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A rival Midland newspaper has adopted a scheme created by the MNA.

The Birmingham Mail and its sister website Birmingham Live have officially announced the launch the Ladder for Greater Birmingham, which is aimed at getting firms to pledge to create new apprenticeships.

The regional daily has started a bid to create 1,000 new apprentices on its patch after adopting the scheme from a rival publisher.

This follows the huge success of the Ladder for the Black Country campaign launched in the Express & Star almost three years ago.

The campaign was launched as Wolverhampton recorded the highest youth unemployment in the country and followed a challenge by the Duke of York to ‘find a local solution to a national problem’.

Responding to the challenge, the Express & Star teamed up with training provider Performance Through People (PTP), charity the Vine Trust, the Black Country Chamber of Commerce and with support by Walsall Council to launch the Ladder for the Black Country.

Prince Andrew came to the Express & Star offices in Wolverhampton to launch the campaign and agreed to be its patron.

So successful was the campaign that it was expanded into Staffordshire and also saw the launch of the Ladder for Shropshire.

Last year the Duke hosted a special event at St James’s Palace to mark the success of the Ladder in smashing through the 1,000 apprenticeships barrier.

West Midlands Mayor Andy Street, who is backing the campaign, added: “Apprenticeships are a great way to give young people and adults the skills they need to develop successful careers.

“We are working closely with employers across the West Midlands to encourage more businesses to invest in skills to help secure their future competitiveness.”

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Budding engineers, maths whizzes and future scientists demonstrated their innovative products during the judging day for the MNA STEM Challenge 2018.

The competition was launched by the MNA, publisher of the Express & Star and Shropshire Star, to promote the importance of the key Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths subjects.

Each team of six students had been tirelessly working towards the challenge for the last six months.

Among the teams taking part in the challenge was In Our Jeans from Castle High School in Dudley, mentored by Tom Batham and San Shevyn from Phoenix Materials Testing. They had invented a tent for homeless people with a built-in funnel to catch and filter rainwater. Science teacher and STEM co-ordinator Kati Taylor said: “It’s been a massive team effort. They have really engaged with science and they’ve got a lot out of it.”

ExoSkel from Oldbury Academy, partnered with voestalpine Metsec plc came up with the idea for a pair of glasses that had a built-in vibrator to warn blind or visually-impaired people when an object or person is close.

“It’s called the Ultra Lens and the idea is that’s more discreet than having a stick,” said 15-year-old Jai Mann.

The Monarchs from The Royal School, Wolverhampton wanted to help people with Seasonal Affective Disorder. The team, partnered with Finning CAT, created a device fitted to a bike to enable mechanical energy from pedalling to power light therapy. Oliver Furnival, aged 13, said: “It’s been fun and we’ve learned a lot.”

Pupils from Telford Park School and their mentor Joe Dawes from Veolia visited The Lyneal Trust, near Ellesmere, a charity offering canal boat holidays for people with disabilities and their family, friends and carers.

The team, named Serious About Science, made a steering tiller for the charity’s adapted canal boats which cater for disabled people.

Science teacher Hannah Newey said: “The visit to the charity was really beneficial and they were able to see how their idea could help other people.”

Team LITE (Langley Infinite Technological Enhancement) from Telford Langley School, manufactured Quiet Mind with the help of mentor Lee Drummond, director of teaching and learning at Telford-based Cadco. They have created a device to soothe people who might be suffering from stress or anxiety. If they can’t concentrate, there are lots of different materials and switches for them to play with and it can help them to feel calmer. “We had a few problems but we are pleased with how it turned out,” said Erin Tilley, 14.

A right-angle tent, made from recycled materials which repel water, aimed at making life more comfortable for rough sleepers was the creation of the Fabulous 6 from Colton Hills Community School.

Mentor Laura Palmer from City of Wolverhampton Council said: “It’s a beautiful idea they’ve come up with – they really wanted to help rough sleepers.”

Plan B from Penkridge Middle School had made a PH adaption kit for soil to enable people to grow healthy fruit and vegetables wherever they live. The team worked with mentor Andy Snape from Stafford College. “It would benefit people who can’t afford to eat healthily,” said 13-year-old Sophie Burgess. Solution Squad from The Marches School, Oswestry designed a computer app called taaz to help people with early stages of memory loss.

It provides a range of memory exercises which can be personalised with details and photographs from their lives. Physics teacher Russell Thomas said: “They really wanted to help people with Alzheimer’s and they’ve come up with a really good idea.”

The STEMinists from St Peter’s Collegiate School, Wolverhampton, designed an exercise device to help disabled people and people with MS to build muscle strength and benefit their motor skills.

Design and technology teacher Matthew Buck said: “It’s been a great experience for them and they’ve had a lot of opportunities they wouldn’t normally have had.”

The team representing Sandwell Academy – The Sandwell Project – invented A Puzzle Cast to benefit people with anxiety who suffer an injury. Mentor Neil Edwards from Western Power Distribution said: “There have been a few challenges along the way but when they’ve come up against a brick wall they’ve pushed past it or engineered a way around it.”

Q3 Quanta from Q3 Academy Great Barr made a water filtration kit, for the developing world, that uses natural materials that are readily available.

Head of Science Rob Burlace said: “It has really inspired them, a couple of them want to go into engineering and a couple want to go into the forces.”

Students at Moor Park in Ludlow designed The Cam-Castor to enable local charity Megan Baker House to adjust the height of chairs for disabled children. The team called The Laetificators also used a Victorian printing press to make greeting cards which the charity can sell to raise funds and worked with mentors from North Shropshire College.

The XSTEMINATORS from Abbots Bromley School invented a smart bracelet that could call an ambulance and set reminders for people to take medication. It also has a compartment for tablets.

Enja Stenton-Doe, 13, said: “We wanted to make something that could help a lot of people whatever their needs.”

Team SUA from Staffordshire University Academy created a bath-time assistant to help blind and visually impaired people draw a bath without fear of overfilling the tub. “It’s called a plug mate and it beeps when the bath is full so you don’t waste water,” said Chloe Payne, 14.

The team’s mentors were Melanie Fleet and Terry Nightingale from Thyssenkrupp UK. A pen to help pupils with ADHD was the product made by The Imagineers from Q3 Langley. Made with sensory materials for soothing children’s anxiety, it also had a lava lamp to focus attention. Learning assistant Kate Williamson said: “They’ve done really well. They have really enjoyed it.”

Brownhills School was represented by The Brownhills Engineering, Science and technology Challengers and was partnered with Black Country Chamber of Commerce. They had designed a ‘life survival kit’ which includes a water filter kit, collapsable bowl and cup and torch. Maths teacher Emily Harris said: “It’s been amazing to see the progress, especially with confidence, that they have made.”

* The overall winner was Thorns Collegiate Academy in Quarry Bank, Sir John Talbot’s School Whitchurch won Best Presentation and Madeley Academy in Telford won Best Team Work. Holly Hall Academy in Dudley walked away with the prize for Best Work Plan and Adcote School for Girls in Shrewsbury won Best Operating Model.

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The Shropshire Star was the first to answer the rallying call to help the county’s hospitals celebrate the NHS’s 70th birthday.

The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH), which runs Telford’s Princess Royal Hospital and The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, will celebrate the 70th year of the NHS with a charity fun day and fun run on July 7.

And the trust is asking local businesses to get involved by donating gifts to put into 500 goodie bags for those taking part in the fun run. Raffle and tombola prizes are also needed.

A first edition of the Shropshire Star plus a copy of the Shropshire Weekly magazine will be in each of the goodie bags.

Julia Clarke, director of corporate governance at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, said: “We are incredibly grateful to The Shropshire Star for their support, and I would like to thank them for their very generous donation. The support of businesses like the Shropshire is so important for our hospitals, as it benefits our patients and our staff.”

The 5km fun run will start at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital at 10.30am on July 7 – people can sign up by visiting sath.nhs.uk – and will be followed immediately afterwards by the charity fun day from 11am to 5pm.

The celebratory fun day will feature a Through the Decades theme, with each sectioned into activities.

The fun day will be officially opened at 1pm with the unveiling of a commemorative sculpture that is being produced for SaTH by The British Ironwork Centre using obsolete hospital equipment.
The “call to arms” was launched earlier this month by Julia Clarke, with the support of Peter Guy, president of the Shropshire Chamber of Commerce, and Clive Knowles, owner of the British Ironwork Centre near Oswestry which has sponsored the goodie bags.
If you are able to help, email communications@sath.nhs.uk

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Eight people have already been stabbed to death in the West Midlands this year – it’s time for politicians to act.

This petition calls on Home Secretary Sajid Javid to review legislation regarding the sale of knives, swords, machetes and other weapons in the United Kingdom.

The country is in the grip of an unprecedented violent crime epidemic and yet it remains simple – and legal – to buy brutal weapons from high street shops.

The Express & Star was able to buy a zombie knife-style ‘long-reach’ machete with a 17-inch blade and a serrated edge for just £13.90 from a city-centre shop.

It is identical to a zombie knife, but is not banned by the Government as it does not include any images or words suggesting it could be used for violence.

‘Ninja’ swords are also classed as legal despite having a razor sharp 19-inch flat blade.

Such blades are responsible for the deaths of countless loved ones across the country and are regularly seized by police, yet remain freely available to buy on UK streets.

It’s time for this to change – sign our petition now and call for action.

Click here to sign the petition

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A CHARITY that helps save lives by transporting vital medical supplies to doctors and hospitals around the county is £5,000 better off thanks to this year’s Cash For Your Community giveaway.

Shropshire and Staffordshire Blood Bikes was the biggest beneficiary of this year’s £20,000 giveaway, organised once more by the Shropshire Star and our partners at Enterprise Flex-E-Rent.

A total of £20,000 was dished out to good causes across Shropshire and Mid Wales, with the money being shared between 30 groups ranging from children’s charities to groups that support the elderly. Many of the groups took part for the first time this year.

The money was allocated according to which groups could collect the most tokens that had been printed in the Shropshire Star.
Volunteers

The Blood Bikes, a team of volunteers who give up their time to deliver life-saving blood and other medical supplies by motorcycle, collected the £5,000 top prize after collecting a superb 8,411 tokens.

The charity, which was formed four years ago, will use the money to improve its coverage of North Shropshire by setting up a base at a fire station. The money will be used to provide a secure shed to keep a bike.

Fundraising manager Lynne Stone said: “We receive no funding for the service we operate for NHS trusts in Shropshire, Staffordshire and south Cheshire.

“We help the NHS save lives, money and improve the quality of life of poorly patients. We deliver urgent medical samples such as blood, platelets, and frozen breast milk free of charge between hospitals and pathology labs on motorbikes ridden by our advanced qualified riders and managed by our controllers.”

In second place was The Severn Centre Trust, which will use its £2,000 windfall for the latest phase in the restoration of the open-air swimming pool at Highley.

Duty manager Jody Pietragallo said the cash would help turn the old “learner pool”, which has not been used for many years, into a modern “splash pad” for young children.

Mrs Pietragallo said the money would make a huge difference to younger children in the village.

“The splash pad enables children to build confidence with water and enjoy a day out with family locally,” she said.

The Harry Johnson Trust, which came third, received £1,000, which will be used to provide support for children being treated for cancer and their families

In fourth place was Telford & Wrekin Parkinsons Support Group, which took £940.77 which it will use to provide life-saving physiotherapy and speech therapy.

“It will make a huge difference as it will alleviate the worry of paying for the physio and speech therapy,” said secretary Carol Scott. In fifth place came Guide Dogs for the Blind Shrewsbury, which received a shade under £800. Fundraising organiser Penny Norris said it would be a major help, as a partially-sighted person typically has to wait more than two years for a dog.

Hope House Children’s Hospices received £765.03, which it will use to provide support for the families of children who die suddenly.

Area fundraiser Lynsey Kilvert said the money was crucial as, tragically, the charity could only afford to help one in three families in this way.

The Shifnal and Albrighton Live at Home scheme received a cheque for £734.78 which it will use to create a new weekly chair-based exercise class for the elderly.
Ludlow and District Beekeeper’s Association received £706.85.

The registered charity has recently secured the lease on a building which will be used for the breeding of native honey bees, and also in educating people about their importance.
Willey Cricket Club, which took third place last year, took £646.21, while Wellington Cottage Care Trust, which came second last year, took £632.94 this time around.

Shropshire Star editor Martin Wright said he was delighted that so many groups were once more able to benefit from the scheme. He said: “Once more it highlights the fantastic work people do in our community.

“The efforts that people have gone to in order to collect the tokens and help their chosen charities is also heartwarming.
“It just goes to show the strength of community spirit in our county.

“I truly hope this money will make a real difference to the excellent work
these groups do.”

Danny Glynn, managing director of Enterprise Flex-E-Rent, said the company prides itself on building close links within the communities it operates in.

“It is our absolute pleasure and privilege to once again support local groups through the Cash For Your Community initiative in conjunction with our friends at the Shropshire Star,” he said.

“It is always exciting to discuss future plans with each year’s charities and good causes at the presentation day, and fantastic to see the work they have done with their well-deserved winnings in the following months.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the groups who submitted applications this year and also thank all of those who collected tokens for their chosen cause.
“It is inspirational to see the work that is done on our doorstep by so many of you.”

How the cash is shared
Shropshire and Staffordshire Blood Bikes £5,000.
The Severn Centre Trust Ltd £2,000.
The Harry Johnson Trust £1,000.
Telford & Wrekin Parkinsons Support Group £940.77
Guide Dogs Shrewsbury £797.58
Hope House Children’s Hospices £765.03
Shifnal and Albrighton Live at Home £734.78
Ludlow & District Beekeepers Association £706.85
Willey Cricket Club £646.21
Wellington Cottage Care Trust £632.94
Cuan Wildlife Rescue £615.04
The Friendly Transport Service £586.81
Severn Hospice £542.83
Motor Neurone Disease Association Shropshire Branch £519.53
Diabetes UK Shrewsbury Kids Group £451.02
RABI £443.92
The Movement Centre £415.53
Anstice Community Trust £413.68
Our Heroes (The Plough Inn, Wellington) £393.31
The Walled Garden Project at Nursery Fields £385.44
1st Monkmoor Scout Group £268.33
The Little Theatre Donnington £254.91
Shropshire Disability Network £230.68
Sport and Arts in the Community (Sparc) £219.26
Bright Star Boxing Academy £216.18
The Living Room At Woodside £202.44
Broseley Youth Club £189.48
South Shropshire Gymnastics Club £181.30
Brownlow Community Centre £158.78
Stay £87.33

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‘Absolutely disgusting’ – the response of the sister of murdered Tom Kirwan at the availability of lethal knives, as exposed in an Express & Star investigation.

This newspaper purchased a variety of weapons, including a long reach machete, from high street shops in Dudley and Wolverhampton.

Speaking today, anti-knife campaigner Martyne Johnson, who is the sister of Mr Kirwan, said action must be taken to clamp down on their availability.

And she described the region’s ‘knife problem’ as hitting the pinnacle, calling on judges and the police to provide a greater deterrent for people carrying the weapons.

The campaign for a review of the sale of knives, launched in the wake of the investigation, has also been backed by friends of Reagan Asbury, stabbed to death at a boxing match at Walsall Town Hall in October.

Mr Kirwan was stabbed to death outside Uberra nightclub in July in 2012.

The person responsible has never been find despite repeated appeals, including one launched last week.

Mrs Johnson, aged 34, said: “I was not aware you could buy such knives, I think it is absolutely disgusting.

“We’ve hit a pinnacle to the problem and there’s nothing solving it at the moment.

“These shops need to stop selling these knives. For everyone’s sake.”

Mrs Johnson also backed an ongoing campaign by the Express & Star for automatic prison sentences for anyone caught in possession of a knife.

Currently, people are given two strikes before receiving an immediate prison sentence.

But violent crime in the Black Country and Staffordshire continues to rise, as well as offences for possession of a weapon.

Mrs Johnson said: “Tom died five years ago but nothing has changed.

“We need judges to set an example.

“If someone knows they will be sent to prison for holding a knife, a deterrent would be in place.

“But for now people know they can get away with a slap on the wrist.

“It is shocking, and the system has to change.

“Knives are no different than guns. They both cause devastation, death and so much pain for the victim’s families.”

Mr Kirwan’s death happened after a disagreement between two groups of people outside the former nightclub.

Another group arrived and the disorder erupted.

Mr Kirwan, aged 23, was stabbed. He was taken to hospital, but later died.

A friend of Mr Kirwan was also stabbed, suffering head injuries, and despite recovering, can not remember the incident in full.

The attack weapon has never been found.

A £20,000 reward is up for information which would lead to the conviction of anyone.

Detective Superintendent Tom Chrisholm, who continues to work on the case, said: “This was a tragic case which shows the consequences of people carrying knives.

“People need to realise the damage they can cause, not only themselves and other people, but also friends and family.

“And anyone who carries a knife must realise if they are caught by police they will be arrested and dealt with appropriately.”

Mr Asbury, aged 19, was killed after a fight broke out at the end of the boxing event at Walsall Town Hall.

A post mortem examination confirmed the former Pelsall United footballer died from a wound to his neck.

Life-long friend Brad Rolston, aged 20, from Bloxwich, said: “Reagan’s death and this shows how easy it is to get a knife. You see them everywhere, you can even buy some of Facebook which flick out, hidden within your keys.

“It makes you concerned going out. You are always having to look about, hoping nothing kicks off. If there is any trouble you have to be so careful.”

He added: “The shops shouldn’t be selling the knives, online or on the street, it’s not right.

“They are responsible for when someone gets hurt.”

“I’d also say the Government needs to do something, maybe introduce licences to ensure knives can only be used for things like fishing,” he said.

Another victim of knife crime was 16-year-old Christina Edkins.

She was stabbed by a kitchen knife on a bus while on her way to school in Halesowen. Her killer, paranoid schizophrenic Philip Simelane was detained indefinitely under the Mental Health Act.

Christina’s uncle Chris Melia has long called for a tightening in laws of the possession of knives. He also supported the introduction of knife surrender bins.

Earlier this year, he said: “We have to be tougher on knife crime. We would support any move which reduces the number of families like Christina’s from going through the needless anguish and loss of children.”

Speaking about weapons being available in local shops, he told the Express & Star he was “horrified”.

“We welcome and support the Express & Star in this crusade to reduce knife crime,” he said.

There have been more than 30 serious stabbings incidents this year.