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Advanced talks to bring the Kings Head clock back home 

As the traffic works are finished on Hagley Road, and the building workers prepare to decant their site offices from the area around the junction, our thoughts turn to what we do with that area when they are gone.

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Woodland planning application deferred 

The planning application to build houses on the small wood in Thimblemill Road has been deferred by planning committee until early September.

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Two by two…. 

At the Picnic in the Woods a couple of weeks ago the Abbey Churches Together had a stall and many children made clay animals for a Noah's Ark.

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Theatre in the Park 

Tickets for Theatre in Warley Woods are now on sale.

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Blues at the Library 

Fantastic night of blues at Thimblemill Library last night as part of the Jazz and Blues Festival.

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Temporary lights Lightwoods Hill/Adkins Lane 

Highways will be starting drainage diversion works along Lightwoods Hill / Adkins Lane and Bishopton Road on Monday 21st July / Tuesday 22nd July in advance of the Lightwoods Park and House Restoration contract works.

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Fire safety 

With the hot weather and the school holidays arriving more people will be having barbecues, taking holidays, and trips out into the countryside.

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How does he do it? 

Another spectacular photograph from Simon Lea, a double rainbow over Warley Woods last night.

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Fully booked! 

All Lightwoods House Tours are now fully booked but if would still like to see the internal of the house please email cherie_osullivan@sandwell.

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The Blues Giants… 

…led by the great Steve Ajao are looking to rock the Thimblemill library on Saturday night as part of the Birmingham Jazz and Blues Festival.

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Great news as court endorses compulsory purchase 

Residents of Barclay Road and Galton Road will be delighted to hear that the High Court has backed Sandwell Council's decision to compulsorily purchase the land between 103-109 Barclay Road.

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Ooops! 

The planning visit to Thimblemill Rec, and the planning committee meeting on the evening is NOT this coming Wednesday…but the Wednesday after (23rd July).

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At the picnic… 

Once again, a great turnout for the Warley Woods picnic, and a bit of late afternoon sunshine.

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If you go down to the woods today… 

(Go on, tell me you didn't just sing that!) Bring your picnic, bring a blanket or fold up chair, listen to the music put together by the Bearwood Promoters and compered by Mr Naylor, and sit back and enjoy the good company of thousands of …

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We have less than one week… 

…to save the wildlife area by Thimblemill pool.

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Should be good… 

This year's Big Gig…

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Take a look around… 

Before the major restoration work starts to Lightwoods House there is going to be a last opportunity for people to take a guided tour of the House in its current condition, and it will give some idea of the scope the building has for future community…

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Made in Smethwick and what made Smethwick 

An informative Black Country talk by Bearwood's Mary Bodfish from the Smethwick Local History Society about the industrial heritage of Smethwick.

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Smethwick author set for big breakthrough 

Smethwick author Christina Kelly has recently been accepted by Britains Next Bestseller publishers for a book that she has written.

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An early snifter…. 

Some friends of The Midland had a sneak preview last night, and the comments were universally positive.

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Are you ready…. 

Bearwood's new real ale bar, The Midland, opens tomorrow, and it's looking good…

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Poppy planting postponed… 

Due to unforeseen circumstances, not unrelated to the condition of the poppies, about which less said is better, the poppy planting due to take place this weekend has had to be postponed.

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Plant a poppy of remembrance 

Volunteers will be out this Sunday planting up the tubs in the shopping centre with poppies as a commemoration of all of those who died in the 1st World War.

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Brum Jazz & Blues comes to Bearwood 

OK, it's not Birmingham, but on this occasion we'll forgive them as…the Birmingham Jazz and Blues Festival is coming to Bearwood once again this year! The wonderful Steve Ajao is well known to Bearwood Jazz fans for his virtuoso …

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A warm welcome Richard and Morwenna – Bearwood’s new golden couple 

The Bearwood Blog can exclusively reveal that the new hosts at The Midland real ale bar on Bearwood Road will be Richard Parling and Morwenna Hughes.

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Plans for Bearwood Improvements move forward as money is allocated 

Plans for improvements along Bearwood Road that Councillors Steve Eling, Bob Piper and Ann Jaron have been talking to residents and traders about for some time are moving a step closer with the allocation of the money needed to make them happen.

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The Sounds of Summer 

Lots of music, a glass of wine, and fresh strawberries… what more could you ask for at only £3 (£1.50 concessions…

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If you’re going to the Shuffle this weekend… 

…you can not only see a line-up of top bands, including the Silvershine Jazz Club’s very own Blue Notes, you can also get your hands on this little fellah…the Bearwood Bear.

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The Bearwood Bake-Off 

Saturday 28th June will see the first Bearwood bake-off competition.

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OMG! 

Unbelievable! Simon Lea on Facebook… Warley Woods - captured in a thunderstorm raindrop…

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Welcome to….. 

The Bearwood Blog can exclusively reveal the name of the new real ale bar in Bearwood.

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Volunteers week! 

Congratulations Smethwick in a Stew on your recognition by Sandwell Library Service for volunteers week…

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Warley Woods to launch Warley Woof! 

Warley Woods Community Trust has announced the launch of a new initiative aimed at dog owners who use the park…and even those who don't! The project, entitled Warley Woof , involves a partnership with Warley District Dog Training Club, …

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…and they’re out and planting up! 

Team Bearwood volunteers call in to Webb's this morning as part of their planting session! Well done everyone…

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Planting up! 

Volunteers from Team Bearwood will be out and about this weekend putting plants into the planters around the main shopping area.

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Simon Lea….photographer extraordinaire! 

Any one who visits here regularly will be familiar with the fantastic photography of Simon Lea, who has been stunning us for the last couple of years with his amazing photographs of Bearwood.

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This could be good… 

…rounders in the park! The dates for the rounders event are: 4, 11, 18, 25 June 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 July 6, 13, 20, 27 August 3, 10 September…

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Abbey Ward result 

OK, it is early morning here in Tipton, and the Abbey Ward result has just been declared.

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Sandon Road cottage 

People have shown some interest in the state of the cottage at 69 Sandon Road.

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And after you’ve voted… 

…you could do much worse than spending a hour or two listening to the brilliant Bryan Corbett tonight at the Silvershine Jazz Club at Corks Club.

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The credits… 

This Thursday is polling day, and whatever the result, I would like to thank the following people for the assistance they have given to the Labour campaign this year….

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Proposal for new flats on Bearwood Road 

People have been saying for some time that more of the space above the shops on Bearwood Road should be used to create more homes.

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My favourite quote… 

As canvassing comes to a close… I would like to thank all of those people who have been so polite and considerate to our canvass team, whether or not you intended to support Labour next Thursday.

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A message to the volunteers from Cherie… 

“Dear All, Please accept my apologies for this very delayed message, I have been incredibly busy catching up with the Lightwoods Park and House project work following the festival.

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You can run out of superlatives… 

…another Simon Lea stunner! Spring sunburst over Warley Woods.

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Living Walls site visit 

There was a site visit in Bearwood this week looking for potential sites for a trial involving the installation of planting which could assist to reduce pollution levels caused by traffic on Bearwood Road.

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Sandon Road street cleaning 

During our canvass we had a couple of enquiries about who is responsible for street cleaning in Sandon a Road where some of the responsibility lies with Birmingham.

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Feedback 

I don't encourage negativity on here, but we would like to get some feedback on the Mayday event in order to consider changes for future events.

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Thimblemill update 

The planning application to convert the Thimblemill public house into a care home was withdrawn before going to planning committee.

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This will be good news… 

…for residents of Barclay Road and parts of Galton Road! At midnight last night Sandwell Council took possession of the land on Barclay Road which has been the subject of a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO).

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Early Birds 

Warley Woods Community Trust are holding their Dawn Chorus Walk this Saturday (10th May) at 5am Matt Hadlington will be leading a dawn chorus walk designed to help people to recognise the sounds of the birds resident in Warley Woods.

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A grand pair of guys 

Our two main sponsors for this year's festival.

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Thanks… 

On behalf of the organisers can I thank all of the people who turned up yesterday to what was our biggest and best Mayday yet.

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Wicked! 

Busier than last year most folks reckon, and they're still coming in for the headline bands…

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Wow! 

That knocked everyone out…Smethwick Fusion take a bow…

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And of course… 

it wouldn't be a Bearwood event without…Wonderful Webbs… ..

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Smethwick fusion… 

Bangra dancing meets Morris dancing… live on the main stage at around 12.30pm.

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Setting up… 

…and the beer's here…

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All the fun of the fair 

Tomorrow we'll be live blogging from the park, but just for today, here's a couple of great shots by the.

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The stage is set… 

The beer is brewed, the fair is already in full flow, the musicians are wetting the whistles, the strongmen are flexing their muscles, stallholders have stocked up and the rain is keeping away… now all we need tomorrow is YOU…