Britain is a nation of mummy’s boys and girls, whose mums are their best friends, according new research. A survey of 2,010 UK adults carried out by One4all, the Post Office gift card, found almost half of Brits (43%) say their mum is one of their BFFs.

1 in 4 (24%) speak to their mum every day, while 29% see them at least once every week.

This could be in part down to the role mums are now playing in the lives of their offspring. Many support with childcare when they become grandparents and Brits now live in the family home for longer before they flee the nest – suggesting Brits spend more time with them.

When quizzed on the relationship they have with their mothers, respondents said she plays a much bigger role in their life than just a parental figure, a quarter said they enjoy socialising with their mum.

Almost 1 in 3 (31%) said they would turn to their mum first with any good news, while 30% would reach out to their mum if they were in trouble, suggesting she’s more than just a shoulder to cry on

Aoife Davey, group marketing manager at One4all Gift Cards commented: “It’s really lovely to see ahead of Mother’s Day just how much of an important role British mums are playing in their children’s  lives, even when they have grown up.

“From the number of respondents who consider their mum one of their best friends, to the amount Britons see and speak to their mums, it’s clear to see that the relationship is in fact more of a friendship, out of choice, rather than a parental one.”

Millennials are leading the trend – 25-34 year olds were the age group who most commonly count their mum as a BFF.

There was some love lost however between British adults and their mums during the teenage years - adolescent Brits spent six years avoiding quality time with their mum as they grow up, before turning 20 and realising that mum is the word.

The biggest mummy’s boys and girls can be found in London, where almost 1 in 3 (31%) speak to their mum every day, followed by Sheffield, where 29% of locals do the same.

Celebrating the commonwealth’s contribution in the West Midlands, some of the region’s leading figures gathered to extol its virtues whilst marking a special book-signing session of the latest release from the award-winning author and business manager, Dr. Christopher A. Johnson.

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A number of noted guests, at CEAL (Community Education Academy of Leadership), in West Bromwich, in the West Midlands, were on hand to emphasize the impact made by people from the Indian sub-continent, and surrounding areas, and their importance to the economy, not just here, in the UK, but worldwide.

Highlighting the impact made by prominent figures of South East Asian descent, Dr. Johnson’s book. ‘The Anatomy of Britain’s South Asian Entrepreneurs,’ profiles the impact of not only Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi business success, but it offers fascinating insights into the wealth creation of Afghanis, Nepalese and Sri Lankans combined, exploring the challenges and opportunities for South Asian firms as well as other Minority Ethnic businesses in the UK.

The symposium, chaired by Councillor Preet Kaur Gill, Sandwell Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health, welcomed the presence of special guest speaker, Neena Gill CBE, MEP for the West Midlands, plus Alfred Williams, Chair of Wolverhampton City Credit Union, who spoke of the importance of creating self-reliance when it comes to finance and savings, Amrick Singh Ubhi Director of the Nishkam Centre in Birmingham, Birmingham BID chair, Dipak Shilat, former Operations Manager at The formerly known Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, Harminder Kaur Bhogal Project Manager of CEAL and Councillor Rupinderjit Kaur Wolverhampton City Council presented the S.H.I.E. (Sandwell Heritage Icons Empowerment) Project and Jean-Pierre Melo of the Smile4Africa community organization.

“BREXIT is a concern as the commonwealth has made massive contributions to the UK over the centuries,” said Gill, “and Dr. Johnson’s book is vital in highlighting the cultural exchanges we’ve experienced over time.

It is vital to create dialog within the commonwealth to highlight theses contributions and develop greater links.”

Speaking on the ethos of the book, Dr. Johnson said; “Our collective roles – in war and peace time - have to be recognized. BREXIT has unleashed great intolerance amongst us, so we must cherish our different perspectives. ‘The Anatomy Of Britain’s South Asian Entrepreneurs’ is aimed at doing just that.

Our collective Caribbean-African-Asian entrepreneurship over the century must be celebrated, not ignored. The book, therefore, is for those interested in social cohesion, history, heritage, policy makers, universities, colleges, researchers, professionals, enterprise development, international business management and other business education.”

CEAL launched ‘The Anatomy of British South Asian Enterprise’ in December 2016.

Improvements to Sheepwash Nature Reserve in Tipton mean visitors of all ages can enjoy and use more of the 'hidden treasures' it has to offer. Sandwell Council and volunteers in the reserve's friends' group are working together on a range of projects.

The new pathway from Tame Road into the reserve links with pathways towards Dudley Port train station.

The council has also opened up old tunnels from the Oldbury end of the reserve and thinned out trees to let more light into the park and show off the lakes and wildlife.

This summer, a 3km charity fun run is planned as well as events with schools to make more people aware of the conservation work.

People can also join Sandwell Stride's popular walk around Sheepwash every Friday at 10am. Meet at Great Bridge Library, Sheepwash Lane, Great Bridge, Tipton.

Councillor Richard Marshall, Sandwell Council's cabinet member for leisure, said: "Sheepwash is a fantastic nature reserve that we want the local community to use and get more involved in.

"I want to thank everyone who's been helping to improve Sheepwash, including volunteers in the friends' group.

"On a recent walk around the reserve, I was struck by how extensive it is. It's full of wildlife and great scenery that is free for people of all ages to enjoy.

"A recent fire at the reserve was a bit of a setback, when some of the rubber pellets we're using for the paths were set on fire, but I am pleased to see improvements continuing and hope more and more people will discover this 'hidden treasure' over the coming months."

Friends' group member, Christine Adams,said: "I've been a member of the Friends' Group for 15 years and have walked the area every day for the last 26 years as well as visiting the area when I was a child.

"It's a very special place, safe to walk a dog and a haven for wildlife.

"We're extremely pleased with the the new pathway, it's amazing and beautiful to walk on and we'd love more people to come and enjoy the reserve."

Christine added that the Friends' group was looking to recruit more volunteers to help maintain and look after the reserve as well as looking to attract more funding for future projects.

Birmingham is the obvious location for Channel 4’s new home outside of London, Birmingham City Council leader John Clancy said yesterday.

Councillor Clancy has extended an invitation to Culture Secretary Karen Bradley to visit Birmingham “to see for herself the rich pool of talent this city has to offer”.

Ms Bradley yesterday announced a period of consultation into moving Channel 4 out of the Capital.

Her statement came after the BBC last year confirmed it was moving part of BBC Three to the Mailbox, further enhancing Birmingham’s reputation as a media city.

Councillor Clancy said: “Channel 4 has a Government remit to demonstrate ‘innovation, experiment and creativity’, so what better location than Birmingham for a television station at the cutting edge of arts and culture?

"Not only is this a phenomenally creative city, we are also a young city - Europe's youngest. We have more under 25s than any other UK core city, with a rich pool of talent available to meet the demands of training the next generation of media professionals.

“Birmingham, with its culturally diverse population and with 108 different languages spoken, is the type of place where Channel 4’s audience lives, making this city a perfect spot for relocation.

"Birmingham has an established digital sector. Three of the top ten locations for ecommerce start-ups in the UK are in the West Midlands and Greater Birmingham contains 380 media and broadcast companies.

“There are 1,000 students currently studying film, TV, media and animation in the city, while more than a quarter of the UK’s games workforce is based in the region.

"Add to that the fact that by 2026, thanks to HS2, London will be just 45 minutes away, and it becomes obvious that Birmingham is a natural choice for Channel 4

“I urge the Culture Secretary to visit Birmingham as soon as possible to see for herself why this city is the perfect location for Channel 4.”

Council chiefs have backed a new three-year deal with Rights and Equality Sandwell to help promote good community relations and tackle hate crime and discrimination.

Councillor Syeda Khatun, the council’s deputy leader, said it was vital to invest in services to support people who are vulnerable, victims of crime or at risk of discrimination, exploitation, abuse and violence.

She said: “We have a long history of strong community relations and partnerships here in Sandwell but we need to build on these and strengthen them further.

“We are responding to various challenges and threats – including hate crime and so-called ‘hidden crimes’ such as female genital mutilation (FGM) and modern slavery.

“We’re also working with our communities to promote cohesion, protect young people and prevent the threat of terrorism and people being radicalised.

“Rights and Equality Sandwell has been established in Sandwell for more than 10 years. It makes an important contribution in supporting the most vulnerable people in our communities.

“Together with the police, NHS and local organisations, we can strengthen our response and further promote good community relations and equality.”

As part of the new agreement, Rights and Equality Sandwell will need to attract funding from other sources to complement the council’s support. It will also need to help other local groups and organisations develop local projects and attract investment.

Key aspects of the plan include dealing with hate crime; protecting children and young people from exploitation, abuse and radicalisation; supporting vulnerable migrant communities; and providing training for organisations about safeguarding, violence, exploitation and ‘hidden crimes’, including FGM and modern slavery.

Permjeet Panesar, chief executive officer for Rights and Equality Sandwell, said: "We are delighted to embark on a new three-year partnership with Sandwell Council to carry on playing a leading role in tackling discrimination and inequality and working together to support all communities across the borough.

"Through this grant opportunity we are encouraged that the council has affirmed its confidence in working with RES at a time when we are seeing an increase in highly divisive rhetoric at national and international levels in relation to community relations, immigration and extremism.

"Sandwell has a long tradition of belonging, where people of different faiths and cultures share a strong sense of unity, empathy and solidarity with those who suffer injustice.

"Rights and Equality Sandwell, established in 2003, was formerly known as Race Equality Sandwell until 2011 when the organisation expanded its remit to promoting the rights for all of the protected characteristic groups (age, disability, gender re-assignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation) as defined by the Equality Act 2010.

"RES has developed a reputation as a champion committed to equality and working towards creating fairer and more inclusive opportunities for all.

"Looking ahead, working in partnership with the Sandwell Council and other partners, there is both significant opportunity and a challenge for all of us to strengthen anti-discrimination rights and protection for all our communities; increase advice, support and advocacy for those who experience discrimination and harassment; and target practical proposals for action to tackle hate crime and extremism."