Dacia UK has partnered with Service by Emergency Rider Volunteers across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Northamptonshire (SERV OBN), providing a Duster 4x4 to aid its voluntary emergency riders in transporting blood and blood products to patients in need of urgent medical attention throughout the area. The Duster 4x4 Laureate dCi 110 was chosen by the service for its dependability and four-wheel drive capability and will be supporting the rapid response bikes as the region’s only four wheel vehicle.

The SERV OBN voluntary riders are usually used to riding motorbikes to ensure a quick delivery of medical products, however, the fully-equipped emergency vehicle is aimed at improving the service carried out by 124 volunteers from across the region. The Duster will be used to provide a quicker response to larger load requirements, as before the Duster was available, volunteers would have to use their own cars to transport products when two or more ‘Long Journey Boxes’ were to be transported on one journey. The Duster will also offer immediate access to a vehicle when the bike fleet is grounded during adverse weather conditions or when all bikes on duty are in use and there are further needs for SERV OBN’s services.

Paul Stothard, SERV OBN said: “The Dacia Duster 4x4 will make such a difference to the efforts of SERV OBN transferring potentially life-enhancing products to hospitals throughout the region. As a service, our voluntary riders undertook 1,500 journeys in 2016, however if we’d had the capabilities of a vehicle such as the Duster, that number could have been a lot higher. On some occasions, our riders have needed to use their own cars for journeys when they were unable to use their motorbikes. The Duster will remove the need for that and, given its livery, is much more appropriate for use. The Duster will provide a life-saving service for those in need of it.”

Louise O’Sullivan, Head of Dacia UK said: “The Dacia Duster 4x4 truly is a robust, go-anywhere vehicle, well suited to take on the demanding tasks the SERV OBN volunteers will put it through. Dacia UK is proud to support the humbling work the team do throughout the region and hope the arrival of the Duster contributes to SERV OBN saving many more lives.”

SERV OBN are a volunteer rapid response medical transport service delivering much more than just blood as any other urgently needed medical products are supplied out of hours, 365 days a year – all free of charge to the NHS. SERV OBN receives no government funding and relies on donations from the public and sponsorship to keep the service working. The volunteers receive no payment for their time or costs, saving the NHS thousands of pounds a year and allowing hospitals to divert funds to where they are needed the most. SERV OBN are founder members of the Nationwide Association of Blood Bikes.

Wolverhampton City Sports Advisory Council held a celebration to mark its 50th anniversary last week.

Since 1967 the Sports Advisory Council has promoted and represented sports clubs across Wolverhampton, as well as supporting individuals and celebrating their achievements.

It has also worked closely with the City of Wolverhampton Council to launch the Sporting Hall of Fame, held at WV Active Aldersley, which recognises and celebrates the achievements of dozens of sportsmen and women who have represented Wolverhampton on an international stage, from athlete Denise Lewis to Wolves footballers Bert Williams and Billy Wright.

To mark its golden anniversary this year, sportsmen and women past and present, along with others who have been involved with the council over the years, were invited to a special celebration event at the Diamond Banqueting Suite on Wednesday 24 May, 2017.

Chair of the Sports Advisory Council Peter Holmes MBE said: “We are celebrating 50 years of dedication to sport.

“In this time, we have successfully put the City’s sporting achievements in the spotlight to show the people of Wolverhampton the benefits and contributions of our City’s sportspeople and sports clubs.

“Ultimately, their fantastic achievements enhance Wolverhampton’s reputation and the image of the City itself.”

Among those in attendance was Deputy Mayor of Wolverhampton Councillor Phil Page who said: “The City of Wolverhampton is proud of its athletes and their success over the years, and it was great to see so many sports represented at this event.

“On behalf of the City of Wolverhampton Council, I would like to congratulate Wolverhampton City Sports Advisory Council on its 50 years and thank it for all the help it has given to sportsmen and women in our area. Here’s to the next 50 years.”

Basque Country by Ibérica will showcase the best food and wines from northern Spain to celebrate World #TapasDay.

With the highest concentration of Michelin-starred restaurants in the world, Spain's Basque Country is a foodie's paradise. Some of the best produce in this region is 'pintxos': eaten standing up in a bar with a glass of Txakoli (white wine from the region) or Basque Rioja wine.

At this summer's Taste of London (14th – 18th June) visitors will be able to experience the culture of pintxos as if they were in the Basque Country with the pop-up pintxos bar “Basque Country by Ibérica”. The pinxtos bar will be hosted by group head chef of Ibérica, César García, and created by the Basque Country and Spanish Tourist Office (at stand A6).

Visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy a glass of Basque wine with a complementary delicious 'Pintxo' (the Tapas of northern Spain). There will also be food and wine tastings and cookery demonstrations by renowned chefs from the Miniature Pintxos Congress and Ibérica Restaurants.

Basque Country by Ibérica will offer a stunning range of dishes from Ibérica restaurants prepared by their head chef César García and based on their menus at their popular UK restaurants. Dishes have been designed to delight guests and to highlight the diversity of Basque Country's many twists on traditional pintxos:

• Spanish Omelette and Green Pepper from Gernika
• Cod Fritter with Vizcaína, an onion and red dried pepper purée sauce
• Sautéed Baby Broad Beans with Serrano Ham and Fried Quail Egg
• Guindilla de Ibarra Chilli Pepper and Crab Meat Mayo Salad
• Mushroom and Prawn in a Pil-Pil Sauce
• Gilda: Ibarra Peppers, anchovies and olives

Javie Piñanes, Director of the Spanish Tourist Office said: “The Spanish Tourist Office is looking forward to bringing some of the unique flavours the Basque County to Taste of London as well as offering a gastronomic journey through the Basque Country; one of Spain's greatest culinary regions.”

With seven events dropping in to six cities, AX throws together an intoxicating mix of world-class indoor Motocross racing, high-flying Freestyle Motocross and a show to rival any music festival including lights, lasers, pyro and a pumping soundtrack. With over 60,000 fans streaming through the doors each year, it doesn’t matter if you’re a life-long two-wheeled super-fan, or this is your first AX visit – there are few better ways to banish those winter blues.

Heading into its sixth year, AX is an international affair with athletes from around the world travelling to compete in arguably the most prolific indoor race series Europe has to offer. Young racing warriors from the age of seven will take to the track too and, like their aspiring heroes, will engage in fierce competition with a single-minded determination to claim Arenacross glory.

Away from the racing, the crammed tour programme will include radical Freestyle Motocross, where the giants of FMX showcase their breath-taking skills with tricks and backflips, some sixty foot above the arena floor. This must be seen to be believed!

With its highly-charged atmosphere, thumping beat, lasers, lights, and presenter hype, fans are left in no doubt that being an Arenacross spectator means they’re as much a part of the show as the racers themselves. And whether it’s children’s favourite, MAX the AX mascot, meet and greet the pro riders or up-grading your tickets to arrive early and walk the track with the stars, the action doesn’t get any better than this adrenalin-fuelled night of entertainment that will leave you on the edge of your seats!

The premiere League of Legends league in North America is getting a major face lift in 2018, including giving teams permanent spots, opening up revenue sharing, and forming a player’s association.

Riot Games’ North American League of Legends Championship Series (NA LCS) will begin to emulate traditional sports leagues like the NBA and MLB next year by expanding revenue sharing and increasing player pay, kicking of a player’s association so players have a say in how things run, and introducing team franchising — the first existing esports league to do so. This means team owners will have permanent partnerships with the NA LCS and will no longer have the fear of relegation looming over them if they’re having a bad season.

This changes will be implemented at the start of the 2018 season. In the meantime, Riot will be accepting applications from teams to be permanent fixtures in North American League of Legends. With these applications, Riot will be focusing on team branding (connecting with fans and merchandising), the owners’ business plans, team development and strategies, and the owners themselves.

Leading precious metal asset firm, Rosland Capital, chose the 2017 Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix to unveil their latest coin collection - designed in collaboration with the Ayrton Senna Institute (Instituto Ayrton Senna) - celebrating the landmark first win at the most renowned circuit in F1 by its most famous son thirty years ago.

Six 30oz Gold Coins (a number specifically chosen to mark this special anniversary) along with a further 180 2.5oz Gold & 300 2.5oz Silver Coins all bearing the iconic image of the legendary Brazilian driver have been produced as part of a wider series of celebratory events that took place in Monaco to commemorate the first of his record six wins in Monte Carlo - in 1987 while driving for Team Lotus.

The limited number of coins created mark them out as timeless collectors’ items for any true F1 and Senna fan. Each individually crafted coin, featuring his unmistakable image, is minted by Swiss-based PAMP S.A., one of the world’s finest coin producers and celebrates the enduring legacy of one of the most iconic racing drivers of all time, with a share of the proceeds going directly to the Ayrton Senna Institute.

Rosland Capital CEO, Marin Aleksov presented Senna Institute Director and the late icon’s niece, Bianca Senna, with the Gold & Silver coins after the unveiling of a commemorative plaque for the three-time F1 World Champion by HRH Prince Albert II of Monaco at the Fairmont Hotel, Monte Carlo during the Grand Prix weekend.

Aleksov was thrilled to showcase this special coin collection to Bianca Senna in Monaco: “We are honored to be part of this wonderful celebration of the anniversary of Ayrton Senna’s first win in Monaco thirty years ago. We know how important his legacy is to all Formula 1 –and indeed all sport - fans – and as such we feel very privileged to have been asked by the Ayrton Senna Foundation to produce this special range of gold and silver coins. With a share of the proceeds going towards the incredible work of the Foundation, this is a project that we are extremely proud to be associated with.”

Bianca also commented on the celebration of her uncle’s legacy: “It was an unforgettable weekend at the Monaco GP due to the tributes in honor of the 30th anniversary of Ayrton's first win in Monte Carlo, opening the series of six victories that still stands as an F1 record.

The launch of these coins immortalizes these celebrations by engraving in gold and silver such a special moment for us at the Ayrton Senna Institute and my uncle's fans in Brazil and all over the world."