Local News

Birmingham’s celebration of Black History Month will be launched with a special event tomorrow (18 September 2021).   As well as reflecting the city’s diversity and heritage, this year’s programme also reflects the continued impact Covid-19 has had on Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities.   It will feature inspiring speakers and creative performances, with many drawing on their and the wider community’s experiences.   Free tickets for this launch […]

Solihull Council is introducing a new Housing Assistance Policy following its approval at the Cabinet meeting on Thursday, 16 September.   The new policy gives the Council more flexibility in using the funding to pay for housing adaptations to enable children and adults with care and support needs to stay in their own home and live independently for longer.    The funding, known as the Disabled Facilities Grant, enables adaptations […]

Solihull resident and trained Climate Reality Leader, Neil MacKay, is taking the Climate Café movement www.climate.cafe forward in Solihull.     As part of The Big Green Week (18 -25 September) and to kick start the Solihull Climate Cafe, Neil will be hosting a virtual session and a smaller, in-person meeting in the Happy Hearts Café in Olton.   Climate Cafes originated in Scotland in 2015 but have since been established […]

A Birmingham gift shop owner was ordered to pay £5,008 today (16 September 2021) after Birmingham Magistrates Court heard how an elderly customer fell down an open hatch into the store’s basement.   Shazad Butt (68) of Nansen Road, Birmingham, was fined £1,333 and ordered to pay costs of £3,542 and a £133 victim surcharge after he pleaded guilty to an offence under Health and Safety at Work etc. Act […]

Christmas is officially returning to Warwick district, with all four towns set to welcome people back into the town centres to switch on the lights and usher in the start of the festive season.   There was a brief hiatus in 2020 as the light switch-on events went virtual with ‘Light Up the District’, which saw over 1,600 residents tune in from home to see the lights switched on, with […]

Plans for a multi-million-pound upgrade of Abbey Fields Swimming Pool have been given the green light.    Following approval by Warwick District Council’s Planning Committee on 14 September, work is set to start early next year to create a brand-new facility. This will include the addition of a second indoor pool with an adjoining sun terrace and a new ‘National Trust style’ café that park users can access.    Warwick […]

Young people from Coventry are benefiting from a package of support to give them access to training and career opportunities, thanks to a youth hub.   The hub at Coventry Job Shop is marking one year since its opening, during which it has offered practical advice and support to hundreds of young people aged 16-29 who are unemployed or at risk of losing their job or leaving school, college or […]

Residents in the West Midlands who have just gained a new job could benefit from free bus, tram and rail travel to work.   Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) has teamed up with local transport operators to offer two four-week tickets free, then a third four-week ticket at a 50% discount from the standard price on selected bus, tram and network travel passes through the Workwise scheme.   The former […]

Hundreds of people looking for work and support across a wide range of disciplines attended The Coventry Moves Into Work event in the city centre this week.   Hosted by the Coventry City Council Job Shop with support from the City of Culture and West Midlands Combined Authority, residents had the opportunity to meet with dozens of local and national prospective employers, independent training providers, advice services and educational organisations.  […]