World-renowned cellist Jian Wang has taken up a new role at Birmingham Conservatoire as International Chair in Cello.

Born in Xi’an, China, and today splitting his time between Shanghai and London, Jian Wang has an international career that has seen him perform with many of the world's leading orchestras.

On taking up his new position as International Chair of Cello at Birmingham Conservatoire, Jian Wang said:

“Birmingham Conservatoire is one of the leading institutions in the world for learning music and it attracts many talented students and wonderful teachers.

“The UK is one of the most vibrant centres for music and I am very excited and looking forward to working with the cello students at Birmingham Conservatoire, and to collaborating with and learning from my colleagues.”

The appointment will see Jian visit Birmingham Conservatoire on a regular basis, where he will lead a class of both undergraduate and postgraduate students, as they seek to lead the next generation of great cellists.

Professor Julian Lloyd Webber, Principal, Birmingham Conservatoire, noted:

“I am delighted to welcome Jian Wang to Birmingham Conservatoire as our International Chair in Cello. Jian Wang is one of the finest solo cellists in the world today and he will be a great inspiration to all our students.

“Jian’s appointment is another step on our journey as we head towards opening the first purpose-built conservatoire in a generation in September!”

Part of Birmingham City University, the new Birmingham Conservatoire will be a unique contemporary building, incorporating five public performance spaces including a new 500 seat concert hall for orchestral training and performance, private rehearsal and practice rooms, and teaching spaces for musicians from a variety of disciplines.

Furthermore, as the first purpose built conservatoire in the UK since 1987, it will be the only one of its kind in the country designed for the demands of the digital age.

Following the news of Jian Wang’s appointment, Dr Louise Lansdown, Head of Strings, Birmingham Conservatoire, commented:

”We are thrilled to welcome the iconic cellist Jian Wang to our staff and cannot wait for him to begin work with our cellists just in time for our new Conservatoire opening later this year!”

With an array of activities on offer for all guests, Lane Head is a Lake District home like no other. A fantastic & unique base to come together and enjoy outdoor education courses, activities, celebrations and much more. Perfect for corporate and independent groups, friends and families alike (stag and hen groups are more than welcome). In essence a large and versatile space in an amazing setting.

Standing in an elevated position overlooking Coniston Water, the village and the dramatic fells beyond, Lane Head, is superbly situated for those who wish to explore the delights of the UK's #1 holiday destination. Lovingly refurbished, Lane Head offers its guests simple, spacious, comfortable & practical accommodation, adequately sleeping up to 35 within eight roomy en suite bedrooms.

Historically this impressive home was once owned by William Collingwood, secretary to John Ruskin and a renowned artist in his own right. Furthermore it is believed that Arthur Ransome, a close friend of Collingwood and author of the world famous Swallows & Amazons, spent much time at Lane Head and taught Collingwood's grandchildren to sail on the lake.

Eighty per cent of drivers really do enjoy driving and at least half of all drivers will drive to their holiday destination this summer, according to an AA Populus poll of 21,850 members.

But the renewed love affair with the car is not about what is under the bonnet but more about what goes on inside the car.

The comedy, the singing, the quiet contemplation. The games, the rows, the entertainment, gossip and the quiet confessions in this private space. In a world constantly on display, with every thought and emotion analysed on a smart phone, and social media intruding even into one third of children’s meal times, the car has become the last great social space.

Due to social interactions in the car, almost one half (49%) admit they have a strong emotional attachment to their car. The car is not about mundane journeys as three quarters (76%) like exploring new places by car. It is as much about the journey as the destination.

The AA/Populus research also found:

• Half (47%) of families taking their car into mainland Europe this summer consider the ferry to be ‘a part of the holiday’ rather than just a means of reaching their destination
• 58% drive when on holiday
• 50% drive to the holiday
• 45% take a holiday in the UK that involves driving there.

New research from the AA shows that over a third of us feel being in a car allows for quality bonding time, with nearly 41% saying some of their fondest memories are of family road trips. Important conversations are somehow made easier on car journeys, with more than 1 in 5 admitting to making up after arguments in cars.

Many life changing moments have happened in a car. Indeed, 1 in 20 Brits have proposed or been proposed to in a car, 14% have shared their first kiss in a car, and 2% of the nation have even given birth.

Cheryl Calverley, head of group marketing at the AA, said: “As drivers enjoy their time in the car we want their journeys to flow smoothly so that they never miss a beat.

“Our job, if we are needed, is to keep our Members on the road with first in class repair rates, our breakdown app and even our new Car Genie device that can predict and prevent up to one third of breakdowns.” ***

To illustrate how the AA helps members ‘never miss a beat’ a new ad by the multi-award winning agency of the year, adam&eveDDB, features a strong soundtrack by Tina Turner and a quite incredibly clever singing baby, and maybe, just maybe a small amount of post-production magic from the Mill (of John Lewis fame).

Calverley added: “We are sure our new ad will inspire the nation to look at their journeys a bit differently. They can stop worrying about traffic jams, petrol prices and potholes, and start to really enjoy those precious, precious moments.”

We are coming to that time of the year again to dust off our toolboxes and get spring cleaning. A new report from Satsuma titled ‘Room for Improvement’ suggests that quite a few Brits will be putting their DIY skills to the test.

The survey quizzed 1,850 Brits about their knowledge of DIY and the financial implications of getting DIY wrong.

With the average DIY disaster costing £63 it raises the question of where budding DIY wannabes learn their skills, if they do at all!

Is DIY a dying trait?

With 28% of the UK admitting to not owning a toolbox, it would appear that the modern home would rather pay a professional than get their hands dirty. However, when asked where respondents learnt their DIY knowledge, a surprising 76% said YouTube or Google.

25% of the UK admit to guessing when it comes to DIY tasks with less than half (42%) saying it was a knowledge passed on from their family.

DIY disaster’s costs

With the above knowledge on DIY, it’s no wonder that it can sometimes go wrong.

Brits have been found to have an average of 4 DIY failures per year at an average cost of £63 per task. This means that the average house in the UK can expect to spend £239 per year in fixing their home improvement attempts!

Regions that know how to DIY

When asked if respondents knew how to do the following DIY tasks, it was clear that not all regions of the UK were as DIY savvy!

% of population who know how to fix the following:

Full data and information can be seen here

A Birmingham care provider has revealed its plans for an £8 million dementia-friendly nursing home for the elderly in Erdington, which will provide up to 80 new jobs in the area.

MACC Care has submitted a planning application to Birmingham City Council to develop an 80-bed care home on the site of the Hare and Hounds public house in Marsh Hill.

The provider, which already runs five high-quality care facilities for the elderly across the city, said the much-needed home would be the only purpose-built residential home for the elderly and vulnerable within a two-mile radius.

Dr Naz Nathani, director of MACC Care and MACC Living, said as well as residential care, it will offer rehabilitation care, which will help to relieve pressure on hospitals by reducing bed-blocking. This, in turn, will enable recuperating elderly patients to get better quicker so they can return home.

“We are a small, local company that specialises in providing superior, evidence-based care and dementia-friendly accommodation that caters for the elderly and vulnerable and our research has identified the need for a purpose-built facility in Erdington,” he said.

“We want to work closely with the council, councillors and the local community to assure them about our proposals and to listen to them about their needs. We pride ourselves on our values, which are consistent with maximising the quality of care for elderly, vulnerable people from all sections of society – not just the privileged.”

As part of its plans for the new Erdington care home, MACC Care will incorporate a hub that will include a gym specifically designed for the elderly; a library/quiet area with a cafe; a hair salon; cinema; and chapel-prayer area – all of which will be open to local residents over the age of 65.

“We are acutely aware that local residents want to have replacement facilities open to them, following the closure of the public house, and we have proposed a number of options that we would be happy to discuss with community leaders,” said Dr Nathani.

“These will enrich the lives of the local elderly people and enable them to socialise, meet or make friends in safe, modern surroundings, and somewhere that will have a significant positive impact on their wellbeing.

“Our investment in Erdington is not just in providing exceptional care for local elderly people, it will also bring about jobs and training positions. We are committed to making this a community facility and look forward to engaging with local people and councillors about our plans.”

As well as the immediate employment opportunities that the new MACC Care home will provide, the organisation will also be in a position to offer health care worker training and nursing training by linking up with nursing schools to provide nurse assistant placements and training. A training/seminar room within the facility will also provide regular professional development seminar and assessments for the staff and trainees.

MACC Living, the organisation’s development arm, would also deliver excellent apprenticeships for up to six local people during the construction period.

MACC Care, which acquired the former public house site in April – eight months after the premises was put on the open market – runs two other care facilities in Erdington: Abbey Rose in Orchard Road, and Priestley Rose in Bromford Lane – both of which were rated good by the CQC when inspections were carried out earlier this year.

It aims to create a facility similar to its Austin Rose care home, in West Heath, which will open in August.

A Kings Heath volunteer has been praised for more than a decade of dedication to a children’s charity.

Yvonne Yates was a store associate at the Barnardo’s store in Kings Heath for ten years, until her retirement in 2007.

But she enjoyed her work so much that she returned as a volunteer for a further ten years.

Now she is sharing her story in advance of national Volunteers’ Week which runs from June 1-7, after being presented with a certificate of appreciation, a badge, a celebratory cake and flowers on Tuesday afternoon.

Barnardo’s manager Julie Collins said: “Yvonne is very committed to the charity and to the Kings Heath team of staff and volunteers.

“It’s so heartwarming that she believes so passionately in our work that she continues to support us even after retiring from the store.

“She’s always smiling and always happy, and such a help to the rest of us.”

Yvonne, aged 70, was a teacher for 29 years, working at Billesley and Alston primary schools.

She said: “After retirement I wanted to volunteer to help others. I went into Kings Heath and walked up and down the street looking at the charity shops.

“I was really impressed by the amazing window display at Barnardo’s, and I liked the idea of continuing to support children, so I went inside and applied to join.”

Yvonne was soon promoted to the role of sales assistant and spent the next years in a paid role with the charity.

When she retired from Barnardo’s she wanted to return to volunteering again, and decide to stay at the Kings Heath store.

She said: “I wouldn’t have dreamed of going anywhere else. Obviously I don’t get paid anymore but I enjoy not having the responsibility of helping to manage the shop.

“There’s a lovely atmosphere, we’ve got lots of really nice customers, and we all get along so very well.

“Every day is different. You never know what you’re going to find among the donations – I remember one of the volunteers opened a cardboard box and found a glass eye staring back at her!

“It’s great fun, and it’s good to know that we’re all working together to raise money for such a worthy cause.”

The Barnardo’s store is open Monday-Saturday from 9am-5pm and on Sunday from 10am-4pm.

The team always welcome donations of good-quality clothes, books, toys, games, homeware and accessories, as well as offers of help from potential volunteers.