During December, the cathedral will play host to over 50 special services, concerts and events. The season began with a record-breaking St Basils SleepOut, where local people slept out in Cathedral Square to raise money for the youth homelessness charity, St Basils. December will encompass events as diverse as the traditional Swedish ‘Santa Lucia’ service with Ex Cathedra Choir, ‘Carols for the Business Community’ with brass band, and a screening of the film ‘It’s a wonderful life.’

Take a sneaky peak behind the scenes and discover the unique craftsmanship and engineering skills that keep the nation's beautiful waterways open for everyone to enjoy. Throughout the winter the Canal & River Trust will be holding free open days so that you can delve deeper into history. For budding builders, engineers and architects it's a chance to pull on your wellies and get muddy discovering how the canals were constructed, walk in the footsteps of the original Victorian engineers and try the traditional construction methods of puddling or mixing lime mortar. 

It’s something ambulance staff hear most weekends from the ‘friends’ of drunk patients we’re trying to treat. When you’re out this festive period, we’re urging people to look after each other by sticking together and keeping an eye on what your friends are drinking so that the skills of ambulance staff are reserved for saving lives rather than babysitting people who have simply had too much to drink.

Unwanted, good quality toys that would otherwise be destined for the tip will be cheering up needy children this Christmas. Workers at Sandwell’s household recycling centre in Oldbury are being Santa’s little helpers by collecting unwanted toys to donate to families. The project is being run with children from Bristnall Hall Academy, former recycling centre worker Tony Martin and Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals (SWBH) NHS Health Visiting Services.

It’s the busiest social time of the year, with many of us looking forward to catching up with family, friends and colleagues. Or are we? For a new study by Fisherman’s Friend suggests that as many as two out of five in the West Midlands (40.42%) will have no qualms about inventing or exaggerating minor ailments in order to get out of unwelcome parties and social functions this Christmas.