Community News

“Black History Month is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the myriad of contributions Black people have made to our country and to London. Throughout October I will be joining Londoners from all backgrounds at a variety of events across the city to pay tribute to our African and African Caribbean communities and all they have done to add to the life of the capital, helping to make it one of the most diverse, vibrant and successful places on the planet."

In supporting this year’s Black History Month, Prime Minister Teresa May, whilst at the Tory Party Conference in Birmingham, said; “I am so pleased to support Black History Month which recognises, rewards and celebrates the contribution made to our society over many years by the African and Caribbean communities. It is an opportunity for us all to recognise the incredible achievements of successful African and Caribbean men and women across sectors including financial services, retail, media, the arts, science and technology and sport."

Sandwell Council got top marks from the RSPCA, for its work with the safety of pets in homes with the council’s housing team being awarded a Silver Community Animal Welfare Footprint (CAWF) from the animal welfare charity. The award recognises the council’s commitment to protect the welfare pets living in its properties and help given to tenants who are pet owners. The Council has guidance and policies in place encouraging responsible pet ownership and setting out what is and what is not expected of them.

More than 30 Midlands children will travel on Dreamflight′s 30th anniversary flight to Orlando Florida on October 16. BA cabin stewardess Patricia Pearce founded Dreamflight in 1987 after seeing a group of children’s amazing reaction to a Disney show.  Since then Pat has worked tirelessly to ensure the trip has happened every year since and 2016 will see the charity’s 30th anniversary.

Several areas of Birmingham are about to become zero tolerance zones for troublemakers and those intent on causing antisocial behaviour. Officers from Birmingham City Council and West Midlands Police have used recent legislation in a bid to prevent individuals and groups acting anti-socially within key locations in the city centre.

Twelve fundraising friends have raised thousands of pounds for John Taylor Hospice. They first came together over 15 years ago as a fundraising parent-teacher association (PTA) called the Friends of Little Sutton School. Fast forward over a decade and they decided to renew their flair for fundraising by creating Charity Chums.  

Organisations and individuals came together to pledge their support to make Wolverhampton a City of Sanctuary. Dozens of organisations large and small attended the event at the Civic Centre to hear more about a rapidly growing national movement which is seeking to build a network of towns and cities which offer hospitality to people seeking sanctuary in the UK.

Emphasizing the importance of taking advantage of the Tax and National Insurance savings offer, Busy Bees Benefits, one of the leading choices for employers offering the Childcare Voucher, are offering the scheme to over 11,500 employers all over the UK – especially as it will not be open to new entrants after April 2018.

Bear Grylls and Ant and Dec are the celebrities people would most like to see at their door to carry out essential repair work to their home, according to new research from Walsall-based home assistance provider HomeServe. The TV adventurer, currently starring in Channel 4’s Celebrity Island, and the Saturday Night Takeaway hosts pipped footballer David Beckham and scientist Brian Cox to top spot in the survey.

The Consumer Council for Water (CCWater) has applauded the efforts of Severn Trent Water and South Staffordshire Water for substantially reducing the number of complaints they received from customers. The report by the consumer watchdog reveals that the two Midlands-based water suppliers saw among the largest falls in written complaints from customers in 2015/16.

Vulnerable small island states and developing countries stand to gain access to billions of dollars of climate finance with the aid of a new Commonwealth initiative. The Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub, hosted by the Government of Mauritius, was officially opened today by Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland and Mauritius Prime Minister Anerood Jugnauth at a signing ceremony in New York. It will help governments dealing with the ravaging effects of climate change to draw down funding from a global fund target of $100 billion a year by 2020. 

Independent charity Crimestoppers is today offering rewards of up to £6,000 for information on the whereabouts of three group members wanted in connection with burglary offences across the country. James Patrick Connors, 22, James Connors, 40, and John Connors, 25, are accused of being part of a national Organised Crime Group responsible for high value burglary offences and distraction burglaries throughout England and Wales targeting the elderly and the vulnerable.

In the last four years the number of children aged 10 and under needing one or more teeth removed has risen by 9.8%.  The attention surrounding the shocking rise in this figure has caused many parents to reassess their children’s ‘healthy’ diet and stressed the importance of getting them in to a good oral health routine from an early age, to help prevent decay. 

An improvement scheme in Bearwood has brought big benefits to local residents with a major upgrade of public space and pathways and a much-improved bus station to create an impressive gateway into Sandwell. Sandwell Council has undertaken a major upgrade of the area – and along with Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) improved the bus station – to make it an attractive and eye-catching area on the boundary with Birmingham.

MedicAnimal, the UK’s leading online pet retailer, has carried out research to find out what pets love listening to when their owners are out and about. This comes as 58% of people said they always leave music on in the house and 28% said they sometimes do, depending on how long they’re out for. A fewer number decide to leave the TV on instead.

Historians are raising a glass to Sandwell First World War heroes with a unique project to honour their bravery on commemorative beer mats. As part of the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme, Sandwell libraries, archives and museums services are shinning a spotlight on local heroes. Three heroes from each town in Sandwell have been nominated by local history groups and now the public is being asked to pick one who they want to see commemorated in November on the mats.