This year’s Commonwealth Day celebration will commemorate the annual event’s 76th anniversary, with performances by a local school at a special citizenship ceremony. Commonwealth Day, which is on Monday 10 March, is observed by people in 56 countries and all over the Commonwealth – in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and the Americas, the Pacific and Europe. The 2025 theme is ‘Together We Thrive’, and the day is an opportunity to promote the unity, diversity and shared values of the Commonwealth family across the world. The celebrations, led by the Lord Major of Birmingham, Councillor Ken Wood, will begin with a…

The annual Mayors Fest rock show returns to Wolverhampton this April to raise vital funds for good causes. It is one of the biggest fundraising events of the year for the Mayor of Wolverhampton Councillor Linda Leach’s Charitable Fund, in aid of the Beacon Centre, Age UK Wolverhampton and The Samaritans Wolverhampton. It opens on Friday 4 April at 7.30pm with a show at The Giffard Arms, Victoria Street, headlined by Doomsday Outlaw. The main event is on Saturday 5 April at KK’s Steel Mill, Frederick Street. Doors open at 1pm and headlining will be the hugely popular band Massive…

Sandwell Council has been shortlisted in the ‘Most Improved Council’ category at this year’s Local Government Chronicle (LGC) Awards. Leader of Sandwell Council, Councillor Kerrie Carmichael, said: “We’re really proud of the improvements we’ve made in recent years, and it’s fantastic to be shortlisted for this prestigious award. “Sandwell Council is completely focused on getting things right for our residents – delivering high-quality services that are easy to use and working for the people who need them. “We want our borough to be a great place for children to grow up. We want to make Sandwell a cleaner, greener and…

Subaru UK & Ireland recently celebrated the achievements of its Retailer network at its Annual Conference & Awards, held near Reading. Aird Motors Ltd, a long-standing Subaru dealership based in Beauly, Scottish Highlands, was named the overall Retailer of the Year for 2024, cementing its reputation as a key pillar of the Subaru dealer network. With over 35 years of dedicated service, Aird Motors exemplifies the brand’s commitment to local, personalised automotive excellence. The event recognised outstanding performance across multiple categories, with Proven Motor Company securing the Fleet Dealer of the Year Award, D. M. Keith claiming the Finance Retailer…

Kieran Smith Mills, winner of the Inspirational Child in Care Award, with, left, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Director of Children’s Services Alison Hinds and, right, Councillor Jacqui Coogan, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education Hundreds of children and young people in, or leaving care in Wolverhampton were recognised for their resilience, hard work and achievements at an inspirational awards celebration. The City of Wolverhampton Council’s annual I Awards, held at Grand Station, saw children and young people receive awards in recognition of their achievements in 3 categories – individual, intellectual and independence. There were also special…

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

BMW Group UK has kickstarted the year by acknowledging the incredible success and hard work of BMW and MINI retailers throughout the past year at the annual Retailer of the Year 2025 awards. Hosted by comedian Jimmy Carr, retailers were celebrated across a host of categories, recognising exceptional dedication to the BMW and MINI brands, and industry-leading customer service. Winners were selected across a range of categories, from Sales, Customer, Used Cars and Electric. A new award for MINI this year, ‘Rookie of the Year’, served to spotlight those who, with just a minimum of six months under their belt,…

The event, hosted by Connexions Sandwell, saw 2,542 young people/parents attending, which easily beat the previous record attendance of 2,329 in 2024. The record number of visitors were able to meet 50 exhibitors, all keen to inspire, recruit and educate the next generation of Sandwell young workers. Connexions advisers were on hand to give independent careers information, advice and guidance. In addition, and one young person on work experience with Connexions helped the event to run smoothly. Sandwell Council Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, Councillor Jalal Uddin, said: “Sandwell’s young people are the future of the borough. We…

The Deutsche Bank Awards for Creative Enterprise (DBACE) help creative entrepreneurs turn their ideas into reality. Aspiring individuals who want to go into business in the creative industries and require practical and financial support are being targeted. Applicants will be able to explore, develop and establish their creative ideas into sustainable ventures – through business planning training, mentoring and capital funding for starting-up. The programme aims to find the best talent with the ability to drive positive social impact through their creative enterprise. DBACE welcomes applications from UK entrepreneurs aged 18 and over, who have a strong idea or an…

Thomas McGeever, from Market Drayton, Telford, was among 26 exceptional individuals honoured with the esteemed British Citizen Award (BCA) at the Palace of Westminster. This recognition celebrates their outstanding contributions to society. The Medal Presentation, held on Thursday 23rd January, saw Thomas receive the coveted BCA Medal of Honour for Service to Community (BCAc). Recipients are entitled to use the post-nominals to commemorate their achievements. Tom has committed his time, knowledge and passion into countless community projects within the West Midlands for the past 12 years. Always striving to make an impact and generate meaningful change to community groups, most…