, including our speakers Sion Simon and Councillor Shackleton, and Tesco New Square which donated refreshments for the event.

“SVI has plans for the future and we want to do even more. We want to hear from visually impaired people about what services they want, what issues and concerns matter to them and how we can help.”

Councillor Shackleton said: “It was an honour to attend the event and welcome so many independent and positive users of SVI supported by many carers and volunteers, including the well-behaved guide dogs.

“From my tour of the new base I realised that the service would now be able to operate from a well-positioned central venue in the town hall with up-to-date equipment in light, airy accommodation with user-friendly facilities including signs and an entrance keypad in Braille.

“It shows that here in Sandwell we care and continue to ensure that people with a disability receive the support and guidance they need.”

Go to www.sandwellvisuallyimpaired.org.uk to learn more about the services and support SVI can offer to people living with sight loss and their families. Or call the office on 0121 525 4810.

Birmingham Airport has given support to a local primary school to build a sensory playground area.

The Oval Primary School in Yardley was awarded £3,000 by the Birmingham Airport’s trust fund to build the play area in the school grounds. They worked with adventure playground specialists, All Out Play, to plan and build the new interactive facility which opened in June.

Andy Holding, Corporate Responsibility Manager at Birmingham Airport, said: “The trustees decided to award The Oval Primary School with this funding as we could see that the planned learning environment would greatly benefit the local pupils.

“It gives a ‘hands on’ learning approach that will teach environmental awareness and knowledge of nature whilst protecting local wildlife with features such as a wormery, bug area, pergolas and climbing plants.

“This work is very much in line with our Corporate Responsibility Strategy of developing local communities and promoting health and wellbeing in the area.”

In addition to the wildlife sections the play area also includes a musical area with drums, chimes and xylophones, a story telling corner, a bamboo maze and a water play section, amongst many other features.

Julie Gouldbourn, Strategic Business Manager at The Oval Primary School, said: “The outdoor retreat that has been built with the Airport’s support is of huge benefit to the children and the local community.

“The design of the garden with its mixture of interactive zones combines play with learning. It has also made a huge difference to the local community by greatly improving the outlook of the area for future generations.”

The funding awarded to The Oval Primary School, forms part of the Birmingham Airport Community Trust Fund which awards grants of up to £3,000 to community groups in areas most affected by the Airport’s operations. Each year the airport contributes nearly £80,000 to the Community Trust Fund.

Additionally any charges made to airlines which breach night noise regulations, are added to the fund.

Two of Birmingham’s most iconic statues - Boulton, Watt and Murdoch and Iron: Man - will be temporarily removed from their familiar sites, to allow ongoing transformation of the city centre to progress, in the coming weeks.

Preparations to remove Boulton, Watt and Murdoch on Broad Street are expected to begin in late August and Iron: Man is expected to move in early September, as the next phase of regeneration works around Centenary Square and Paradise begins.  Both will return to public view in late 2018.

Birmingham Museums Trust is responsible for both of the public artworks and cares for them on behalf of Birmingham City Council.

The Birmingham Museums’ Collections Care team have overseen the consultation and appointment of Allelys, and conservation specialist Ian Clark Restoration, who will undertake the removal and transportation of these statues.

Experts from Birmingham Museums will be involved throughout the process to ensure the artworks are conserved and stored safely at a secure location.

Rob Lewis, Collections Care Manager at Birmingham Museums Trust, said: “The statues are an important part of the city’s collection and we are pleased to oversee the plans to ensure the two artworks are cared for during this process. We look forward to welcoming them back in the future, so the public can enjoy them once more and learn about Birmingham’s industrial heritage.”

Cllr Ian Ward, Deputy Leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “Both of these statues are important to Birmingham and its citizens, which is why we’re putting them into temporary storage with the support of Birmingham Museums Trust.  This will enable regeneration works in Centenary Square, Broad Street and Paradise – and the city centre’s transformation – to progress. I look forward seeing them back on public display next year."

Boulton, Watt and Murdoch is the work of William Bloye, formerly head of sculpture at Birmingham School of Art, and sculptor Raymond Forbes-Kings. Standing on Broad Street it depicts the three pioneering figures of the industrial revolution discussing engine plans. Made of bronze with a gold finish, the larger-than-life size figures stand on a pedestal of Portland stone.

Iron: Man was created by renowned sculptor Antony Gormley and stands prominently in Victoria Square near Pinfold Street. Cast at Firth Rixon Castings in Willenhall, the statue also has links to the city’s industrial heritage as it represents the traditional skills of the people of Birmingham and the Black Country.

Erected in March 1993, the sculpture, which weighs six tonnes, was a gift to the city from the Trustee Savings Bank. It was originally named Untitled, but became known as Iron Man by residents, and so Gormley requested for its name to be formally changed to its current title.

The temporary move has been supported by the sculptor, Antony Gormley.

He said: "Birmingham, the birthplace of the industrial revolution, is made by the extraordinary number of its citizens who were, and continue to be, skilled engineers, foundrymen and ironworkers. Iron: Man was an attempt to ask a material question: what will the womb/crucible of the industrial revolution produce - what kind of collective or individual body? This question is still open and relevant. I am proud that Iron: Man will return to its place in Victoria Square asking questions about the future."

Collections Care experts from Birmingham Museum Trust, which oversees the care of part of the city’s collection of public art, also advise on suitable cleaning methods that will be undertaken by conservation specialists while the statues are in storage.

Both statues will join other works of public art which are already placed in temporary storage while regeneration works continue in some of the city’s public spaces.

The veteran entertainer who was known for shows such as The Generation Game, The Price is Right and Play Your Cards Right had been unwell for a while.

Starting in showbusiness at only 14, Bruce was said to have died "peacefully at his home surrounded by his wife Wilnelia and all his children" according to a statement from his manager Ian Wilson.

"A couple of weeks ago, a friend visited him and asked him what he had been doing these last 18 months. With a twinkle in his eye, he responded, 'I've been very, very busy... being ill!'" he added.

Sir Bruce's family thanked "the many people who have sent cards and letters to Bruce wishing him well over his long illness", adding there would be no further comment at the moment.

Old office chairs are being transformed into hard-shell backpacks and bicycle panniers as part of an innovative new project.

Thomas Howell-Jones, a Product Design student at Birmingham City University in the UK, has created ‘Rest’, a new product which uses the backrests of discarded office chairs to form the durable, waterproof and impact proof bags.

The sustainable solution converts the back of the chairs into a large bag which can be worn or mounted onto a bicycle.

More than 810,000 office chairs go to waste every year in the UK alone and ‘Rest’ was designed in an attempt to slash the number which need to go to refuse tips.

Thomas came up with the idea after collecting discarded office chairs in a bid to find a sustainable use for them.

After dismantling several chairs he found that the backs could be used as a protective container and after experimenting with various other products he successfully converted chairs of different shapes and sizes into uniform bags and bicycle panniers.

Birmingham City University Product Design student, Thomas Howell-Jones said:

“Realising that a backpack was possible from office chair waste was the turning point for the project. This allowed me to continue detailed investigation and development showing results seen today.

“Materialising the office chair backrest shell allowed ‘Rest’ to be as functional as possible whilst also supplying an impact resistance and waterproof bag. The process from realisation to outcome was very enjoyable and I now look forward to developing the range.”

Thomas now plans to look at other waste materials which can be transformed into everyday use products, such as bicycle inner tubes.

Community projects across Great Britain are being urged to apply for a share of over £4 million of funding raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery. Applications are now open and will close on the 28^th August.

Both charities and community groups are eligible to apply for the grants of between £500 and £20,000.

The funding will be allocated through one of three Trusts, which support different categories of projects:

·         People’s Postcode Trust seeks applications for projects that focus on the prevention of poverty, promotion of human rights, equal rights and conflict resolution for some of society’s most vulnerable groups.

·         Postcode Local Trust supports wildlife, sustainability, play areas and green spaces.

·         Postcode Community Trust focuses on grass-roots sports, arts, recreation and healthy living programmes.

Over 400 projects were awarded with grants in the last funding round. With previously funded projects ranging from sports clubs, to mental health groups, to wildlife conservation charities, this is a fantastic opportunity for groups to access funding to make a difference in the local community.

Clara Govier, Head of Charities at People’s Postcode Lottery, said: “More than £4 million injected into grass roots projects across Great Britain will have a tremendous impact in local communities. Between the three Trusts, a very wide range of causes are supported, so I’d urge groups to have a look at the websites to see where their project fits – no matter how big or small – and get applying.”

As a charity lottery, a minimum of 30% goes directly to charities. Players of People’s Postcode Lottery have raised more than £221.2 million to date for over 3,000 good causes across Great Britain and internationally.