Alzheimer’s Society staff, supporters, volunteers and people affected by dementia have united and taken action at Birmingham and Solihull train stations as part of Dementia Action Week.

Staff from the dementia charity were raising awareness about dementia at the stations across the week, 21 May – 27 May. They were challenging members of the public to take action to support people affected by dementia in the West Midlands. The charity held a presence at the stations for the second year running.

Janice Le Tellier, Operations Manager at Alzheimer’s Society in Birmingham and Solihull said: “It’s been a busy week and a fresh opportunity to raise awareness about dementia for the services we provide.”

Staff spoke with passengers and discussed the plight of people living with dementia. They also spoke about the support available for those living with the condition in the UK. The team distributed Dementia Awareness Stickers to those wishing to show support. These stickers proceeded to travel across the country via Britain’s rail network. The staff received a positive reception and around 200 stickers were distributed to passengers.

Liam Cortintias from Worcester stated that his mum had dementia and was cared for in a home. He said: “Keep up the good work”.

The NHS estimates that there are 12,595 people over-65 living with dementia in Birmingham and Solihull. There are 850,000 people living with dementia in the UK and one person develops dementia every three minutes

This year the dementia charity asked people to come together to unite against dementia by taking actions, big or small, to improve the everyday lives of people affected by dementia.

The Alzheimer's Society roadshow is coming to Wolverhampton this week – giving people the chance to find out more about living with dementia.

The roadshow will be at Sainsbury’s Wednesfield, Rookery Street, tomorrow (Wednesday 30 May) from 10am-4pm, Bilston Market on Thursday (31 May) from 9.30am-3pm, and Queen Square, Wolverhampton, on Friday (1 June) from 10am-4pm. For more information, please visit www.alzheimers.org.uk/roadshow.

Lee Allen, Service Manager for the Alzheimer's Society in the West Midlands, said: "We'll be here to talk to anyone who has questions about dementia, and whatever your relationship to dementia, there are lots of ways the roadshow can help.

“For example, if you are worried about your memory or that of a loved one and want expert advice, if you or a loved one have been newly diagnosed and you’re looking for more information and support, or if you have a general interest in dementia and want to learn more about how you can help or how to reduce your risk.

“We can also put you in contact with service providers and give you information booklets to take away.”

Councillor Sandra Samuels OBE, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for Adult Services, said: "Wolverhampton is a Dementia Friendly Community and so we are very pleased to be hosting this roadshow.

“This is an important opportunity for people living with dementia, and their families and carers, to speak to experts from the Alzheimer's Society about this debilitating condition, and to find out more about the help and support available to them here in Wolverhampton."

For more information about dementia services in Wolverhampton, please visit www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/dementia; for help and advice, please call the Alzheimer's Society's National Dementia Helpline on 0300 222 1122.

Next month, popular poet Mandy Ross will lead a morning of poetry and song, entertaining people living with dementia with gentle humour and activities.

The event, at East Park Library on Monday 11 June from 10am-noon, is organised by Poetry on Loan, Wolverhampton's library service and the Carer Support Team, and people will also be able to find out more about the Memory Matters service. For more details and to book a place, please contact Melinder Kaur at the Carer Support Team on 01902 553429 or via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

voestalpine Metsec plc has appointed a new apprentice, Abbiegail Hill, as part of its commitment to bridging the skills gap and encouraging females to consider engineering and manufacturing roles.

Stephen Giles, environmental, safety and training manager at Metsec, said: “We recognise the importance of diversity in the construction industry and therefore it is important that UK engineering, construction and manufacturing companies seek female talent going forward and ensure the next generation is fully aware of the exciting opportunities available.

“Metsec is taking proactive steps to bring more women into the industry and we regularly attend local schools to initiate interest and discuss the options surrounding our work experience placements.”

Employed within the structural design department, Hill is the second female in recent months to be taken on at an advanced level. The scheme offers a fast-track approach and requires the apprentice to attend college four days a week with the remaining day spent on the job for the first six months of the course.

The student then spends the rest of the course in full-time employment as an apprentice. This approach provides students with the relevant technical knowledge to excel when working on site and to achieve the NVQ Level 3 qualification more quickly in comparison to other schemes.

At the end of an apprentice’s first six months, Metsec then recruits another student while allowing the current apprentice to move into a full-time position and gain hands-on experience.

Metsec’s award-winning training scheme has seen more than 100 engineering apprentices join the company over the last two decades and provides the next generation with a proven route to development.

Metsec apprentices have the opportunity to experience every aspect of the business and have access to the latest technology in the company’s state-of-the-art facility.

Giles continued: “Apprenticeships are a key part of Metsec’s culture as they bring fresh ideas and ensure we’re a strong competitive force in the market, and we welcome Abbiegail to the team. She is now one of three apprentices working towards a career in our structural design department, with each student having their own specialism at the end of their course.

“The advanced apprenticeship scheme that we offer is a great way for students to get hands-on experience and make a direct impact on the company at a rate that suits each learner.

“Looking ahead, we aim to take on at least one apprentice every six months to ensure there is a continual flow of young engineers entering the industry. This will not only futureproof our business but will help bridge the ongoing skills gap.”

Trading Standards officers in Wolverhampton will be advising parents and carers on how to protect children from potential dangers around the home.

Child Safety Week, managed by Child Accident Prevention Trust, runs from Monday 4 June until Sunday 10 June to raise awareness of the risks of child accidents and how they can be prevented.

The City of Wolverhampton Council’s Trading Standards team will be visiting various locations throughout the city during the week, sharing information and top tips on all aspects of child safety and handing out action packs to parents and carers.

Children will be able to get their hands on their own activity packs, as well as meeting ‘Trading Standards Ted’ and taking away a sticker and a fridge magnet to remember him by.

The team will be highlighting the risks posed by looped blind and window cords, which can lead to strangulation and the danger presented by button cell batteries found in toys, musical books, key fobs and other small electronic devices which can cause serious injuries and put lives at risk.

Trading Standards officers will be visiting WV Active Central on Monday 4 June, The Toddle Waddle Walk at West Park on Tuesday 5 June, McDonalds at Dudley Street on Wednesday 6^th June, Bentley Bridge Swimming & Fitness on Thursday the 7^th June, Asda on Jack Hayward Way on Friday 8th June and Teddy Edwards Toddler Group in Wednesfield on Tuesday 12^th June.

Hundreds of pupils from across Wolverhampton are tuning up for a spectacular musical performance in Queen Square next month.

Around 300 children from 12 primary and special schools will be taking part in the annual concert – now in its third year – and performing songs in a wide range of styles and traditions.

The performance marks the culmination of a six-month project organised and delivered by Wolverhampton Music Service and Wolverhampton Music Education Hub. It saw teachers from schools around Wolverhampton take part in regular workshops at the Music Service where they learned songs which they could subsequently teach in their own schools.

The concert takes place on Tuesday 12 June, 2018, from 11.30am-12.30pm. Pupils will be joined by a band from the Music Service and led by Paul Wilcox from the Music Education Hub.

Councillor Lynne Moran, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Education, said: “Music is an important part of a young person's education, and our Music Service provides quality teaching for children and young people across Wolverhampton.

“This is an excellent opportunity for the pupils to show off their talents, and I am sure they will put on a fantastic show which will make their parents and teachers incredibly proud. I’d encourage as many people as possible to come along and cheer them on.”

Wolverhampton Music Service provides tuition and musical opportunities for youngsters from schools across the city, including the chance to perform with its flagship groups, Wolverhampton Youth Orchestra and Wolverhampton Youth Wind Orchestra. To find out more, please visit www.wmsonline.org.uk.

Brits are becoming ever more adventurous when it comes to barbecues - rustling up ostrich steak, a full English and even chicken curry over the coals.

A roast dinner, spag bol and rabbit stew are all dishes Brits say they have made in the open.

We even love to fire up the barbie in winter, in a downpour, by the side of the road or even in a car park.

Thirty-four per cent of barbecue lovers in the West Midlands say they carry on cooking through the rain.

Forty-one per cent of those in the West Midlands have already hosted or attended a BBQ in 2018 and 33% would rather buy a new barbie than have to clean one.

More than one in five (21%) of Brits surveyed attended our first barbie of 2018 in January, 35% of us are happy to carry on cooking in the rain while 12% of us have chowed down in a car park.

On average Brits spend £10.64 per person while hosting a BBQ and reckon they cater for around six more guests than actually attend.

The survey for Stokes Sauces by Atomik Research showed 48% of Brits say sausages are their favourite BBQ food, followed by beef burgers (45%), and chicken kebabs (29%).

Tomato sauce is the nation’s favourite, with 39% favouring ketchup followed by BBQ sauce (33%), mayonnaise (32%) and burger relish (27%).

Nearly half (48%) of Brits have hosted or attended a barbecue this year, with a massive 85% of Millennials aged 25-34 having been to one.

Thirty-nine per cent of Millennials went to a barbie in January in the depths of winter – and nearly half (45%) of Millennials have had a BBQ for breakfast.

Forty-one per cent of Brits surveyed said their top side dish is a mixed salad, followed by coleslaw (38%) and potato salad (37%).

But barbecue-going Brits turn up their noses at couscous, with just 14% preferring it as a side dish and only 16% going for grilled halloumi.

When asked what unusual dishes they had cooked on the BBQ, Brits said they had made fish and chips, ostrich, chicken curry, roast dinner, a full English, mashed potato, rabbit stew, spaghetti Bolognese, pizza, baked bananas, stir fry, a cake and porridge.

Fourteen per cent say they have attended a barbecue outside their office, 14% have cooked up at the roadside and 12% in a car park.