Work to create more ‘bee beaches’ and restore historic heathland habitats is being carried out across the West Midlands. This conservation effort is part of the Purple Horizons Nature Recovery Project, led by Natural England. The work involves using diggers to remove vegetation and create bare ground areas – known as ‘bee beaches’ – which are crucial habitats for many threatened pollinators. This project, now in its second year, has created even more bee-friendly habitats across seven sites: Shire Oak Park, Barr Beacon, Pelsall North Common, Chasewater Country Park, Brownhills Common, Wharf Lane and Muckley Corner.  The work is being…

The Mayor of Wolverhampton Councillor Linda Leach will be hosting a fashion show in aid of her 3 chosen charities later this month – featuring preloved outfits from the Beacon Centre’s network of shops. Charity Fashion and Fizz takes place at the Beacon Centre, Wolverhampton Road, on Tuesday 25 February. Doors open at 6pm and the fashion show, featuring over a dozen models, starts at 6.30pm. Tickets, which must be booked in advance, are available at Beacon Centre for the Blind and cost £15, including a glass of prosecco or alcohol free alternative on arrival. Clothing will be on sale on the…

Wolverhampton Symphony Orchestra and young musicians from Wolverhampton Youth Orchestra raised the roof at the city’s premiere music venue as they put on an incredible display of live music for more than 2,500 local students on Tuesday 11 February, 2025. Wolverhampton Music Service provided free tickets to secondary and special schools across the Black Country for 2 concerts at The University of Wolverhampton at The Halls. Students were able to learn about the development of orchestral music through the years, with performances of pieces by Charpentier, Beethoven, Mozart, Grieg, Tchaikovsky, Holst, Christopher Tin and John Williams, and there was also…

Wolverhampton’s Young Poet Laureate and Primary Poet Champion were officially unveiled at this year’s Wolverhampton Literature Festival. Young Poet Laurate Agneta Krieva, from Ormiston SWB Academy, and Primary Poet Champion Florence Ehigie, from SS Mary & John’s Primary Academy, were chosen from dozens of budding poets after winning a competition organised by Wolverhampton’s library service. This year, children and young people are asked to write a poem about friendship entitled ‘Life is better with friends’. Councillor Obaida Ahmed, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Digital and Community, said: “For the past 5 years, our library service has been…

JLR’s Barbara Bergmeier has been named the overall winner at the inaugural Autocar Drivers of Change awards. Held and judged in association with the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders and Ennis & Co, Autocar Drivers of Change is a new initiative championing diverse talent in the automotive industry. A sibling event to Autocar Great Women, these awards celebrate the automotive industry as a place that welcomes everybody. The 40 Autocar Drivers of Change winners are individuals who are driving change and promoting diversity in their business in whichever role they perform. They were named at an awards ceremony at…

Image from www.sandwell.gov.uk The Restoration of the historic community buildings was completed by the people for the people. The award is sponsored by Hortons’ Estate Limited. The 2024 award recognises the restoration of the High Street’s striking Grade II Town Hall and Library. The Town Hall was designed by Alexander and Henman, opening in 1874 –5, with the Central Library by Weller and Proud, added in 1907. The Central Library was a gift to the people of West Bromwich from the astonishingly generous Scottish-American philanthropist and industrialist, Andrew Carnegie, who endowed 660 libraries in the United Kingdom alone. The Victorian…

Walsall Council Cabinet will meet to discuss and approve the strategy for playing pitches and outdoor sport facilities in the borough. The new Playing Pitch and Outdoor Sport Strategy (PPOSS) will guide future use, investment, planning decisions, and management of playing pitches and outdoor sports facilities in Walsall. The strategy aims to enhance the quality and accessibility of outdoor sports facilities within the community, fostering health, well-being, and community engagement. The updated PPOSS provides a robust needs assessment for evaluating development proposals, directing investment, managing outdoor sports facilities, and seeking funding. It expands the number of covered sports from 5…

Over 600 students, teachers and parents attended the third edition of an award winning careers fair for children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) last week – the most ever. The City of Wolverhampton Council, with support from Tettenhall Wood School, staged the free Moving into Adulthood Careers Fair at Wolverhampton Racecourse, aimed at young people in Year 9 and above, parents, carers and staff who support the children in their current educational setting. They were invited to find out about the options available for further education, training and employment from exhibitors including colleges, providers, supported…

Collecting Cars, the world-renowned auction platform, has successfully sold a 1:1 scale wireframe artwork of the Porsche 934, created by artist Benedict Radcliffe, for an impressive £201,000* last week. This final sale price is over three times that of an iconic 930-series 911 Turbo**, underscoring the global appeal of this extraordinary artwork.Reaching international bidders, the 1:1 wireframe model gathered over 6,000 views across its seven-day auction on Collecting Cars’ platform and saw 218 bids in that period. Sold to a collector in Asia, the winning price of £201,000 is over three times more expensive than a usable 911 Turbo of…

1,200 young people, parents and carers learned about local opportunities at the Solihull Apprenticeship Show. The event took place on Wednesday 29 January 2025 at North Solihull Sports Centre. Those in attendance had the opportunity to find out more about Apprenticeships up to degree level, Supported Internships and entry level work opportunities, demonstrating the wide variety of career paths available for young people. More than 40 employers and training providers across various sectors including construction, financial, creative, digital and engineering were on hand to talk to visitors. Exhibitors included JLR, the NEC group, Rolls-Royce, Solihull College & University Centre, West…