Chronicle Week Wolverhampton - 24-Nov-2022

VANDALSCAUSE CANALDAMAGE

Atrustlookingaftertheregion’s waterwaysisappealingforinforma tionintrackingdownvandals

TheCanal&RiverTrustisliais ing with police andaskingfor the public’s help afterthe persistent targetingofthehistoriclocksonthe MainLineCanalinWolverhampton

Forthelastmonth,thetrusthas dealtwithseveralincidentsofvandalism,withdamagecausedtothe 21locks,withwaterbeingdrained, leadinginturntotheclosureofthe canaltoboatingandcausingharmto thelocalfishpopulation

Respondingtotheincidentshas cost thecharity thousands, whilst thelatestincidentalsocausedalocal roadtobefloodedneartotheWol verhamptonSciencePark.

Despitethelocksalreadyhaving ‘anti-vandal’equipmentinstalledthe offendershaveopenedthelockpad dlesandgatescausingatotalofmore than840,000litresofwatertodrain away

AaronAtwal,fromCanal&River Trust,said:“Inayearwhichhasseen widespread drought, this is such awasteofvaluablewaterandour charity’stimeandresourceswhen wecouldbeworkingtoprotectand improveourcanals,notresponding tomindlessvandalism.I’mnotsure

whysomeonewouldgooutoftheir waytopurposelyemptythewater fromthecanal,butitcancausealot ofdamagetothehistoricbrickwork

“Thecanal andlocksare over 200yearsoldandapartoflocalhis toryofWolverhamptonandthewaterhelpstoprotecttheseprecious heritagestructures

“We’re workingwiththe local policetostepuppatrolsalongthe canaltopreventthisactivityfrom continuingaswellaslookingatany furtherwaystoprevent vandals fromoperatingthelocks.

“Theseincidentsnotonlyharm thecommunity’shistoricwaterways anddamagelocalwildlifebutpose arealrisktolocalhomesandbusinesses,soifanyonehasanyfurther information,pleasecontactWolver hamptonPoliceorcalluson03030 404040.”

Thetrusthasalsohitoutafter carsweredumpedinthelocalca nalnetwork.Officials said it cost £10,000toremovethecars–money itcould‘illafford’.Onewasfishedout ofthewaterinTiptonlastweekand anotherinBrierleyHill.

City litupfor Christmas

Offers made for cinema

Wolverhampton’sLight House Cinema may reopen to the public withinmonthsafterthecitycouncil receivednewofferstorunthevenue CouncilleaderIan Brookfield said threeexpressionsofinterest hadbeenmadefortheindependent facilityintheChubbBuildingssince thecharity operatorsceasedtrading.Hesaidtheofferswerelimited to reopeningthe cinema only and notthebarandcafewhichhad“sig nificantdebts”. He said:“We have alreadyhadthreeexpressionsofinteresttoopenit.”

Headdedafterabiddingprocess thecinemamay reopen within 12 months

Jude on ball for history

PrideoftheBlackCountryJude Bellingham made history as he opened hisinternationalaccount withagloriousWorldCupgoal

The19-year-old from StourbridgebecameonlythesecondEng lishteenagertoscoreinthetourna ment,after Michael Owen.And he wasthe first Englandplayerborn aftertheyear2000toscoreinthe WorldCup,helpinghissidetoanem phatic6-2openingvictoryoverIran.

TheformerBirminghamCity playerisnowakeymemberofthe BorussiaDortmundteaminGerma ny.HeistheonlymemberofGareth Southgate’ssquadnotplayingclub footballinEngland

Report by James Vukmirovic

Lollipop lady’s milestone

Alollipopladyhascelebrat ed40yearsintherole–andhas vowednottogiveupthejobshe loves.

Shirley Chance,68, from Wollaston,hasmarkedthemile stoneoffourdecadesasacross ingpatrolwardenoutside Gig MillPrimaryinStourbridgeand washandedflowersbyDudley

Council’sroadsafetyteamto marktheoccasion.

Shesaid: “I lovemyjob.It makesmehappytoseethechil dren andtheirfamiliesevery morningandafternoonasthey make theirway to school and back.It’sbeenaprivilege to servefamiliesinthelocalcommunityforsuchalongtime.I

plantokeepdoingwhatIlove foraslongaspossible.”

CouncillorShazSaleemsaid: “Iwouldliketocongratulateand thankShirleyfordedicatingso muchofherlifetoservinglocal familiesandtheschool.”

DudleyCouncilisrecruiting forcrossingpatrols.Seedudley. gov.uk

Children’s home scheme put forward for historic building

Planshavebeensubmitted toturnalodgeinthegrounds ofahistoriccitybuildingintoa children’scarehome

OncethegatehousetoBeck minsterHouseonBirchesBarn Road,PennFields, it wasfor merlyusedasateachertraining facilityandofficespacebuthas beenvacantforyears.

Nowrun by thecouncil, BeckminsterHouse wasbuilt in thelate1840s/early 50s forironmaster JohnSparrow In1923itwasconvertedtoa schoolforchildrenwithspecial education needs. It wasused bytheHomeGuardduringthe SecondWorldWarandbecame GradelllistedinMarch1992

ManpreetPangliofGSPDe velopmentsLimitedsaid:“The proposalistoaddatwo-storey extension andreopenitas a residentialcarehomeforupto fourchildrenwithlearningdis abilities,agedeight-to-17,living togetherasasinglehousehold.

“Groundfloorchangeswill seeastaffoffice,separatelounge anddiningroom,agamesand sensoryroomandkitchen.Staff willnotresideattheproperty butwillworkthereona24-hour shiftbasis.Theservicewillbe registeredandlicensedbyOfst edandthehomewillberunbya managerwhowillalsobeOfst ed-registered.”

Pony ridesatChristmas fair

AChristmasfairthisweekend promises hotporksand wiches,Shetlandponyridesand thebestSantabeardaround.

Saturday’sfair,atStMark’s Church,onVicarageLane,Pen snett, hopes to raisefunds to keepthechurchrunning.Itwill beheldfromnoon-3pm.Entryis 50pperadult,freeforunder-10s

MarionOvenall,churchwarden,said:“Wearereallylooking forwardtoit,wehaveworked reallyhardtogetthingsoffthe groundthisyear.

“It’salotofhardworkbut it’sworthittoseethesmiling peoplecometothechurchthat maybedon’tnormallycomein allyearround

”Proceedswill go towards keepingthisbeautifulbuilding runningandheated.”

Marion,who hasrun the event foraround10years,is expectingthisyear’sturnoutto be thebiggest yet, with more than20prizestobewonina raffleandthefinestSantabeard around

Report by Joe Sweeney

Lollipoplady Shirley Chance

Church wardenMarionOvenalland vergerHazel Hickmanlookforwardtothe festivefair

Food bank donation is arecord-breaker

Students andstaff from an academyhavemadea re cord-breaking donation to the BlackCountryFoodBankaftercol lectingvitalitems

ThoseatKingswinfordAcade my,inWaterStreet,donated861kg offoodand260kgoftoiletries makingittheschool’sbiggestever donation

Intotal,1,722mealsweredo

nated,whichcouldprovideafam ilyoffouruptothreemealsaday fornearlysixmonths,aswellas 260toiletrypacks

IanMoreton,headteacher, said:“Iamincrediblyproudofthe wayour school communityhas cometogethertosupporttheBlack CountryFood Bank.Weknow thecurrentcost-of-livingcrisisis puttingsignificantpressureonso

manypeople.Inresponse,ourstu dentsandstaffwerereallykeento doallthattheycouldforthisyear’s Harvestcollection,resulting in ourbiggesteverdonation-overa tonneofproduce,whichisjustfan tastic.”

Aspokesmanfor thefood bank,inBrierleyHill,said:“Thisis absolutelywonderfulandweare sothankful.”

Shop extensionbacked

AsupermarketinWolverhamptonhasbeengiventhego aheadtoextendwiththeaddition of abakery, trolleybay andimprovedstaffcanteen.

German retail chainLidlhas beengrantedpermissionforthe alterationstoits storeinBlack halveLane,TheScotlands,which comeswithinthe Fallings Park ward

Thestorewasbuiltonthesite

oftheformerRoyalOakpub,which wasdemolishedin2004.

In astatement submitted alongsidetheplans,PoppyWest woodfromCarneySweeneyPlanning–theagentsactingonbehalf ofLidl–said:“Thepurposeofthe workistoimprovetheoveralloffertocustomersandstaffatthe food store. To accommodatethe installationoftheexternaltrolley bay,thelossofthreeoutofthecur-

rent77carparkingspacesavailableisalsorequired.Asthestore hasbeenfunctioningforanum berofyears,therehavebeenno knownissuesrelatingtocarpark ingcapacity.Thelossofthethree carparkingspaceswillcreateno significantormaterialchangeto theexistingcarpark,”addedthe statement

Thestore’s operatinghours willbeunchanged.

KingswinfordAcademy’sstudent civic leadersSkye Baynham,ImogenJeffsand AshleighLang

Cheers!Five-star rating for pub

Pubstaffarecelebratingafter beinghandedthetopratingforits levelsofhygienebycouncilchiefs

TheClifton,onBullRingin Sedgley,wasawardedthefive-star rating throughDudleyCouncil’s “ScoresontheDoors”schemeaf-

teraninspection.Theprogramme aims to highlighthygiene standards in pubs,restaurants,takeawaysand clubsacrossthe borough ManagerRyanUnderhillsaid: “Weare delightedthatwehave

gainedthetoprating.Standards ofhygieneatthepubareofpara mountimportance.

“Allofthestaffworkhardto ensurethatthepuboffersitscus tomers thehighest levels of hy giene.”

Carsales plan given nodat thirdattempt

Planstoturnaretailuniton aWolverhamptonhousingestate into acar showroom have been giventhegreenlightatthethird timeofasking

Proposalstochangetheuseof theformerAshBedsDirectfurni turestoreinGlentworthGardens, DunstallHill,failedtogothrough inJanuaryandagaininSeptember afterobjectionswereraisedby homeowners, tenantsand three localcouncillors.

Theunit,intheStPeter’sward, is currently vacant.The applica

tion to turn thebuilding into a showroomforthesaleofnewand usedcarsboughtatauctionwas madebyZahiraBibi,fromOxley HeadofplanningStephenAl exandertoldaplanningcommittee meetinglastweek:“Thekeyissue istheimpactonresidentsofthe five flats immediatelyabove the shops.Therearefourflatsabove theshopswithlargefrontbalconiesoverthefrontoftheshops.”

RichardTaylor,the agent for theapplication,said:“Inessence, theuseweareproposingissimilar

toretailuse.Theonlydifference isthatvehiclesareonsaleandnot groceries.Therehasbeenamis conceptionthatwearetryingto createacarlotandthatisnotthe case.”

Ward Labour councillors LynneMoran,ObaidaAhmed andQaiserAzeemhadallvoiced theiroppositiontotheearlierap plications. Thecouncil received threewrittenobjectionsandeight representationsinsupportofthe plans,whichwereapprovedsub jecttoconditions.

Manager RyanUnderhillandstaffmember Isabel JonesfromThe Cliftonpub

Can’tkeepstill as itchyfeet always keep me on the move

Herselfisconstantlymoaning atme“can’tyousitstillforfivemin utes?!”whichIfindsomewhatdis concertingasIsuddenlyremem beredaveryimportantjobneeded doinginmyworkshop-shed.

Asallyoublokesthathadtools aspartofyourDNAknow,it’spart andparcelofyournowretiredlife tokeepyourhandin.Herindoors

stilldoesn’tquiteunderstandthe malepsyche,andtheinbuilturge tofix,repair,install,andgeneral lynoodleaboutinourshed-man cave-workshop-garage.

Asforitchyfeet,it’strue,and nothelpedbytheintrusiveTVadvertsbreakingupyourconcentra tion,Ihavetogetup,togetabrew going,forexample.Shethrowsa

Book your time as readingvolunteer

Thepleasureofreading is a meansofescaping,aboosttomentalhealth,ajoylikenootherbut noteveryonehasaccesstoit.

Literacyisafundamentalhu manright.However, currently, oneinfourchildreninEnglandare leavingprimaryschoolunableto readwell–thisissettoincrease withoutdrasticaction

Toomanyschools aren’table to resource adedicated reading space,letalonealibrary,andal mostoneinfivefive-to-eight-yearoldsinEnglanddonothaveabook oftheirownathome.Thisisdeeply worrying.

TheFairEducationAlliance ReportCard2022showsthatregional disparitiesare widening andthatthedisadvantagegapsto

dayarejustaswideastheywere adecadeago.AsCEOofchildren’s literacycharity BookmarkReading,Iwanttoexpressmygratitude toourlocalvolunteerswhogive uponehouraweektohelpachild readone-to-onethroughourread ingprogramme.

Demandfromschoolsishigher thaneverandwehavehundredsof childrenwaitingforareadingvol unteer

Withreadingforpleasurebeingthegreatestdeterminantoffuturesuccessforachild,pleasecan Iaskreaderstoconsiderhelping uschangeachild’sstory,andgive themthegiftoftimeasareading volunteerthisChristmas?

Graihagh Crawshaw-Sadler, CEO,BookmarkReading

realstropasIambleinwhileshe isimmersedinherTVsoaps,“For God’ssakesitdown”.Ican’t,it’s impossible. It’sacurse.Itdoesn’t matter what yousay aboutretirement,thetruthis,youwillbe workingharderatbeingamanof leisure,thanyouweregoofingoff whileworkingforaliving

TonyLevy,Wednesfield

No respect at service

MywifeandIattendedtheRemembranceServiceinMarySte vensPark,Stourbridge,aswehave formanyyears. Neitherofuswill attendnextyear

Therewasaverygoodturnout, whichwas nice to see, but youcouldonlyhearthePAsystem fromabouttwofootaway.Worse, during thehymns,prayers,and thenationalanthem,largenum bersofso-calledintelligentpeople stoodingroupstalkingloudlyand playingwiththeirmobilephones, showingnorespectwhatsoever.

Iknowpeoplefoughtforthe righttofreespeech.Butthereis atimeandaplaceforeverything, andthiswas notit. We both walkedoffindisgust,beforethe marchpassed.Asignofthetimes? Ihopenot

AlanCarpenter,BrierleyHill

HS2not aviableprospect

AndyStreetandhisWMRail Executivestatethat“HS2willbe amajorboosttotheregion.”But whowhoisgoingtopaythepre miumtotravelonitinsufficient numberstomakeitviable?

Theoriginalconceptandjus tification,wastoenabletheever increasing numbersofbusiness travellers to gettomeetingsat highspeed.

However, theintroduction of

electronic communications, such asSkype,Zoom,videoconferenc ingetc,hasdecimatedtheneedfor suchbusinesstravel,andthevast majority of thetravellingpublic areonlyinterestedinthecheapest fare,andwouldnotevenconsider payingHS2prices

TheM6TollisaWhiteElephant becausepeoplewillnotpayinsufficientnumbers,inthehopeofsav ingtime.Addtothatthefactthat

Curzon Street,the Birmingham stationonlyhadashortpassen gerlifebecauseitwastoofarfrom thecitycentre–nooneisgoingto payextratogettherequickonly tohavetowastetimeonanextra journey!

Also,HS1inthesoutheastwas runninguphugedebtsevenbefore thecurrentdownturn GDavies,Stourbridge

1Farringdon Street, London, EC4M 7LG.

Legend Bullynets fashionsideline

Wolves ay we! SteveBullhas launched his ownclothingcollection with each containing ahandwritten signature–andaspecialmessage.

Theprolificstriker,whonetted306 timesfortheoldgoldandblack,hasun veiled10itemsforhis‘SB9’collection intherun-uptothefestiveseason

Itfeaturesabaseballcap,beanie, T-shirt,zippedhoodie,overheadhood ie,premium gilet, polo shirt, joggers andshortsaswellasaquarter-zipped sweatshirt.

EachpiecehasanembroideredSB9 logo–hisinitialsandahomagetohis shirtnumber–withthetopsfeaturing a‘ForeverWolves’messageontheback

Andtheycontain ahandwritten signaturefromtheclubtalismanalong with message: “Alwaysremember Whereverweare.Wolvesaywe.”

Stevesaid:“I’mveryexcitedtodo this,it’sbeeninthepipelineforquitea whilenowbutitwaspushedbackdue toCovid-19.We’rereallypleasedwith it,pleasedwiththequalityandstuff andthe‘SB9’logoaswell–it’sreally subtle

“We’vehadagoodreceptiontoitso farandwe’rethinkingit’sgoingtobea goodChristmasgiftforsomeone.It’sa localcompanywhichwe’vedonethis

withaswell,becausewe’retryingto keepitlocal.”

Therange hasbeenworkedon byBullyandAndyJonesfromAdesso IndustrialSuppliesLtd,basedoffthe Willenhall Road,withthe logo being designedbySimonPagettfromSynaxis GraphicDesignConsultancyLtd.

“Iworesometothegametheothernight,andIhadlotsofpeoplesaying ‘I’mhavingoneofthose’or‘mymrs willgetmeone’andsothereactionhas beenverygood,”theTipton-bornclub legendsaid.“Thetagisapersonalised thing–Iwillsigneveryone.Wewantto makeitlikeakeepsakeforpeople.And it’salways‘Wolvesayewe’wherever Wolvesgo.It’saboutkeepingthatasso ciationwiththeclubIlove.”

Prices rangefrom£19.99for the baseballcapto£52.99premiumgilet.

Thereare currently 10 pieces in thecollectionwiththehopeofdoinga children’srangeinthefuture–andthe potentialformoreitemsifitgoesdown well.Itishopeditwillactasa“mixand matchcollection”withpeoplepicking upvariouspieces.Tobuytheitems,vis itsb9.shop

Plea made to find the owneroflostmedals

Anappealforhelplocatingtheown erofacollectionoflostmedalshasbeen launched

WolverhamptonCouncil launched thecampaignafterthecollectionwas foundinthecitycentrethedayafter thecity’sRemembranceSundaycom memorations.

Thecouncilhassaiditwantstoreuniteitsownerwiththeirmedalsand hasaskedforanyonewithanyinforma tiontogetintouch

Aspokesmanforthecouncilsaid: “Wehavefoundsomemedalsinthecity centrewhichwebelievehavebeenlost followingour RemembranceSunday commemorations.

“Anyone wholosttheir medals

whileattendingtheevent,ormayknow thepersonwho did, pleasecontact ourcustomerservicesteamon01902 551155.”

Councillor SteveEvans,cabinet memberforcityenvironmentandcli matechangeatWolverhamptonCouncil,said:“Yourhelpisneeded.

“Ourwastecrewsfoundthemedals onMondaymorning

“Wethink they must belongto someonewhowatchedtheparade,and theywill,ofcourse,meanalottothat person.Pleasehelpustoreunitethem withtheirownerbysharingthisinfor mationandlettingthemknowtheycan callourcustomerservicesteam.”

Report by Thomas Parkes

WolveslegendSteve Bullhaslaunchedhisownclothinglabel calledSB9

Youngstersdressedasrockstarsas partofalessontolearntimestables.

Christ Church Junior School stu dentsand teachersdonnedheavy metaloutfitsandwigsandsangtheir heartsoutintheirfirstliveconcert.It waspartoftheWoodcoteRoadschool’s

andpupilsdressedasrock stars

‘Stemtimestablesday’,whichlooksto increaseengagementandreinforcethe importanceofmathsinschoolchildren.

MathsleadLucyMcWilliamssaid: “Wereallydidenjoyit.Wehadaconcert inthemorning,thenthestudentswere askedtocreateatimestablegame.”

Christ Churchhead JemmaNash, centre,

10,000 ticketssold for Camp Bestival

Morethan10,000ticketshavealreadybeensold fornextyear’sCampBestivalatWestonPark,saysthe organiser

FormerRadio1starRobdaBank,whoorganises thefour-dayfamilyfestivalwithhiswifeJosie,said demandhadbeenhugefollowingthesuccessofthe WestMidlands’firstCampBestivalinAugust

Theline-upfornextyear’seventwasannounced this week,withEurovision runner-up SamRyder, ScottishrockersPrimalScreamand80synth-popleg endsTheHumanLeaguetoppingthebill,alongwith charttoppersEast17,SophieEllis-Bextorandformer SpiceGirlMelanieC.

CampBestivalShropshire2023willbeheldfrom August17-20.DaBanksaidthisyear’seventhadbeen asuperbsuccess,andhopedthatnextyear’sevent wouldbebiggerandbetter.

Tributes paid to teacher

Asecondaryschoolhaspaidtributeafterthe“dev astating”suddenlossofoneofitsteachers.

Andy Blunt,headofscience at TheWordsley School,Dudley, died on November 14.Hewas de scribedbycolleaguesas“absolutelyselfless”,a“high lyrespectedteacher”,and“atrustedanddearfriend”.

MrBluntjoinedtheschoolinSeptember2011as anewlyqualifiedteacherandbecamethepermanent headofsciencein2019.Hiswife,Kerry,gavepermis siontotheschooltoshareatributeentitled‘Andy Blunt -the veryessence of The WordsleySchool’.

Inthetribute,heisdescribed as:“Wordsleythroughandthrough; ateacher,aleader, esteemed colleague anda trustedand dear friend.”

It said:“Andy wasabsolutely selflessandalwaysputtheneedsof othersbeforehisown.“Thistragic andsuddenlossisdevastatingfor ourteamofstaff,whoworkedso closelywithAndy;amanwhodevotedhisentirepro fessionalcareertosupportingthosearoundhim.

“Andywasahighly-respectedteacherofscience whomadeithismissiontodeliverexcitingandin spiringlessonstoourpupils.Thepainandsadness thatisfeltbystaffattheschoolwillalsobemirrored amongstourpupils.They,too,willneedourcareand supportinthedays,weeksandmonthstocome.”

Abookofcondolencewillbeavailableattheschool andatreeatthefrontofschoolhasbeenidentifiedas aplacewherepeoplecanleaveflowers,cardsorother significantitemsofremembrance.

Thetribute concluded:“Ourthoughtsare with Kerryand Andy’s family,who areunderstandably strugglingtofindanysenseoftheirloss.”

Newtreedelivered

AChristmastreeintheheartofDud leytowncentrehasbeenreplacedafteran outcryfromresidentsandcouncillorswho brandedit“embarrassing”and“halfdead”.

TheoriginalfestivefironDudleyHigh Streetwascriticisedbyshoppers,onsocial mediaand by councillorsand contractors agreedtoreplaceitforfree,alongwithanotheronTheArcadeinUpperGornal,follow ingthebacklash

CouncillorShazSaleem,cabinetmember forhighwaysandpublicrealm,said:“Christ masissuchanimportanttimeofyearandit isimportantourtowncentreslookfestive andwelcoming.Wewereverydisappointed

withthequalityofthetreedeliveredtous andthisoneismuchbetter.”

DudleyresidentAllanWoodall,67,said: “I’mallinfavourofrecycling,butnotwith last year’s Christmastree. Thetreewas clearlycutdownafewweeksagoandthe branchesweredamagedandbroughthere onalow-loader,butevenafterseeingthe stateitwasin,theystilldecidedtoputitup.”

Bossessaidthey“didn’tsee”thetreesbe foretheyweredeliveredandcontactedthe supplierswhoagreedtoreplacethemwith somethingalittleplumperandgreener

Nowthejobhasstartedtodecorateit readyforthetown’slightsswitch-on

ASedgleychurchisinvitingchildrentomeet SantaatitsannualChristmasfairthisweekend

ThefundraisingeventisbeingheldatStAn drew’sChurch,BilstonStreet,onSaturday,from 10amto1pm.Admissionis50panditcosts£3to meetSanta.

Therewillbestallssellingfestivegifts,jewellery,craftitems,clothing,books,CDs,DVDs,cakes, toys,gamesandgardenandpotplants.

Paynothing fora year. No deposit. Interest free.

Black

DUDLEY

Robert SynnottandReece Dawe

Andy Blunt

Chargingpointsplan

Planshavebeenunveiledtoinstall morethan50chargingpointsforelec triccarsonresidentialstreetsacross Dudley

Councilbossesare now seeking viewsonthe£420,000scheme,which will be fundedthrough an Officeof ZeroEmissionVehiclesgrantfromthe chargepointoperator

Atleastonechargingpointinevery wardissuggestedamongthe53potentiallocationsinthefirstphase.Apublic consultationisopenuntilDecember5 atdudley.gov.uk/evconsultation

Councillor Shaz Saleem,cabinet memberforhighwaysandpublicrealm, said:“Thisisafantasticscheme.Itwill encouragepeoplewhoperhapswould

nothavehadtheoptionofacharging pointsoclosetotheirhomesbeforeto usegreenerandmoreenvironmental ly-friendlyvehicles.”

Councillor RobClinton, cabinet member forwastemanagement and climatechange,said:“Wearecommittedtoplayingourpartinreducingour carbonfootprintandtacklingclimate change.Tryingtodoallwecantoencouragemoreresidentstomakethe moveovertoelectriccarsisanimportantwayinwhichwecandothat.”

Thecouncil is also conductinga survey centredaroundtacklingcli mate change.See dudley.gov.uk/coun cil-community/get-involved/your-bor ough-your-future-survey

Manguilty of dad’smurder

Aman whohad headbuttedand punchedhisfatherduringastreetrow in Wolverhamptonhas been found guiltyofmurder

MarekArent,73,felltotheground afterbeing“sentflying”duringtheat tackinHordenRoad,WhitmoreReans, onSeptember18lastyear.Henevergot upanddiedfromabraininjuryinhos pitalthefollowingafternoon

His33-year-old sonDawid was foundguiltyafterajurytrialatWolverhamptonCrownCourtbyamajority verdictof10totwolastweek

Thevictimhadonlyarrivedinthe countryfromPolandthepreviousday tovisithisnewgrandchild

Arent,who hadpleaded guilty to manslaughterbuthaddeniedmurder, claimedthemoodturnedsourwhenhis fatheraccusedhimofnotlookingafter hisownfamilybackhome.

ACCTVdoorsystemrecordedthe killershoutinginamenacingandag gressivemannerathisfatherinPolish. Whentheaudiowastranslated,hewas heardaccusinghisfatherofbeatinghis motherandtreatinghimandhissiblingsbadlywhentheywerechildren.

Arenthadbeencapturedonsecurityfootagestaggeringaroundbeforethe attackafterbuyingfourcansoflager Hethenwenttohisfamilyhomeshout ingbeforehispartneropenedthedoor andthencloseditinhisface.

Hewascaughtonfilmpullingdown anoutdoorlightfromthewallofthe property,throwingittothegroundand stampingonit.Whenhemovedoutof sight,arecordingalsopickedupthe

soundofthefrontbaywindowbeing smashed

Somehourslaterthevictimandthe defendantwerefilmedinthestreet.It appearedtoshowDawidArentstrikinghisfatherwithapunchwhichthe prosecutionsaid,senthimflyingtothe ground.Marekwastakentohospital, butduetohimsufferingabrainbleed andswellingcausedbythetraumahe died

Arent,ofHordenRoad,willbesentencedtoday(Thursday).

Detective InspectorRanjSangha, fromForceCID,said:“Thisisanawful caseofdrink-fuelledangerandviolence resultinginthedeathofanelderlyman Weunderstandthisincidenthasbeen devastatingforthefamilyandwehope theycanfindsomepeacefollowingthis conviction.”

Alefestivaltoastscanal

TheannualDudleyWinterAlesFay recelebratesthe250thanniversaryofa localcanalthisyear.

TheStaffordshire andWorcester shireCanal passes throughthe area coveredbytheDudleyandSouthStaf fordshirebranchoftheCampaignfor RealAle,whichorganisestheevent

Organisersdecidedthe canal shouldfeatureonthefestivalglasses. Thevolunteer-runrealaleeventisat DudleyTownHallfromtoday(Thursday)toSaturday,withmorethan60

beersfeatured.Ticketsareavailablein advanceonlineandCampaignforReal Alememberscanstillvolunteertohelp atthefestivalviadudley.camra.org.uk

Thereisanadvance ticket only openingsessiontodayfromnoon-3pm andthe generalsession runs from 5.30pm.Tomorrow, it is open from moonto11pmandonSaturdayfrom noonuntilthebeerrunsout.

Thefestivalwillalsoraisefundsfor theBlackCountryWellbeingCentrein UpperGornal

Dawid Arent

Busting themyths on equity release

Do youknowthe 10 equity releasemythbusters?

Youmay be oneofthe many folk whohaveseenthe adverts on TV for equity release. Youhaveprobably thoughtthattheyare best avoid ed?Thismay prompt you to think again.

Thereare still many concerns about lifetimemortgages (equity release) than need dispelling

Myth 1: Youwillloseowner ship andcontrol of your prop erty –Withalifetimemortgageyou will be theowner of your home for as longasyou want to live in it.This is in thesameway as you wouldfor aregular mortgage andaswithany mortgage providingyou meet the conditionofthe lifetimemortgage.

Myth 2: Youwillowe more than thevalue of you home –As part of theEquityRelease Council statementofprinciples,all lenders must nowfeature a“No Negative Equity Guarantee”

This meansyou will never owe more than what your home is worth once sold,evenifitissoldfor less than theamountowed. This applies upon deathorpermanently moving into long term care

Myth 3: It’s notpossible to reduce theoutstanding debt Thereare products that offeryou theoptiontomakepartial repaymentswithnoearly repayment

charges.There arealso products that allowyou theoptiontopay monthlyinterestsothe debt will not increaseasmuchasitwould if you letthe interest roll up over the life of themortgage.

Myth 4: Youwillhaveto stay in thesamepropertyfor all your life –Withmostlifetime mortgagesyou canmovehome and transfer yourlifetimemortgageto anew property.You canalso use a lifetime mortgage to move home,so if you want to move andyou don’t have enough to completethe purchase, alifetimemortgagecan be usedonapurchaseinthe same way as aregular mortgage

Myth 5: Youwillleave debt to your family andlovedones

Providingthe termsand conditions aremet,nodebtislefttoyourestate andyou will never owemore than thevalue of yourhome once sold or permanentlymovinginto long term care

Myth 6: Youwillnot be able to leaveyourpropertyas an in heritance –A lifetimemortgageis designed to be repaid by selling the property afteryou move into permanent long-termcareoryou die.

Once theloanhas been repaid, anymoneyleftover cangotoyour beneficiaries.Some products let you“ring fence” aportion of your home’s equity to leaveasaninher itance foryourlovedones.

Myth 7: Equity can’tbereleased if thereisanoutstand-

ingmortgage –You canapply fora lifetimemortgageproviding you pay offyourexistingmortgagebalance This canbedoneeitherthrough the equity you releaseorthrough your savings.

Myth 8: It’s unsafe andunreg ulated –Lifetimemortgages are regulatedbythe FinancialConduct Authority(FCA).Asmentioned,the Equity ReleaseCouncil (ECR)was establishedtoprovide consumer protection specificallyfor this mar ket.Membersmustadheretoits standardsofconduct andpractice.

Myth 9: Interest ratesare high andvariable –The interest rate canbe fixedfor thelifetimeof themortgageand is determined by thesizeofthe loan againstthe

valueofyourhome (LTV).Sothe higher theloantovalue (LTV)the higher therateofinterestapplied to theloan.

Myth 10:You canonlytake oneamountout once –You can take outequityrelease to boost yourmonthly income.You can take outaninitial amount to buy acar or help aloved onewiththeir firsthome deposit andreserve an amount forlater drawdown fora dreamholiday

Always look outfor theEquity ReleaseCouncil logo when seeking advice on equity releasetoensure you aredealing with amember TandiFellows,Probity Mortgag es’Later LifeLending specialist, wouldbehappytodiscuss your optionswithyou.Ifyou wouldlike to find outa bit more aboutthisop tion,weoffer no obligation consul tationsatour owncost. Forfurther informationcallProbity Mortgage Services LTDonTelford 01952 263684. ProbityMortgageServices LTDisa member of theEquityRe leaseCouncil.

Pleasenotethattakingout alifetime mortgage will reduce thevalue of your estate;itmay affect your entitlementtostate benefits and consolidating otherdebts couldcost you more in thelongterm. Alllifetime mortgages aresubject to the lender’s termsand conditions

Releasing theequityinyour homemightbesomethingyou could consider,but talk to theexperts

ABlackCountryattractionislook ingtorecreateapopularSandwellhairdresserswithproductsfromthe1950s.

AspartofitsambitiousBCLM:Forg ingAheaddevelopment,BlackCountry LivingMuseuminDudleyisrecreating LaurieThomashairdressers,amuchlovedbarbersandhairsalonbasedin Tipton that wasestablishedin1904 andisstillrunningtoday.

OpenedbyJosephThomasandtak enoverbyhisson,LaurenceArdenRolandThomas,knowntomanyas‘Lau rie’,theshopwaswell-knownwithin thelocalcommunity.

Traditional

Thefamilytraditionhasbeencar ried on,withLaurie’sgrandsonrun ningatraditionalbarberstothisdayon thesamepremises

TheTiptonRoadattraction’s recreationwillbesetin1956,tellingsto riesoftheriseofpopularfashionsand thechangingroleofwomeninsociety The1950swouldhaveseenthehairdressersrollingout traditional male stylessuchacrewcuts,alongsidethe trendyduck’sanatomycutsthatgave

the50steddyboystheiriconiclook.A spokesmanforBCLMsaid:“Forwomen,thepost-warperiodsawnewstyles emergebasedaroundshorterhairthan hadbeencommonbeforethewar,with styleiconslikeLucilleBallandJackie Kennedyinfluencing thefashionable cutsoftheday

“Toachievethesestyles,hairdressersand barbers,likeLaurieand his family,wouldhaveusedvarioustechniques,madepossiblebytheproducts andhairstylingequipment that was availableatthetime.

“Products like Brylcreem, Silver krin hairsprayand Marmie perming solutionwouldhavebeenastaplein everysalon,Laurie’sbeingnoexception.ThisiswhereBCLMneedsyour help.Inorder to accurately recreate thesalon,themuseumislookingfor donationsrelatingtohairstylinginthe 1950s.”

Togetincontactaboutmakingdonations,emailthecollectionsteamat collections@bclm.com.

Fly-tipperscaughton CCTV areprosecuted

Twofly-tippershavebeensuccess fullyprosecutedaftertwoseparateincidentswerecaughtonCCTV.

On Wednesday, November 9, two fly-tippingcasesinvestigatedbyWal sall Council’sCommunity Protection TeamwerebroughtbeforeDudleyMag istratesCourtandresultedintwosuc cessfulprosecutions.

Both Darren Sneyd andMartin CawleywerecaughtonCCTVfly-tip pingwastewithintheborough.

Sneyd,41,ofCliftCloseinWillen hall,wascaughtoncameradepositing wasteinKendricks Road in Darlast onfromaWhiteIvecovanandfound guiltyinhisabsence

Cawley,fromLuntRoadinBilston, wascaughtonprivatelyownedCCTV

tipping alargequantityofbuilding wasteontothehighwayfromtherear ofavehicleinWillenhall.

Bothwereorderedtopaya£1,760 fine,tobepaidwithin28days,plusle galcoststotalling£985.62anda£176

victimsurcharge

WalsallCounciloffersrewardsfor anyonethatcomesforwardwithevidenceresultinginasuccessfulprosecution.Residentscanreportflytipping throughtheir accountatmyaccount. walsall.gov.uk/flytip/

Councillor GarryPerry,deputy leaderandportfolioholderforresilient communities, said:“This really high lightshowimportantitisforwitness estocomeforwardwithanyevidence theymayhave.”

Report by James Vukmirovic

LaurieThomashairdressershas beenpopularforyears

Gota health

I

fyou’refeelingunwellorhaveno ticedahealthissue,don’twaitforit togetworsebeforeyouseekhelp. TheNHSwantstoseeyouandhelp yougetthecareyouneed Formoreminorproblems,goingto nhs.ukwill help you find your best nextstep.Ifit’smoreurgent,goto111 nhs.ukorcall111(seebelow).

Youcanalsovisitapharmacy.The highlytrainedteamswhoworkinphar maciescanprovidereassurance,treat commonillnessesandgivehealthcare advice.Itsservicesarefree,andmany areopenlateandatweekends.

Pharmacyteamscangiveadviceon minorillnessessuchascoughs,colds andstomachaches Theyalsoknowif youneedtobereferred to your GP practice–andcanevenhelpyouget anappointment

It’sgoodtoknowwhichserviceyou needandhowtoaccessit

NHS 111 ONLINE

If youhaveanurgentbut notlifethreateningmedical problem, NHS 111onlinecanhelp.Accessitonlineat 111.nhs.ukorvia alinkonthe NHS app.Dependingonthesituation,the servicewillreferyoutoalocalservice thatcanassistyou:connectyoutoa nurse,pharmacistordoctor;tellyou howtoget anymedicineyou need; provide self-careadviceor, if severe, askyoutoheadtoin-personurgent caresuchasA&E.

PHARMACY

Apharmacist can give advice on aches,pains,coughsandcoldsaswell ascheckingsymptomsandproviding servicessuchasbloodpressuretests. There’snoappointmentneeded,soif you’refeelingundertheweather,don’t waitforittogetworse–walkin.

GP PRACTICE

When youcontactyour surgery, the receptionistteamwillassessyouand ensure youget help from theright medicalprofessional.Mostsurgeries have ateam of otherhealth professionals,includingnursesandphysios, toensureyougettherightcarequickly

Reena Barai, 44,has been runningher family business, SG BaraiPharmacyinSutton, for18 years, andshe is always happy to helpanyone who comesinfor adviceabout ahealthissue

“Wesee awide rangeof illnesses: coughs,colds,eye infections… but alsoother things that people areworried about, likemoles andunusual bowel symptoms,” Reena explains

“Pharmacists areexperts in minorillnesses andrecognising what we call ‘red flags’ormore serious symptoms.Our family have be in pharmacyfor andwe’ve built linkswithour GP practices an thehospital. So someone come in and Ithink th really need to A&Ethatday, Ican advise them about that.”

“Our team are trainedto respond to symptoms,” Reena adds

“Theyknowhow to askthe right questions and refertoGPs if necessary.

“Wealsospend alot of time talking to our patients about self care, becauseoften you don’t need to seeadoctor and youcan just look after yourself by doing simplemeasures at home –whether that’s drinking lots of fluids,resting or taking paracetamol.”

Communitypharmacies alsooffer services such as bloodpressurechecks, andthe morning-after pill, which is free in s.

in and see sfreeand on’t need appointment,” Reena. st pharmacies aprivate nsultation room, you’re worried out discussing something embarrassing, youcan always asktospeak to one of the pharmacy team in private.”

“Alotofhealthissuesareseasonal, sowemightseecoughsandcolds throughthewinter,andhayfever relatedissuesin thespringorsummer. Otherwise, thethingswedeal withcouldbeany thingfromsportsrelatedinjuriesto diarrhoea, dental problems,earache andissueswith eyesight. It’s so varied,and could relatetoanything fromheadtotoe.

“Patients are oftenunaware of theservices you can getfroma pharmacy That’s whyweare keen toeducatepeople about thewhole

healthcaresystem. Pharmacists haveregularcontactwithpatients and,inaway,weareajackofall trades.Wedeal with so many issues that we know when we need to direct someoneto,say,a doctororanoptician,orwhenwe can deal with it ourselves.

“Patientsoften gototheirGPinitially,butinmany casestheir issue couldbedealt withbyapharmacist There’sno need to make an appointment.

“It’squick,easy and accessible andwewillbe

‘Our team are trained to respond to symptoms’

We deal with so many issues that we know whentodirect someoneto, say,a doctor or dentist, or when we can deal with it ourselves

‘Patients are often unaware of the services we provide’

Sanjeev Panesar, 36, from Pan Pharmacy in Sheldon, Birmingham, is keen to spread the word

able to advise very quicklywhetherwecan helpyou.Ifwecan’t,we willpointyou in the direction of theright person

This

article is part of apaid-forpartnershipwith

BenTuffour owns England’s oldest pharmacy,Reavley ChemistinBurford, Oxfordshire, which openedin1734.

“I would always encourage people to seek adviceattheir pharmacy,”saysBen.“So many of thepeople whocome here formedical advicealready come to us forother things, so they arefamiliar withusand feel comfortableasking

“Patients mayalsoget referred to their pharmacyvia their GP.Theyget aprivate one-to-one meetingwiththe pharmacist, andtheydon’t have to wait foranappointment.

“We’ll always go the extra mile to ensure we’regiving therightcare– and in some ruralareas pharmacieseven provide adelivery serviceto housebound patients

“Ifpeople getintothe habit of coming to the pharmacywith minor illnesses, notonlycan it can save themtime,but it could also mean thattheyget

treatmentbeforethe problem becomesmoreserious.

Seeking advice at apharmacy for minor illnesses couldsave youtime

School bus routefears

Concerns have been raisedover proposalstocutthreebusservicesin Wolverhamptonthathundredsofchil drenrelyontogettoschoolsinthecity.

NationalExpressWestMidlandsis lookingatcutting 15 services across theregion from January– including the714,751and784,whichareroutes usedbychildrentravellingtoCompton Park,SmestowandTheKing’sschools.

CouncillorCarolHyatt,amember of theWestMidlandsCombinedAuthority’s(WMCA)transportdelivery committee,saidifserviceswereaxed it couldmeanpupils facing journeys ofoneand-a-halfhoursinsteadof30 minutes.Shesaid:“Iamappalledthis isevenbeingconsidered.Wehavebeen

toldthesecutsareproposedbasedon purely commercial decisionswithno thoughtforthealternativeroutesfor thechildren.”

Vice-chairmanofthe council’s strong families,children, andyoung peoplescrutinypanel,CouncillorAdam Collinge,said: “Weabsolutely oppose theseproposals andare urgingall stakeholderstoworktogethertoprotectthesevitalschoolbusservices.”

PaulaMitchell,ofNationalExpress, said:“Sevenserviceswhichweoperateastenderedservicessubsidisedby TransportforWestMidlands(TfWM) areatrisk.We’reworkingwithTfWM toreviewtheseservicesanddoingall wecantocontinuetooperatethese.”

Boxerteacher’s schoolsupport

Dudley’s mayor hasgonebackto schooltogivehersupporttoaPEteach er’sbidforstardom

Councillor SueGreenaway visitedBeaconHillAcademyinSedgleyto cheeronKirstie “Bavvo”Bavington, whoturnedprofessionalasaboxerin 2018

The30-year-oldwasgivenspecial leavefromschoolaheadofdefending herEBUEuropeanwelterweightcrown lastweekend

Kirstie said:“AllmylifeI have playedsportandIwanttoinspireotherstoparticipateinsomeway,notonly throughteachingPEbutalsothrough myprofessionalboxingcareer

“Istartedboxingtoimprovemyfit nesstobeginwithforfootball,butthen itbecameanaddiction,”sheadded.

“All of thestaff andstudentsat school have been amazinglysupportive,anditwasgreatthemayortook timeoutofherbusyscheduletopopin andsayhello.Itwasagesturethatwas reallyappreciated.Iwanttoinspire womenallovertheworld,toshowthat anythingispossibleifyouwantitand workhardenough,”saidKirstie

Councillor Greenawaysaiditwas fantastictomeetKirstie.“Sheisafan tasticrolemodel,bothforherstudents atBeaconHillandforwomengenerally acrosstheworld,”sheadded.

Ex-leaderissuspended

AformerDudleyCouncilleaderhas beensuspendedbytheConservatives amidarowovertheBlackCountryPlan.

Councillor Anne Millward,who servedasmayorlastyear,issittingas an independentafter losing theTory whip.Itisbelievedsheisunderinvestigationaftersayingshewas“dismayed anddisgusted”atthe Conservative administration’sdecisiontowithdraw fromtheBlackCountryPlan.

Sheisunderstoodtohavewritten tocouncilchiefexecutiveKevinO’Keefe

demandingtoknowthereasonsforthe decisionandraisingconcernsaboutits impactonrelationshipswithotherlo calauthorities.

Bossessaidtheypulledoutdueto publicoppositiontohousingplanson twogreensites.Theauthority’sruling cabinethasnowsignedoffon£500,000 todrawupa‘Dudley-only’plan.

TheGornalcouncillor wasleader from2009untillosingherseatin2011, andservedasmayorlastyear.Shedid notrespondtorequestsforacomment

Kirstie Bavington and MayorCouncillorSue Greenaway andpupils

SandfordCarpets areonaroll

Sandford Carpetsand Curtains opened its showroomand ware houseonthe Trysull Road,Bradmore, Wolverhampton,inOctober 1989.

Thebusinesshas ahugeselection of wool andman-madecarpets,vinyls, Karndean,laminate andhardwood flooring

Also in stockisa fantasticcollection of rugs from £25–ordesign yourown CrucialTrading custom-made ruginany size.Turtle

COMMERCIAL FEATURE

matsand doormatsare also available

Sandford Carpetsand Curtains is runbyhusband andwifeteamGary andKim whowillhelpwithadvice on qualityand colour,and will al lowyou to take away samplestotry at home.Fromthe distinctivewood cabinfrontage, theshowroomlooks small, yetatthe rear is amassive warehousewhere more than 90 rollsofcarpetare displayedalong with lots of endofrolls Gary said:“We sell Ulster,Axminsterand Victoria carpetsand

allhard flooring such as Karndean, real wood andengineeredwood to gether with laminatesand vinyls all at verycompetitive affordable pric es whichare genuinelylow allyear round. Avisit to thehugeware houseishighly recommendedand customers will be spoilt forchoice.” Sandford Carpetsand Curtains is also aplatinumdealershipfor Brintons forthe Wolverhampton area. Thebusiness prides itself on averyhigh level of servicewitha dedicated, skilled workforce that hasbuilt astrongreputationover many yearsoftradinginWolverhampton. SinceJanuary 2016,

Sandford Carpetsand Curtains has addedtoits stockthe AstonFabric Barn –previouslylocated at Claver ley–which is nowsituated within therefurbished showroom,offering customers awider home improve ment experience “Our rangeofbeautiful curtain fabricswillsuita varietyoftastes andall of ourfabricstylesare available in aselection of patterns and colours,”explained Gary.“We also offeramade-to-measurecurtain servicetomakeiteasytoget the perfectresults foryourhome “Weoffer agreat selectionofcur tain linings, cotton sateen,black

out, bump,interliningsand bonded allinstock offthe roll.Our versatile rangeisfantastic forrevivingold furniture, dressing windowsand crafting beautifulcustomclothing with vibrantpatternsand colour

“Hereatthe Fabric Barn we also visitand discussfabricchoices and design ideaswithyou.All ourcur tains, blinds andpelmets have the benefits of allbeing hand-sewnwith interliningoptions foratruly sump tuous finish.Weoffer ahugerange of fabricsfromavariety of high-end suppliersincluding Voyage,Prestigious Textiles,Clarke& Clarke, JimDicken, Kobe andmore.”

Sandford Carpets andCurtainsisrun by husbandand wife team Gary andKim whowill help with advice on qualityand colour andwill allowyou to take away samplestotry at home

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One-man show a realcrowd-pleaser

All-roundmusical superstar Gary BarlowwowedaudiencesattheWol verhampton GrandTheatre with his latestventure,ADifferentStage.

NotonlyistheTakeThatstarasingingsensation,butanoutstandingrecordproducerandcomposer,adoredby fanstheworldover,soitwasadelight tohearfrom“alittlebirdintheknow” thatourwonderfulcitycentretheatre isMrB’sfavouritevenueonhisUKtour sofar.

Andwhocanargue?TheWolver hamptonGrand hasthe perfectambience,atmosphereand auraforthis intimate look at thestar’slifestory, includinghisrisetofameandpersonal experiences,allsettothemusicofhis incrediblecareer

Superb

Thelookoftheshowwaspuresim plicity;justGary,hisinstrumentsand somecases,butsuperblightingeffects drewyouintohisspace,creatingawel comingfeel.Itwasasifyouwereinhis recordingstudioathome.

ADifferentStageisacollaboration with hiswriting partnerTim Firth, with whom he haspennedmusicals includingCalendarGirlsandTheBand, andtheyareclearlyasuccessfulduo Thisnew,one-manshowwasverydifferenthowever,andtheperfectvehicle tosetMrBarlowonanewphaseofhis journey–asanactor,ifthat’swhathe wantstodonext.

Welcomingthe audience into the show with acompletelyopenheart,

nothingwasofflimits.Thelifeofapop starhasitsupsanddownswhichGary wasnotafraidtoshare.Alludingtohis early,strugglingyears,tobodyimage issuesandbulimia,fromthedeathof hisdarlingdaughterPoppy,tothefa mousfalloutwithRobbie,andthecon stantvoicesinhisheadtellinghimhe issimplynotgoodenough,Garypoured hisheartout

Thetearsflewinparts,butinthe main,laughterandhilaritydominated theshow.

Hisinfectiousnortherncharm, self-deprecationandsubtlewitareto beapplauded,asishisabilitytoholdan audienceinthepalmofhishand,and notjustbecauseheis“the”GaryBar low;itishisnaturalabilitytoentertain

Themusicspanneddecades.InA DifferentStage,theaudiencewastreatedtoAMillionLoveSongs,Patience, ForGood,TheseDaysandastunning version of Rule theWorld,complete withethereallighting,creatingaheavenly,emotional atmosphere, which clearlytouchedeveryonewatching

WouldIhavelikedmoremusic?Yes ofcourse,butthesongsthatwerein cludedweredeliveredcompletelyfrom theheart.Itwasalittleover-sentimen tal.

Butinthisdayandageweallneed alittleromanceandjoyinourlivesand GaryBarlowADifferentStageprovided justthatinbucketloads

Adventuregolfproposal

An

Developersbehindplansforthe18 holecourseontheMillRaceLaneIndustrialEstatesayitwillbe“oneofthe bestinthecountry.”

Theprojectisexpectedtowelcome halfamillionvisitorsperyearandwill take competitorsthrough obstacles includingtropicalislands,piratecoves andMayantemples

Theplanshavebeensubmittedby

StourbridgelocalsLee Skelding and JamesCoxof4wardEventsLtdwhich is anticipating throwing upwardsof £500,000attheventure.

Thevenue will also seek to offer food,drinksand refreshments. Proposalssaythefocuswillbeonburgers, fries,chickennuggetsandsaladbowls.

TheMillRaceLaneIndustrialEs tate wherethe application site is lo catedhas recently been occupiedby indoorchildren’splaycentres,agym andago-kartingcentre.However,the unithasbeenvacantsinceAugust2021

REVIEW by Alison Norton

Gary Barlowarrivesatthe GrandTheatre, Wolverhampton

BehindthesceneslookatNHS staff’sround-the-clockwork

Healthorganisationsaroundthe BlackCountrytooktosocialmediato givearare“behindthescenes”look intolifeintheNHS

Usingthe hashtag ‘BlackCoun tryHealth247’, employees gave an insightintothe24hoursoffrontline healthcare.Theypostedpictures, videosandstorieslookingatthedailylife,situationsandchallengesNHS workersfaceinatypicalday.

RichardBeeken, chairman of theBlackCountryUrgentandEmergencyCareBoard,said: “Thereis so much that goes on behindthe scenes,sodocumenting24hoursof healthcareintheBlackCountryisa greatopportunityforustohighlight theincredible work that goes into keepingpeopleoutofhospitals.NHS services continue to be extremely pressured.However,ourteamsare workingtirelesslytomakesurepa tientsarebeingprovidedwithhigh qualitycareandsupport.”

MrBeekenadded:“Everyonehas aparttoplayinsupportingtheNHS thiswinter.It’sreallyimportantthat peoplestillcomeforwardforcareif

NHSSandwellandWestBirming hamtooktoTwitter to showcase staffmembers, includingHannah Charlton,acommunity staffnurse whomakessurethatcallsfrompa

tientsneeding care areactioned. West Midlands Ambulanceservice createdavideoshowing thework thatgoesintorestockingthecrucial basiclifesupportbagsthatambulancestaffusetotreatpatientson calls.WalsallHealthcareusedTwit tertoshowhow theirout-nurses

taketothestreetstoprovidehome visitsandsocialcare.

Individualstoriesfloodedsocial mediafeeds showingchallenges thatNHSstafffaceonadailybasis notjustintheemergencyroom,but alsointheoffices.TheDudleyGroup NHSFoundationTrustpostedvideos

ofstaffanddescribingindetailthe worktheydoandhowitaffectsthe NHSservice

Inonevideo,end-of-liferapidresponseteammemberAlisontalksof takingcareofend-of-lifepatientsliv ingathome,andverifyingthosewho havediedfromtheirillnesses

theyneedit.However,we’reasking peopletochoosetherighthealthcare servicefortheirneeds.”

Report by Daniel Walton

WalsallHealthcarenurses,Emmaand Julie,makearoutinecheck

Stocking basic life supportbags AlpanaPatel onavideochat

Staffnurse HannahCharlton

The outcome of trouble for Ulster? (6)

It provides the guidelines for movement (7)

Catch for Finn’s gate? (9)

Dexterous, having the correct workmen (5-6)

It’sfar from common knowledge that 100 lose the knack (5,6)

Killing result of joke on Spanish capital (9)

What the star at water-sport might skim? (7)

Box not returned to vehicle (6)

Rome’ssignalling code (5)

Gyllenhaal at endofwatch

SATURDAY

End of Watch (2012) (BBC1, 11.50pm)

An openingcar chase, shot throughapolicewindscreen, ends inbloodshedandofficersBrianTay lor(JakeGyllenhaal)andMikeZav ala(MichaelPena)are re-assigned toanotherpartofthecityandtold mock-seriously“nottokillanybody bytheendoftheweek”.Butwhen BrianandMikeuncoveratrafficking operationrunbyalocalcartel,they aremarkedfordeath.

SUNDAY

Mogul Mowgli (2020) (BBC2, 10.15pm)

BritishPakistanirapperMCZed (RizAhmed)isonthecuspofhisfirst worldtour,butisinvolvedinascuf flewithafanandistakentohospi talanddiagnosed with an autoim mune disease. An experimentalprocedureoffershim alifelinebut the procedurefliesin thefaceofhisfa ther’sbeliefs.

SirSimonlookingback onhistoryofalifetime

Simon Schama’s History of Now(BBC Two, 9.15pm, Sunday)

Aswellaswritingabouthistory, SirSimonSchamahaslivedafairbit ofittoo.Bornin1945,onthenight ofthebombingofDresden,hewon ascholarshiptotheprivateHaber dashers’Aske’sBoys’SchoolinCrick lewoodat11beforestudyinghistory atChrist’sCollege,Cambridge.

Schama then workedfor short periodsas alecturerinhistory at Cambridge,andwrotehisfirstbook, PatriotsandLiberators,whichwon theWolfsonHistoryPrize.

In1980,Schamatookupachair atHarvardUniversity,butreturned totheUK20yearslater,havingbeen commissionedbytheBBCtoproduce a15-partseriesofTVprogrammes TheresultwasAHistoryofBritain.

Sincethen,hehasmadeseveral otheracclaimeddocumentarypro grammes,buthislatestprojectisapparentlyhismostpersonalprojectto date,ashelooksbackatthehistory thathasplayedoutinhislifetime.In

thefirstofthreeprogrammes,here vealsthestoriesofartistsandwrit erswhohavebeenattheforefront ofthefightfortruthanddemocracy, oftenatgreatpersonalcost.

InDecember1936,ayoungEng lishman,EricBlair,betterknown asGeorgeOrwell,headedtoSpain

tojointhoseriskingtheirlivesfor freedom.WejoinhissonRichardin Barcelona,totellthestoryofhowa campaignofmisinformationbySta lincostthelivesofmanyofOrwell’s friendsand comrades. Theexperi encefedintothecreationofhisliterarymasterpiece,1984.

Audrey’s life in danger?

EastEnders (BBC1)

JaninegivesMicksomeupsetting news.KatfindsthatAlfiemovedin duringherabsence–andmanagedto lose£30,000ofPhil’smoney.Rocky, Mitch,BobbyandFreddiestagean intervention when they discover Harvey hasbeensending Sophia money.

Coronation Street (ITV)

Harvey offers Nick themoney tobuyDebbie’sshareofthebistro. He initiallyturns it down,until it becomesclearthecouplehavebeen conned.Stephen(ToddBoyce)lands ajob as adeliverydriverbefore launchingadevious scheme that couldendangerAudrey’slife.Sum merhasamiscarriage.

Emmerdale (ITV)

AftertellingVictoriathe truth about thespeedingticket, David agreestorepeathisconfessiontothe police–butit’stoo late andshe an nounces it’s over.

Bernicestruggles to controlher emotions, leading hertofearshehas dementia

Editor’s weekend pick

Films for the weekend

Your guide to the soaps

SirSimonSchama infrontofPicasso’s GuernicaforHistoryofNow

EndofWatch

Todd Boyce

By Sam Wylie-Harris

andcosy, thereare afew

Nomatterhowsmallorbig yourspace,adoorleftajarisan invitation forheattoescape–

in.Ifpossible,nowisprobablya goodtimetoremoveanyradiatorcoverstomaximisehotair circulatingaroundtheroom

Ifyou’redeterminedtoreallycutdownoncentralheating costs,youcouldconsiderusing small,portableheaters–such asoil-filledradiatorsorsmart fanheaters.

Hotbotties aren’tjustfor bedtime

Hotwater bottlesare a cheapandcheerfulwaytokeep cosy.Right now, faux furver sionswithpompomsaretrend ingbigtime

Layerup Whetherit’sashaggyrug, fluffyblankets,woollyjumpers orcosysocks–layerscanhelp keepyouwarminside.Hatsare alsoabrilliantwaytopreserve bodyheat

Thinkthermalcurtains

Thermalcurtain linings canbealife-saver.Theyarede signedtoblockoutlightandare alsospeciallycoatedtoreduce lossofheatandregulateroom temperature.

Antique Fairs

CHRISTMAS FAYRE

PreparatorySchool NurseryTeachingPractitioner

Full Time,Permanent

Startdate: January2023

We areseeking anenthusiastic, committed teaching assistant with aLevel ThreeEarly Yearsqualification Therolewill involveprovidinga highstandardofphysical,emotional,social andintellectualcarefor children whilst facilitating theactive participation of children in activitiesand theirdaily routine.

Theability to plan activities andto evaluate pupils’development whilst keepinghighquality recordswillbeessential.Aswill theconsistent updating of pupilprofiles andthe effective communication with parentsonaregular basis.

Therolewillbebased in ournursery setting, workingwith 2and 3yearold children, andanunderstandingofthe high profile of theSchool will be important in order that our standardsare maintainedatall times.

TettenhallRoad,WolverhamptonWV60BY

Telephone: 01902551515 www.wghs.org.uk

CoverSupervisor

Salary:NJCGrade5(Point12-16)-£25,878to£29,439 8.50am–3.40pmdailywith30minutesforlunch

Twovacancies: 31hours40minuteshoursperweekover

vedays (ActualWorkingWeeksSalary:£18,955-£21,563)

19hoursperweekoverthreedays (ActualWorkingWeeksSalary:£11,372-£12,936)

TermTimeOnly–Paidfor44.5weeks

Required:Assoonaspossible

Weareseekingapart-timeCoverSupervisortojoinusforagreatopportunityinafastpacedrolewithina schoolenvironment.Theidealcandidatewillbeextremelywellorganised,resourceful,adaptable flexibleand innovativeindemandinganddifficultsituations.Theymustdemonstrateprofessionalism,tact,andcomplete discretion,andhavetheabilitytointeracteasilyandcomfortablyinanyenvironment,withstronginterpersonal skills,andgoodoralandwrittencommunication

Closingdateforapplications:9amon1stDecember2022

ForeignLanguageAssistantforSpanish

Casual–NJCPayScale–Grade7-£20.47perhour 5hours30minutesperweek

Required:Assoonaspossible

Weareseekinganinspirational,professionalanddynamicForeignLanguageAssistantforSpanishtobuild uponthereputationofourschool.Youwillbepassionateaboutyoursubject,andengagingandenthusiasticin theclassroom.Inreturn,weofferprofessionalsupportandcareerdevelopmentopportunities

Closingdateforapplications:12Noonon25thNovember2022

Interviewswillbeheldassoonaspossibleafterthisdate.

SchoolCleaner

Salary:NJCGrade2-£10.50-£10.79perhour

WorkingHours:2.5hoursperday,12.5hoursperweek, morning(7am–9.30am)/afternoonshift(3.30pm–6pm)

Required:Assoonaspossible

WeareseekingaSchoolCleanertojoinusforagreatopportunityinafast-pacedrolewithinaschool environment.Theidealcandidatewillbeextremelywellorganised,resourceful,adaptable,flexibleand innovativeindemandinganddifficultsituations.Theymustdemonstrateprofessionalism,tactandcomplete discretionandhavetheabilitytointeracteasilyandcomfortablyinanyenvironmentwithstronginterpersonal skillsandgoodoralandwrittencommunication

Closingdateforapplications:12Noonon24thNovember2022

LunchtimeSupervisor

Salary:NJCGrade2-£10.50-£10.79perhour WorkingHours:Monday–Friday12.10pm–1.40pmTermTimeOnly Required:Assoonaspossible

WeareseekingaLunchtimeSupervisortojoinusforagreatopportunityinafast-pacedrolewithinaschool environment.Theidealcandidatewillbeextremelywellorganised,resourceful,adaptable,flexibleand innovativeindemandinganddifficultsituations.Theymustdemonstrateprofessionalism,tactandcomplete discretionandhavetheabilitytointeracteasilyandcomfortablyinanyenvironmentwithstronginterpersonal skillsandgoodoralandwrittencommunication.

Closingdateforapplications:9amon1stDecember2022

Weofferprofessionalsupportandcareerdevelopmentopportunities Werecogniseandvaluecontinuedprofessionaldevelopmentandassuch,trainingopportunitieswillbe madeavailabletoyouthroughoutyourcareerwithus. Pleasevisittheschoolwebsiteforfurtherdetailsandtheemploymentapplicationpack fortheaboveroles

Potentialcandidateswhowishtoinformallyexploremoredetailsabouttherolesorschoolshould contacttheHeadteacheratrecruitment@wghs.org.uk

(genuine callers only).

MrsTYoung Headteacher

Porscheaddsnew baby to 718range

Porsche hasintroduced astrikingnew StyleEdition to its718 Cayman and Boxstermodels.

Setapart from therestofthe range through itsRubystar Neoexterior col our– whichharks back to the964-generation911 CarreraRS– theStyle Edi tion incorporates 20-inchgloss black alloywheelsand blacksport tailpipes ThePorsche name is emblazonedat thebackinhigh gloss silver, too.

On theconvertible718 BoxsterStyle Edition, theBoxster letteringisem bossed above thesidewindows.

Buyers opting forthe 718Style Edi tion canchoosefromone of twono-cost packages –one whiteand oneblack Both featuredecorative stripesonthe luggagecompartment lidatthe front, as well as decorative letteringrunning alongthe side of thecar Thereare also blackand whitehigh

glosspaint finishes forthe wheels

TheStyle Editioncarsalso geta blackleather interior packagewith contrast stitching, as well as illuminateddoorsillsand thePorsche crest appliedtothe headrests. Allcarscome with an upgraded levelofstandard equipment,too,including Bi-Xenon headlights with LEDdaytime running lights, AppleCarPlay andcruisecon trol. Dual-zoneclimate controlisincluded as standard too, as is aheated multifunctionsteering wheel.

TheStyle Editionisbased upon entry-levelversionsofthe Boxster andCayman, whichusesafour-cylin derturbocharged petrolenginewith 295bhp and380Nm of torque, driven to therearwheelsthrough astand ard-fitsix-speed manual gearbox

Porsche’s PDKautomatic canbe fit tedas an optional extra,too

Ordersopenfor the newPeugeot408

Peugeothas announced that itsnew 408fastback isnow availabletoorder, with prices starting from £31,050.

The408,which brings asharp newdesignwith SUV-influenced styling, slotsbetween the308 and 508inthe Peugeotline-up

Whilethe manufacturer previously announced the FirstEdition trim,Peu geotisnow openinguporders forthe full selection.

Theengineline-up consistsofa 128bhp 1.2-litre turbocharged petroland twoplug-inhybridmod els–the latter twousing aturbocharged 1.6-litre petrolengine paired with an electric motor, with outputsof178bhpand 222bhp on offer.

Peugeotsaysthese cantravelfor up to 40 milesonacharge, andare there fore placed in an 8% Benefit-in-Kind bracket forcompany cartax users.

The408 rangestartsfrom£31,050 with theAlluretrim, with standard equipment including17-inch alloy wheels, LEDheadlights with high beam assist plus anew touchscreen anddigital instrument cluster, both measuring10inches.

Up next is theAllurePremium mod el,which adds 19-inchalloy wheels, keylessentry plus adaptive cruise con

trol, andcomesinfrom£32,175.For a sportier look,the GT brings revised 19-inchalloy wheels andaredesigned grille, alongwitha heated steering wheeland ambientinterior lighting TheGTstartsfrom£34,650.

At thetop ofthe range, theFirst Editionisavailable exclusivelywitha 222bhphybridpowertrain,withprices starting from £45,000as aresult.

Additional equipment on topofthe GT includes 20-inchalloy wheels plus electric andmassaging frontseats

ThePeugeot408 canbeordered on line viathe firm’s website or at one of thebrand’s dealers, with firstdeliver iesexpected at thestart of 2023

Changesare keytoCorolla’s success

BILLMcCARTHY

Estate cars or tourers have evolvedfromlarge barges to thesleek and stylish.

They marrycoupe-likestyling, with little compromise on interior space,witheye-catchingprofiles.

Recently upgraded,itseems hard to believeCorolla hasbeen around since1966and hasbeenthe best-selling carinthe world

So incrementalchangehas been thekey to itssuccess

It nowfeaturesthe newToyota SmartConnect+multimediasys tem, newtrims,colours andaspe cialnew version of theCorolla Trek TouringSports, apumped-upmore muscular version of theestate.

It looksgood with aswooping, coupe-likeprofile andlarge low set grillecomplemented by slim head lightclusters. Therearfeaturesa more steeplyraked rear screenand onthismodel,twinexhaust pipes

Theinterior features theupgraded ToyotaSmart Connect+ which provides much faster response and provides newfunctions andoperates 2.4times faster than thepre vioussystem.

It is operated viathe eight-inch centraltouchscreen to give instant access to aseriesofsmart connect

ed services, includingcloud-based navigation with continuous, “always on”trafficinformation

The“HeyToyota” voicecontrol requestscan operatethe multimediaand navigation.Softwareup datesare made seamlessly over the air, andeasysmartphone integration is provided viaApple CarPlay, with wireless connection,and An droidAutobyconnector

Allspecs come with automatic rear camera,LED headlights, heat ed frontseats with this range-topperall kindsofbells andwhistles like18-inch alloywheelsBi-LED

headlights andpart-leather seat upholstery.The soft-touch finish, satinchrome trim andpiano black finish give thecar apremium feel andisacomfortable placetobe. Boot capacity is 581litreswith theseats in place, whichexpands dramatically in true estate fashion with therearseats folded

Theone-touch remote lever folds therearseats to create afully flat floor, whilesidewallstorage pock etsbehindthe rear wheelhousings addextra capacity

Expertsinhybridtechnology with theintroductionofthe Prius,

the two-litre petrolengine/electric motor hybrid set-up deliversgood pace andeconomy delivered viaa CVTtransmission.

Engine andmotor combinetodeliver 180bhp,which propelsthe car to 60mphin around eightseconds with claimed economyofbetween 50 and60mpg.Rideand handling aregoodfor abig car, with theride firm feelingcomposedand capable of dealingcomfortably with allbut theworst surfaces

Toyotahas stuckwithself-charginghybrids,which meansthere is no need to worry over finding

charging points.Theycomplement otherplug-inand full electric modelswithall offering thebenefitof lowertaxationand benefit-in-kind taxation

AllToyotas provideextensive safety kitand theCorolla offers driver andfront passengerfront andsideairbags,driver’s knee airbags andfull-lengthcurtain shield airbags

Otherfeatures includePre-Col lision System,adaptive cruise control, lane departurewarning and Road Sign Assist,which recognis es road signsand commands and showsthemonthe centraldisplay

FACTFILE

TOYOTA COROLLA SPORTS TOURER EXCEL2.0 HYBRID

Price: £36,260

Mechanical: 180bhp,1,987cc, 4-cylinder petrol engine andelectric motor driving front wheels viaaCVT automaticgearbox

Maxspeed: 112mph

0-62mph: 8.1seconds

Combined mpg: 50-53

CO2emissions:118g/km

Warranty: 5yrs/100,000 miles

What is VolvoEX90going up against?

TEDWELFORD PressAssociation

TheVolvo XC90 hasbecome oneofthe most popularlarge SUVs around,gaining areputationfor outstand ingsafety, vast interior spaceand impressive levels of comfort.

Butthe time hascome to move it into thefuture, with theEX90 ar riving as theelectricreplacement forthislarge SUV.

Though notset to arrive in the UK untilearly 2024, it will go up againstsometough competition. Let’ssee what it lookslike.

BMWiX

BMWnow hasatrioofelectric SUVs that buyers canchoose, but it’s theiXthatactsasthe flagship –and adirectcompetitortothe EX90.Thoughthere’s no seven-seat option,thisBMW offers outstand ingdriving dynamics andasublime interior that is oneofthe brand’s best yet. Achoiceofpowertrainsare availableonthe iX,too.Ifrange is important, the‘xDrive50’offersup to 380miles on acharge, whichis slightlyabove that of theBMW

Audi Q8 e-tron

TheAudie-tronarrived as the brand’s firstEV, andthe German firm hasrecentlyrenamed it to the Q8 e-tron, reflecting itsposition as itsrange-topping electric SUV. At thesametime, Audi hasalso fit tedupgradedbatteries,meaning themodel cannow travel up to 343 miles on acharge.

Like theBMW iX,it’sonlyavail able as a five-seater, andisn’t as largeasthe EX90

Butits combination of quality, refinement andtechnologymakes it oneofthe best electric SUVs on the market

Tesla Model X

TheModel Xwas the firsttrueelec tric SUV, andthoughitmightbe theModel 3and ModelYthatgrab thelimelightthese days,the Xis certainlyworth alook. Forstarters, it’s oneoffew seven-seatSUVson themarket–until theEX90arrives anyway –and it’s packed with cool touches, notleast its‘Falcon’rear doorsthatopenupwards

Theinterior is dominatedbya main centraltouchscreen,while thereare vast levels of interior space on offer. There’scurrently quiteawaitfor theupdated Model Xtobebrought to theUK, however

Mercedes EQSSUV

Mercedes’‘EQ’line-up of EVsis growingatquite arate, andthe latestadditionisthe EQSSUV.

It will actasthe brand’s electric flagship.

It’s priced accordingly, too, with models starting from asteep £129,000

Itsinterioraimstooffer amore luxuriousfeelthanother electric SUVs on themarket, whileyou can getitwithanoptionofa ‘Hyper screen’, whichabsolutelydominates thecabin

Arange of up to 365miles is providedwiththe EQSSUV

Range Rover

Whilethe RangeRover mighthave traditionallysat in theclassabove theXC90, theexpected priceofthe EX90putsitclose to this latest generationofRange Rover. Admittedly thereisnoelectricRange Rover on offeryet,but oneisdue in 2024, and mayarrivesoonafter theEX90.

LexusRX

Whilethe LexusRXwon’t appeal to those fixatedonhavinganEV, this SUVissoldpurelywithelectrified powertrains, with achoice of self-chargingand plug-inhybrids available. Whilethe RX mightnot be as sporty as otherlarge SUVs on themarket,its focusonquality, comfort and refinement areclosely alignedtoVolvo’s.First deliver iesofthisnew generation of SUV aren’t expected until2023.

Jaguar I-Pace

Though theI-Paceisn’t as pricey or as practicalasthe EX90,ifspace isn’ta priority, this electric SUVis worth alook. It wasJaguar’s first electric car, andwhile you mightexpect it to be showingits age, it’s still more than able to hold itsown.The I-Pacelooks thepart, is greatto drive, andisroomy fora five-seater. Its292-mileclaimed electric range is notthatfar behind newerrivals.

Moneytalks –and even the‘fans’are cashingin

Let’snot have fake fans, hey.

If thereisone thingQatar cannot standaccused of falling shorton, it is thedevotiontogivingobserversreasons to be cynicalabout this WorldCup

Therelease of aclipthisweekon Qatari Living’s Tiktokaccount is enough to make even thetourna ment’s biggest cheerleaders wince uneasily

Thefootage purports to show fans’parades in Doha featuring supporters from alloverthe world England,Argentina,Brazil, Spain, Portugal andsoon. What it actually showsisa groupofdemographical ly identicalmen –theyare allmen –dancing around with similar in strumentstosimilar music, decked in thecolours and flags of partici pating countries.

Withoutwantingtocastfurther aspersions on these‘fans’itwould be afairguess that noneofthem have setfootintheir ‘home’countriesorseen‘theirteam’ kick asin glefootball.

Earlierthismonth TheTimes reported that 40 supporters from England andthe same number from WaleshavebeenpaidbyQatar to attend theWorld Cup.

Part of thedealinvolvessigning acodeofconduct requiringthem to deliver positive messages about beinginQatar,singsongs when di rected to and–perhaps most darkly –respondtosocialmedia posts crit ical of theWorld Cup.

This week aDanishtelevision crew washarassedand stopped from filmingafterreporting live from apublicspace in Doha,which mayhavebeenshowingwhatthe streetsactuallylookedlike.

View from thetouchline with SkySportsSoccerSaturday’s JOHNNYPHILLIPS

WorldCup organisers have apol ogisedtothe TV2channel,whose broadcastfroma street in Doha wasinterrupted on-air by Qatari officials whothreatenedtobreak theircameraequipment

Thebroadcasters “weremistak enly interrupted”lateonTuesday evening, theSupreme Committee forDelivery &Legacyacknowl edgedina statement. “Uponinspection of thecrew’svalid tour nament accreditationand filming permit an apologywas made to the broadcasterbyon-site security be fore thecrewresumed theiractivity,” organisers said

Leavingaside thewell-publicised humanrightsissues, thestage managementofthe eventwith stunts likethisisjustone illustra tion of whymanysupportersare strugglingtoget excitedfor this WorldCup

Forthe powerhousesofleague football in Europe,the contrast is stark.

Topleagues acrossthe continent with stadiums packed full of genuinesupporterscreatingtheir ownatmospherehavebeenput on hold

The fixtures in these fewweeks to Christmas, particularly in coun trieslikeEngland andGermany, arewhenthe domestic leaguesget really exciting

Thetentative firststeps in late summer,replaced by thetable tak

ingshape in autumn,beforegiving waytowinter when matchesgather an addedimportance. Football, in this country, should always be a winter sport. To have sixweeks of thecalendaremptied forthe World Cupdoesnot sitwell.

Thenightsare drawinginand formanythatescapetothe match each week provides arealsense of occasion andtogethernessthatwill be missing.

It is whylockdown football dur ingthe pandemic,whilebetterthan nothing,had no real meaning.

Football mightbeaspecta torsport in namefor thoseinthe stands butthe truthisthatweare allparticipatingtothe sport. That sense of belongingand spectacle that makesfootballwhatitis.

Ihaveattendedsix majortour naments, alloftheminEurope, andthe sense of togetherness is still there, albeit in averydifferent sense

Asidefromthe hooliganminority whichhavealwaysaccompanied these events –althoughthey’ll certainly be missingthistime, which maybeone of thefew advantages of stagingthe eventinQatar –the belongingcomesfromsharedexperienceswithsupportersfrommany countries.

I’ve gotsome greatmemoriesof inter-railingthrough France with Norwegians,playing football with Dutchand Spanishfansatcamp

sitesin Germanyand even attend inga FatBoy Slim giginCoimbra, Portugal,withagroup of Latvians back at Euro 2004

Freedom of movementwas rightly takenfor granted andthe wel come waswarmfromall host coun tries, wherethere wassomething foreveryone –evenabit of tear gas from theGendarmerie down at the oldportinMarseillefor therabble rousersbackin 1998

Whilecomingacrossthe occa sional unsavourymoment, thevast majority of thosetrips gave memo ries to last alifetime.

Hostingamajor tournament should be about showcasingthe cultures andcommunities of that countrywhile welcomingthe many nationsthatcome to enjoy the event. Canthe organisers honestly saythatisthe case with this World Cup?

When thehosts kick offtomorrow alot of what hasgoneonbeforewill, temporarily, be consignedtothe back of thememory.

Football fans alloverthe world will sitdownin frontofthe screens andenjoy thedelugeofmatches sometimesfouraday –comingour way.

Even thedisgraced former FIFA presidentSeppBlatter eventual ly admitted that Qatarshouldnot have been awardedthe competition. From afar it hasthe appearance of a floating bubble,where realityhas been suspended andonlymoney talks.

Thefootballwill provide awel come diversion butwhenall is said anddoneitishardtooverlookthe contextthese matchesare being playedin, no matterhow many cheerleaders arewheeled outfor the camerasoverthe next month.

RonaldoisNo.1 when it comesto dividing opinion

What wasthe biggest take away from themuch-hypedCristiano Ronaldointerview with Piers Morganthisweek? Boredom.

Stretchedovertwo nights, I spentthe majority of theinter view wonderingwhy Iwas still watching. Butas each minute passed it felt as if I’d gone too fardownthe rabbitholetoturn around andescape.

Ronaldosplitsopinion.Is he or isn’thethe greatest?Isheateam playerorisitall abouthim?Ishe theproblem at Manchester Unit ed or is it theclubthatisthe prob lem? Hisability to divide is second to none

Morganwas theperfect host fora joblikethiswhere the inter viewer wasrequiredtomassage theinterviewee’s ego. Thehost went much further, fawningand gigglingover thefootballerlikea lovestruck teenager.

Therewas plentyfor Morganto cover anditwould be uncharitabletoignorethe personal tragedy that Ronaldosufferedinhis familylife.

Forthe most part,the football side of thestory seemed to read likealistofreasons whythe play er washarddoneby.

Ronaldoappears to be some body happiest when talkingabout himselfand hisown achievements. If therehavebeenfailings it is generallysomebody else’s fault.

Thepart whereMorganasked Ronaldowhether he hadmore moneyorInstagram followers –its 455million followersand counting–madefor themostill judgedexchangeofthe year.Ron aldo wantstobenumberone in all he does andearns.Itwas tedious television

n It’s greattosee RobEdwards back in management so soonafter theend of hisunfortunatespell with Watford.

Hopefullyhe’ll have better luck with theHornets’arch-rivals Lu tonTown. Edwardshas hadplenty of offers sincehis spellatVic arageRoadended butwantedto make sure he came back in with theright club

It is also somethingofarare step.The rivalrybetween Watford andLuton is intense enough to ensure that rarely does any managerhavebothclubs on his CV.Not sinceNeilMcBain, as farbackas the1930s,has anyone managedbothclubs.

CristianoRonaldo’s interview this week madefor tediousTV

Fans were wheeled in to welcomeEngland on theirarrivalinQatar

SELLARSSET FOR AXEATWOLVES

RUSSELLYOULL sports@mnamedia.co.uk

TechnicaldirectorScott

Sellarsisset to leave Wolvesafter becoming thefocus of fans’anger over theirawful startto theseason.

The56-year-old hasbeenbeenat Wolves formorethaneight years, having initiallyjoinedthe coaching staffbeforebeing promotedtohead of academyinthe Fosunera and then technical director in January 2021.

However,thingsturnedsourfor theformerBolton andNewcastle midfielderamonth agowhenhebe came thesubject of fans’anger as Wolves were beaten 4-0athome by LeicesterCity.

Claims that he wasinfluencing tactics, teamselection andsubstitutionswererejected by caretaker bossSteve Davis.

ButSellars wasforcedtoendure chants of ‘WewantSellars out’ and ‘Scott Sellars, getout of ourclub’ from thehome faithful as Wolves were thrashed by thethenbot tom-placed Foxes.

Nowitappears fans have gottheir wish followingthe appointmentof newheadcoachJulen Lopetegui, wholastweeksucceeded theaxed BrunoLage.

Many fans hadlongquestioned Sellars’ role in termsofplayerrecruitmentdue to Fosun’sclose links with super-agentJorge Mendes, whowielded major influenceonthe club’s transferdealings.

Others hadclaimed Sellarshad become alightningrod whichhad deflectedcriticism away from Fos un andexecutive chairman Jeff Shi.

ButwithWolvesrockbottomof thePremier league,itappears Shi hasdecidedtoact nowonSellars

BrilliantJudehas worldathis feet

Ings is so smart says palMatty

MattyCashreckons DannyIngs’ intelligenceisanasset to Villaafterhailing thestriker as oneofthe smartest playershe’sencountered Ings is Villa’stop scorer with five PremierLeaguegoals despitestart ingjusteight of their15matches so far. The30-year-old,leftout of the starting XI forUnaiEmery’s first league matchin charge,responded by baggingbothgoals in a2-1 win at Brighton prior to theWorld Cup break.

Team-mateCashsaid: “I was delightedfor Danny. He is oneof thesmartestplayers Ihaveplayed with.His movementinfront of goal is brilliant.

“Heknows when to runand when to getinthe middle of thegoal.”

Settlingdown at Saddlers

WalsallmidfielderBrandon Comley feelsthe balanceofthe team is coming together –and with it theresults

TheSaddlerssaw an influx of players –including Comley –but they fieldedthe same starting line-uponSaturdayin thewin over Crawleyasthe weekendbe fore andComleyiscautiousbut optimistic aboutthe waythings aregoing

He said:“At timesweplayed wellwhenwewereona badrun anditseemedthose performanc es deserved better butitproba blytookwhiletosettledownand gettoknoweachother’s game.”

TheThree LionsbeatIran6-2

19-year-oldBellingham

“TobehonestI thoughtithad missed andittookages to loop into thegoal,”saidthe Borussia Dort mund andformerBirmingham midfielder.

“I told you Iwanted to scoremore goalsfor Dortmund andEngland. It wasabrilliantballfromShawy andIwas justthere to flickitaway anditwas areallyproud moment forme.”

England face theUnitedStates in theirsecondGroup Bgameon Friday before taking on Waleson November29and Bellingham add ed:“Wins do (takepressureoff), you’reateasefor abit,but we’ll still be at thesamelevel trying to performand gettwo morewinsbecausethat’show we want to be and carrythatmentality into hopefully therestofthe tournament.”

Jude Bellinghamcelebrateshis opening goalinEngland’s6-2 winoverIranintheir opening World Cup fixture

He’s come alongway sincestarting outat Stourbridge Juniors–but Jude Bellingham litupthe World CupinEngland’sopening game

with

scor ingthe opener with asuperb header Bellingham admitted he thought hisglancingheaderfromLuke Shaw’s crosswas notgoing in before it nestledinthe farcorner.

Councilinitiative is helping young people to gain confidence, improve

find work they love!

The council’s£3million investment in the Wolves at Work 18-24 programme allied with the supportoflocal businesses and partners –has created opportunities for hundreds of young people.

past 12 months, an 83 per cent increase on the year before. And this includes an expanded apprenticeship intake for roles right across the council.

Councillor Brookfield added: “Weare determined to continue this positive direction of travel, to get more young people into education, training and employment; helping ensure our current and future businesses can find the skilled workforce that they need to thrive.”

Employers urged to supportcity’sWolves

At Work 18-24 initiative

Apprenticeships are abrilliant opportunity for young people to gain skills and experience and the city council is asking employers to consider taking on more apprentices.

CouncillorBrookfield said: “We’re urging all local employers, large and small, to join the fight in helping the city’syoung people aged 18-24 into work. If you are abusiness or organisation and would like to discuss the contribution you can make to tackling youth unemployment together,please email recruitment@wolverhampton.gov.uk.”

Councillor Ian Brookfield, Leader of City of Wolverhampton Council, explains how important the new council initiative is for young people and to the city “The council has avital role to play in making areal difference to our young people’slife chances and helping them to gain and sustain employment.

“As acity,wemust acknowledge that we have ahuge challenge around high levels of youth unemployment.

“Weare making progress, but we have so much more to do, which requires everyone to work together to make the situation better for our young people. We cannot lose our focus on this.”

The city council itself has recruited 111, eighteen to twenty-four year olds in the

their skillsand

One of Wolverhampton’sbiggest priorities is supporting the city’syoung people into good, skilled jobs.

University of Wolverhampton is supporting the Wolves At Work 18-24 campaign by advertising on their fleet of vans. Pictured (L to R) Cllr Ian Brookfield, Leader of the Council, with Christopher Robinson, Transportand Travel Manager,University of Wolverhampton.

Councillor Ian Brookfield, Leader,City of Wolverhampton Council

Wolves At Work 18-24 is afree service co-ordinated by City of Wolverhampton Council and supported by local employers and partner organisations across Wolverhampton.

Drop-in sessions to help young people into employment

Young people looking for work are encouragedtodrop-in and speak to the friendly Wolves At Work 18-24 team on the following dates and times:

November 2022

• Tuesday 29 November: 2pm -4pm, The WayYouth Zone, School Street, Wolverhampton WV3 0NR

• Wednesday30November: 2:30pm -3:30pm, Big Venture Centre, 17 Chesterton Road, Wolverhampton WV10 8SP

• Wednesday30November: 4pm -7pm, Careers and Skills Hub, City of Wolverhampton College, Wellington Road Campus, Wolverhampton WV14 6BT

December 2022

• Tuesday’s6,13, 20 December: 2pm -4pm, The WayYouth Zone, School Street, Wolverhampton WV3 0NR

• Wednesday’s7,21, December: 2:30pm -3:30pm, Big Venture Centre, 17 Chesterton Road, Wolverhampton WV10 8SP

• Wednesday’s7,21December: 4pm -7pm, Careers and Skills Hub, City of Wolverhampton College, Wellington Road Campus, Wolverhampton WV14 6BT

• Thursday’s1,8,15, 22 December: 2pm -4pm, Civic Centre, Ground Floor Foyer,StPeter’s Square, WolverhamptonWV1 1SH

Wolves At Work 18-24drop-in sessions are held across the city.