Residents across the West Midlands wanting to get healthier this summer now have extra support to achieve their goals thanks to a new, free online tool.

The ‘Let’s Do This Eight Week Challenge’ has been developed by the National Charity Partnership, a partnership between Diabetes UK, the British Heart Foundation (BHF) and Tesco, and allows users to set and track their health-related goals over an eight week period.

Goals focus on everyday changes - such as consuming healthier drinks and eating smaller portion sizes - and becoming more physically active. The online eight week challenge, which can be accessed from any computer, tablet or mobile phone, also contains a bank of healthy recipes endorsed by Diabetes UK and the BHF, achievable fitness tips and health-related inspiration to keep people motivated.

Alex Davis, Head of Prevention for the National Charity Partnership, said: “The idea behind our eight week challenge is to support people to make small, positive changes to their lifestyle which will ultimately help to make a big difference to their long-term health.

“The Let’s Do This Eight Week Challenge is designed to help get people started on their personal journey towards developing lifelong healthier behaviours such as eating more fruit and vegetables and getting more active.  We’re encouraging people in the West Midlands to use our online tool, make a lifestyle change for eight weeks and discover the benefits these changes can make.”

Lindsey Crompton, Head of Community at Tesco, said: “At Tesco we’re committed to helping our customers, colleagues and communities live healthier lives and the new Let’s Do This Eight Week Challenge is a great way to support people to make small, positive changes to their daily lifestyle”

The aim of the Let’s Do This Eight Week Challenge is to get people moving more and eating healthily by kick-starting small healthier habits. Being active and eating a healthy diet are both known to reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes and heart and circulatory disease – serious conditions that are largely preventable.

Tottenham will play a starring role in this year’s Chelsea Fringe, the alternative garden festival which runs until 4 June.

Running at the same time as the Chelsea Flower show, the Chelsea Fringe includes a host of horticultural events around London celebrating the excitement of gardens and gardening.  This year’s festival includes  ‘Discover Green Tottenham, Yes Tottenham!’, a free walking tour of some of Tottenham’s treasured gardens, parks and allotments with a chance to enjoy some tasty locally grown treats along the way.

Although not traditionally recognised for its green credentials, Tottenham is actually home to Lee Valley Park, London’s largest green and open space, as well as a number of award winning parks and open spaces. The tour will include visits to an urban tropical garden and a thriving community allotment, a stop-off at the Tottenham Green Market, as well as a tour of the award winning Lee Valley Estates urban garden  in Hale Village.

The tour starts at Seven Sisters Tube station (exit 1) at 11am on Sunday 28 May

International Day for Biological Diversity was celebrated at Virtual University of Pakistan on May 22, 2017 for creating awareness among masses especially students on importance of biodiversity and its threats.

World Biological Diversity Day is celebrated all over the world to highlight the significance of Biodiversity conservation and importance of biodiversity in ecosystem. It provides an opportunity for all to join hands and talk about the existing and emerging problems caused by biodiversity loss and prospects of biodiversity conservation. VU Environmental Protection Society in collaboration with WWF-Pakistan organized a seminar on World Biological Diversity Day at Lawrence Road Office Lahore.

Dr. Masroor Elahi Babar, Dean Faculty of Science and Technology was the chief guest, whereas senior WWF official, Ms. Warda Javed and Dr. Fahad Rafiq were the guest speaker. Ms. Warda Javed briefed the participants about the required cooperation to halt and reverse the accelerating loss of biological and genetic resources of the planet earth. Dr. Fahad Rafiq highlighted the role of biodiversity and sustainable tourism in Pakistan. A large number of students and faculty members of Virtual University of Pakistan attended the seminar.

With 1 in 3 of dogs suffering from skin complaints across the UK, YuMEGA, the UK’s No.1 veterinary skin supplement by Lintbells have launched a campaign to encourage dog owners to “Quit That Itch”. The month long campaign will raise awareness of the importance of healthy skin for dogs, whilst highlighting how dog owners can help support healthy skin and coat for their four legged friends.

To help dog owners throughout the month of June YuMEGA have put together a healthy skin guide detailing the tell-tale signs of skin complaints and top tips on how to treat them. They will also be running a number of competitions giving people the chance to win the YuMEGA Itchy Dog supplement, as well as sharing lots of tips and advice on their social media channels. Lintbells can be found on Facebook (@Lintbells.Pet.Health) and Twitter (@LintbellsPet).

John Davies, co-founder of Lintbells the creators of YuMEGA, said: “We are thrilled to be launching our first ‘Quit That Itch’ Itchy Skin Awareness campaign. The importance of a dog’s skin health is not highlighted enough nowadays and we are aiming to change this, by raising awareness among dog owners and beyond. The health and wellbeing of dogs is at the heart of everything we do and we believe that ‘Quit That Itch’ campaign proves that”

A nine-day festival encompassing the entire output of Thelonious Monk will take place in Birmingham between 12-20 June to celebrate the centenary of the master jazz musician.

Organised by Birmingham Conservatoire’s Jazz Department, Monkathon will see all 70 of Monk’s compositions performed at venues across the city by groups, soloists and internationally-renowned guest artists.  

Born in North Carolina in 1917, Thelonious Monk has made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire including ‘Blue Monk’, ‘Round Midnight’ and ‘Well, You Needn’t’. Despite writing a relatively small amount of pieces, Monk is the second most-recorded jazz composer of all time and is one of only five jazz musicians to have appeared on the cover of ‘Time’ magazine.

Dr Hans Koller, Senior Lecturer at Birmingham Conservatoire, part of Birmingham City University, said:

“Thelonious Monk is one of the 20th century giants of music, not just of jazz. His art transcends boundaries of time, style and aesthetics. Monk at 100 is a wonderful excuse to celebrate his status as an iconic figure of inspiration to us all. 

The Birmingham Monkathon features students, alumni and staff at Birmingham City University, with leading international Monk-inspired performers including Steve Cardenas from New York, Liam Noble from the UK, and Professor François Théberge from Paris Conservatoire, as well as the eminent Monk biographer Professor Robin Kelley, for this grand celebration. In addition, we have international students, outreach programmes, and many gigs across the city.” 

Highlights include performances by Steve Cardenas with Martin Speake, Hans Koller, Calum Gourlay and James Maddren, ‘Jump Monk’ with the Arnie Somogyi Small Band, and the Birmingham Jazz Orchestra in original and re-worked compositions of Monk, plus brand new arrangements by special guest Trish Clowes. 

There’s also the chance to hear exciting arrangements of Monk’s early Blue Note recordings from senior students, adjudicated by Steve Cardenas, and a keynote speech by Monk biographer Professor Robin Kelley, Chair of the Department of African American Studies at the University of California at Los Angeles. 

Liam Noble’s small group’s gig also forms part of the Conservatoire’s two-day CODA marathon of new music, marking the very last events to be held in its Paradise Place buildings.

Italian conservatoire students from Verona, Milan, Bologna and Palermo will be visiting Birmingham to participate in Monkathon and four schools in Birmingham and the local area will be treated to outreach concerts featuring some of the small bands.

Birmingham Conservatoire, part of Birmingham City University, is currently preparing to move to a new state-of-the-art £57 million home in September, which will include the city’s only permanent jazz space – Eastside Jazz Club. Earlier this year, Birmingham Conservatoire launched its big band Ellington Orchestra, who will be a regular fixture in the new club.

For Arsene Wenger, it’s a chance to soften the blow and saving something from what has been the worst season in his 21-year tenure. Chelsea are Premier League champions with a record 30 victories from a 38-game season and a win will complete a remarkable first season for the amiable Antonio Conte, with a League and Cup double an impressive highlight on his Premier League debut season.

A record seventh FA Cup win for the Frenchman would hold no little appeal to his remaining acolytes, the type of romantic folk who consider millennials obsessing over UEFA Champions League qualification as being as uncouth as presenting a loved one with flowers plucked from a garage forecourt.

Conte's men go into this afternoon’s FA Cup final showdown having won eight of their past 11 competitive games against Arsenal. A record of six wins from their past seven games against teams in the top half is similarly impressive.

If Gooners chief, Wenger, can engineer a victor at Wembley he will become the standalone most successful manager in FA Cup history, with seven wins to his name. Victory for the boys from the King’s Road will be an almost immaculate debut season in English football for the infectiously likable Italian.

With football being nothing if not bittersweet - so it would turn out for one part of the nation’s capital, though probably more so in the north than west.