Survey captures hedgehogs in Castle Bromwich

THERMAL imaging cameras played a pivotal part in a hedgehog survey recently conducted in Castle Bromwich.
The Warwickshire Wildlife Trust team visited the Hall Gardens last month and used the technology - which is also utilised by police helicopters - to locate the elusive mammals. Torches fitted with red filters were also used during the exercise.
The wildlife trust is currently running a Help for Hedgehogs campaign, aiming to raise awareness about the creatures' declining population and take steps to help the animals locally.
In decades gone by, the animals were abundant across Britain, with around 30 million in the 1950s.
Today it is estimated that there are fewer than a million individuals remaining, which means that there are more people living in Birmingham than there are hedgehogs in the entire country.
The loss of habitat, road deaths and changes in farming methods are all thought to have contributed to the rapid decline.
To find out more about the Help for Hedgehogs initiative, visit the official website.

Appeal for donations for Marston Green scout gala

FIRST Marston Green Scouts are holding their annual gala at the end of this month and have asked for donations for their tombola and white elephant stall.
The group has said it would be "extremely grateful" for any toys, unwanted gifts, bric-a-brac, books and other items that local residents can provide.
Committee member Jacqueline Altham said: "Take the opportunity to declutter and help a good cause at the same time. All money raised on the day goes towards activities for the young people."
The gala will be taking place at St Leonard's church grounds on Saturday, June 30. There will be stalls, games and refreshments on the day.

Former Chelmsley Wood teacher convicted of massive tax fraud

A TEACHER, who previously worked at a Chelmsley Wood school, has been handed a suspended  prison sentence after stealing £100,000 of tax repayments,
Blaine Wakeman, 26, of Spiceland Road, Birmingham, lied about purchases and financial losses from his two companies, that provided children’s sports coaching, to fraudulently claim VAT repayments.
An investigation by officials at HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) revealed that he had used the six-figure sum to spend on gambling, golfing and Leeds United football matches
The tax authority had become concerned about the tax returns of Wakeman’s companies, Sports Plus Scheme Staffordshire and Inspire Sports Education Limited, and a criminal investigation was launched in June 2016.
Wakeman, who had latterly been a PE teacher at the Grace Academy, initially denied any wrongdoing and produced fake invoices and bank statements to support his lies.
But in October last year he admitted producing the false documents and fraudulently claiming VAT repayments between October 2013 and August 2016. It was announced today (Friday) that he had received a 21-month suspended sentence.
Richard Young, from HMRC's fraud investigation service, said: "Wakeman knew what he was doing was wrong. He was abusing the tax system to fund a lifestyle he couldn’t legitimately afford.
"Tax fraud is not a victimless crime. It affects us all by depriving the public services of vital funding."
In a statement, the Grace Academy said: "Blaine Wakeman no longer works at Grace Academy Solihull. Obviously this behaviour does not reflect the core values of the Academy or the level of integrity we expect from all our staff.
"Grace Academy has not, at any time, had any involvement with Mr Wakeman’s external business interests, or been contacted by HMRC as part of their investigation."

What a wizard idea for a garden...

A HARRY Potter-themed garden is being created at a North Solihull school.
The plot at Coleshill Heath Primary, which takes inspiration from JK Rowling's famous children's books, is being created by Gro-Organic.
The social enterprise has revealed it is working on a "herbology" garden, named after the study of magical plants which features in the series.
The finished garden will feature a range of specially-created items, including a sign which warns visitors to "Beware of the Snapdragon" and a flower pot decorated to resemble the boy wizard's head.

Fresh traveller camp set up in Kingshurst

UPDATE (05/06/18): Solihull Council has confirmed that a court order has been secured, requiring the travellers to leave by 11am tomorrow (Wednesday).

TRAVELLERS are reported to have moved back onto Babbs Mill, the latest in a series of incursions at the site.
Police and Solihull Council have been notified after a group of caravans returned to the Kingshurst beauty spot this afternoon.
The incident comes just a couple of weeks after a senior borough councillor called for greater powers for councils to deal with unauthorised encampments, having argued that present legislation left local authorities "chasing" travellers around sites just a few miles apart.
Addressing a public meeting last month, Coun Tony Dicicco said that the current process for getting an order to evict a group took several days and did nothing to prevent them relocating to another site nearby.
"The big frustration for me was that we would bust a gut to get this injunction to get them off the piece of land, they'd drive half a mile down the road and break on to another piece of land.
"So to me the law is failing. The injunction, when we get it, should not just be for that piece of land and those travellers, it should be the whole of the borough ... that prevents them coming back to our borough and causing the disruption that they do."
Coun Dicicco, who had been the cabinet member for stronger communities and partnerships for the previously two years, had urged the public to make their feelings known during the current consultation on possible changes in the law.
During the course of the Question Time-style meeting - which gave residents the chance to raise concerns about crime and public safety - a number of those in attendance voiced fears about traveller camps.
There was a general consensus among those who spoke that too little was done to prosecute those who broke on to sites.
Solihull Police Commander, Chief Supt Bas Javid, acknowledged that the previous two years had seen higher than usual numbers of camps being established in Solihull.
He said that to date there had been fewer incidents this year, although those that there have been have been concentrated in the north of the borough.

One Stop shut for the next few weeks

A CONVENIENCE store in Marston Green will be closed for the next three weeks to allow major repair works on its floor to be completed.
The One Stop shop, near the village's railway station, is scheduled to remain shut until June 21.
In the meantime, customers are advised to use the next nearest branch, which is located opposite the Marston Green Tavern - some 500 yards away.
Those who need to use a Post Office can choose from branches including Chelmsley town centre (inside WHSmith), Coleshill High Street or Bains, on the Tile Cross Road. 

Group delighted with "once-in-a-lifetime" performance

SPELLBINDING: AcroCadabra had the honour of opening their semi final

PERFORMERS from a North Solihull-based group have thanked the public for their support following a barn-storming appearance on Britain's Got Talent.
As reported earlier this week, AcroCadabra - made up of members from Spotlight Stage School - had battled their way through to the live semi finals of the ITV show.
They performed their latest routine during Wednesday night's show, but were unfortunately not among the acts to be voted through to tomorrow's grand final.
In a statement on their Facebook page, the group said: "We were in such a tough semi final but, even though we were eliminated, we got to show the world what we could do.
"Thank you to everybody who has helped along the way, to all who voted and sent messages of support, and to the entire BGT team for giving us this unbelievable once-in-a-lifetime experience. We've loved every second!"
The group had been selected to open the third of the five semi finals, performing a frenetic new routine to Little Mix's hit Black Magic.
Comedy singer/pianist  Robert White topped the public vote, with opera singer Gruffydd Wyn Roberts gaining the second highest number of votes.
A total of 11 acts will be battling it out tomorrow with hope of winning the coveted spot on this year's Royal Variety Performance.