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News

Read all about it – we’re still madly in love

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7th June 2019

- News

They met through the pages of the Express & Star – and 25 years after getting married Linda and Paul Bate are still very much in love.
 
Linda had an advert published on her birthday, November 30 1992, asking for a “fun loving” man aged 28-40, and it didn’t take long for Paul to get in touch. 
 
The pair met at a pub in Dudley on December 18 and began their whirlwind romance. 
 
“He answered it and had to send off a letter for me. He didn’t send a picture but I met him anyway,” Linda said. 
 
“We went to the pub and were just getting to know each other and it took off.”
 
The Netherton couple tied the knot on June 4 1994 at Dudley Wood Methodist Church on Quarry Road and they haven’t looked back since.
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News, News Titles

Businesses given expert MNA Digital advice on raising profile online

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28th May 2019

- News, News Titles

A series of workshops to educate local business leaders on increasing their online activity has proved a resounding success – with more dates planned.
 
The free training was delivered by experienced professionals at MNA Digital – part of the Shropshire Star’s parent company Midland News Association. 
 
Up to 30 businesses attended the Attract and Convert workshop held at Haughton Hall in Shifnal, which built on the success of an earlier event run for companies based in and around Wolverhampton.
 
The need to provide Shropshire’s SME business community with training in how to optimise their digital presence and increase revenue was highlighted during conversations between MNA staff and partners. 
 
Andy Hill, MD of MNA Digital, said the event was created in response to the demand.
 
He said: “It was great to see so many businesses attend the free MNA Digital training. 
 
“The Attract and Convert workshop was aimed at showing people how to grow their online business and what strategies to use to optimise marketing potential. 
 
“It follows an event held earlier this year in Wolverhampton and both will become regular fixtures for business leaders throughout our area.
 
“In a competitive environment that sees more consumers making their buying decisions online, it has never been more important for businesses to have an effective digital marketing strategy. 
 
“We covered areas such as reputation management, optimising a website for conversion, and how to measure the effectiveness of your business. 
 
“Everyone left the workshop with some new knowledge that they could implement in their own firms.
 
“The event was a real success with great engagement from the delegates,” he added.
 
The next event will be held in Wolverhampton’s Casino 36 on June 27th. 
 
Any businesses wishing to attend should contact Natalie Coughlan on 01902 319 292, email natalie@mnadigital.co.uk  or visit mnadigital.co.uk for the latest event news.
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News

Festival helps businesses to share their news as focus switches to media’s role

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28th May 2019

- News

The role of the media was in focus on day seven of the Black Country Business Festival.
 
The Express & Star, which last week was heavily involved in Local Newspaper Week, has a commitment to supporting business across the area.
 
The newspaper yesterday hosted Content is Key, a special event aimed at helping businesses to share their news.
 
It included presentations from Business Editor John Corser, MNA Digital digital sales campaign manager Natalie Coughlan and Star PR agency director Sundeep Sehijpal.
 
The event offered insights into how businesses of all sizes can get improved coverage in print and digitally. 
 
In total, 15 businesses were represented at the event, held at the Express & Star in Wolverhampton.
 
The delegates attending included representatives of the Black Country Consortium, KMB Shipping, Wolverhampton Racecourse, Wrekin Housing Trust and Thornes Solicitors. 
 
The event was organised by the marketing team, including group marketing services manager Lee Young and marketing executive Gerda Jonaviciute.
 
Opening the morning on behalf of MNA Digital, Natalie’s presentation covered advice on how to optimise digital content to meet business objectives.
 
Covering PR opportunities, Sundeep then explained to delegates how to identify a newsworthy story, how to illustrate it with photos and how to distribute the content.
 
John then drew upon his 40 years of experience by outlining the kinds of stories which get coverage in the MNA business editorial pages, as well as the best ways of making him aware of news.
 
The delegates fielded a range of questions to the speakers to get their advice.
 
As well as offering networking opportunities in the boardroom throughout the morning, the MNA event ended with a tour of the newsroom, led by John Corser.
 
The guests also had the chance to see the digital operation in action, which was well received by Wrekin Housing Trust Ed Thomas.

Ed tweeted: “Great hearing about video, podcasting and social media all with interaction from sports fans and the public from @njudah_star.
 
“Thanks @JohnCorser_Star for the tour of the newsroom and the @ExpressandStar digital team for putting up with us disrupting them for 10mins.”
 
Wolverhampton Racecourse also hosted the business festival race day yesterday afternoon. 
 
The scope of Dudley’s multi-million investment opportunities was profiled at an event held at Dudley College. It was aimed at business leaders, developers and investors.
 
Alan Lunt, deputy chief executive at Dudley Council, said: “As an authority we are forging a future for Dudley borough and creating a place where businesses thrive and people want to work, live and visit.”
 
Today sees the Black Country Chamber of Commerce Expo which is taking place at GTG West Midlands in Wednesfield. 
 
Tomorrow there are 15 more events taking place across the Black Country with the racecourse again at the heart of activity as it hosts the Black Country Environment Challenge with the EnTRESS (Environmental Technologies and Resource Efficiency Support Scheme) project at the University of Wolverhampton from 1pm to 4.30pm.
 
Small and medium-sized businesses will be exhibiting their innovative green solutions to environmental challenges the racecourse has identified.
 
Walsall Football Club is the venue for the Sovereign Expo.
The festival continues until Friday. 
 
Places are still available at some of the remaining free events at www.blackcountrybusinessfestival.com
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Events, News

Business guests learn to communicate in a crisis thanks to Star PR

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21st May 2019

- Events, News

Delegates taking part in one of the Black Country Business Festival events found themselves under pressure in an Escape Room at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre.

 

The theatre teamed up with Star Public Relations to stage the event, where attendees were plunged into a scenario, which saw them dealing with a crisis at a fictional company.

 

The session, held on Friday, involved guests working through a communications challenge set by the MNA’s public relations agency.

 

Partnering with the Star PR experts, they were put on the spot to think of responses to media enquiries as a damaging story broke. 

 

As a unique memento of the day, they received a framed front page of their story, produced in real time at the MNA head office and including a photo of the delegates taken upon arrival.

 

PR consultant Cathy Dobbs, from Star PR, said: “We came up with the idea for Grand Star Hinges – a bogus manufacturing company based in Wolverhampton, that was suddenly dealing with a crisis.

 

“Attendees were able to experience what pressure they would be under if a crisis did strike at their company, and they had to work quickly to draft statements for the press, employees and for their customers.”

 

Grand Theatre development manager Charlotte Davies added: “Delegates went away with tips and advice on crisis communications and we have had some fantastic feedback. 

 

“They enjoyed the chance to participate and get involved – it is something we will definitely look at staging again.”

 

One of those who took on the challenge was Helen Nuttall, business development manager at Penny Post Credit Union, and she said it was an exciting and interactive session. 

 

Helen said: “I thought it was a fantastic experience that was also thought provoking. By making it interactive I ended up working, and talking with people that I wouldn’t normally approach at a networking event. To have a souvenir front page from the Express & Star is wonderful – it will be going on my desk at work.”

 

Also, at the event was Paul Hull, director of KMB Shipping, who said: “It was an invaluable experience and a great insight into crisis communications. There has been nothing else like the Escape Room, and we will be implementing some of the advice into the workplace.”

 

Sam Bright, digital communications co-ordinator at Midlands Air Ambulance, said the event was very useful. “It was great how interactive the event was and it really made me think about what to say in the statements. One thing I will take away from it is that during a crisis you just need to have a small team of people, to ensure that the sign-off of statements happens quickly.”

 

The event was staged by the Star PR team as part of the Black Country Business Festival, the annual celebration organised in partnership with the Express & Star.

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Events, News

Search goes on for bonniest babies as little stars pose for the camera

By on

17th May 2019

- Events, News

The search continues for Shropshire’s most beautiful babies and cutest toddlers.
 
The Shropshire Star launched its Baby and Toddler of the Year competition last week and parents flocked to Shrewsbury to see if their baby had what it takes.
 
Kelly Baker brought along her 10-month-old twins, Olivia and Arianna, as well as her two-year-old son Connor to be photographed at the Darwin Shopping Centre.
 
She said: “I’ve never entered before and I’d come into town to do some shopping with my mum and thought why not.
 
“I know I am biased but they are very cute and Olivia has a really cheeky smile so I think we’ve got a good chance.”
 
Entry is free and open to parents and guardians within the Shropshire Star circulation area with a child aged five or under.
 
A photographer will be on the bottom floor of the shopping centre, opposite QVC, every day until Saturday, May 18, apart from May 12. Sessions will run from 9.30am until 4.30pm. 
 
They will also be at Telford Shopping Centre from Monday, May 20 to Wednesday, May 29, between 9.30am and 4.30pm. Sessions on Sunday, May 26 and Monday, May 27 will be at a slightly different time of 10.30am until 4pm. Parents can bring their children to be photographed and will then be invited back to choose their best picture.
 
The children will be split into four age categories – 0-9 months, 10-18 months, 19-35 months and 3-5 years.
 
There will be a £500 prize for the winner in each category and a further £250 for the overall winner with the most votes. 
 
The photographs will be featured in the Shropshire Star on Thursday, June 27 and on our website. 
 
Once you’ve picked your favourite, cut out the special vote tokens which will be printed each day in the Shropshire Star until Saturday, July 27 and complete a Voting Tokens Return Form. 
 
The deadline for returning tokens is Friday, August 2 and the 
winners will be announced later that month. For further information about entering, go to baby.shropshirestar.com
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News

New E&S book to chart a remarkable season

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9th May 2019

- News

Wolves have enjoyed another stellar season to savour with a seventh-placed finish in the Premier League.
 
And to mark a hugely successful campaign for Nuno Espirito Santo’s team the MNA sports team are compiling a 152-page book.
 
Back Where We Belong: Story of the Season 18/19 by Tim Spiers tells the story of an unforgettable year.
 
The book went on pre-sale on Tuesday, with more than 160 copies ordered in the first 24 hours or so.
 
Nuno’s team announced themselves in the top flight in some style, recording wonderful victories over Manchester United, Chelsea, Spurs and Arsenal.
 
There have also been thrilling last-minute victories over West Ham and Newcastle as well as a rollercoaster victory over Leicester.
 
And of course, Wolves made it all the way to the FA Cup semi-finals, triumphing over Man United with a glorious 2-1 win in the quarter-finals after earlier beating Liverpool in the third round.
 
It was Wolves’ best run in the competition since 1998, while their confirmed league position of seventh is the club’s highest since they finished sixth in 1980.
 
The Express & Star have been there every step of the way and, on the back of last year’s hugely popular sell-out book On Our Way Back – Story of the Season 17/18, we’ve decided to produce another memento compiling another outstanding Wolves campaign.
 
At least two pages are dedicated to every single match, with match reports, analysis, player ratings, fan verdicts, tweets, stats and quotes from Nuno and the players.
 
Extra special matches, such as the two wonderful 2-1 victories over Man United, the comeback win over Chelsea and the fabulous 3-1 win over Spurs at Wembley are given four pages each with extra analysis and pictures.
 
The book will also contain a number of features, a pre-season guide, a look at the club’s end of season awards and an exclusive interview with Wolves executive chairman Jeff Shi, charting an exhilarating year on and off the field for the club.
 
Author Tim Spiers said: “It’s been yet another season to remember for Wolves as they continue their remarkable rise under Nuno and Fosun.
 
“We were honoured to sell out of thousands of copies for last year’s book and also received some great feedback.
 
“With the team yet again doing the business with a season that arguably even tops last year in terms of a notable achievement, it’s only right that we bring out another book as a keepsake of the season.”
 
Back Where We Belong: Story of the Season 18/19 can be pre-ordered now for £9.99 plus P&P (postage and packing).
 
Visit www.expressandstar.com/wolvesbook to order online via PayPal.
 
You can also order by phone by calling 0800 146540. Orders will be sent by second class recorded delivery on June 10 and will take three to five working days for UK deliveries.
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News

Safe standing supporters win Shropshire Star fan award

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7th May 2019

- News

Two Shrewsbury Town supporters who have spearheaded the campaign for safe standing at football grounds have been named fans of the season by the Shropshire Star.
 
Supporters’ Parliament duo Mike Davis and Roger Groves won the annual Shrewsbury Town prize for being the supporters of the year during the end of season awards on Sunday night.
 
The duo, who are heavily involved in the Supporters’ Parliament, scooped the award, sponsored by the Star, for their work promoting safe standing.
 
Davis and Groves were instrumental in the pioneering crowd-funding project to bring the first-ever safe standing to an all-seater stadia in England and Wales. 
 
Safe standing has been a huge success at Montgomery Waters Meadow this season and other clubs are looking to follow suit.
 
The club prize comes after joint-SP chairs were named EFL fans of the season at the EFL Awards in London last month.
 
The Salop fans, who both stand in the Salop Leisure rail seats on a matchday, were also recently named League One fans of the season.
 
Davis and Groves work tirelessly alongside the club on all sorts of projects, including day-to-day items such as ticket offers. The SP meets every few months alongside club chiefs.
 
For the footballer awards, Greg Docherty was a popular winner after being crowned Shrewsbury’s player of the season.
 
Rangers loanee Docherty, 22 won the main award for scoring 10 goals and creating 11 more in 50 games.
 
Striker Fejiri Okenabirhie took home the top goalscorer award with 16 goals and was also voted young player of the season by Shrewsbury’s management. Players’ player of the season went to Shaun Whalley, while the goal of the season went to defender James Bolton for his stunning strike against Stoke City.
 
Omar Beckles won Town’s player in the community award for the second season running, recognising his work promoting mental health awareness.
 
A new award, the Roland Wycherley scholar of the year award, was handed to 18-year-old midfielder Kian Taylor.
 
The Shropshire Star was represented at the event by business editor James Pugh, sports editor Russell Youll, marketing services manager Lee Young and director of marketing and communications Chris Leggett.
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News

Super sub Sarah goes the distance to raise money for charity

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7th May 2019

- News

An MNA sub-editor has proven she is quick off the mark by running a half marathon for a charity cause close to her heart.
 
Sarah Cowen-Strong, who is based in the editorial department at Queen Street, completed the Stratford-on-Avon Half Marathon on Sunday to raise money the Epilepsy Society.
 
The cause is one Sarah is keen to help as her daughter Eliza was diagnosed with epilepsy 10 years ago.
 
An experienced marathon runner, Sarah completed the distance in a time considerably faster than her last effort.
 
She explains: “After doing 10 marathons, I thought it was time to calm down a bit and just do halves.
 
“As I seem to get slower every year I wasn’t expecting to beat my last half by 10 minutes. But at two hours 33 minutes, I am still not going to be picked for the Olympics any time soon!
 
“I love the atmosphere of a race and forcing myself out of the bed in the morning to run. 
 
“Also, I live in very hilly Worcestershire so most organised races are not usually going to be as bad. 
 
“It helps that I’m running for a cause so close to my heart. Eliza had her first seizure about 10 years ago while in a drama rehearsal at school and although, cross fingers, she’s coping on medication, life hasn’t been quite the same since. 
 
“Every little bit of support we can give to the charity is a glimmer of hope to millions.”
 
Sarah hopes generous colleagues will join those who have already donated.
 
She said: “Donations can still be made. The JustGiving page stays open for a while. A massive thank-you to my wonderful colleagues who have helped me top the target.”
 
 
The Epilepsy Society conducts “world class medical research projects”, diagnosing and treating thousands of people with epilepsy every year. 
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News

Lottery boss praises Express & Star photo archive

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7th May 2019

- News

The chief executive of Camelot praised the Express & Star Photo Archive project on a visit to Wolverhampton.
 
Nigel Railton and members of his senior management team were in the city to visit the newspaper and present a plaque to Nirlip Hayre of Mander News in the Mander Centre, which has average National Lottery sales of £17,000 a week.
 
The newsagents has raised more than £400,000 for National Lottery good causes since 2016.
 
The visit to the Express & Star came as Camelot celebrates its 25th anniversary of running the National Lottery this year.
 
Mr Railton, who sat in on the Express & Star’s morning conference, said that more than £2.6 billion had gone to 38,000 projects in the West Midlands over the years.
 
“A press organisation like this really understands the local area and the difference the National Lottery has made to the local community,” he explained.
 
“The National Lottery has been an amazing success story thanks to all the people who have played the game over the years.
 
“It was brilliant to see the Express & Star photographic archive which has been supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.”
 
Mr Railton, who worked in Birmingham for British Rail for three years before training as an accountant and joining Camelot, added: “It is hugely important to understand how the National Lottery operates regionally and we have been doing visits like this for the last two years all over the UK. It really gives us an understanding of what the National Lottery means to people and different areas.”
 
There are more than 4,400 retailers in the West Midlands who sell National Lottery tickets and Mr Railton said on each visit they went to a retailer to thank them for the difference they made.
 
The team from Camelot’s head office in Watford also visited two National Lottery-funded projects in Birmingham – creative innovation centre STEAMhouse, which has had £500,000 of funding awarded by Arts Council England to Birmingham City University, and the Lapworth Museum of Geology, which has £1.6 million of funding through National Lottery Heritage Fund for its education room.
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News

Jane sets out to raise funds for friend in need

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7th May 2019

- News

A member of the Wolverhampton-based classifieds team is calling on colleagues to lend their support to a vital fundraising effort.
 
Jane Cornforth, trade sales coordinator based at the Express & Star, is organising a series of events to raise money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA). 
 
As well as a musical extravaganza evening, Jane and her colleagues are organising an in-house raffle and would welcome any donations possible.
 
The fundraising – which has already topped £2,200 – is being held on behalf of Steve ‘Snowy’ Watson, a good friend of Jane’s. Snowy was diagnosed with the condition in 2017 and Jane said it has been horrendous to watch her friend suffer from the rapidly progressing disease. 
 
Motor Neurone Disease attacks the brain and spinal cord, leaving people locked in a failing body, unable to move, talk, swallow or eventually breathe.
 
“Snowy has always been a fun loving, intelligent, larger than life man who was cruelly diagnosed with MND in 2017. There is no cure,” said Jane.
 
“It has taken my formerly fit, able, strong friend from an active and rewarding life and has gradually eliminated his ability to move, breathe unaided, or perform the most basic tasks that most of us take for granted. 
 
“Steve is now in a wheelchair and relies on a ventilator to breathe. He needs 24-hour care at his home in Bradmore.
 
“Though Steve’s response to contracting this disease has been incredibly positive, inspirational and truly courageous he needs support from as many sources as possible,” she added.
 
A group of Snowy’s friends initially set out to raise £1,000 for MNDA. 
 
Donations have already exceeded £2,200 and there are no plans to stop there. A musical event being held at The Newhampton Arts Centre is being organised for 15 June with just a few tickets remaining.
 
Jane and her classifieds colleagues are also planning a dress-down day and in-house raffle for later this month to boost the fund further.
 
“Snowy has always loved music and since many of his extended group of friends are musicians, we have decided to put on a musical fundraising event,” said Jane.
 
“I have been so touched by how many people want to help, whether they know Snowy or not, so many contacts have asked how they can get involved.
 
“I will be collecting donations for the raffle throughout May and intend to sell tickets too. If anyone would like to lend their support, I would love to hear from them,” she added.
 
The MNDA is a charity that relies heavily on voluntary donations. It offers those with the condition advisory, financial and practical help, as well as support for their families. Up to 5,000 adults are living with MND at any one time in the UK.
 
Ongoing research aims to find a cure for the cruel disease.
For more information visit https://www.mndassociation.org/
To contribute to Jane’s fundraising efforts visit
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