Community News

Birmingham’s John Taylor Hospice needs volunteers to help out in its day hospice for a few hours per week in support of care staff. New for 2016, the Grange Road social enterprise is trialling running the day hospice on Fridays, in addition to its Monday, Tuesday and Thursday groups. Volunteer Patricia Rogers, who lives in Erdington, helps out every Friday.

The 'Oh Cecilia' and 'Can We Dance' stars, The Vamps, took part in re-'vamp'ed sports day activities with pupils of lead singer Brad Simpson's old school in Sutton Coldfield. Fairfax School welcomed the British pop rock band as the whole nation bends and stretches into shape for Sport Relief, kick starting their 2016 fundraising effort.

Making brilliant banners, a toy town and medals are among a host of fun creative activities lined up in Wolverhampton during next week’s February half-term. Wolverhampton Art Gallery, Bilston Craft Gallery and Bantock House Museum are all hosting fun family events during the school break. Youngsters aged from four to 12 can drop into Wolverhampton Art Gallery on Monday 15 February from 1pm-2.30pm to design their own textile banners using rich textures and colourful fabrics.

The restoration of a 1979 Mini 1275 GT is at the heart of a new narrative work by critically-acclaimed artist Stuart Whipps, looking at the history and heritage of the famous Longbridge car factory in Birmingham. Whipps has been commissioned by WERK, as part of the Longbridge Public Art Project (LPAP), designed to support the ongoing regeneration of the former car factory site.

A search has begun to find the children and their families featured in iconic photographs of Birmingham’s shocking housing conditions in the 1960s. As part of Shelter’s 50th anniversary, the housing and homelessness charity is hunting for the people behind the pictures and is urging Birmingham residents to view the images to identify family or friends.

Volunteers of all ages are being asked to donate their time and support to their local library. Sandwell’s 19 libraries need people willing to help out in a variety of roles - from sorting books and filling shelves, to helping put on events or volunteering at the café at Central library.

The online fundraising platform JustGiving has announced its top fundraisers of 2015 – and John Taylor Hospice’s CEO Kate Phipps is delighted to be one of them. Out of 532,124 fundraisers worldwide, Kate’s JustGiving page for her tandem skydive was one of the most successful last year, raising more than £14,000 for John Taylor Hospice.

Birmingham’s Chinese community is preparing to welcome in the Year of the Monkey today, Sunday, February 7, with an afternoon of celebrations aimed at the whole family. Organised by the Birmingham Chinese Festival Committee in conjunction with Southside Business Improvement District (BID) and supported by Birmingham City Council, the event will include Chinese music, stalls, dance and performance.

New research has revealed that most Birmingham residents may be unaware of an energy efficiency scheme being delivered by British Gas which provides free gas boilers to low income households. British Gas will provide free or low cost gas boilers as part of its commitment to delivering energy efficiency measures to homes across Britain in 2016. This will include homes in Birmingham.

Tettenhall’s popular Make It or Bake It market has scooped a top national award. The event was crowned Best Small Community Market at the Great British Market Awards organised by the National Association of British Market Authorities (NABMA) at a ceremony in Birmingham yesterday. Make It or Bake It began in 2014 and there have so far been four events attracting thousands of visitors.

Wolverhampton police have unveiled their latest weapon in the blitz against violent partners – hairdressers, which has been backed by The Mayor of Wolverhampton. In the first pilot scheme of its kind anywhere in the West Midlands, police have drafted in the city’s beauticians to help uncover those who abuse their partners.

The Giant Wiggle encourages children to get active and have fun Leading charity Action for Children and The World of Eric Carle™ are encouraging children’s centres, nurseries and groups for under-fives in West Midlands to host a ‘Giant Wiggle’ during the week of 21-27 March to celebrate the UK’s best-selling children’s book, ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar™’.

Dozens were killed and buildings were destroyed as bombs rained down on the Black Country during the First World War 100 years ago. And this weekend, civic leaders, historians and the local community will hold a series of events to commemorate all those who lost their lives in the Zeppelin bomb raids on Tipton, Wednesbury, Bilston and Walsall.

Ethical pet retailer Pets Corner is to provide the first ever pet and human first aid training course to their team of 600 shop floor staff. The family run pet shop, which has over 100 stores across the UK, has teamed up with First Aid Support Training and The Canine First Aid Company to develop the specially tailored course, which will be rolled out across the company from January.

WATCH (Working Actively To Change Hillfields) a Coventry-based charity that provides support and resources to some of the most disadvantaged individual’s in today’s society has received funding of £33,328 from People’s Health Trust, using money raised through The Health Lottery. This funding will enable WATCH to deliver a Community Action Project in Hillfields until July 2017.

Work has started on the on-road improvements being delivered as part of the Birmingham Cycle Revolution scheme with the aim of making cycling an everyday way to travel in the city. When complete, the current package of work on the Lichfield Road ‘main corridor’ will comprise mainly of cycling facilities within existing bus lanes, following the A5127 from the City Centre to Erdington via Lancaster Circus, Corporation Street, Dartmouth Circus, Aston Road, Lichfield Road and Salford Circus.