Chronicle Week Wolverhampton - 10-Nov-2022

Excitement of pantomime

CINEMA SHUTS

Thecurtainshavecomedownon Wolverhampton’smuch-lovedLight HouseCinemawhichclosedforper hapsthefinaltimeaftermorethan 30yearsinthecity.

Thepopularvenue–described bymanyasa“beaconinthedark” hadbeenbasedintheChubbBuildingssince1991buthasstruggledin recentyears.Itwasonthebrinkof closurein2018butmanagedtokeep runningafteranoutpouringofsup portandwaslaterabletosurvivethe impactofthepandemic.

Butthe venuehas struggled eversinceandfacesanotherhurdle intermsofthecost-of-livingcrisis, with people beingforcedtomake “difficultdecisions”.The decision toclosethedoorslastweekwasdescribedbymembersofstaffandoth erhelpersas“heartbreaking”with onesayingitwas“devastating”.The moveaffectsthecinemaitselfand thecafe,withthegalleryspacehav ingbeenclosedafewweeksago

KellyJeffs,CEO of theLight House,said:“It’snotjusttheLight House–theartsandculturalsector hasbeendecimatedthroughCovid andnowitisheadingstraightinto

anotherperfectstorm,withthecost oflivingcrisis.”

WolverhamptonCouncil de scribedtheLightHouse,aregistered charity,ceasingtradingas“verysad to see”.Shannon Morris, 23,from Stafford,was amongthose sadto

hearthenews.Shesaid:“Thisisa verysadlossforthecity.”

Thefinalshowingatthecinema wasTheBansheesofInisherinlast Thursdaynight.

WolverhamptonCouncilofficers hadmet with thevenue’s man-

agement to offeradditional help throughabusinessreview,marketingsupportandothermeans–butit wasconcludedthevenue’sdebtlevelswere“unsustainable”.

Callshavebeenmadetocouncil bossesforactiontobetakentosave thecinema“insomeshapeorform”, withthelossbeingdescribedasa “devastatingblow”tothecity’scul turaloffering,alongsidetheUniversityofWolverhampton’smovetocut artscourses.

DrPaulDarke,theGreenParty candidateforMerryHillintheupcoming Mayelections, haswritten alettertocouncilleaderIanBrook fieldandcouncilmanagingdirector TimJohnsononbehalfofhisparty, urgingthemtocomeupwithaplan tosaveit

Hesaid:“Iamdeeplysaddenedto hearoftheclosureoftheLightHouse Cinemaandaskyoupublicly,asthe apparentleadersofWolverhampton, totakeimmediateactiontosecure thefutureoftheLightHouse.

Hiscallshavebeenechoedbythe likesofTrevorBeattie,aBritishad vertisingexecutivewhohailsfrom Wolverhampton, postingon social mediathelossofthevenueis“very sadnews”–adding“pleasecountme in”toanyeffortstosaveit.

£5mtoget worksgoing

Aninvestmentofmorethan£5 millionhasbeenannouncedtokick startthefirstphaseofatransforma tionalschemeinWolverhampton

TheWestMidlandsCombined AuthoritycashwillfundthedemolitionofexistingbuildingsataWol verhamptonCouncildepotinCulwell Streetandclean-uplandreadyfor re-development

Thecouncilistorelocateitsfleet servicesfromtheCulwellStreetde pottoanewbaseonHickmanAvenuealongside thecity’swholesale market. The600-home Brewers Yardregenerationprojectwilleven tuallyfeatureamixtureofhouses, apartmentsandnewretailspace

Pupils ready to perform

Talentedpupilsareseeingtheir dreamscometrueastheyprepare tostageWestEndhitThePhantom oftheOpera

Performingarts pupilsatEllowesHallSportsCollegeinLower GornalnearDudleywillbestaging an adaptation of theSir Andrew Lloyd-WebbershowfromNovember 16to25inthefirstmajorproduction attheschoolsincethecoronavirus crisis.Nearly100 pupils have takenonrolesfromsinging,actingand dancingtostagemanagement,prop design,lightingandsoundengineering. Ticketscostfrombetween £6 and£8andcanbepurchasedonline atelloweshall.co.uk

Report by Thomas Parkes

ShannonMorrisisamong

‘Stitch-up’tobeappealed

WolverhamptonCouncil’s deputy mayor hasbeendeselectedasaLabourcandidate andreplacedbytheformerTory hebeatinapreviouselection.

Councillor Mike Hardacre wasdeselectedatameetingof Park ward members, preventinghimfromstandingastheir LabourcandidatenextMay.The

candidate selected to replace him, taxidriverMuhammad Nasim,stoodagainstMrHarda creasaConservativewhenhe wasfirstelectedin2011.

Mr Hardacre hasappealed thedecision amid claims of a “stitch-up”overthevotecount. Heisduetobecomemayornext yearbutwouldbeunabletotake

upthepostifhewasnolongera councillor.Hesaid:“AtthemomentIamunabletocomment onthismatterbecauseitisthe subjectofanappealrelatingto votingirregularities.”

Itisunderstoodthatsitting councillorsClaireDarke and CraigCollingswood have been reselected Councillor MikeHardacre

Three-year supportfor arts groupstothe tune of £11.5m

Organisationsacrossthe BlackCountryhavebeengivena sliceofan£11.5millioninvest mentfromtheArtsCouncil.

Thefunding,over three years,has been announcedas part of theGovernment’s revampedlevellingupplans ArtsCouncilchiefexecutive Darren Henley said:“This in vestmentisavoteofconfidence intheBlackCountryensuringit canflourisheveninchallenging times.”

TheBlack CountryLiv ingMuseum, Dudley,istoget £760,000-a-year,and Walsall’s NewArt Gallerywill receive £938,000 annually.InWolverhamptonNewhamptonArts Centre will receive£251,000; thecity’sart gallerygets £270,842andthere’s£112,000 fortheArenaTheatre

BlackCountryTouringisto receive£307,225annually,while fellowSandwell-basedcommunityartscharityMultistorygets £243,361.Bilston-basedGazebo Theatrewillget£200,000and West Bromwich-based communitygroupPoweredbyCAN £250,000-a-year.Wolverhampton-basedJaivantPatelDanceis getting£195,000-a-year;SpectraArtsinSmethwickwillget £120,000 andSandwell’sThe People’sOrchestrawillreceive £200,000

Cakeshelptowhip upfunds

Report by Peter Madeley

“Withavariedmix

inrecentyears.Aspokesmansaid: “Whenoneofthemostbeautiful historicbuildingsinWolverhamp

“Weare

waittowelcomemanymorecli entèlethrough ourdoors in the upcomingmonths.”

Thevenue will be opening sevendaysaweekfromDecem berand will offerabreakfast, lunchandeveningmenualongside Christmaspartypackages

Thebuildingwasabankfrom around1910andwasgrantedlisted status in 1975 before closing morethan20yearslater.Itwas latertakenonDiffusionwhichhas sincevacatedthepremises

The formerMidland Bankbuildinghasalong history inthecentre of Wolverhampton

Charityshop in volunteersplea

Acharityshopisappealingfor volunteerstaffaheadofChristmas tohelpdealwithalargeinfluxof donations.

TheOxfam Shop on Stour bridgeHighStreetisappealingfor volunteerstaff.Thecharityretail erhashadtoreduceitsopening hoursinrecentweeksduetoalack

ofvolunteerstaff.Nowstoreman ager,SarahBoffyhasputoutthe callforhelp.

MsBoffysaid:“Thisisthelow estyearsonvolunteers.Covidhas putalotofourregularvolunteers off, nota lotofpeoplehavereturnedafterthepandemic

“It’sisgetting really busy in

therun-uptoChristmas.Oneshift aweekis fine, volunteersdon’t havetoputinalotofhours,justa minimumoftwoorthreehoursa day,wearejuststrugglingtofind thehelpers.”

Would-be volunteerscan get applicationformsfromtheshop, orapplyonlineatoxfam.org.uk

Region is settoget even more powers

TheWestMidlandsisset to getmorepowersoverhousingand fundingaspartofanewdevolutiondeal

LevellingUpMinisterDehenna Davisonrevealedtalksareunder waywithWestMidlandsMayor AndyStreetovertheregion’strail blazerdevolutionplans.

Andshesaidshewas“optimis tic”ofstrikingadealthatwould seethe region getmoredecision-makingpowers andcontrol overfunding.

TheBishopAucklandMP

rolledupatWolverhampton’sNationalBrownfieldInstituteinher CitroenC3duringawhistle-stop touroftheregion,whichalsosaw hervisitBirminghamandattenda meetingwithMrStreet Shewasgivenatourofthesite by University of Wolverhampton associatedirectorRayFlynn,and metwithstaffandtheinstitute’s residentrobotdog,Spot.

Shesaid: “Talks areongoing regarding howwecan further thedevolutiondeal,andIamvery optimisticthatwecan reachan

agreementtodevolvemorepow ersand morecash(to theWest Midlands).

“Myviewisthatsometimes Westminsterneedstogetoutof theway andgivemorepowers backtolocalareas.

“Theyknowtheircommunities bestanditisuptoempowerthem todotheirstuff.”

Theregion’s devolution proposals were unveiled over the summerandreceivedthebacking ofpreviousPMsBorisJohnsonand LizTruss.

JeanAsbury atOxfam on HighStreet,Stourbridge, which isappealing forvolunteers

Growth must be centralto government policy change

Asweheadtowardswinter,the governmentisholdingitsbreath. Theprospectofseeingenergyra tioningisrealwiththe national gridwarninguswecouldrunout Beinnodoubttherewouldbeno warningwithoutacrediblerisk

Thecrisiswefacethiswinter isnotformallygeneratedbyour netzerocommitmentbutitdoes pointthewaylifehastobeforany attempttoachievenetzerotobe realistic.TheUKcannotstoresuf-

ficientenergytomeetneedsand hasbeensuperslowindeveloping nuclearcapacityorexploitingnew technologiesandenergystreams suchasfracking

Thefailuretodothisisdueto anumberoffactorschiefamong whicharetheresistanceofgreen campaigners, local opposition to developmentsandthecost.

Governmentshaveeffective lychosentospendourmoneyon otherprioritiesratherthannucle

Word of advice on calling GP surgery

Justashortlettertoallyour readersoutthere. Whenyouring yourGPsurgery asking forhelp becauseyouareunwell,(notheart attack,strokeetc)but unwell in general,thisiswhathappenedto merecently.

IcalledforanambulancebecauseIcouldnotgetthroughmyself.Theparamedicsareverygood medicalprofessionals,butnotdoctors.

They triedtocontact my GP formymotherwhowasseverely unwell,askingifhecouldvisitor prescribeantibiotics.

Herepliedhewasrunningan hourbehindandhadnotthetime.

Thiswasrelayedthrougharecep tionist! Now,hereisthe advice he gave to theparamedic.They shouldcallanambulance;orcon tacttheRapidInterventionTeam ThisiswhatIthinkregarding GPs:GPhasphonecall–1.GPsays callambulance,2.GPsayscallRIT, througha health professional.3 GP’saskedtomakeahousecallto aseverely-illpatient Pleasemakeupyourown mindsregarding yourGPs;the very first callpeoplemadeand reliedonyearsagowhenwehada genuinehealthservice.Anddonot keepblamingCovid!

Nameandaddresssupplied

ar.Welfarespendingissobloated andopentoabusethatmorethana millionofperfectlyfitandhealthy citizensdonotgotoworkatall. Livesaregoingtogetharder, colderand poorer. Thequestion is:Cananythingbedone?Let’sbe cleartheonlywayforwardhasto be change to policy.Thatpolicy mustseeeconomicgrowthascentraltoeverything

MBristow,Wolverhampton

Youcannot be serious

Youcannotbeserious! Blair andCamerongivingadviceonhow tobeaPrimeMinisteriswrongon somanylevels

BlairsuckinguptoPresident Bush andpromisinghim undy ingsupportnomatterwhatinhis “war on terror”and then devel oping hisMessiah complexwas excruciatingly embarrassingfor theUK.Oh,andbothsentBritish armedforcestotheirdeathsforno greatgaintotheBritishpublic.

So what meaningful advice canthesetwoactuallyofferapart from“HowNOTtobeaPrimeMinister”?

THoward,Wolverhampton

Tradedealison thecardsonceagain

Acoupleofyearsagoaletterof minewasprintedabouttheEU–in tryingtoimplementatradedeal withSouthAmericancountriesit failed

Thiswasduetothefactthat27 European Union countriescould notagree amongst themselves nowondertheEUtakesevenyears ormoretocuttradedeals

NowUrsulavonderLeyenis onceagain tryingto resurrecta newtradedealwithSouthAmer-

ica. Shewants to avoidany EU memberstatesusingtheirvetoto bypass that procedure, shejust wantstogetamajorityfromthe EUcouncil.

Now here comesthe crunch TheEUwantstoship,inpartof thenew tradedeal, agricultural products from theother side of theworld–somuchforclimate changethen

Theproposednew deal has beenleakedandtheEUfarmers,

whoweknowgetheavilysubsi disedfromtheEU,areupinarms aboutthenewdeal.TheEUhas backtrackedanddeniedthatthey weretryingforanewdeal,buttwo whistle-blowers(don’t you just love‘em),whoareinvolvedinthe talks,havespilledthebeans

Andfinally,toallEUremain ers,whenandifIgetanymoreinformationIwillofcoursekeepyou posted

RonGoodall,Wordsley

Therewasacelebratoryfeelingin theairasacommunityradiostation officiallymarkedtheopeningofitsstu dios

BlackCountryRadioinvitedleaders fromacrossthecommunitytojoinits staffandvolunteersatthestation’sstu diosatResonanceontheWaterfrontin BrierleyHill.Theeventwasheldtocel ebratetheofficialopeningofthenew set-uponNovember1.

ThestationhadmovedintotheRes onancecampusatthestartof2021,but hadbeenunabletomarkthemovefrom theolder studiosdue to restrictions aroundCovid.

Plaque

Duringanaddressingattheofficial opening,stationchairmanKeithHors fall thanked thestaff andvolunteers forall theirhardworkand spokeof theimportanceofcommunity radio, whileMayoroftheWestMidlandsAndy StreetunveiledaplaquealongsideDud leyMayorSueGreenaway.

Mr Street wasinterviewed live ontheairbyDriveTimehostHannah Udall,whileguestsinattendance,who

came from communitygroups, busi ness organisations andother groups workingwithBlack CountryRadio, wereabletotourthetwolivedigital broadcastingstudiosandtwoproduc tionstudios.

MrHorsfallsaidtheeventwasan acknowledgementofallthehardwork bystaffandvolunteersovertheeight yearsofthestationandrewardforall thechallengesoverthattime

Hesaid:“We’vebeenthroughfive moves, arobbery,all thechallenges andproblemsofCovidandalotmore besides,butwe’vegotthroughitand we’reherewiththenewstudiosoffi ciallyopened

“Ihavehugeprideinleadingthis fantastic organisation,but it’s really allaboutthe120volunteersthatmake ithappen,whetherit’smeaschairor thepersonmakingthetea.Wearea communityradiostationthatisrunby thecommunityforthecommunityand we’vegotsomewonderfultalent,sothe futureisbrightforus.”

Fundraiserfor victim’s family brings in £8,000

Afundraiserlaunchedtoraisemon eyforthefamilyofataxidriverwho diedafterbeingfoundwithseriousin juriesinastreethasnowreachedmore than£8,000.

AnakhSinghwasfoundincritical conditioninNineElmsLane,ParkVil lage,onthemorningofOctober30and despitetheeffortsofpoliceofficersand paramedics,hewaspronounceddead atthescene

Wolverhampton-based ABCCars, whereMrSinghworked,setupafund raisingpageinhismemory–justgiving. com/crowdfunding/anakhsingh–to raise£2,000forhisfamily.Ithasnow reachedmorethan£8,200,withmore than360peoplemakingdonations

Tomasz Margol,35, of Bamford Road,Merridale,appearedatWolver

hamptonCrownCourtonWednesday

charged with Mr Singh’smurder. He wasremandedincustody untilDecember5whenthematterwillnextbe heard.

Director of ABCCars, Greg Caley saidMrSingh’sdeathhadbroughtto getheracommunitywhohadwanted toshowtheirsupport.

Payingtributetothefather-of-two from Wolverhampton, he said:“The chapwaseversokind,hewasalovely manandaveryhardworker.”

Anywitnesses with information abouttheincidentshouldcontactdetectivesvialivechatatwest-midlands. police,uk, or phone 101quoting log 1516,ofOctober30orcontactCrimes toppersanonymouslyon0800555111 oratcrimestoppers-uk.org

Report by James Vukmirovic

Andy Street,MayorSueGreenaway and station chairmanKeith Horsfall

Newcurate-in-charge

Achurchissettowelcomeanew curate-in-chargetothecommunitythis weekend.

TheChurchofEngland congre gation at St Michael’sNortonwill be welcomingRevJonathanEvanstobe cometheirnewcurate-in-chargeatthe churchinStourbridge.

MrEvanswillbelicensedataser viceatthechurchonMaynardAvenue, Norton,onSundaybythe Bishop of Dudley,MartinGorick.

MrEvansgrewupinRedditchand hasworkedasaministrytrainee in WestBromwich&Wolverhamptonbeforebeingordainedin2020andhas served as assistantcurate at Christ ChurchinLyeforthelasttwoyears.His

wifeNaomiwaspreviouslyachildren& familyworker,butnowownsherown businessdesigningandsellinggreeting cardsandgiftware.

Agraduateinaccounting&finance, Mr EvansworkedinMacclesfield as astoresupervisorinabakerybefore trainingtobecomeavicar

Hishobbiesincludeallthingssport, withaparticularloveforcricket,golf, andfootball–heisasupporterofAston Villa.MrEvanssaid“Iverymuchlook forwardtoworking with thepeople ofNorton,anareathatisclosetomy heart.

“Ihopetoseethechurchbeathriv ingpartofthelocalcommunity,sharing themessageofChristianhope.”

Estate prefabs planmoveson

Thenextstage in aprogramme whichwill seemorethan90prefab homesknockeddownandreplacedis underway

Thecouncil-owned prefabs–93 intotal–ontheLincolnGreenestate inBushbury,whichdatebackto1946, werethefirsthomesidentifiedtobere placedaspartofamulti-million-pound regeneration programmebyWolverhamptonCouncil

Followinginitialconsultations,the counciliscurrently undertaking the second phaseof“bespoketenanten-

gagement”tounderstandthehousing needsofthoseaffected

Acouncil spokesmansaid: “The redevelopmentwillbeinaphasedapproachastenantsaresupportedtobe temporarilymovedtomakewayforthe newbuildproperties

“Onceasuitablecontractorisap pointed,afullprogrammewillbede velopedandsharedwithresidentsof eachestate.”

Datesfortheworkareyettobedecidedbutithaspreviouslybeenstated workcouldstartin2023.

Suspectedbird flucase

Peopleareurgednottotouchsick

Thesuspectedoutbreakhastaken

WolverhamptonCouncilandUKH

RuralAffairs)andAPHA(Animaland PlantHealthAgency) to managethe situationandprotectpublichealthand reducetherisktootherbirds,wildlife andpets.

Councillor JasbirJaspal, Wolver hamptonCouncilcabinetmemberfor publichealthandwellbeing,said:“We areworking closelywithUKHSA to managethissituation.Ifyoufindany deadwildbirds,donottouchthemand insteadreportthem to thecouncil’s parkrangers’teamon07766473150.”

Newdad’s proposal

Anewfatherfoundanovelwayof proposingtohispartneraftershehad givenbirth–byputtingtheirnewborn babyinavestwithaspecialmessage.

ShortlyaftergivingbirthinWalsall Manor Hospital,StaceyArrowsmith wenttohaveashowerinthedelivery suite.

ThisgaveAaronChildtheopportu nityheneeded,workingwithexcited midwivestomakesurebabyArlowas wearingaveryspecialvestforwhen mumreturned.

Itwasprintedwiththefollowing message:“Himummy,daddylovesus both very much.Hesaidweare his wholeworldandwouldliketoknow willyoumarryhim?”

When Stacey,a 29-year-oldfire fighter, spottedthe message, Aaron wentdownononekneeandproduced theringhe’dbeenhiding,muchtothe delightand surprise of Stacey and watching midwives.And Stacey said Yes!

TheBloxwichcouple, whohave beentogetherfortwoyears,plantotie theknotin2024andarenowenjoying lifewiththeirnewadditionwhowas bornonOctober23,weighing7pounds and5ounces.

Stacey said:“It is lovely andhe’d gonetosomuchefforttogetthemidwivesinvolvedtoo.

“It’sdefinitelysomethingto tell Arloaboutwhenhe’solder.”

Close shave for charitybytrio

Afundraisingtriowenttomarket–tohavehadtheirheadsshaved

Elijah Chamberlain-Page, his girl friendJessHowellsandtwinFinntook toBrierleyHillMarkettogettheirlocks shavedoffforParkinson’sandinmemo ryofthetwins’grandfatherRoger,who diedaged80aftersufferingwiththe disease.Around£1,200wasraised.

Elijah said:“We hadalot of hair andwewantedtodosomethingfor mineandFinn’sgrandfather,Roger–he passedawayoverthesummer

“Itwasinmemoryofhimandmy twinbrotherdecidedtojoinme,andmy girlfrienddidaswell.”

Elijahsaid:“It’sabigchangeandespeciallyforJess–shewasprobablythe bravestoutofallofus,butwe’vehada lotofcomplementstosaythatwedon’t looktoobad

BrierleyHillmarketisaplacemy grandadloved–soit’squitespecialfor allofus.”

Donateatjustgiving.com/fundrais ing/elijah-chamberlain-page

Plot bought forhousing

A1.7-hectare site in Dudley has beenboughtfornewhousingdevelop mentforBarrattHomes.

Itisplannedthatthesite,locatedon MarriottRoad,Netherton,willbeused foramixof91housesandapartments.

Theschemeissubjecttoplanning approval

Adrian Evans, managingdirector atBarrattHomesWestMidlands,said: “Beinggiventhegreenlighttodraw upplansforthisdevelopmentmoves

usclosertodeliveringmoreproperties toeagerhomebuyersintheWestMidlandsarea.Whilstwearelookingforwardtobeginningthebuild,ourfocus isnowonprocessingthefinerdetails andpresentingourplansforthesiteto localhomebuyers.

“This workwill supply another boosttotheregionandprovideanew andexcitingopportunitytothoselookingtotakethenextsteponthepropertyladder.”

Twins FinnandElijahChamberlain-Page withJessHowells

AteenagegirlhasreturnedtoNew CrossHospitaltovisitstaff14yearsaf tershewasdeclared‘clinicallydead’by doctors.

TalithaCarisSondwasbornmore thanthreemonthsprematureonOcto ber27,2008,weighingjust1lb2ozsbut noheartbeatcouldbedetectedinthe wombandshewasdeclaredclinically deadbeforebeingrevivedbythecare andskillsofstaffatTheRoyalWolver hamptonNHSTrust’sNeonatalUnit.

Fourteen years later, Talithaand herparentsweretheretopresentadonationchequetotheneonatalunit

ThefamilyfromWolverhampton madeadonationof£700,withfurther donationstotallingmorethan£1,000 totheunit.

TeerthSond,49,ministerattheFellowshipofServantsatAllSaintscommunitycentreandhiswifeUsha,46, were reunited with consultant Babu Kumararatne.

Talithaalsounderwentheartsur gery,andspentfivemonthsintheunit, butisnowahealthyteenager

Staffwho were workingonthe wardatthetimein2008,andcaredfor Talitha,werepresentonthedayofthe donationtocelebrateher14thbirthday

Mr Kumararatne said:“Iremember whenTalithawasborn,andIcannot believehowmuchshehasgrownup now,andthatthereisnothingwrong withherandsheisafullyhealthyteenagernow. ”

Tragically,fouryearslateronOc tober2,2012, theSonds’,who have beenmarriedfor23yearsalsohave daughtersHannahLeah,21andTaliya 16,andsonJoshua11,facedthesame scenarioasdaughterAniyawasborn threemonthsprematurelyonthesame unit,butdiedtwoweekslater.

Thecoupleweresoimpressedby thecareandtreatmenttheirdaughters receivedtheysetupacharitycalled VoiceoftheVoiceless(VOTV).Through that,theywantedtodosomethingto supportotherfamiliesinasimilarsitu ation,andwouldlikethemoneydonat edtogotowardsincubatorcare

Teerth,co-ownerofhomeimprove ment firmSmartglazeUK, said:“This isastoryofhope–Talithaisamira clechild. Wethoughtweweregoing throughthesamewithAniya,butthis timewesawtheothersideofthecoin.”

£45k grantfor charity canfundwildlifearea

An animal therapyorganisation whichworkstoimprovementalhealth andcombatlonelinesshasbeengivena £45,000grantfromSevernTrent

HugglePetsintheCommunityhas beengiven£45,720bySevernTrent’s CommunityFundtocreateaneducationalandwellbeingspaceforyoung children with disabilities andspecial educationalneeds.

BasedinWolverhampton,Hug glePetsinthe Communityoffersa rangeofanimaltherapyfocusedwork forlocalresidentsofallages

Thenot-for-profitorganisationsup portsandworksalongsideindividuals andgroupstoimprovementalhealth, combat loneliness,challenge behaviouralissuesandpromotepsychologi

calwellbeing.Thankstothegrant,the organisation canoffer more animal therapysessionsandfundtherenovationofanewpondandwildlifearea.

Thenewspacewillhelptoteach people aboutwater usage, growing theirownfoodandhowanimalsand aquaticshaveanimpactontheenviron mentandcanimprovementalhealth

HugglePetsintheCommunityalso providesessionsontheimportanceof recyclingwaterandgrowingfood,as wellasofferingworkexperienceand volunteeringopportunities

MikeDixon,chairmanoftheboard forHugglePets,said:“Oursessionshelp childrenaswellasadultsunderstand theirownmentalwellbeing,buildcon fidenceandimproveself-esteem.

Report by Sunil Midda

Teerthand TalithaSondvisited neonatalunitstaffto donate money

The Best of Peter Rhodes

If Vladimir Putinwas as ill as somepeopleclaim,hisarmywould alreadyberehearsingforhisfuneral inRedSquare.Thelatestclaim,that heissufferingfrombothpancreatic cancer andParkinson’s disease, suggestshecannotbelongforthis world

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Butwhatisthe provenance of thisclaim?Itcomesfromareportin theDailyMail,basedonanaccount intheSunwhichinturnisbasedon “unverifieddocuments” supplied by“anallegedRussianintelligence source.”SoisthataRussianleak–or Chinesewhispers?

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Amid allthe rubbishing of the disgracedPrinceAndrew,areader loyallydeclaresthatheremembers him“piloting ahelicopterinthe FalklandsWar,decoyinganyExocets awayfromourships.”

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The1982FalklandsWarwasun

doubtedlyAndrew’sfinesthourand thereisnosaddersightthantosee aherobrought crashing down by hisownfolly.YetAndrewcouldstill makeamends.In1963JohnProfumo wasadecoratedwarheroandBritain’ssecretaryofstateforwar.He wasbroughtcrashingdownbyastu pidaffair,andlyingtoParliament.

Over thefollowing years,Profumo quietlyimmersedhimselfincharitableworkandin1975hewasmade aCBE.Helivedlongenoughtobe seatednexttotheQueenatMargaret Thatcher’s70thbirthdaydinner nn n

Soitispossibletoclawyourway

backfromabjectdisgracetogenuine respectability.Butittakestime,hard work,goodfriendsandaverylow profile.Overtoyou,Andy. nnn

Inthepastfewyearsamyste riousmaninagimpsuithasbeen frighteningfolkinvillagesnearBristol.Thelatestencounterendedina veryEnglishwaywithhisvictimsofferingthemysteriousstrangeracig arette.Iwasremindedofmyinter viewin2003withacouplewhohad been scared witless near Cannock Chasebya“BritishBigfoot”which theydescribedasa“hugeape-like creature”.Funnyoldworld

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ItemergedthisweekthatHS2, the£100billion trainthatnobody wants,willwhizzalongat225mph withnobodyatthecontrols.Brainlessconceptmeetsdriverlesstechnology.Whatcould possiblygo wrong?

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Delightedtosee theman they callLulawinningthe presidential electioninBrazil.Allbeingwell,the Amazon maybesaved from being turnedintoonegiantbeeffarm.But whywasitthat,insomuchoftheme diacoverage,Lula(akaLuizInácio

LuladaSilva)wasdescribedmerely as“leftwing”or“leftist”whilehis opponent,JairBolsonaro,wasinvari ablybranded“hardright,”“farright” or“extremeright”?It’sprobablybe causesomanyjournalistsbelongto theliberalelite:bytheiradjectives shallyeknowthem.

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Toogoodtolast,wasn’tit?One of theattractionsofelectricvehicles(EVs)isthatownersdon’thave topayroadtax.Butassomeofus havebeenpointingoutforages,no governmentisgoingtopartwillingly withthemulti-billionpoundgolden eggitgetsfrompetroldutywithout lookingforanewsourceofincome

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Sureenough,unnamedsources in Whitehallhavelet it be known thatEVswillbesubjecttoroadtax “inlessthanthreeyears.”Chancellor JeremyHuntwillprobablyannounce somethinginhisbreathlessly-awaitedAutumnStatement.

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EVownerswillbefuriousatthis newtax.Afterall,asareaderpointed outinMarch:“It’slikeslappingatax onpeoplewhostoppayingtobacco duty when they give up smoking.” Quiteright,sir.Butitdoesn’tmakea scrapofdifference.

BrazilianPresidentLuiz Inacio Lula da Silva

ChancellorJeremy Hunt

Lighting up Christmas

Performersarebeinginvitedtoget Christmasofftoagreatstartbyper formingateventstolightuptowncen tresthiswinter

Fiveswitch-oneventswillbetak ingplaceinNovemberandDecember acrosstheDudleyborough.

Councilbossesareonthehuntfor localperformerswhoareeagertoshow offtheirtalentsinfrontofthree-figure audiences in Halesowen, Stourbridge, Sedgley,DudleyandBrierleyHill.

Councillor Simon Phipps, cabi netmemberforregenerationanden terprise,said: “TheChristmas lights switch-oneventsarealwayswellsup ported by residentsinour borough towns.

“Welovetoshowcaselocaltalent andit’safantasticopportunitytoper forminfrontofhundredsofpeople.”

Singers, dancers, musicians and groupsareallwelcometoexpresstheir interestintakingtothestageatthese events,whichwillbeginonNovember 19inHalesowen.

Adaylater,Sedgleywillhosttheir lights switch-on, before Stourbridge’s eventonNovember26

BothDudleyandBrierleyHillwill behostingfestiveeventsonDecember 3.

Anyonewho is interested in per formingataChristmaslightsswitch-on eventisaskedtoemailcapa.events@ dudley.gov.uk.

Poppiestotake

memorialisapermanentreminderof thesacrificemadebythosewhoserved todefendourcountryandwayoflife particularlythehundredsoflocalmen andboyswhodiedinthehorrificwars ofthelate19thandearly20thcentu ries

“It’ssoimportantthatwecontinue toremembertheirsacrifice,andthese poppieswillhelpustodothatbymak ingsurethisyear’speriodofRemem brance is even morethought-provok ing.”

Probeinto‘hotel’ claims

Aninvestigationhasbeenlaunched

Thesiteisundertheownershipof

Councillor Simon Phipps, cabinet member forplanning, said:“We are

CouncillorAdam Davies,LisaMaidment and volunteerWendy Lawrie

Pantomimestarsconjureup excitementaheadofAladdin

Thecountdown to thefestive season is on as Wolverhampton GrandTheatre launches its2022 pantomimeAladdin

Ticket saleshavealready been boomingandAdrianJackson,chief executiveandartisticdirector,said: “TheGrandTheatrehasarichhis toryofproducingpantomime,from thetheatre’sopeningseasonin1894, pantowasplacedfirmlyattheheart oftheannualprogramme.

“Ithasbeenmyintentiontore turn to in-house pantomime, and thisyeartheambitionhasbecome areality.IamdelightedAladdinwill beaWolverhamptonGrandTheatre production andsince announcing ourcastafewweeksagoticketsales haveincreasedsignificantly.”

Michael Greco, best knownfor hisroleasBeppediMarcoinEast Enders,takesontheroleofAbanazar.Hesaid:“Pantoisjustagoodtime ThelastfourorfiveChristmases,I’ve satathomenotdoinganythingand thinkingIwouldhavelovedtohave donepanto.Sothisisjustperfect.”

CBeebiespresenter BenCajee,

whoplaysAladdin,isalsoexcitedto takeonapantomimerole Bensaid:“It’ssevenweeks–two weeksofrehearsalsandfiveweeks ofshows,with60showsinthattime. It’sgoingtobefull-on.”

IanAdams,who playsWidow Twankee,added:“Ilovepantomime.

It’s also aboutthatfamilything, whereanyonefromfiveto95cango toenjoyit.”

ForcastmembersSofieAnnéand IanBillings,whoplayPrincessJasmineandTheNotaryrespectively, actingintheirhomecityisparticularlyspecial

Sofie said:“It’s amazing. This is my first pantomimeand it’s at home,onthebigstage.I’vewatched productionshere,andnowtobeon stage,it’sincredible.”

Ian,whohaslivedinTettenhall formorethan20years,added: “I wrotethepantomimefortheGrand

in1997,whenCannonandBallwere here.Pantoissoimportantbecause childrencometoseeitandwillrememberitfortherestoftheirlives.”

Fortickets,visit to Lichfield Streetvenue’sboxoffice,call01902 429212 or seewww.grandtheatre. co.uk

Report by Eleanor Lawson

Grand theatrepantostarsIan Adams and TamRyan

HometownSofieAnné IanBillingsisfromTettenhall

Ex-EastEnder Michael Greco

Business is closingits doors

Afamilybutcherthathasservedits communityforfourgenerationsisclos ingitsdoorsforthefinaltime

BatesButcherswasstartedbySo phiaBatesinabout1930andhassince beenrunbyhersonEdwin,grandson ColinandgreatgrandsonDaniel.But aftersurvivingtheSecondWorldWar, afirein2014and mostrecently the Covid-19pandemic,spirallingelectrici tycostshaveforcedtheshopinWolver hamptontoshut.

“Everyone’supset becausewe’re partofthecommunity,”saidDaniel.“I thinkI’lllookbackandseehowlucky we’vebeen,butthebigthingforme isit’snotjustashop,it’sthethingour

family hasbeenassociatedwithfor four generationsand people have al waysknownwearethere.”AndDaniel admits some conversationswithhis customers aboutclosingdownhave been really difficult: “You’re fighting backthetears,becausethelastthingI wanttobedoingisstartcryinginthe shop.”

AfterstartinginDudleyRoad,the Batesfamilyownedseveralshops.

Edwin’sshop in GreenLanewas followedbystoresinWarstonesDrive, BlackburnAvenueandPendefordAv enue.AnditisthatshopinPendeford AvenuethathascarriedtheBatesname allthewayuntilnow.

Daniel Bates, right, with hisfather Colin beforeColin’s retirement

TheBlackCountryishometonearly3,000asylumseekers,officialfigures show,whilesomeneighbouringauthor itieshavetakeninnone

HouseofCommonsLibrary data showstheBlackCountrywassupporting2,811 asylum seeker applicants

bytheendof2021,1,022ofthemin Sandwell,882inWolverhampton,509 inWalsalland398inDudley.InSouth Staffordshire,nonewastakenin.

WalsallCouncil leader Mike Bird said an “unfairburden” wasbeing placedonpartsoftheWestMidlands.”

PenncouncillorsStephanieHaynes andPaulSinghsayworriedhomeownershavereportedheavy lorries rou-

tinely usingWakeley Hill andPennwoodLane CouncillorHaynessaid:“Myunderstandingisthatthelorriesareusing thisroutetoreachadepotsomewhere atthebottomofPennwoodLane,just intoSouthStaffs.”

Photosofsomeofthemostbreathtakingsightsinthenaturalworldare ondisplayinWolverhampton

TheWildlifePhotographer of the Year Exhibitionis onloanfromLondon’sNaturalHistoryMuseumtoWolverhamptonArtGallery On show untilChristmas Eve, it showcasesthewinnersandnominees

ofthisyear’scompetition,recognising thebestofnaturephotographyacross theworld

Theoverallwinnerofthisyear’s competitionwasKarineAignerforher photoTheBigBuzz.Takenonamacro lens,Karinecapturedaballofmalecac tusbees,spinningacrossthesandofa Texasranch,

Exhibition assistantBethanyWilliamswith Karine Aigner’s The BigBuzz

Departing Fri 17 Mar ‘23 Awarm welcomeawaitsinLlandudno, the wonderful seaside resort onceknown as ‘the ‘Queen of the Welsh Resorts.’There’splentytoenjoy,from Llandudno Bayand the North ShoreBeach to the 11th-century Llandudno Pier and don’t missour optional excursion to the village of Betws-y-Coed.

Noddybacks charityrecord

It’s Chriiiiiiistmas! BlackCountry legendNoddyHolderisaimingforanotherfestivehitafteraddinghisvoice toastar-studdedcollectionofcharity singles.

TheWalsall-bornsinger, who toppedthechartsin1973withSlade’s MerryXmasEverybody, hasbeen backinthestudioinaidofTheCancer AwarenessTrust.

The76-year-oldsingernarratesa diaryentrybyaFirstWorldWarsoldier aftertheChristmasDaytruceof1914.

Hereadslinesincluding:“Thebru talwar hadstopped.Therewas no noise,noscreams,justsilence”setto musicproducedbyBrianEno.

Itformspartofacollectionofsin glesfeaturing50starsalsoincluding Birmingham’s Ozzy Osbourne,Peaky

Thealbumisbeingreleasednext yearalthoughanumberofsingleswill bereleasedbeforethealbumlaunch includingNoddy’ssingle–inaidofpromotingTheCancerPlatform,fromThe CancerAwarenessTrust,afree-to-use websiteandappforeveryoneaffected bycancer

Tony Colville, managing director of TheCancerAwareness Trust, said Noddywaschosenduetohimbeingthe “voiceofChristmas”.

ItissaidNoddywantedtosupport thecauseduetoSladebassistandWol verhampton’sownJimLea,andfellow city-bornSladedrummerDonPowell, havingbothbattledthedisease.

Blinders star CillianMurphy,Glenn CloseandSineadO’Connor

Noddy Holder in the studio.Photo:Facebook

SATURDAY

WarHorse (2011) (BBC2, 5.15pm)

When his drunkenfarmerdad Ted(PeterMullan)comeshomewith afoalcalledJoey,youngAlbert(Jer emyIrvine) promises to trainthe animaltoworkinthefields.Howev er,EuropegoestowarandTedsells JoeytoCaptainNicholls(TomHid dleston).Albertsubsequentlylearns oftragedyonthebattlefieldanden listsinthearmytotrackdownJoey andreturnthehorsetothefarm

SUNDAY

HereBefore(2021) (BBC2, 10.30pm)

Psychological thriller setin NorthernIreland.Severalyearsaf terthedeathofherbeloveddaughter Josie(GraceO’Dwyer),motherLaura (AndreaRisebor ough)has rebuilt herlifeinasub urbofBelfastwith herhusband and son, butbecomes convincedshe livesinanother child.

Freddie’stakingstock foranF1driving test

TopGear (BBC1, 8pm, Sun day)

Itmayseemhardtoremember now,butwhenitwasrevealedthat Jeremy Clarkson,James Mayand RichardHammondwereleavingTop Gear,somepeoplewonderedifthe motoringshowwouldsurvive

Admittedly,itdid take awhile fortheBBCtofindapresentinglineupthattrulygelled,butunderthe stewardshipofChrisHarris,Freddie FlintoffandPaddyMcGuinness,it’s onceagainpulledahead

However, Paddymodestlysug geststhatit’stheformat,ratherthan justthepresenters,that’sbehindthe show’scontinuingpopularity

Hesays:“Ithinkessentially,it’s gotsomethingforeveryone.It’sgot petrolhead bits in thereofcourse, butalsoalotofentertainment.And it’sgreatescapismonaSundaynight isn’tit, before gettingready to go backtowork?

“Peopleliketoswitchoff by watchingusdrivingaroundinexotic carsoroldbangers,goingroundthe

world andvisitingdifferent places thatyounevergetachancetosee.”

Tonight, he gets behind the wheelofaRangerRoverbilledasthe mostluxuriouseverbuilt.However, adrivearoundLondondoesn’tseem likemuchofatest,soheandChris takeittothecountry’stoughestoff-

roadevent,theKingofBritain,toreallyputitthroughitspaces

Freddie, meanwhile, is trying hishandatF1–F1StockCarRac ing,thatis,andChrisisinvitedby MercedestotryoutanF1carthey havebuiltfortheroad–butthetest drivedoesn’tgoexactlytoplan.

EastEnders (BBC1)

Samisn’tpreparedforwhatshe findsattheBranninghouse–and sharesherdiscoverywithJack.Alfie triestokeeptheboysamusedbygettingthemtoguessthecombination toPhil’ssafe–andtheysuccessfully crackit.However,itstartstoseem lesslikeharmlessfunwhenhiscab islaterhijackedbyanarmedrobber

Coronation Street (ITV)

Grifforganisesameetingatthe communitycentrewhich,onpaper atleast,appearstobeabouttheenvironment.However,hesoonreveals his racist colours,prompting Roy (DavidNielson)tomakehimlooka fool.Bernieiskidnappedwhiletry ingtoexposeFaith,andHopelaunch esamoney-makingscheme.

Emmerdale (ITV)

ChasattendsLiv’ssend-offwhile ahandfulsaygoodbyetoAl.Butaf terlater secretly readingAl’sorder ofservice,herdespaircomesout andPaddy gets worried about what’sbehindher behaviour.

Editor’s weekend pick

Films for the weekend

Your guide to the soaps

Freddie Flintoffgoes stock carracing forTopGear

WarHorse

David Neilson

WhyVitaminC should be on your skin care menu

Citedbycelebrities includingactorNicoleKidman, modelAshley Graham andHudaBeautyfounder Huda Kattan,Skinceuticals CE

Ferulicisthe gold standard when it comestoVitamin Cserums.

At £150 abottle, thecultclassic comeswithanA-listprice tagtoo, butyou canget yourdaily dose of VitaminCwithout breaking the bank

Whyare beauty buffsand fa mous facessoobsessedwiththe nutrient we usuallyconsume via fruitand vegetables?Weasked expertstoexplain everything you need to know aboutVitamin Cand skincare…

n What is VitaminC? “VitaminCorascorbicacidisawater-solublevitamin whichcannot be stored in thebody,”saysDr SarahBrewer, medicaldirectorat Healthspan(healthspan.co.uk)

“A regularintakeistherefore essentialand food sourcesinclude most fruitand vegetables,especiallycitrusfruit,berries,black currants, capsicumpeppers, kiwi fruitand greenleaves.”

n What arethe benefits of Vi taminCinskincare? “Adding VitaminCtoyourskincarerou tine will brighten yourcomplexion andalso protectagainst damage causedbyharmful environmental

free radicals,”explainsDrDerrick Phillips, consultant dermatologist. Theantioxidant effect increases theskin’sresilience to pollution andreduces sundamage, he says: “Italso stimulates newcollagen formation, whichin turn keepsthe skin youthfuland plump.”

n Do some skin typesbenefit more than others? –“Vitamin Cisgoodfor allskintypes,” says Shotter, butthose with sensitive skin or acne should be careful. “A sensitiveskintypemightbeirritatedbyapotentVitamin Cformu lation –theymay useother [formu las] whichare slightly gentlerand water soluble.”

Take stepstoensureseason doesn’tleave youfeeling low

HEATHERLARGE heather.large@mnamedia.co.uk

During this time of year when thenightsdrawin earlier, it is common for peopletodevelop and exhibitsymptomsofsea sonalaffective disorder (SAD).

Martin Preston, Founderand ChiefExecutive at Delamere,has shared some keytipsonhow to manage this type of disorder

He says:“Seasonal affectivedis orderismet with arange of symp toms.These days,you maybesleep ingmorethanusualand therefore findingithardtowakeup. Similar ly,you maybeexperiencinga loss of interest in day-to-day activities and arefeeling generallyanxious, irri tableand low.

“Asdifficult as this time of year maybe, it’s importanttoknowthat thereare plenty of proactivesteps you cantaketoeaseyoursymp toms.”

SURROUND YOURSELF WITH DAYLIGHT

As we head into thedarkwinter months, it’s importanttomakethe most of daylightasmuchas possible. If youworkindoors, open any curtains or blinds to letinas much lightas possible.Another beneficial thingtodoistoworkbyawindow to make you feel abit more close to nature andthe outsideworld Sprucing up theenvironment you’re in will also help.For example, you couldinvestinhouseplants or deco rate yourhome with wall art.

MAINTAINYOUR DAILYSCHEDULE

Theseasons arechanging, but that doesn’tmeanyourschedulehas to If you’reusedtogoing foramorningrun,sticktothisroutine.The weathermay be colder,but you can always wrap up.Ifyou’vegotten into thehabit of goingintothe of fice more over thesummermonths, carrythisondespite thechillier mornings.Setting yourself goalsfor

theday will also putyou into amore motivated mindset.

EXERCISE OFTEN

When youexercise,yourbodyreleases endorphins, whichin turn hasapositive effect on yourmood. So,makeita habit of shakingaway thosewinterblues with regular physicalactivity. If intensiveexercise doesn’tsound likethe best thing, perhapsjustmakeitatarget of goingout forawalkeveryday thefresh airwilldoyou wonders! Youmay also benefitfromengaging in mindfulpractices such as medi tation to combat stress levels

EATWELL

Sticking to ahealthy,balanced

diet is certainlyapositive step you cantaketomanageyourseasonal affectivedisorder.Afterall,your brainfunctions better when you eatwell. As theweather gets cold er,you couldalso use this time to make warm,heartyrecipes in the kitchen. From pies to spicycurries, be as experimental as youwant! Be sure to also drinkenoughwater throughoutthe daytokeepyou hy drated andenergised

KEEP IN REGULAR WITH LOVEDONES

Anothercommon symptomofsea sonalaffective disorder is findingit hard to stay in touchwithfriends andfamily. Whileitcan be quite tempting to stay secluded in your ownbubble, it’s importanttoknow that reaching outtoloved oneswill

make you feel alittlelessinyour head.Withthisinmind, make it a habitofregularly messagingpeople andorganisingcatch-ups from time to time

AMPUP YOUR SELF-CARE ROUTINE

Finally, forthose especially tough days, having thebestself-care plan foryourselfisessential.Inmaking this, thinkabout what makesyou happy. This couldbeyourfavourite series or perhapssomethingas simple as runninga bath.Whatever it is, make sure yourself-care plan is guaranteed to boostyourmood or at leastprovide youwithasense of comfort.

n Formoreadvice, visitdelamere.com/addiction-treatment/ mental-health

It’s good to talk before taking thenextbig step of living together

Moving in together canbeanexcit ingstepfor couples– andwithrent, mortgage andlivingcosts going throughthe roof,itmight be some thingyou’vedecidedtodoalittle more quicklythanusual.

However,asjoyfulasthismove canbe, therewill be lots to think about– living together brings up newconsiderationsand dynamics to navigateand it’s importantyou cancommunicate

So,whatshouldcouples talk aboutbeforemovingin together?

1. Your expectations: Some peoplewill seemovingintogetheras asteptowards even more commitment within arelationship, whilst others will seeitassomethingthat works forthemright now, without lookingtoo farahead,”saysQuinn “Makesureyou’rebothonthe same page –and don’tassumemovingin todaymeans marriedtomorrow, or even next year.”

2. How you’re goingto divide household chores: Quinn says: “There’s alot that comeswithsharinga space –alot of dirtydishes, pilesoflaundry andshoppingto get. Chat aboutwho is goingtobe responsiblefor what before diving in,” shesuggests. “Whilsthelpful to be organised, it’s also agood ex ercise to ensure that both partiesof therelationshipare committed and it’s notone-sided.”

3. Costsand finances: Many of us shyawayfromtalking about mon ey.But it’s really importantfor couplestobeabletodiscussthis, says Quinn

“Withthe cost of living crisis dominating headlines, nowisa greattimetobemorecandidabout your finances with apartner,” she says.“What canyou afford?What’s yourcredithistory?Whatthings areworth prioritising?And how are you goingtodivideup rent andbill payments?”

4. Whoelseisgoing to be shar ingyourspace?: You’re setting up ahome together –soboundaries around whoelseisgoing to be comingand goingisdefinitely some thingtothink about

“Althoughthismay notbeanimmediatequestiontoask,itisstill avalid pointtoconsider,”agrees Quinn.“Does someone want apet? Does oneofyou have abestfriend whoisalwayscrashingonthe couch? Is one of you more sociable andprone to throwing partiesthan theother?Doessomeone workfrom home?These questionswill enable you to getclear about how you’re goingtouse thespace anddivide it equally,”saysQuinn.“Although it will be asharedhome,remember that you’remorethanentitledto yourown quietsanctuary to revert to when you need.”

5. What’s your emergencyplan if it doesn’tworkout?: This mightsound negative –but it’s ac tually ahealthy sign to be able to talk aboutthese things with care This mightinclude an action plan, as well as both individualshaving an ’emergency savingsfund’ should you suddenly need to move out.

Thewintercan proveachallenge time formanypeople butthere arethings youcan do to help

Fruitand

Makingfriendsofhumanand wild kind in magicalMexico

Makingfriendsonholidayisim portant,particularlyifyou’reflying solo

It wasa scorchinghot dayin Mexico,andjustasIcontemplated slinking over to theLaEscondida swim-upbarforacoolingCorona,I spiedapotentialnewpal.

Afterabitofrustlinginthebush es,out popped theheadofaninquisitivegreycoati–akind-ofcross betweenaraccoon,monkeyandanteater.

Secondslater,hewasjoinedby halfadozenmembersofhisbandfor asniffaround,beforescurryingback intothejungle.

IwasatUNICO20°87°resorton theRivieraMaya,astunningstretch ofcoastlineonMexico’snorth-east ernYucatánPeninsula.

Althoughaperfectcouples’destination,Ifoundthisall-inclusivehavenidealformeetingnewpeople–as wellastheoddwildanimal.Mybase forthreedayswasapristineOcean

ViewRoom,completewithajetbath tubonthebalcony,andfullystocked minibar.

Robes, slippers, sunhatsand otherluxurieswerealsoprovided, whilecomplimentary24-hourroom serviceisavailable,shouldyouwish torelaxinyourroom.

Helpingtomakemystayascomfortableaspossiblewasmypersonal conciergeMarco,whowasonhand, alldayeveryday,viaWhatsAppto bookany activities or restaurant reservations.

Iexperiencedthreeamazingdiningexperiencesduringmystay

On the first night, Iheadedto MexicanrestaurantCueva Siete to munchoncrunchy corn tortillas withguacamoleandsalsa,followed bybeefsteakwithashesandCotija cheeseSauce.

Then,atthe Mediterranean-in

spiredMiCarisa,Iwasservedchar coalprovoloneinfigjam,followed bycreamyspaghetticarbonara.Finally,atthehotel’ssignaturesteak house,20.87Restaurant,Ioptedfor amouth-wateringribeyemarinated inchimichurrisauce.

Acrossthewoodenbridgefrom UNICO,thereisanarrowbeach,dottedwithprotectedturtlenests,ideal forastrollorswiminthewarmGulf ofMexicowaters.

However, most guests tend to hang outbythe pools,whether theypreferlisteningtomusicatthe 20°87°Pool,socialisingatLaUNICA Pool,orchilledoutbar-topgamesat LaEscondida.

Downthecorridorfromthemain lobby,youcanindulgeinawine-tast ingsessionatLaBotellaorachocolate-samplingsessionatSoól

Meanwhile,overattheresort’s spa,Itookpartintherevitalising aquatherapyjourneybeforebookinginforarelaxingmen’sfacial

Getaway in acampervan

TheVWcampervanconjuresup images of flower-adornedvehicles, favouredbyhippies,touringAmer icaduringthecountercultureeraof thelate1960s,writesBillMcCarthy

Manyofthosewhodrovearound thembackinthedayarenowciti zensofacertainvintage.Thereare those,too,whoseeitasadifferent adventurewiththeiryoungfamily Andwhileitmaynotbesocomforta ble,formanyitstillfeelshipandcool tobeseendrivingone

WithtypicalBritishstoicism,we packedupandheadedtowardsthe eastcoastofYorkshire

Ourweekawaytookustoasite nearFiley.Oneofseveralownedby Havenalongthatcoastline,theyof ferallsortsofaccommodation,from mobile homestospace formotor

homes,campersandtents.Thesite hasspectacularseaviewsandoffers peaceandtranquillitywithallthe basicfacilitiesrequiredforcamping andcaravanning.Thereisalsoareg ularbusservicewhichgivesabetter viewofthecountrysidefromthetop deck

Dailyrateswerearound£18and includedelectricitypointsandwateranddisposalfacilitiesaswellas cleanshowerblocks.Italsoallows useoftheHavenfacilitiesandlive entertainment.

Itwashandilyplacedforvisitsto ScarboroughandBridlington.Atra ditionalseasidetown,Scarborough featurestwosandybeacheswiththe landmark12th-centurycastledominatingthecliffs.Italsofeaturesatra ditionalpromenade,shoppingcentre

andaVictorianCentralTramwayfu niculartrainthatlinksthetowncentrewithSouthBayanditsharbour

Furthersouth is Bridlington, packedwithattractionsandamuse mentstogetherwithasandybeach.

AlsoworthavisitisnearbyFlam boroughHead–designatedaSpecial AreaofConservation–anditstwo spectacularlighthouses.

AtriptoWhitbyisworthwhile, withitsfamousAbbeyoverlooking thebay.Itwas Bram Stoker’s visittotheharbourtownin1890that providedhimwithlocationsforhis famousGothichorrornovelDracula WhitbyalsohoststhefamousNorth YorkshireMoors Railway, which runs to Pickeringand stopsoff at Goathland, home of Aidensfield in theTVseriesHeartbeat.

Atnight,thereisarosterofvariedentertainment,andonmyfinal eveningIheadedtoPalmeraLounge forthesilentdiscoandafewMayan Mulecocktailswithafewpalsfrom Pennsylvania

Aftersaying‘adios’totherelax ingUNICO,Iwasdriven10minutes upHighway307forahotelexperi enceofadifferentkind

ThesprawlingHardRockHotel RivieraMayaresortissplitintwo–thefamilythemedHacienda,andthe adults-onlyHeaven.Followingatour ofthegrounds,Imadeabeelinefor Heaven’sCentralPoolwhichfeatures livebands,DJsanddancersonthe 20-foot-highelevatedstage.

Duringtheweek,Igottoknow agroup of otherholidaymakers, andafter thesun set, we metup fordrinksattheHeavenBar,which turnsintoanightclubandpoolparty intotheearlyhours.

Thenextday,withaslightlysore head,Iembarkedonanotherhydro

therapytour– sauna, steamroom andhotandcoldbaths–atTheRock Spa.Andwhilethedeeptissuemas sagefeltrigorousatthetime,itdid metheworldofgood

Thefood anddrink at Hard Rock’s nine restaurantswas also secondtonone,particularlyatZen, whereteppanyakichefRogerthrew knivesintotheair,flamesonthegrill andriceintoourmouths.

ThentherewastheAwakenYour Sensesdiningexperience,theHard Rock’sFrench-inspiredLePetitCochon,andToroSteakHouse–agreat optionforloversofrib-eye,skirtand flank.

Thereare plentyofexcursions availablefromHardRocktoo,includ ingatriptotheancientMayantown ofTulumandtheZiplineXpresscircuitthroughthejungle

YoucanevenjoinaJamBandor haveagoatmusicmixing.I,howev er,optedforaroundofgolfatthere sort’scourse

By RichardJones

UNICO20°87° resortonthe north-easternYucatánPeninsula HardRockHotel ontheRivieraMaya

Lighthouse atFlamborough Head

By Sam Wylie-Harris

ture andwildlifecan bringa senseofcalm,wecanchannel thesefeelingsinourinteriors, creatingawelcomerefugefrom thestressesofmodernlife–not tomentionawealthofcreative inspiration in therun up to Christmas.

create alog cabinfeel, adda touchofrusticcharmorchill outzonetosnuggleupwitha winter warmer,these pieces lightthewayforwintrywonder…

3.GeorgeBerberCushion,

tion),Direct.asda Whenyou’repullingallyour

logcabin-inspiredfurnishings together,atuftedBerber-style cushionworksbeautifullywith luxewoodtones.

4. NaturalHistory Muse um Woodland Journal Wall paper,£12perroll,Dunelm Afeaturewallofwoodland findsprovidestheperfectback dropfornaturebookorwildlifephotography collections. Otherwise,youcanjustenjoy thefabulous flora andfauna intheirnewnaturalhabitat–yourhome!

5.EmmaBridgewateroak French bowl,£21;GreyPar tridge 8½Inchplate,£19, andcockpheasant medium pastabowl, £24 (other items from aselection), Emma Bridgewater Englishearthenware at itsmostjoyous,thisnewoak collection imbibes thoughts of crunchingthrough fall en leaves,Sundayroastsand chestnutstuffing.

6.Woodland Oven Glove, Navy,£14,Fatface Akitchenessentialforsoup seasonandhotpots

TETTENHALL Tel: 01902 747744 WOMBOURNE Tel: 01902 326366 BRIDGNORTH Tel: 01746 766499

Tel: 01562546969

www.berrimaneaton.co.uk

SENIOR JOURNALISTS

The Midland News Association, publisher of the Express &Starand Shropshire Star,islooking forsenior journalists to join itsteam.

Thisisthe ideal role forambitious, dedicated and enthusiasticjournalists with aproventrack record of digging out the bestoff-diarynewsstories, features and analysis.

As amulti-mediajournalist, youmustbecomfortable producing contentfor all of ourprintand digitalplatforms –fromin-depth news features forour newspapers, to breaking news articles forour websites, as well as covering storiesas theyhappen onliveblogs.

The ideal candidateswill be able to come up with ideas and deliver compelling stories on aconsistent basis.

We arelooking forNCTJ-trained journalists, able to deliver accurate,entertaining copy to meetstrict deadlines. Afull, clean driving licence is required.

We will also consider NCTJ Diploma trained journalists who areworking towardstheirNQJ

This is abrilliantopportunity to join our newsroom, covering adiverse, vibrant and busypatch.

Benefits include acompetitive salary, 25 days’annual holidayand thechance to develop your career at Britain’s largest independentregional news company.

If

Shooting Brakepackedwithgoodies

BILLMcCARTHY

Like many estate type cars or tourers, style andpracticalityhave beenmarried to deliver coupe-like styling, with littlecompromiseoninterior space.

Theterm“shootingbrake”is supposedly from turn-of-the-last centuryEngland,where it referred to acar used to transport ahunting partyand itsgear. “Brake”referred to achassis that wasusedtobreak in horses

It eventually just came to referto earlywagonsingeneral

Thetermwas laterapplied to custom-builtwagonsbyhigh-end coachbuilders andsubsequently be came synonymous with thestation wagonor, nowadays,the estate

With achoice of PremiumLine, Luxury Line andSport Line trim levels, it certainlyisapremium, stylishvehicle with itssleek,coupe likeprofile andfeaturing thesig nature crestgrillequad lampsand not forgetting theBentley lookalike winged bonnet badge

TheSport Line modeladdsdarkchrome finish forthe window sur rounds andfront grille, whichalso

gets adarktinted chrome mesh in sert.Italsofeatures19-inch alloys with redBrembobrake calipers

To therearofthe vehicle asin gle-piece glasshatch accommodates part of thelightcluster anda“float ingtype” integral spoiler.

Rear wheeldrive,itfeatures a powerful 2.2-litre diesel engine matedtoaneight-speed auto box that offers reasonable economy whiledeliveringdecentpace.

Packed with high endgoodies, it is spacious with apremium interior

Oneofthe star attractionsisthe twomainbinnacledials whichturn into camerastoshow theroaditis turningintowhenthe indicatoris activated.

Arealsafetyfeature that helps keep cyclists andpedestrians safe

This is aproperpremium motor with state-of-the-art technologies, qualitymaterials, anda finish to create what theGENESIS describe as ‘a fighterjet cockpitappearance.’

Centralisthe 10.5-inchHDinfotainmentscreenand 12.3-inchTFT instrument clustercontrolling connectivityand navigation functions.

It operates theimpressivesound system,whilethe GenesisConnect system offers voicerecognition and live updatesand smartphoneintegration.

Boot spacesonthese type of es tatesortourers arenot as capacious

as some of theolder styles,but with 465litresavailable,expanding to 1,535-litre load area with 40:20:40 split-foldrearseats, it offers plenty of stowagespace

On theroad, therefined200PS diesel delivers smooth acceleration It powers to 60mphin around 7.5 seconds, with little diesel noise Plentyofpunch butdeliveringreal world economyofaround40mpg Therideand handling areexcellent, with tuned suspensionand electronicallycontrolledadaptive damperssoaking up theworst of thepotholes, whiledeliveringagile handling forsuchabig car.

FACTFILE

MaxSpeed: 140mph 0-62mph: 7.5seconds

Combined MPG: 40.7-41.8 C02 emissions: 177-182g/km Warranty: 5years/unlimited miles

LotusEletre will hitthe road priced from £89,500

Lotushas announced that itsnew Eletre electric SUVwillbepriced from £89,500and availa ble with achoiceoftwo powertrains.

FirstrevealedbackinMarch,the Eletre will form part of anew range of electric SUVs from Lotus. Entry-levelEletre andEletre Smodels will bring593bhpand 710Nmof torqueaswellasarange of up to 373 miles.

Amorepowerful Eletre Rwill sitatthe topofthe range, bringing 893bhp and 985Nm of torque and a slightlysmaller rangeof304 miles. TheEletre andEletre Swill bringa

0-60mph time of 4.3 seconds, while theRshavesthisdowntounder threeseconds

The112kWh batterywill also be able to return a10-80%chargeinas littleas20minutes when hooked up to arapid charger.

Matt Windle,group vice-presi dentand managing director,LotusCars, said: “Confirmationof thepricing andspecs of theLotus Eletre is akey moment in thetrans formationofLotus through our Vision80 strategy.Weknowfrom mediaand customerfeedback that they’rehugelyexcited by thearrival of this car–indeed,the Eletre has alreadywon awards as 2023’s ‘most excitedtosee’new model. Customer deliveriesstart next year.”

TheEletre also incorporates a new‘digitalcockpit’systemwhich uses theLotus HyperOSsystem. Drawingtechnologyfromthe gamingsector, this setupallowsLotus to create ‘next-generation 3D content andexperiences’

Lotushas also announced apartnershipwithDolby,which will fit itslatestAtmos musicsystemtothe Eletre

Standardequipmentonthe en try-levelEletre includes active air suspension, torque vectoring, ma trix LEDheadlights and22-inch forged alloywheels. Inside,there are12-wayelectricallyadjustable seats, four-zone climatecontroland a15.1-inch centralinfotainment screen

Step up to theEletre S–priced frOm £104,500 –and privacyglass

andanactiverearspoiler areadd ed,aswellasilluminated side sills andsoft-closedoors

Therange-topping Eletre R, whichispricedfrom£120,000, brings alowered ride height, performance-orientated settings forthe dampersand anti-rollcontrol.

Atrack mode also fullyopens the active grilleand activateslaunch controlfor super-fast acceleration

Emeryenjoys adream start as Villaboss

Delighted bossUnaiEmery salut ed a“dream” startafterVillabeat Manchester United at home in the PremierLeaguefor the firsttime since1995.

GoalsfromLeonBailey, Lucas Digneand JacobRamseysaw Villa endtheir 27-yearlonghome hoodoo againstthe RedDevilsinEmery’s firstmatch in charge

TheSpaniardsaid: “I wasdream ingofitand Iamsohappy.The atmosphere wasamazing with the supporters andweenjoyeditwith them.Wehaveplayedwithenergy andgood skillsand we wanted to be united anddisciplined.Being together waspart of ourgameplan andthe players didit. It wasaspe cialday.”

Bailey firedVillaintoaseventh minuteleadwithDigne scoringa brilliantfree-kick soonaftertodou blethe advantage.

United pulled onebackonthe stroke of half-timewhenLuke Shaw’s shot wickedly offJacob Ramseybut thelatterthenrestored Villa’stwo-goalcushion in thesec ond period

He said:“They (Villa) hadgood matcheshereand played well be fore,beating Brentford4-0 and drawingagainst ManchesterCity. “Thechallenge here is to be con sistent.”

Saracensplayer appeared in arecord breaking 339thgame forthe club?

wonthe PortugalMasters andclaim his first victorysince 2017?

Whowas recently appointedmanager Middlesbrough?

Whobroke theNational Hockey League’s ‘ironman’record by playing his990th consecutive game?

Whoscored his100th goal forManchesterUnitedin their1-0 victoryoverWestHam United?

ANSWERS

Information warbeing wagedby clubson social media

It didnot garner much national attentionbut oneofthe most fascinat ingstorylinestocome outoflastweek’sfootball came from Sheffield United managerPaul Heckingbottom.

TheBladesbossrevealedthat he was‘pretty sure’how Albion wouldset up in theirrecent clash afterthey‘putabit toomuchon theirsocialmedia channels forus to see’

Themainclipinquestionap pearedtobethree minutes and47 seconds’ worth of footagefromCar losCorberan’s firsttrainingsession on theWednesday,posted on Twit ter, threedaysbeforethe match.

Twodayslater,somephotographs were published involvingseveral players in action,while an imageof Corberan holdinga piece of paper with ateamdiagram on wasalso posted.AlbionplayeddownHeck ingbottom’scomments, butthere wasclearly some truthinwhatwas said

In-house mediadepartments are becoming biggereveryseasonand thereisapressuretoput outex clusivecontent aheadofthe televi sion broadcasters,witha premium placed on behind-the-scenesaccess that others don’thave. Albion’s me diateamdid theirjob well andpro ducedsomegreat footage. It is for otherdepartmentsatthe club to tell them what they canand can’t film

Many yearsago when clubswere moreopenand allowedreporters andcameramen to wander around theirtrainingpitches during ses sionsitwould not be uncommon for

amanager to askfor certainparts of trainingnot to be filmed, par ticularlyonFridays when team se lectionwas beingrevealed. Certain set-piece routines andshape work wasoften offlimitsfor cameras, too.

In truth, Isometimesfound these requestsabit precious. What could be learnt from Skyshowing10orso secondsoftrainingfootage accom panyinganinterview whichonly went outonthe channel’slivebuildup an hour before kick off?

Timeshavechanged though,and thereare moreplatforms forcon tent to appear on.Heckingbottom is righttopoint outthatthere is a wholerange of informationavail able nowand it is oftenbeing pub lished earlierinthe week

Taking thevideoclipinisolation, some clueswerethere.Itmay have looked likeafew minutes of une ventful training, butitillustrat ed whichplayers were fitenough to take part in the firstinstance. Therewas some audiofromCor beraninstructing defensiveplayers as they shuttled from side to side apparently in formation. Three players couldbeseenina line at a set-piece.Thenthere wasasection when some players worebibsand others didnot.Thiscan reflectwho is in thestartingline-up andwho is beingomitted from the firstXI.

These arejustthe observations of an Express& Star columnist.

Professional coacheswho actually know farmoreabout trainingmeth ods, tacticsand shapewill have ob served more subtle visual clues.

“Weput alot of time into it,” Heckingbottomcontinued.“There mightbesomethingseemingly in significant whichgoesout,some thingvisual or somethingthat’s said,and it cantellyou alot if you know what you’relooking for.

“There’s someone here whodoes allofthat, lookingatstuff and find ingthingsout throughit, before hand

“Ifyou want to win, if you enjoy what you do,thenlookatsocialme dia. There’ssomuchinformation outthere andalot of it is rubbish butifyou can find therelevant stuff then it canbereallyuseful.”

Last season Heckingbottomdis covered that akey opposition play er wouldbeabsentfroma game because hiswifeposted on herso cialmedia platform that they had gone on holiday. When clubsare spending vast sums of money in the questfor marginalgains it seemsa no-brainer to have somebody scour ingsocialmedia forany available information.

At theend of September,Wolves posted aclipofgoalkeepercoach Tony RobertspresentingRuben Neveswithhis player of themonth award. “Congratulations, well done,” said Robertsashehanded over theprize. “Justdoitfor the

next threemonths, yeah?” Hadthe club inadvertently revealed that Neveswould be offinthe January transfer window?

Leaksare fairly common at all levels of theprofessionalgame. Lowerdownthe leagues, training groundsare notfortified to the standardsofPremier League clubs andeager supporters canoften wander through thepremises at certaintimes inthe knowledgethey will seehints aboutthe following day’s firstteamorsee an injured playerreceivingtreatment

Higher up theleagues,behindse curity gates, it is usuallyonlyclub employeeswho will have access to the firstteampitches.Groundstaff, kitmen andmaintenance workers will seewhatthe rest of us don’t.

Of course,thisweek’sdevelop ments couldspark acounter-espi onageoperation.Who is to sayop position teams will notbeputting outmisleadinginformation in the future?Heckingbottom himselfad mitted that hisown mediateamoc casionally publishes clipsdesigned to carryopponents offthe scent.

ThebibsinaFridaysession are usuallythe giveaway forteamse lectionthe next day. They wouldbe themostobvious to mix-up forthe benefitofany in-house mediaslight of hand

What aboutsome imaginative team formations, though?Would liningupin a2-1-5-2 formation fool anysocialmedia spies? And thepotential forsomewacky setpiece routines is boundless. Daniel Podenceman-marking MaxKilman at afar postcorner, anyone?

Here’s hoping Heckingbottom’s revelation will be thecatalystfor football’s very owncounter-intelli gencewar

Miggy firing the Toon into arace forthe topfour

‘A game-changer’, accordingto hismanager EddieHowe, New castle areyet to lose when Miguel Almiron is on thescoresheetthis season

Theupturninthe Paraguay an’s form hascoincided with the Magpies’ impressive rise up the table. His six goals in October were particularly impressive,and it is thequality of them whichde servepraise

“I’m runningout of words to describe Miggy’sgoals,”said Howe of hisplayer’srecentgoals “They’re allsogood.”

Thepreviouslygoal-shy 28-year-oldhas alreadyoutscored anyofhis previous seasonsin England

Afterbeing linked with amove away from St James’ Park in the summer,supportersare counting their blessingsthathehas re mained on board.

What is also impressive is the versatility in hisapproach.

Almiron hasnever been shyof hard work,coveringgroundas well as anybodyatthe club

ButHowe’sfront-footstyle of football hasgiven himthe free domtoexpress himself more than he didunder previous managers.

Theresults have been outstand ing.

nn nn

It wasa bit rich of Fifa to write to WorldCup teams, urging them to focusonthe tournament in Qa tarand not be part of speaking up on morality.

Theworld governing body does notwantits membersdragging football ‘intoeveryideological or politicalbattlethatexists’

Theshameless letter from Fi fa’s president, Gianni Infantino, andthe governing body’s secre tary general, FatmaSamoura, that hasbeensentamidconcerns that playerswill be activistsdur ingthe tournament

It hasbeena WorldCup buildup marred by concerns aboutthe sufferingoflow-paidmigrant workers,the deaths of anumber of thoseworkers whilebuilding the stadiums andthe ongoing discrimination againstsame-sex relations.

PerhapsFifashouldhave thoughtabout allthisbefore handingthe keys to Qatarinthe firstplace. Participants should be free to airtheir concerns

Newcastle’s Miguel Almiron

SheffieldUnitedmanager Paul Heckingbottomhas givenan insightintothe lengths clubs will go to on social media

NO QUICK WOLVES RETURN FORRAUL

LIAM KEEN sports@mnamedia.co.uk

Raul Jimenezwillnot be fittoplayfor Wolvesbe fore theWorld Cup, it is understood.

Thestriker hasjoinedupwith Mexico national team staffin Spain this week to continue hisrehabili tation from achronic groininjury that haskepthim outofaction sinceAugust31.

JimenezwillthenreturntoEng land this weekendtocontinuehis recovery, whichisunderstood to be progressingwell.

Thestriker hadpreviouslyspent threeweeks in Mexico undergoing rehabilitation forhis injury,ina settingthatWolvesbelievedwould help with hisrecoveryashewas close to family.Duringthattime, membersofWolves’ medicalteam spenttimeinMexicowithJimenez, as he wasundergoingtheir treat ment plan

Theforward then returned to Comptonatthe endofOctober and continuedhis recoveryonthe grass with individual trainingsessions Nowheisbackwiththe Mexican medicalteamthisweek, however he is not expected to take part in any team training.

Wolves’interim bossSteve Davis wasasked aboutJimenez last week, andinsisted thestriker is focused on both Wolves andMexico.

“He’sjustfocusingongetting fit,” Davissaid. “He just wantstoget fit, he’s atop professional andwants to be playingonthe pitch, whether that’s forusorin theWorld Cup–or both.He’ll want to be availablefor that andalsofor us.Idon’t think he’s favouredone or theother “I canunderstandwhy fans wouldthinkthatway,but he was getting support when he wasover in Mexico.”

Lopis topfor excitedWolvesstars

Bartsamazed by tactical nous

Kyle Bartleyadmits he hasnever come across atacticalknowledge to thelevel of newAlbionheadcoach Carlos Corberan

Corberan madeittwo wins on the spin,a firstfor theclubthisseason, with a fine 1-0success at QPRon Saturday –where defender Bartley wasthe unlikelygoalheroashis personalrenaissance continued.

“He’sgot arealappetitefor foot ball,his tactical knowledge is abso lute differentclass,it’ssomething likeI’venever seen in my career,” said Bartley. “Him andhis staff have been absolutelyfantastic sincethey’ve come in.Asacollec tive we’reall really lookingforward to thebreak,hecan puthis ideas acrosstousonthe trainingpitch.”

Playersdeserve credit –Flynn

WalsallbossMichael Flynn wouldtakeno credit foranexcellentwin andperformance at Wycombe, whichsaw theSad dlersprogresstothe second roundofthe FA Cup.

Flynnplayedabox formation in midfieldwhich he said may have surprisedthe home side butsaiditwas asgood aperformance by theplayers that any League Twosidewould produce away.Hesaid: “Theywereout standing.Ithink thetactics workedinthatwelimitedthem andpressed well in midfield, but it wasall down to theplayers be cause they were outstanding.”

The56-year-old is arriving at theclubwill beat Molineux forthe game with ArsenalonSaturday.

He becomesthe firstSpaniardto manage Wolves andcountryman Bueno, whohas broken into the team in recent weeks, is excitedby hisappointment

Buenosaid: “It’sreallygood news andhe’sa topmanager.He canbring lots of good things to our squad.Hopefullywecan improve. It’s incredible andIcan’t wait to workwithhim.It’sbeena crazy monthfor me andsigning anew contract is incredible,but I’malways thinking about thenextstep. I’mworking hard.”

InterimbossSteve Davisremains in charge forthe Carabao Cupgame

with LeedsonWednesday as well as theArsenalleague fixture, whichis thelastgamebeforethe WorldCup break.

DavisbelievesWolvesare cry ingout foranidentity andhopes that Lopetegui’sappointment will providethat. “The club just needs someone whocan stamptheir phi losophyonitand know what he needsto fitintothe system he wantstoplay,”Davis said

IncomingWolvesbossJulen Lopetegui is well known to skipperRubenNeves –and others areexcited by him.

Hugo Buenohas welcomedthe ‘incredible’newsthat‘topmanager’

JulenLopetegui will become the next Wolves head coach.

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