Brierley Hill Blog

This week volunteers from Home Start, based in Brierley Hill joined English Heritage Outreach Manager to devise a fun, family Treasure Trail around the historic high street area (From Marsh Park to Civic Centre) and the magnificent Brierley Hill Pony Trail.

The Treasure Trail will be tried and tested with more Home Start volunteer families next week, and ready for a public Treasure Trail weekend event Sat 28 and Sun 29th August – a date for your diary!!! Watch this space for more details!

Uncategorized | Comments (0)

To celebrate the new Karate Kid film released this week, a group from the Academy Martial Arts will be at the Odeon cinema, Merry Hill on Saturday 31 July with karate demonstrations and displays, so make sure you come along to see the film and join in the action!

Photo credit: (right) Neighbours News

Uncategorized | Comments (0)

A MERRY Hill fish and chip shop is set to feature on TV tonight, as Harry Ramsden’s chief executive goes undercover to discover what really happens on the shop floor.

As part of channel 4 programme ‘Undercover Boss’, viewers will see Marija Simovic (pictured) – the CEO of the world’s most famous fish and chip shop chain – change her name and don an elaborate disguise to take on various trainee roles in the company’s store, as new recruit Millie Percy.

Marija, aged 39, is the only female CEO featured in the hit series and the business’ new owner has tasked her with restoring the much loved chain to its former glory.

She said: “Harry’s is a British institution and I’m determined to put it back on the map. “It was nerve-wracking going undercover but the whole experience has really opened my eyes to exactly what needs to be done.

“It’s not going to be easy. But what impressed me the most was our wonderful workforce, many of whom have been with Harry’s for decades. Whilst undercover, I learnt so much from the manager at our store in The Merry Hill Centre, as you’ll see in the programme – in fact, their expertise is now being applied across the group.”

Viewers will see an emotional conclusion to the programme as Marija reveals her true identity to shocked staff and rewards the unsung heroes encountered on her journey, including the Merry Hill branch manager.  Photo credit: Stoubridge News

Uncategorized | Comments (0)

A NEW cafe aimed at being a one stop shop for carers across the borough is now open in Brierley Hill.

INSIGHT for Carers has taken over a cafe in the Brierley Hill Project, in South Street, to provide a friendly and informal place for carers to go for advice and a chat, as well as food and drink in a welcoming environment.

Set up by Pensnett dad Marc Carter, the cafe – which was launched at the end of June – aims to cater for the needs of the 35,000 carers in the borough.

Marc, who has spent the last 18 months setting up the venture, said: “What we don’t do is jump on people as soon as they come in and insist they tell us their life story, they are more than welcome to just sit quietly and enjoy a cuppa in peace.

“However if people do want some help, advice or support we are there to do all we can to take away some of the stress and worry by guiding them to the answers they need.”

It is hoped in the future months, the cafe can be used as a base for a variety of events and projects.

For more information visit http://i4cs.org/cafe2.php

Uncategorized | Comments (0)

MINDLESS vandals have damaged a number of fibreglass ponies, which form a huge children’s art exhibition in Brierley Hill, just days after being launched.

Officially opened on Saturday, the Brierley Hill Pony Trail is a fun sculpture trail which takes people on a self-guided walk around the town, passing 30 colourful and unique ponies, which have been sponsored and lovingly designed and decorated by borough school children.

But organisers have spoken of their sadness after finding some of ponies vandalised hours after the trail was launched. Two ponies have had their fibre glass tails broken off, while another has had paint scraped off. Others have had adornings pulled off, while vandals have even tried to rip a fourth one from its concrete base.

Claire Starmer-Jones, development officer for Dudley Performing Arts, who is leading the project, alongside Brierley Hill Arts and Culture Development Group, said she was disheartened by the damage and warned the cost of repairing the ponies could prevent further development projects. She said: “All the comments we have had about the pony trail are really positive. Everyone I’ve met have said they think it looks lovely, and it does. “The children worked really hard to decorate their ponies – they are a display of children’s artwork. They haven’t been done by paid artists, they are all the work of children from school’s across the borough.

“But then you see this damage and think why do we bother. “This is a community event and it is really sad that some people, who are a minority, are trying to ruin it for everyone else.” All repair work is being paid for by the organisers, before the mended ponies are relocated – possibly to an indoor location to prevent further damage.

The pony trail maps, which can be downloaded from brierleyhill.org/ will also be amended with the new locations.

Claire added: “This trail hasn’t cost the council anything. No council tax was used, it all came from sponsorship from businesses, schools and community organisations.

“We will pay for the repair work to be carried out, but this will mean there is less funding available for future regeneration projects in the borough.”

Following the vandalism, which West Midlands Police are investigating, the project is looking for more volunteers to become a ‘pony keeper’ – who can keep a regular check on an individual pony on the route.

Claire said: “The majority of ponies do have keepers and the council’s environmental team check them every day, but we do need more people to help us keep a check of them. “The more people we have on board, the better.”

To volunteer contact Claire Starmer-Jones on 01384 813943 or visit www.dudley.gov.uk/dpa

Photo credit: Neighbours News

Uncategorized | Comments (0)

HUNDREDS of screaming fans brought Merry Hill to a standstill on Tuesday 27 July as they tried to catch a glimpse of up and coming boy band The Wanted.

The five-piece group – made up of handsome fivesome Max George, Siva Kaneswaran, Tom Parker, Nathan Sykes and James McGuiness – were at the shopping centre to perform three tracks, including their debut single All Time Low, which was recently released.

The boys, who are being tipped for stardom, also sent hearts aflutter for many teenage girls, as they signed copies of their new CD at HMV.

Kelly Reed, marketing manager at Merry Hill, says: “We were so excited to have the band here at Merry Hill and after seeing them perform, we think they’re going to be huge. There were hundreds of girls queuing up around the centre to meet them and everyone absolutely loved them.

“They released their single at the start of the week and it’s already topping the iTunes charts, so it was great to have them playing here.”

Photo credits: Neighbours News

Uncategorized | Comments (0)

Don’t miss hot new boy band ‘THE WANTED’ at Merry Hill on Tuesday 27 July at 12pm.

The five boys (Max, Nathan, Jay, Siva and Tom) that make up new pop proposition THE WANTED are on a mission to bring some much-needed cool – and a fair bit of sexy – back to boyband land.

Join them at Fountain Square on the lower mall near M&S as they perform their debut single ‘All Time Low’ plus their other future hits.

Plus, the guys will be signing copies of their single at the Merry Hill HMV store after their performance, from 12.30-1.30pm. So make sure you pick up a copy before the signing and come along to get it autographed!

Uncategorized | Comments (0)

Public art event organised by Brierley Hill Arts & Culture Development Group and Dudley Performing Arts

Uncategorized | Comments (0)

Public art event organised by Brierley Hill Arts & Culture Development Group and Dudley Performing Arts

Uncategorized | Comments (0)