Community News

Hangzhou is poised to welcome top political leaders from around the world as it hosts the first ever G20 Summit in China from 4th - 5th September 2016. Prime Minister Theresa May has written to Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang to express her anticipation of attending the G20 Summit this September and her support for China in hosting a successful event. 

It may be difficult to get your child into a top state school but affording the school uniform isn’t, reveals a new survey by the Schoolwear Association, whose members together help to clothe three-quarters of Britain’s children. All of the top 20 state schools in England insist on a uniform, and the majority also stipulate a blazer and tie. The study carried out by the Schoolwear Association reveals the average cost of a complete outfit in these schools is less than £107 - just 54p a day per school year, and even better value when you consider that items such as blazers and ties will last for more than one school year.

Underlying muscle pain can be a trigger for aggressiveness in dogs and must be considered in cases of dangerous behaviour, a canine expert has said. Julia Robertson, the founder of the Galen Therapy Centre in Sussex which treats dogs suffering from musculoskeletal pain, has spoken out about the links between underlying conditions in canines and attacks in the light of the RSPCA’s report into the Dangerous Dogs Act.

Organisers, exhibitors and visiting entertainment acts are making final preparations for the most extravagant Family Day yet at this year’s Nantwich Food Festival.  The lip-smacking three-day spectacular begins on Friday 2 September with an amazing programme of events aimed at families, children and local community groups. A full itinerary of FREE cookery shows and demonstrations will take place in the AGA Food Theatre based in the town centre.

Birdland Park & Gardens has plenty for all the family entertained this bank holiday weekend from Saturday 27 – Monday 29 August. Head to Bourton-on-the-Water to meet King Penguins, explore the Jurassic Journey and discover an exciting array of birds. Birdland are pleased to announce that they have successfully bred a critically endangered Waldrapp Ibis chick, the first to hatch at the Park in over 5 years. The Waldrapp Ibis is a migratory bird found in barren, semi-desert or rocky habitats, often close to running water.

To commemorate the centenary of the Battle of the Somme, the First World War Centenary Partnership, led by Imperial War Museums (IWM), will be screening the 1916 documentary film The Battle of the Somme across the globe throughout the year. The Somme lasted for 141 days, and more than one million men from both sides were killed, wounded or captured. The Battle of the Somme film was released on August 21 1916 and recorded the early stages of the battle.

Due to booming bar prices abroad, a family of four can now travel to Europe for less than the cost of the beverages they will drink during their stay, according to new research by Direct Line Travel Insurance. The study reveals that families holidaying in France will spend an average of £307 on drinks, while flights from London to Paris cost as little as £209. A gin and tonic will set travellers back a cool £9.19 when visiting our neighbours across the channel and as much as, £3.95 for a pint of Coke for the kids.

West Midlands residents throw away over £47K worth of broken or unwanted household items in their lifetime, according to new research. And skimping on quality is costing us a small fortune, with the average West Midlands respondent chucking out almost £780-worth of household items every year. From toasters to TVs, microwaves to mobile phones, the survey of 2,000 UK adults shows two thirds of modern purchases are simply NOT ‘built to last’.

Almost a third of pensioners (31%) admit that most days for them are ‘No Spend Days’ when they don’t spend any money on themselves. And three in ten (30%) say they spend less than £10 a week on themselves, with more than half spending less than £20, according to a poll by equity release specialist Responsible Equity Release.

Wishing everybody taking part in the Birmingham Color Run at the NEC today good luck, and hopefully the weather will cooperate!

Giving blood saves lives and during this year’s National Blood Week, Britons will be reminded that the UK needs approximately 200,000 new donors each year to meet patient demands. In England alone, 6,000 blood donations are needed every day to treat patients. Yet, a less familiar reminder is the need to provide donations for pets too. For those considering whether their pet could become a donor, MedicAnimal, the UK’s leading online pet healthcare retailer, has put together some useful tips on what owners need to know.

Sandwell residents are urged to look out for a form in the post to check they’re registered to vote in elections and referendums. The council’s elections team has sent forms to every household in Sandwell. The council has to do this by law – and all people need to do is confirm the details for their household are correct or update them. This can easily be done online, by phone, by text or by post – just follow the instructions on the form.

Digbeth, which is increasingly referred to as 'Birmingham's Shoreditch', is an area on the up. Hip bars and arty coffee shops rub shoulders with independent stores and some of the funkiest clubs in the UK's second city. Young, creative professionals work in huge, converted warehouses where businesses ranging from performing arts companies to new media hubs feel right at home. Art meets culture meets creativity, all with a good-sized helping of retail therapy and top restaurants thrown in for good measure.

Exactly half of Brits will return a child’s lost teddy bear, according to a social experiment recently conducted in towns and cities throughout the UK. 500 teddy bears were intentionally lost in 25 major towns and cities, each in a different location, such as a café, gym or park bench, between May to June this year. All had nametags with a child’s name and contact number, to see which places and type of person were most likely to return a lost bear.

Health regulators have praised Birmingham’s John Taylor Hospice, stating its staff treat people with ‘kindness, compassion and respect’. Care Quality Commissioners, who visited the hospice unannounced, found the hospice to be ‘good’ in all categories and highlighted the caring attitude of staff and volunteers. The commissioners, who visited on May 25, said staff were ‘kind, empathetic, responsive, creative and proactive in providing care and ensuring dignity for patients’.

To mark the official opening ceremony of this summer’s major sporting event, Victorian Arcade in Walsall hosted its very own carnival celebrations. The event brought true Brazilian style to the town as the centre played host to a variety of colourful salsa stilt walkers who entertained shoppers with their impressive circus skills. The shopping centre also supplied an all-round entertainer as well as a full steel band and face painter to help bring some South American sunshine to Walsall.