The latest news, updates and events in Birmingham
Comedian Hannah Weetman has been announced as the winner of the prestigious Birmingham Comedy Festival Breaking Talent Award 2022. Hannah performed in front of a sell-out crowd at Birmingham’s The Glee Club on Friday night (7 October), where she was presented with her prize by Brum comedian, actress and writer Jo Enright.
A 16-year-old boy from Birmingham, who helped to get more than 80,000 people learning British Sign Language over the last year, has won the ‘Stephen Sutton Inspiration Award’ at the 2021 Pride of Birmingham Awards. The Pride of Birmingham Awards celebrate the city’s unsung heroes, including those who have come to the fore during the…
Reggae star and Birmingham music legend Apache Indian has been awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours. Recognised internationally for his fusion of bhangra, reggae and pop, the 53-year-old singer from Handsworth gained prominence in the 1990s with a string of hits including Boom Shack-A-Lak, Chok There and Don Raja.
Police Chief Constable Dave Thompson is one of three members of West Midlands Police to have received awards in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours, in which he was awarded a knighthood. Mr Thompson becomes a Sir in recognition of his services to policing over a 30 year career spanning Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and West Midlands Police.
Edgbaston father Saeed Ahmed has been named ‘Campaigner of the Year’ by a national disability charity for sharing his family’s story of caring for his 21-year-old disabled son, Azhar, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Saeed, 44, was recognised at the Sense Awards 2020 for supporting the charity’s #ForgottenFamilies campaign, which called on Government to reinstate services…
A 15-year-old boy from Birmingham, who taught British Sign Language to more than 50,000 people during the first lockdown, has won a national award for his efforts. Student Tyrese Dibba, who is deaf and partially sighted, was named ‘Young Person of the Year’ at the Sense Awards 2020.
West Midlands soulstress Beverley Knight has been honoured with prestigious lifetime achievement accolade at the Midlands Community and Business Awards in Birmingham. Local stars and community members came together to celebrate local personalities and role models in a glitzy award ceremony held at Aston Villa Football Club.
A Birmingham teacher at the centre of a row over lessons on LGBT+ rights is up for a $1 million global teaching prize. Andrew Moffat, assistant headteacher of Parkfield community school in Saltley, is one of ten teachers from around the world to make the final shortlist for the $1m Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize 2019.
A Shropshire boxing coach says winning a Thrive Mental Health Award means helping more people by changing lives through sport. Bright Star Boxing Club was named Mental Health Star in the Team, Service, Organisation category for Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and Herefordshire, Cannock Chase and Tamworth at the recent West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) Thrive…
A Birmingham mosque has been presented with a special award for conservation and renovation of a Grade II listed building. Last week, the Green Lane Masjid, a mosque and community centre was formally presented with the prestigious Victorian Society 2017 Birmingham & West Midlands Conservation Award for the renovation of their historic building in Small Heath, Birmingham.