The UK’s largest dog welfare charity is appealing to MPs to support a call for the use of fireworks to be restricted in the interests of animal welfare. The subject was debated by Members of Parliament after a petition by the Firework Abatement Campaign attracted more than 100,000 signatures. The petition is calling for fireworks use by the general public to only be permitted on Bonfire Night, New Year’s Eve, Diwali and Chinese New Year.

I have just returned to the UK after a short trip to Calais, France - a journey thousands of British families will make this summer as they go on holiday. Yet I went to visit the children living all alone in the refugee camp that's become known as 'the jungle'.  The young boys I met had all made dangerous journeys to escape war and many are trying to reach family members who are waiting for them right here in the UK.

Birmingham mums were told that parenting experts only provide the tools to help with child care issues, and the real magic comes from families themselves, when TV parenting guru Jo Frost crossed the Atlantic to drop in on mums and their children at The St Thomas’s Children’s Centre, Bell Barn Rd, yesterday.

Last Friday a team of insurance professionals from across the Midlands raisied funds for Fisher House by playing a charity football match against Lichfield Wolves at The Molineux. The insurance team, led by Mark Hands (LV= Broker) and John Court-Jones (Arthur J Gallagher), was made up of 17 keen footballers from local companies including LV= Broker, Arthur J Gallagher, Idex, Adler Insurance Brokers and Jelf.

City of Wolverhampton Council is urging the public to have their say on a new masterplan to link up areas of Wolverhampton for walkers and cyclists. A series of ‘Connected Places’ consultations continue on Dudley Street and in the Mander Centre. The council is working with the university, Mander Centre and other city partners Wolverhampton Wanderers FC and Wolverhampton BID to develop the strategy.