A unique exhibition at upcoming Simmer Down Festival will unveil the prized possessions of a series of famous faces as they pledge their support to Prostate Cancer UK’s flagship Stronger Knowing More campaign.

The men’s health charity will be showcasing items of strength from the likes Birmingham-born former England centre-back, Joleon Lescott, former Wolves goalkeeper, Matt Murray, and the first ever Black player to play for England, Viv Anderson, in a bid to raise awareness of the increased risk of prostate cancer in Black men.

The exhibition, which coincides with Ethnic Minority Cancer Awareness Month, will also showcase sentimental possessions from a number of men who have either been personally affected by prostate cancer, or family members who have lost loved ones to the disease in celebration of how Black communities have found the strength to face prostate cancer in their lives. Its aim is to get people talking about the most common cancer in men and taking action.

One in four Black men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime and one in twelve will die from the disease. However, Prostate Cancer UK warns that over three quarters of Black men (86%) are oblivious to the heightened danger they face, leaving them susceptible to being diagnosed at a late stage when the disease has already spread to other parts of the body.

Lescott, who came through the ranks at Wolverhampton Wanderers and also represented Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion, played 26 times for his country and has donated one of those caps to the exhibition.

He said: “Hearing the statistic that one in four Black men will be affected by prostate cancer shocked me, and it’s something we need to step up and do something about.

I’ve seen managers wearing the charity’s pin badge and seen the great work the charity has been doing, and it’s brilliant to be able to donate something so personal to me and make such a positive statement.

This is a great initiative from Prostate Cancer UK and I’m proud to team up with them.”

Dubbed ‘the best goalkeeper England never had’ following his retirement through injury, ex-keeper Murray has donated his play-off winning shirt from the 3-0 win against Sheffield United at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium in May 2003, which saw the Molineux men promoted to the top-flight for the first-time in 19 years.

He said: “Prostate cancer is not an issue to be taken lightly. Last year I walked alongside Soccer Saturday legend, Jeff Stelling, during his almighty walking challenge in aid of Prostate Cancer UK. I was also proud to walk with my good friend and Wolves club doctor, Matt Perry, who was treated for the disease in 2014. Along the way we met many others with similar experiences and listened to their stories of determination, strength and survivorship.

“I’m delighted to be supporting Stronger Knowing More and shining a light on a disease that is all too often swept under the carpet and ignored – especially in the Black community. I’m donating the shirt that I wore during the best performance of my career.”

Other celebrities donating items at this weekend include former England and Nottingham Forest defender, Viv Anderson, former Birmingham City captain, Michael Johnson, and former Charlton Athletic manager and England defender, Chris Powell, who spent playing and coaching spells in the East Midlands with Leicester City and Derby County.

Prostate Cancer UK’s Stronger Knowing More campaign aims to inspire black men to face their risk of prostate cancer by having the courage to talk to their doctor and spread the word, so that the disease is picked up earlier and treated in time. Celebrities that have already pledged their support include Benjamin Zephaniah, Linford Christie and David Haye.

Tony Wong, Prostate Cancer UK’s Men at Risk Programme Manager said: “As a Black man myself I am all too aware of the long-standing taboos that surround prostate cancer within our communities. Too many men continue to let pride get in the way of their health and it’s putting their lives at risk.

We’re calling on all men – especially Black men - to find the strength to overcome any embarrassment and find out about their prostate cancer risk.”

Prostate Cancer UK will be displaying its Stronger Knowing More exhibition at the Simmer Down Festival, in Handsworth Park, in Birmingham, on Sunday July 23. Specialist Nurses will be on hand to provide information to any men with questions or concerns about the disease.

Prince Harry has encouraged people to show their support for the world’s best Para Athletes when the World Para Athletics Championships London 2017 come to London from 14 – 23 July.

In a joint appeal with Dave Henson, who last year won a Bronze medal at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games and has been selected to compete in this year’s World Para Athletics Championships London 2017, Prince Harry explains why people should buy tickets to this summer’s event.

Prince Harry says: “Buy your tickets, get down there, bring your family and friends and come down and support. Be there with everybody else, creating that atmosphere that’s going to be a life-changing moment for Dave and everyone else.”

Dave, who served with the Royal Engineers was injured in 2011 in Afghanistan when he stood on an IED, resulting in the loss of both his legs. It was during his rehabilitation that Dave found new passion for sport, which was a real catalyst for his recovery. He discovered a real talent for running at the inaugural Invictus Games in 2014, where his Personal Best saw him comfortably into the world top ten. Since then, he has gone on to compete at the 2016 European Championships where he took home Silver before winning Bronze at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

Sharing his experience about watching the London 2012 Paralympic Games and how it helped him during his recovery, Dave explains: “I was still very early on in my recovery and rehab stage, it was a little bit of inspiration because it was suddenly an exposure to people absolutely smashing sport. I went to the Olympic Park a couple of time and it was just such an incredible atmosphere, everyone was so happy.

“I don’t have a World Championship medal, so to take one of those home would be just incredible. I’d love to come away from it with a World Championship medal around my neck. Spectators will see the world’s best para athletes compete in one of the world’s most iconic sports venues. Every single member of the GB team, every single athlete that has qualified is an incredible sportsperson.”

Last month, London 2017 Ltd announced record sales with more than 230,000 tickets sold for the World Para Athletics Championships London 2017. Sales are bigger than all of the previous eight editions of the championships combined and the biggest ever outside of a Paralympic Games. Organisers are urging more supporters to come and support the best para athletes in the world with their #FillTheStadium campaign to ensure as many supporters as possible pack the London Stadium at the event from 14-23 July.

The World Para Athletics Championships London 2017 kick off the Summer of World Athletics and the biggest sporting event in the world in 2017 with the IAAF World Championships following at the London Stadium from 4-13 August. For the first time ever both the World Para Athletics Championships and IAAF World Championships are being held in the same city in the same summer. The summer of World Athletics is the biggest event to be staged at the London Stadium since the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games with 30 sessions scheduled across 20 days.

Leaders from the UK's biggest vending companies gathered to take part in the 37th annual Nestlé Professional® Hawkstone Golf Day.

Celebrated as one of the vending sector's premier networking event, more than 75 senior professionals came together to compete for the highly sought-after golfing title and to share business experiences and make new connections.

Victorious on the day was Team Gallagher, led by Steve Gallagher, Chairman of GEM Vending. Paul Howard, MD of Nebrak Limited, secured the individual high score at the event, with an impressive 66 points.

Rob Gormley, Head of Vending at Nestlé Professional®, commented at the event:

“We were absolutely delighted to again host our annual golf day at Hawkstone Park. It's a real highlight of the vending calendar and it was fantastic to welcome back familiar friends alongside some new faces for this year. The event brings together operators, wholesalers, machine manufacturers and support services to network, share knowledge and get involved in insightful discussion about the issues that matter to the vending industry. Not to mention some healthy competition with a few great rounds of golf!”

Steven Gallagher, Chairman at GEM Vending and captain of this year's winning team, said: “I've been attending the Hawkstone Golf Day since the very beginning, 37 years ago, and while I was delighted to lead the winning team this year, the real highlight for me, as ever, was the chance to spend time with so many industry friends. Our opposing team was captained by Brian Foster, who like me has been attending Hawkstone since the very first event in 1980, and we always enjoy meeting up to test our golfing skills and talk about developments in the industry.

“The event has become an institution and, as always, was superbly arranged by the Nestlé Professional® vending team. It boasts great golf on two wonderful courses, incredible food and entertainment, and the opportunity to make long-lasting contacts and friendships – who can ask for more?”

The Hawkstone Golf Day was founded by Nestlé Professional® in 1980 and was the first value-added networking event of its kind. Having evolved from a day of golf to a two-day family event, 2017 saw a host of additional activities, including lessons in golf, Segway and archery. This year's event also incorporated a warm and emotional farewell to Chris Starling, Business Account Manager, who retires from Nestlé Professional® at the end of June after 44 years' service.

Rob Gormley added: “Chris is a true stalwart of our industry. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank him on behalf of our colleagues and associates, and wish him well for the future.”

Every athlete that wins a medal at the World Para Athletics Championships London 2017 will be provided with an additional medal to gift to their coach, it has been confirmed today, with a week to go until the first night of the Championships.

In a milestone first for the World Para Athletics Championships, organisers, in coordination with World Para Athletics have confirmed that coaches of medal winning athletes will also receive medals in recognition of their unique and valued relationship.

The coaches medals, which are based upon similar themes to the athlete medals but differ in design, will be provided to successful athletes following their ceremony, where they will then be able to gift to their coach or significant advisor.

The athlete medals for the World Para Athletics Championships were revealed back in May and are inspired by the notion of ‘What makes an athlete tick?’. The possibility of creating a coaching medal was investigated by UK Athletics who form the LOC for the World Para Athletics Championships.

Paul Macgregor, coach to Paralympic T37 100m and 400m champion Georgina Hermitage, said: “As a coach your focus is on getting your athlete in the best place possible to be able to win medals at major championships. That moment on the podium is rightly theirs but it certainly is nice for athletes to have the opportunity to reward someone who has helped them get to that point. It is not something that has been put forward before and so it is going to be another thing that makes the World Para Athletics Championships London 2017 so memorable.”

Sir Philip Craven, IPC President, said: “I think London 2017 deserve great credit for introducing coaches medals for the first time to the World Para Athletics Championships. Coaches are the unsung heroes behind the scenes and it is fantastic that they will be rewarded for their efforts in coaching medal winning athletes.”

Niels de Vos, Championship Director, said: “As organisers it was important that we made provision for coaches medals for the World Para Athletics Championships. Our #FillTheStadium campaign is encouraging as many supporters to attend and this is another milestone moment for the event and something we are proud to announce with exactly one week to go to the Championships. Athletes deserve their time on the podium but coaches play such a vital role in getting them to that point, so we are pleased to be able to support the athlete to share that success.”

The World Para Athletics Championships London 2017, and the IAAF World Championships London 2017, are together the biggest sporting event in the world in 2017. The biggest event to be staged at the London Stadium since the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games – it is the first time both Championships have been held in the same city with over 3,000 athletes from over 200 nations competing over 20 days of action.

With Wimbledon fever in the air there are many opportunities to play tennis in Sandwell. People can turn up and play at one of the many free to use tennis courts in Redhouse Park, West Bromwich, Brunswick Park and Hill Top Park, Wednesbury, Britannia Park and Haden Hill Park, Rowley, Victoria Park, Tipton, and Victoria Park, Smethwick.

People who don’t have a racket but still want to play can do so for free at sessions delivered by the council’s partners Sandwell Leisure Trust (SLT) at Brunswick Park every Sunday between 10am and 12pm.

To join in this session book online www.brunswickparktennis.co.uk or just turn up at Redhouse Park on a Wednesday for free family tennis between 6pm and 7:30pm.

Enthusiasts – children or adults - who want to improve their game can do so for just £2.50 a week at SLT coached sessions at Brunswick Park and Redhouse Park.

Those wanting to perfect volleys or ace serves can book on to the sessions by visiting www.tennisinsandwell.net and selecting the park you wish to attend.

Should the Great British Summer weather strike you can also move indoors. Places for People Leisure (PfP) offer mini tennis sessions aimed at children eight years and under at West Bromwich Leisure Centre at a cost of £18 per month. For more information visit www.placesforpeopleleisure.org.

Sandwell is also host to the Community Indoor Tennis Centre for the Black Country at Tipton Sports Academy. This excellent facility, operated by SLT, holds international competitions and offers you the opportunity to play on six top quality indoor tennis courts.

For the next seven weeks you can play on the same courts as the professionals for the reduced rate of £5 per hour from 9am till 12pm during the week and £10 per hour (or £7.50 for families with a junior) during the weekend.

Coaching is also available at Tipton Sports Academy for all ages and abilities, with their lead coach Craig Unitt recently being awarded the prestigious LTA award of Coach of the Year for the Midlands region.

Councillor Richard Marshall, cabinet member for leisure, said: “It’s great that Sandwell residents have the opportunity to play tennis all across the borough at a range of levels.

“Tennis is a great way to get active and to have fun as a family and Sandwell Council is committed to ensuring that our residents have opportunity to do so.”

Major hit record selling American female vocal group, The Three Degrees, will be headlining at The Jam House Birmingham on 24^th August.

The famous girl band are most renowned for their record ‘When Will I See You Again’, which was a major hit throughout the world, topping the chart in the USA, UK, Japan and most European countries. Prince Charles himself publicly acclaimed that The Three Degrees are his favourite group, ‘Charlie’s Angels’ as they were tagged. The group were particularly successful in the UK, achieving 12 Top 50 hit singles between 1974 and 1985.

 More than four decades on, the threesome retain their sparkling choreography and precise vocal quality, having amassed an impressive list of hit records since their first debut. Today, the line-up consists of Valerie Holiday, Helen Scott, and Freddie Pool. Valerie has been with the band since 1967, Helen since 1963 (having took a ten-year break in-between), and Freddie joined in 2011, replacing Cynthia Garrison. So it is, that after more than four decades of existence, The Three Degrees are the longest running female vocal group in history.

Their highly anticipated performance at the Jam House will see the return of hit favourites ‘Dirty Ol’ Man’, ‘TSOP’, ‘When Will I See You Again’, Year of Decision’, ‘Woman in Love’, and many, many more.

Helen Scott, Bandmember of The Three Degrees, comments: “We love the Jam House! The club lives up to its name, people really jam there. So much energy and the staff are always so friendly. I will tell you a little secret - we always get there early enough to have dinner!  A lot of venues don't have great food but the Jam House does.  And the sound is great - loud and in your face but a great atmosphere.”