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Dexy’s star on the main stage 

The Enjoy Bearwood Facebook page has announced one of the major acts on the main music stage in Lightwoods Park will be one of the founder member's of Dexy's Midnight Runners…Pete Williams! And hey… the headline act is still to …

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A little Lightwoods Ale… 

Enville Ales who partnered with the Friends of Lightwoods Park for last year’s beer festival on Mayday will be back in the park this year working in conjunction with Black Country Ales, the owners of the new bar in Bearwood.

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Have you got what it takes? 

The Sandwell's Strongest Man competition returns on May Bank Holiday weekend in a trial of strength spread over two days, culminating in the spectacular in Lightwoods Park as part of the Mayday Festival.

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Mayday, mayday, mayday… is there anyone out there? 

Cherie O’Sullivan has been distinctly underwhelmed by her request to the 400+ members of the Friends of Lightwoods Park and House for volunteers to help out on Mayday in the park.

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Smethwick Fusion on Mayday 

Morris Men vs Bhangra Dancers! Last year the Lightwoods Park mayday festival featured Morris Dancers and Dhol Drummers.

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Wow!!! 

Congratulations to Divine and Amelia Wallace, who scooped the 1st prizes in the Bearwood Wow Factor! young talent show at Thimblemill Library last night.

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It’s the talent show tonight… 

…at your local library…

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Congratulations Julie 

Bearwood lass Julie Walters is to be given the highest award the British Academy of Film and Television Arts can bestow when she is awarded a BAFTA Fellowship next month.

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Why we will be out knocking doors 

This is a re-hash of something we posted a couple of years ago which is still relevant today.

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A Mayday message from Cherie 

Dear Friends of Lightwoods Park and House, The annual May Day Festival at Lightwoods Park is taking place on Bank Holiday Monday 5 th May and will run 11.00am – 6.00pm.

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Cash for sports clubs 

Sandwell Council Cabinet member Paul Moore has announced a new funding scheme, that will direct money from the Council straight to local sports clubs.

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Name the new pub… 

…and win a barrel of beer!!! OK, here's the deal.

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Legal notice 

Anything from now until polling day on 22nd May that is published on here and may seek to influence people to vote Labour is: Promoted by Bob Piper on behalf of Labour Party Candidates, care of 115 Barclay Road, B67 5JZ.

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Skatepark fun for May Day 

Hosted by the brilliant Mr Naylor…spread the word…

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A statement from Black Country Ales… 

…and a competition to follow shortly! The former HSBC Bank at 526 Bearwood Road has been granted a premises licence and can now be turned into a real ale pub.

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It’s today… 

Note the new location…

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Interested in an apprenticeship? 

This could be for you…

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Congratulations to ‘Smethwick in a Stew’ 

Well done to all involved in the Smethwick in a Stew soup kitchen which has provided over 1,000 free meals to people in Smethwick in the few months it has been going.

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Black Country Ales at Lightwoods Festival 

Black Country Breweries who are due to open a new real ale pub in Bearwood are to partner up with last year's May Day festival sponsors, Enville Ales, to provide the real ale tent at this year's Lightwoods Park Bank holiday festival.

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Licensing Committee rule on new pub 

Sandwell Council's Licensing Panel met this morning to consider the application to convert the former HSBC bank on Bearwood Road into a real ale bar.

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The Sandwell Herald 

Apparently Sandwell Council's marketing and communication people are looking for feedback on the Sandwell Herald publication, and would welcome a response on the following: any general feedback from residents about the publication, including the…

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May Day stalls 

Time is running out for organisations to book a stall for the May Day festival in Lightwoods Park.

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You bet Bearwood’s Got Talent! 

do you know anyone aged between 7 and 19? Do they sing, juggle, tell jokes, play a musical instrument…or have any other special talents? Well, this is their chance to show that Bearwood’s got talent! Download the application form here .

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Oh what a beautiful morning… 

Just perfect for a stroll in wonderful Warley Woods.

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Help us to take action on betting shops 

Earlier this month Sandwell Council passed a resolution calling on the government to legislate to control the spread of betting shops and their high-stake gambling machines designed to get around the licensing restrictions on casinos.

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May Day real ale festival 

The Friends of Lightwoods Park are delighted to announce that they have partnered with the award winning Black Country brewery Enville Ales again this year as the main providers of ale to the May Day beer festival.

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You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone… 

…they've paved paradise…and put up a parking lot! They're planning to put 13 4-bedroomed, two three storey dwellings, with double garages, on the land behind the pool at the Thimblemill Recreation ground.

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Saturday wouldn’t be Saturday… 

…without one of Simon Lea's brilliant photograph's! Hey, babe, the sky's on fire……

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Notice of temporary road closure 

In order to facilitate the installation of new electricity ducts by Western Power Distribution on Sunday 16 th March 2014 , Adkins Lane , Smethwick (between Milcote Road and Lightwoods Road ) will be closed.

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Do you have an idea that might get heritage lottery funding? 

If so, this session at Thimblemill library could be just the place to get some answers……

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This looks useful… 

…and it's free, too…

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The gift that keeps on giving… 

Simon Lea's latest on the Warley Woods page……

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Team Bearwood and Serco… 

…helping the Friends of Thimblemill Brook on their litter pick this morning.

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Hypnotic Fundraising for St Mary’s Hospice 

Next Wednesday, 12 March, is No Smoking Day and at Violet Hypnotherapy, Philippa Carr will be providing smoking cessation sessions in Bearwood in return for a donation to St Mary's Hospic e.

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Licensing Applications 

Three applications for licensing on this weeks licensing update, including the hearing date for the proposed new pub, the Lightwoods Park beer festival application, and one for an extension of hours for refreshments until as late as 3.

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Report of Wednesday’s Abbey Neighbourhood Forum 

Councillor Steve Eling reports back on the Bearwood Neighbourhood Forum meeting held last night (Wednesday 5 th March) at St Mary’s Church Hall.

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Bearwood – a damned good place to live! 

It's very easy as a local councillor to get bogged down in some of the negativity about Bearwood that appears in the social media.

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Bearwood – a damned good place to live! 

It's very easy as a local councillor to get bogged down in some of the negativity about Bearwood that appears in the social media.

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Simon’s sunset 

I am running out of superlatives to describe Simon Lea’s photograph’s.

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Police plea to elderly – don’t be conned by phone scammers 

Police are urging West Midlands’ communities to rally against phone scammers who are conning the region’s elderly out of thousands of pounds with banking scare stories.

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First hurdle cleared 

The proposed planning application to convert the former HSBC bank on Bearwood Road to a public house went to Sandwell Council's planning committee this evening.

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Prince’s Trust opportunity 

I f you know of any young adult (16 to 25 years ) who would benefit from attending a 12-week Prince's Trust programme right here in Smethwick at the police station.

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May Day parking 

Last year due to the number of people who attended the Lightwoods May Day festival there was chaos in the surrounding roads.

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Licence application update 

Local CAMRA member John Kelly has been in touch with Black Country Ales about their licence application and has sent us this update: I've recently been speaking to a senior manager from Black Country Ales.

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Planting big trees… 

There's been a lot of comment about a number of trees being taken down in Warley Woods…well, today was Big Tree Plant day in Warley Woods.

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Barclay Road latest 

As many of you will no there was a shocking accident on the building site at 103-109 Barclay Road earlier this week, which fortunately didn't result in a fatality.

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Some more living walls 

These are some examples of the flexibility around the concept of 'living walls' that we would like to adopt in some form in Bearwood.

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Making plans for May Day 

Plans are underway for yet another bumper Bank Holiday festival in Lightwoods Park.

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Update on Barclay Road 

I’m told by the building inspectors that the workman should be ok, obviously barring any unforeseen problems.

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Major incident in Barclay Road 

There has been a major incident in Barclay Road on the vacant land between 103-109 Barclay Road.

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Stunning! 

Simon Lea's incredible picture of stars over a Warley Woods.

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The Brook in full flow 

Thimblemill Brook is one of our three green spaces here in Bearwood, a positive haven of urban wildlife and fauna… but it is also playing another key environmental role.

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Jazz at the Silvershine 

The full line-up for the next few months at Bearwood's own jazz venue, the Silvershine Jazz Cub has now been announced.

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License application now in for new Bearwood bar 

I have received the Licensing application for the new pub on the site of the HSBC bank.

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Maybe it’s the weather… 

…or something like that…but it's a shame that our community artist hasn't done his annual refresh of his art work for today! For romantics everywhere……

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‘Allo, ‘ allo, ‘allo, what’s all this then? 

We here and read a variety of reports about crime and anti-social behaviour here in Abbey Ward.

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Spread the word… 

Volunteers also welcome…

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Know your history 

The Birmingham and Midland Society for Genealogy and Heraldry will be holding courses both introductory and advanced in Family History.

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An early ‘heads up’ 

Many of you will remember the wanton vandalism that destroyed the memorial benches in Warley Woods last year.

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More stew…. 

A couple of weeks ago we told you about the new volunteer project , Smethwick in a Stew aimed at providing warm food and good company for people, in conjunction with Smethwick library and the Dorothy Parkes Centre.