The broadcast will be a private view of the exhibition in the company of Neil MacGregor and Paul Roberts from the British Museum, alongside Peter Snow, Mary Beard, Bettany Hughes, Giorgio Locatelli and Rachel de Thame.

Plus you’ll see specially made films of Pompeii and Herculaneum today, and go behind the scenes of the exhibition.

Gisela said:

“As a member of the British Museum All-Party Parliamentary Group I am a regular visitor to the Museum.  This exhibition is fascinating and well worth a visit, however for those unable to make the journey this live screening initiative is a perfect alternative.”

To find your local cinema screening this exhibition and book tickets, visit www.britishmuseum.org/pompeiilive

http://www.valleycommunity.co.uk/

Gisela said:

“Well done to Tom Milton and the residents for setting up this group and website.  I do urge other residents to get involved in supporting this initiative.”

This year Feeding Britain’s Future has been extended for the whole month of September, allowing businesses across the industry’s supply chain to open their doors and provide free skills training such as CV workshops and interview role-plays for thousands of people in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.  Some of the UK’s largest firms are already signed up to take part.

Last year 70 businesses participated, in 700 locations covering every region in the UK. In 2012 the campaign provided 10,000 skills training opportunities with 98% of participants saying they felt more confident applying for a job.

Working in partnership with Jobcentre Plus the national campaign unites the entire food and grocery industry in an effort to tackle youth unemployment.

Gisela said:

“For the local young unemployed to get maximum value from this scheme we need local food and grocery businesses in the area to sign up. I do urge local businesses to seriously consider taking part. Even a couple of hours involvement can help improve employability skills.

Jobcentre Plus will contact you to help with setting up the training that is right for your business and for the young unemployed in your area.  I would be very interested to hear feedback from any businesses within the constituency taking part.”

Joanne Denney-Finch OBE, Chief Executive of IGD, said:

“The food and grocery industry is Britain’s largest private sector employer, accounting for one in seven of all jobs, employing 3.7m people. It is an industry in which it’s possible to start from the bottom and get to the very top – even with very few qualifications.

“For the month of September we want as many companies and organisations as possible to offer some pre-employment training. Even if you can just provide one session lasting a couple of hours and providing a few hints and tips on interviews, or a CV workshop – it all counts.”

If young unemployed people are interested in Feeding Britain’s Future, they should ask at their local Jobcentre Plus.

Businesses interested in taking part can find out more at www.igd.com/feedingbritainsfuture

Businesses taking part http://www.igd.com/our-expertise/Feeding-Britains-Future/Companies-taking-part/

About IGD:

IGD is the leading source of information and best practice on the consumer goods industry worldwide. It aims to inspire positive action through information. IGD offers unparalleled understanding and insight, developed from extensive research programmes on global business issues and an ongoing dialogue with shoppers.

About the food and grocery industry:

The grocery industry is the leading employer in the UK. It provides more than 3.7m jobs – that’s 14% of UK employment, or one in every seven jobs. There are more than 400,000 businesses in the UK food chain from start-ups to some of the largest global enterprises. 55% of employers will expand their training and development budget between now and 2020. In farming alone, there are around 316,000 farm businesses in the UK, providing 531,000 workforce jobs. Two-thirds of all new jobs are created by firms employing fewer than 100 people.

The Waterways Renaissance Awards, established in 2002, identify, celebrate and disseminate best practice in waterways regeneration and are recognised as the pre-eminent awards within this sector.

Gisela attended to present an award to the winner of the Community led scheme category at the 23rd May ceremony held at the ICC.

“Waterways are an extremely important link between cities, towns, villages and our countryside.  I am proud that this awards ceremony has been held in Birmingham, the City where the regeneration of our canals and rivers has brought great benefits to trade and tourism.”

The Awards are highly regarded for their integrity. An independent assessment panel comprising waterway and regeneration experts ensure only the very best projects and schemes are commended. Since the Awards were launched 11 years ago over 100 projects have received valuable recognition – from large scale waterside regeneration projects to community inspired schemes to innovative education programmes.

There are twelve categories:

Area-based Regeneration – projects that have successfully integrated with the waterway and achieved significant regeneration of an area through an extensive process of strategic planning, design guidance and partnership working.

Community – inspiring community-led schemes which have improved or enhanced a waterway.

Design & Construction – design and construction projects that have demonstrated best practice in their execution; that are fully integrated with the surrounding context, enhancing and complementing the waterway environment.

Education & Learning – programmes that have successfully harnessed the resource of the waterway to develop skills and/or increased knowledge through either formal or informal learning and teaching methods.

Historic Environment – projects that have innovatively and intelligently restored, conserved or interpreted the character and distinctiveness of their waterway.

Innovation – any activity, enterprise, project or aspect thereof that has made an innovative contribution to the renaissance of our waterways.

Natural Environment – schemes that have contributed to the improvement, interpretation or restoration of the natural environment and so benefited the public’s enjoyment of the waterway.

Flood Risk Management – projects that demonstrate best practice in flood risk alleviation.

Partnership – projects that have exemplified strong partnership working and that have been led through co-operative arrangements between the public, private and community sectors, with each contributing to the overall impact.

Recreation & Tourism – schemes that have enhanced the use and enjoyment of the waterways for recreation or as a visitor attraction.

Strategy & Masterplanning – projects with an exceptional development framework, masterplan or strategy developed through extensive stakeholder involvement.

Volunteering – inspiring waterway-based projects that fully embrace volunteer engagement and participation.

The winners are listed on the canal river trust website – http://canalrivertrust.org.uk/news-and-views/news/winners-make-a-splash-at-national-waterway-awards

Harborne Academy celebrated the topping out of its brand new £12million building (Tuesday 21 May).

High Sheriff for the West Midlands Dame Christine Braddock DBE had the honour of topping out the school by finishing a small area of concrete screed at the highest level.  The topping out marked the completion of the main building structure which is now sealed and weather-proof.  Dame Christine is also Principal of Birmingham Metropolitan College, which sponsors Harborne Academy.

The ceremony marked a significant milestone in the development of the new school.

Gisela said:

“Great to see investment in new school buildings in a part of the constituency where secondary provisions are much needed.  Will benefit the whole community.”

Contactors BAM Construction, who also built Birmingham Metropolitan College’s Matthew Boulton Campus and Stourbridge College’s new Art and Design Centre, will now complete the interior so children and teachers can move in during autumn of this year.  The old school will then be demolished over winter with the final handover in spring.

The new school is being built to an inspirational, modern design with a focus on creating spaces where children can collaborate on projects outside of a traditional classroom environment.  It will be Wi-Fi enabled throughout, have modern laboratories and a quiet garden for reflection.

After the topping out ceremony, the school choir sang for the assembled guests and dignitaries.

Wendy Stevens, Director of Harborne Academy said:

“This is a fantastic moment for the school and one which our children are proud to be a part of. I know they are now all eagerly awaiting the big move in autumn.”

The school provides secondary education for 500 11-18 year-olds.

• Harborne Academy is sponsored by Birmingham Metropolitan College.
• www.harborneacademy.co.uk
• Birmingham Metropolitan College (BMETC) is one of the largest further education colleges in the UK, providing a wide range of education and training programmes across the West Midlands.
• The College enrols around 25,000 students each year.
• It has three main campuses, Matthew Boulton in the Birmingham city centre, James Watt in Great Barr and Sutton Coldfield campus.
• BMETC has a turnover of £68million and works with organisations such as BMW, BritVic, Caterpillar, IBM, Jaguar Land Rover and Network Rail to deliver training and apprenticeships.
• Dr Christine Braddock, BMETC’s Principal and Chief Executive, is the High Sheriff for the West Midlands in 2013/14 and was awarded a damehood in the 2013 New Year’s Honours.
• The college’s mission is ‘to provide high quality education and training that is inclusive, and which matches and supports the needs of our diverse learners and the local and regional economy’.
• www.bmetc.ac.uk

Photo shows Dame Christine Braddock DBE, High Sheriff of the West Midlands – Head Boy and Girl – Reneta Wallen and Sonor Gantungs

The Birmingham Civic Society unveiled a Blue Plaque in honour of Julia Varley today. The ‘unveiling’ ceremony took place at Selly Manor in the Minworth Greave building; the plaque will be put up at Julia Varley’s former home in Hay Green Lane, Bournville.

Born in 1871, Julia Varley began her working life aged 12 as a sweeper in a Bradford woollen mill and by the age of 15 had begun to undertake union activities. Julia Varley also joined various women’s suffrage movements and experienced two spells in Holloway Prison in 1907 as a result of becoming involved in protests and demonstrations.

Julia Varley came to prominence in Birmingham and the Black Country in 1910 after Edward Cadbury invited her to set up a branch of the National Federation of Women Workers at Cadbury’s Bournville factory. She became the first women to be elected to the executive committee of Birmingham Trades Council in 1910 and during this year became one of the leading organisers of the historic Cradley Heath women chainmakers’ strike.

Julia Varley’s commitment to campaigning for women workers as well as men continued for the rest of her life – at a local, national and international level. She served as Women’s Officer for the Transport and General Workers Union and on the General Council of the Trade Union Congress for many years. Awarded an OBE in 1931, Julia Varley retired in 1936.

Gisela said:

“Julia Varley is a local woman who fought hard to improve women’s rights. I was proud to attend the unveiling of this plaque in recognition of her achievements.”

The Labour MP Gisela Stuart was born in Bavaria but now represents the people of Edgbaston in the House of Commons. Neville Chamberlain was once the MP for the same constituency and sometimes Gisela Stuart imagines talking to him of the changes that have occurred in Britain and across Europe since the Second World War. She also recalls her rural upbringing in southern Germany, the economic miracle that turned farmers like her father into BMW factory workers, and acquiring an accent that allowed her to share a joke with the last Pope.

Producer: Tim Dee.

To listen to the short programme again, follow this link http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01shw0y

My Money Week will improve young people’s financial skills, knowledge and confidence through special lessons, activities and debates in schools and other settings across the UK. Teachers in Birmingham Edgbaston can order a free Activity Pack, developed by pfeg, full of creative and engaging financial resources and ideas for how to deliver financial education to young people, from the age of four up to 19. Young people in Birmingham Edgbaston can also take part in the ‘A-Z of Money’, a national competition challenging them to learn more about money through creative writing.

Gisela said:

“It is important to start early in ensuring that the next generation learn how to manage their personal finances, I welcome this initiative by pfeg and Barclays.”

Tracey Bleakley, Chief Executive of pfeg (Personal Finance Education Group), said:

“We are absolutely delighted to have the support of Gisela Stuart MP in promoting My Money Week this year, and I hope all schools in Birmingham Edgbaston will seize the opportunity to take part through our free activity pack, advice and support.”

My Money Week 2013 will also raise awareness of Barclays’ flagship UK community programme, Barclays Money Skills, and provide opportunities for Barclays employees to share their financial expertise and skills with young people in teacher-led My Money Week activities in local schools. In addition, this year will see extra resources targeted towards disadvantaged young people in both the school environment and the wider community.

Ashok Vaswani, CEO UK and Retail Business Banking at Barclays, said: “It has never been more important for young people, particularly those who are vulnerable, to be able to access the support they need to learn about money. Having sound financial skills and being confident in managing money is critical to everyday living and achieving future goals.”

Since the first My Money Week in 2009, more than three million young people have been helped to understand more about money and personal finance through focused activities in schools. In 2012 around 500,000 young people took part in My Money Week activities, with 99 percent of teachers reporting an increase in skills and knowledge and 91 percent of teachers reporting a shift in students’ attitudes towards money.

Teachers in Birmingham Edgbaston can pre-order their free My Money Week Activity Packs at www.pfeg.org/mymoneyweek

Gisela attended the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce Group Annual Dinner & Awards on Thursday 18 April at the International Convention Centre, Birmingham.

The evening featured a keynote speech from Lord Michael Heseltine and the presentation of seven Chamber Group Business Awards.

Gisela said:

“Attended by business people and most importantly many key decision makers, the event provides companies with an excellent networking opportunity.”

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jassansi/8661309463/

Photo credit to
Jas Sansi
Jas Sansi P H O T O G R A P H Y

Gisela  met families and helped serve afternoon tea during a recent visit to Ronald McDonald House Birmingham, the free ‘home away from home’ for families of children being treated at Birmingham Children’s Hospital.  Gisela was taken on a tour of the House and shown some of the 60 en-suite bedrooms, where families can stay for as long as they need to, as well as the communal kitchens, lounges and playrooms that provide families staying at the House with a chance to unwind and share experiences with other families.

Gisela says:

“I very much enjoyed the visit and learning more about the House. It was obvious from speaking with some of the families that the House has made a real difference during what for many of them is a difficult time. The team at the House do a great job and I was impressed with their enthusiasm and commitment to helping the families who stay with them.”

For more information about Ronald McDonald House Birmingham visit www.rmhc.org.uk/birmingham or contact Libby Aston, House Manager Email: Libby.Aston@uk.mcd.com, Phone: 0121 203 2004

Photography credit: Libby Aston

Ronald McDonald House Birmingham is one of 14 houses in the UK run by Ronald McDonald House Charities. It provides free ‘home away from home’ accommodation for families of children being treated at Birmingham Children’s Hospital.