St George’s Day

Posted on April 23, 2014 | 2 comments
"Cry God For Harry, England and St George...." [Henry V - Shakespeare] 23rd April: St George's Day and Shakespeare's birthday

“Cry God For Harry, England and St George….” [Henry V - Shakespeare]
23rd April: St George’s Day and Shakespeare’s birthday

2 Comments

Posted in Arts and Leisure

Police seek sneak-thief who snatched jewellery from Kingstanding home

Posted on April 23, 2014 | Leave a comment
Police are hunting the burglar who stole these items of jewellery from a home in Kingstanding

Police are hunting the burglar who stole these items of jewellery from a home in Kingstanding

Police are appealing for help to trace thousands of pounds worth of jewellery stolen by sneak-in thieves from a house in Kingstanding.

The jewellery, including a number of valuable rings, was taken from a house in Kings Road on Friday 21 March.

The thief, or thieves, sneaked into the house and stole the items from a bedroom, as the owner was moving her car, sometime between 5.55pm and 6.05pm.

DC Wendy Sewell, from Birmingham North CID, said: “The woman is distraught that her jewellery was taken; she was only out the house for a very short time moving her car.

“The total value of the jewellery taken is believed to be around £30,000 and we are appealing for anyone who may have seen the theft, or anyone who knows where the jewellery is, to contact us.”

Anyone who can assist police should call 101 or the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Leave a comment

Posted in Crime, Police and Emergency Services

Pregnant woman assaulted in Castle Vale shop

Posted on April 22, 2014 | Comments Off

A pregnant  woman was assaulted and given a black eye in a shop in Castle Vale last week.

The woman, aged 21, claims that two women assaulted her last Monday morning in Costcutters on Farnborough Road.

She says that the incident was caused by a dispute over  a former boyfriend. She received a black eye and scratches to her neck from the women, both of whom are known to her.

Police say they are making enquiries into the incident and are urging anyone with further information to call Birmingham North Police  on 101.

Police say that the woman received hospital treatment for neck injuries following the incident at Costcutters on Farnborough Road at around 11.30am on 14th April.

Comments Off

Posted in Crime, Police and Emergency Services, Shops

Job keeps Pype Hayes prolific driving offender and curfew-breaker out of prison

Posted on April 22, 2014 | Leave a comment

A  45 year-old man who broke his curfew while on a  suspended sentence after a series of serious driving offences has been told by magistrates that he will not be sent to jail because he now has a job, and has not committed any further offences.

Mark Francis of Timbers Way in Pype Hayes   had  been given an 18-week prison sentence in June 2013, for his fifth serious driving offence. He was also banned from driving for 30 months.

But he was back behind the wheel again in November, and this time was given a suspended prison sentence by the courts for driving whilst disqualified. He was told to keep to the conditions of a curfew, but failed to do so.

He has now been given a 16 week prison sentence, suspended for two years. He has also been ordered to carry out 40 hours of unpaid community service.

At his trial in December, magistrates heard that Francis had a record of offences, had drugs in his system, and was driving erratically while disqualified and without insurance on Tyburn Road.

Francis has also used other names, including Robert Henry Bunn and Mark Depaule.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in Crime, Transport

Tories target ‘Garden Tax’ for Birmingham Council Elections in May

Posted on April 22, 2014 | 2 comments
Conservative local election poster

Conservative local election poster

Local Conservatives are targeting the new £30 per year green waste system in their election campaign for May.

The Tories say they will scrap the new system which has residents paying to have their green waste collected each fortnight. In the Tyburn area so far only about 4% of residents have signed up for the green waste service. The Conservatives say they will bring back  a free green waste system.

The Conservatives have a focus on the environment in their list of priorities. They aim to:

  • introduce free parking in residential High Street Car Parks,
  • bring back the £100,000 Community Chest fund per a ward,
  • introduce an additional dog and litter warden team for each ward
  • build 40 new public squares and open spaces to bring derelict land in each ward back into use,
  • provide a new ‘pride in Birmingham’ clean up crew for each ward to get our streets clean and tidy again

Currently there are

  • 77 Labour councillors in Birmingham,
  • 28 Conservative Councillors
  • 15 Lib Dem Councillors

Of the 120 seats, 40 (one for each area) will be up for grabs in the elections on 22nd May.

2 Comments

Posted in Council, Environment, Politics

Sainsburys ‘onesie’ help for homeless youngsters

Posted on April 22, 2014 | Leave a comment

Sainsburys in Castle Vale have donated 25 Sport Relief ‘onesies’ to homeless young people living at a supported accommodation project in Birmingham, which currently has 24 residents.

Young resident Nicola, 22 said: “I’ve been wearing mine loads, it’s very comfortable and onesies are fun. I feel good wearing it!”

Young resident Nicola, 22 said: “I’ve been wearing mine loads, it’s very comfortable and onesies are fun. I feel good wearing it!”

Project Manager Emma Gardner said: “The young people have loved the onesies.
“They’ve all been wearing them. We’d like to thank Sainsburys for donating these items which are so loved by young people. It’s important for their confidence that they can wear what other young people are wearing, but being a fashionable item Onesies can be quite expensive, so thanks again for thinking of our young people!”.

Leave a comment

Posted in Housing, Schools and young people, Shops

Easter Monday bluebells

Posted on April 21, 2014 | Leave a comment

Easter Monday bluebells in Middleton (click to enlarge) [photo: Clive Edwards]

Easter Monday bluebells in Middleton (click to enlarge) [photo: Clive Edwards]


Bluebells on a warm Easter Monday afternoon in Middleton, 15 minutes drive from Castle Vale, and another piece of countryside that will have the High Speed Rail HS2 line running straight through it if the plans go ahead.

Leave a comment

Posted in Environment