Month: May 2023

17-month-old Beau from Great Barr started to lose her mobility in April this year. Following an MRI scan, it was discovered that she had a tumour on her spinal cord and she was admitted to Birmingham Children’s Hospital for further tests.

On 5 May, it was discovered that Beau has neuroblastoma cancer, a rare type of cancer that develops in nerve cells and affects babies and young children.

Doctors have been unable to operate, but Beau has undergone her first round of chemotherapy as she battles her illness and spends her time going to and from the children’s hospital.

Following her diagnosis, her big sister Olivia has been raising awareness on social media by charting Beau’s journey with pictures, videos and a series of touching posts written from the viewpoint of her little sister.

Speaking on Facebook, Olivia said: “I am so proud and inspired by such a strong little girl. I’ve started an Instagram page (@beaubeaus_journey) and a Facebook to take you along with her on her journey.”

Both of Beau’s parents have now quit work to help provide her with the care she needs and the family are hoping to raise enough money so that Beau can spend more time at home by having the right equipment to support her.

If you can help, please visit https://justgiving.com/crowdfunding/beaubeausjourney to donate or to find out more about Beau’s journey.

Pioneer Magazines has teamed up with BBC Gardeners’ World 2023 to give away a pair of tickets to the annual event at the NEC in June.

At the height of the summer season, there’s no better time or place to indulge your love of gardening, see your favourite gardening experts and enjoy a day with friends and family at BBC Gardeners’ World Live from 15-18 June.

This year’s show will be bursting with plenty of garden inspiration from the Show Gardens and Beautiful Borders, expert advice from Monty Don, Carol Klein, Adam Frost, Frances Tophill plus Alan Titchmarsh, live entertainment and the delicious BBC Good Frood Show Summer.

What’s more, there’s a show-load of new features this year which aren’t to be missed. Joining the line-up on the BBC Gardeners’ World Live Theatre include Mr Plant Geek and Chris Collins of Garden Organic and previous Blue Peter Gardener.

Don’t miss the new House Plant Hub with host Ellen Mary and talks from Joe Bagley and more.

Plus, drop in to the new Let’s Talk Plants Stage with the gardening presenters and Sue Kent, who will share insights into her Beautiful Border at the show.

You’ll also be able to enjoy gardening advice alfresco in the Show Gardens, with expertise on the Liz Earle Beauty Co’s Botanical Show Garden with their Ethnobotanist James Wong, to talks on grow-your-own at Lucy Hutching’s Secret Homestead Garden, with CloudGardener UK, Stephane Hafferty, Lydia Lakemoore and many more!

 

A haven of colour and scent, head to the Floral Marquee and discover new plant varieties from specialist growers at the new Hot Off the Potting Bench feature and be inspired by Ashwood Nurseries’ walk-through garden and a 40th-anniversary display by Barnsdale Gardens.

To book tickets visit – bbcgardenersworldlive.com

Show Garden

Every year an exciting collection of Show Gardens come to life in a celebration of how imagination and creativity can transform your outdoor space. It’s an unbeatable way to get ideas for your own garden. Make sure to head over to Paul Stone’s headline Show Garden ‘A Garden Fit for a King’, a stunning take on gardening for the future. Inspired by the coronation, this beautiful space will celebrate the HRH King Charles III’s passion for gardening and the sustainable initiatives that the King has integrated into the renowned gardens at Highgrove. Plus, don’t miss special talks on the garden from a line -up of Gardeners’ World presenters.

Concept for a ‘A Garden Fit for a King’

Beautiful Borders

The Beautiful Borders are always awash with take-home ideas to help you squeeze the most into your garden. Be it growing veg in tight spaces, colour combinations, plants for shady spaces or clever use of materials, you’ll find inspiration in abundance. There’ll be more than twenty Beautiful Borders at the show to draw inspiration from, all based on the theme ‘My Garden Escape.’ Don’t miss Sue Kent’s ‘My Escape’ Beautiful Border, inspired by her love of painting, scented flowers and her love of the colour pink.

Win a pair of tickets to BBC Gardeners’ World Live

To win a pair of tickets, simply:

• Follow Pioneer Magazines on Facebook
• Like the competition post.
• Comment with the answer to the following question: What is this year’s theme for the Beautiful Borders?

Note: The prize is a pair of tickets that is only valid for entry on Sunday 18 June. The competition closes at midnight on Sunday 28 May and the winner will be announced on Facebook on Monday 19 May.

The annual continent street market in Walsall will be back for 2023 for four days during May.

Starting on Wednesday 17 May and running until Saturday 20 May, the market will be open between the house of 10am and 6pm.

Councillor Adrian Andrew, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Regeneration at Walsall Council, said,

“The continental market is always a huge success and it’s great to welcome it back once again. The market brings a great atmosphere to the town centre so I’d encourage everyone to come along and experience the sights, sounds and smells of the continent.”

Lining Park Street, the continental market will feature a range of street food from across the world, as well as handmade crafts. Expect Caribbean cuisine, Indian food and German bratwurst among other tasty treats!

The cost of drain cover thefts in Walsall has escalated to approximately £47,000 already this year, reports Walsall Council.

The Walsall Council Highways Officers have confirmed that 161 drain covers have been stolen so far in 2023, bringing the total cost of the thefts to a staggering £261,750 since 2018.

The main areas targeted have been Aldridge, Pelsall and Blakenall where additional Highway Safety Inspectors have been tasked with patrolling the areas on the lookout for suspicious activity.

“That’s a vast sum of public money which we would rather spend on building more projects within the community and caring for the needs of our most vulnerable citizens and children, said Mike Bird, Leader of Walsall Council.

“It’s frustrating to see so much resource spent on making repairs after criminals have left our highways in a hazardous state.
I urge residents who witness this criminal activity in progress not to intervene for their own safety, but to report any information to the West Midlands Police as we will not hesitate to prosecute scrap metal dealers that accept our stolen property.“

Report of suspicious activity can be made at go.walsall.gov.uk/report

Walsall was a hive of activity to celebrate King Charles III’s coronation with the council hailing numerous community events as a big success.

Across the borough, thousands of people took part in the festivities between Friday 5 May and Monday 8 May 2023 with street parties, afternoon teas and fundays.

Approximately 20 Walsall street parties were organised, alongside many community fundays, including free events at St Martin’s Church,  St Matthew’s big coronation lunch, the Boathouse in Rushall

In addition to a coronation walk of faith, which saw members of different faiths walk together past various places of worship, there was a tree planting event at Borneo Street and numerous pubs joined in the fun, including the Boathouse in Rushall, where many dressed for the occasion in British-themed attire.

“It was wonderful to be able to mark such a momentous occasion with communities around Walsall,” said the Mayor of Walsall Councillor Rose Martin.

 “I very much enjoyed the events that I visited, it was lovely to see so many people come together to share food, drink and laughter.

More importantly, the weekend was an opportunity to learn more about the different communities that we are so lucky to have here in Walsall and to share in the different cultures. The coronation is an important moment in history and I hope Walsall residents have come away with memories to cherish for many years to come.“

Councillor Garry Perry, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Resilient Communities also commented on what was a fantastic weekend, saying:

“I attended lots of coronation events over the weekend and was proud to see so many people come together and really get into the community spirit.

The coronation walk of faith was a particular highlight for me, exploring the many different places of worship that we have in Walsall. It was an enlightening experience and really showcased the unity and resilience of our communities. It’s fantastic to be a part of such an important part of our history and I know that it meant a lot to the people of Walsall to be able to come together and celebrate.”