The walk will begin in the Jasmin Fields then to the canal, then along Bayston Road and onto Broad Lane where we will cross the road to enter Brandwood End Cemetery through the pedestrian entrance. Using a set route we will walk through the cemetery to Brandwood Pool. Here the walk will end.

Taking part in the event is free but donations welcome to the Brum Bats organisation. Places are limited so you are advised to email/phone in advance to book your place.

Attendees are asked to bring a torch, wear warm clothes and sturdy foot wear. Children must be accompanied by an adult and supervised at all time. Not suitable for young children and buggies.

For further details and to book your place contact Claire Vaughan, Selly Oak Constituency – 0121 303 9387 sellyoak@birmingham.gov.uk

Birmingham

Virgin Trains have hooked up with Visit Birmingham to offer some great foodie treats over the summer. These offers are only available to customers who can show a valid virgin train ticket to Birmingham. So if you’ve left the city and recently returned, why not treat yourself. On the other hand, it’s a perfect excuse to get any friends and family that live fair away to congregate in Birmingham for the day

The foodie discounts available are

10% off total bill at Pushkar

15% off total bill at Opus Restaurant

15% off total bill at Kinnaree Thai Restaurant

15% off food bill at Aria Restaurant

25% off your food bill at Filini Restaurant and Bar

There are also a couple of hotel deals for those who want to make the trip a little longer

£99 Bed & Breakfast at Malmaison (Fri – Mon)

£99 Bed & Breakfast at Hotel Du Vin (Fri – Mon)

These offers run until October 2010. For full terms and conditions, visit  www.visitbirmingham.com/foodie

Birmingham is set to become to home of a new

The programme – which begins on BBC iplayer on Wednesday 25^th August will follow some of the welsh students who have won places at the school. The show will document the up and downs, trial and triumphs that they face as the try to achieve their dreams of becoming professional dancers.

Adam Russell-Jones begins the academic year with an injury which has left him unable to dance for a year.

Dominic Handford first became passionate about ballet when watching cartoons of Angelina Ballerina at home and his family wanted to do anything they could to achieve his dream – so they sold their house to free up enough money to send him to ballet school.

Rebecca Haw will be enterring sixth form. At sixteen she’s now preparing herself for the tough and competitive world of professional ballet.

Michael Harris, like Dominic, doesn’t come from a traditional ballet background. Also sixteen he faces GCSEs and auditions for the sixth form as well as a gruelling regime of ballet.

Joseph Fawcett is 11-years-old and the youngest of the Welsh ballet students. Joseph had been home tutored until attending Elmhurst so this was his first taste of formal education. In the first programme we see him landing a role in a Birmingham Royal Ballet production of The Nutcracker  - a taste of the life of a professional dancer.

www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer

Handsworth Musical Extravaganza.

This free event will take place on Saturday 28^th August outside Handsworth library from 11am – 3pm. The theme of the event is celebrating Handsworth’s diversity, so as you can expect there will be a wide range of genres on musical talents on display. Acts on the day will include carnival dancing, Morris dancing, bhangra dancing and a live DJ all day.

Handsworth Library

Soho Road

Birmingham

B21 9PD

Music in the Gardens

Every Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday, Bontanical Gardens in Birmingham invite bands to play on the bandstand from 2pm. For no extra charge, you can chill out to the sounds of jazz, blues, swing and classical, it’s a great way to unwind before the hustle and bustle of Monday morning begins. For full details of who will be performing and when visit http://www.birminghambotanicalgardens.org.uk/events/music-in-the-gardens

Botanical Gardens

Westbourne Road

Edgbaston

Birmingham

B15 3TR

Any true coffee lover knows that Illy coffee really is the crème de la crème of caffeinated glory. The Italian restaurant Strada in

286 of Illy’s espresso cups with by transformed into artistic master pieces with the help of some truly great artists. The likes of Jeff Koons, Robert Rauschenberg and Marina Abramovic will be getting involved. The aim of the exhibition is to transform the everyday act of drinking coffer into an experiences that crosses over all senses.

The Collection also includes cup designs from some of the most influential contributors to film and music.  Works by Francis Ford Coppola, David Byrne, Federico Fellini and Pedro Almódovar will also be showcased in the Strada restaurant in Birmingham.

Illy has had a long standing love affair with art at all levels, and over the past 20 years have also has also collaborated with lesser known artists and students from all over the world to give them an opportunity to express themselves through its porcelain cups.

The illy Art Collection cups, all signed, numbered and produced in limited editions, are coveted by art lovers and coffee lovers alike.  Rare cups, such as those initially made by Thun in 1990, can fetch as much as £2,500 in private sale.

You can see the Illy masterpieces on display in a free exhibition everyday from 21^st August to 3^rd September in the Strada Restaurant at the International Convention Centre (by footbridge to Brindleyplace), Canal Side Entrance, Birmingham, B1 2EA.

Visit www.strada.co.uk for further info

Once again, the Germans are coming to town to gives us brummies a tasty treat. The ever popular German Winefest will be hitting the streets of

The event will be visited by German Wine Queen Sonja Christ. The 25-year-old wine-grower’s daughter from the Mosel will be joined by Deputy Lord and Lady Mayoress, Cllr Michael Wilkes and Mrs Vivienne Wilkes, to kick off the 12-day celebration of German food and wine.

Visitors are invited to come to Victoria Square and experience a variety of red, whit and sparkling wines from Germans 13 wind growing regions. Of course, there will also be stalls selling traditional German food al fresco style, so you can treat yourself to a charcoal grilled sausage or two!

Wine can be bought by the glass, bottle or case and the true wine buffs will also be able to increase their knowledge of German wines. Information will be available on producer profiles, history of wine growing in the regions, the winemaking process, wine stems and grape varieties.

The food and wine will be also be complimented by a variety of live music throughout the day, so come along to this free event and enjoy a taste of summer in the city!

Further information call 0121 464 2012

The Pallasades shopping centre in Birmingham hear your cries so together with a few top attractions around the city, they’ve put on some offers that will might just heal you out.
Until the 31st October, so well after the summer holidays end, kids can go free to the following attractions when accompanied by on full paying adult.

AMC Cinema at Broadway Plaza
Bowlplex at Broadway Plaza (Monday to Friday from 10am to 6pm)
Indoor go karting at Teamworks Karting
Danger Mouse Saves the World at Alexandra Theatre on 30th August

In order to claim your rainy day voucher you will be required to present on receipt from a Pallasades shop to the Customer Service Desk. You will then have to fill in a quick leaflet then you’ll be instantly eligible for the vouchers

To find out more information about the offer please visit The Pallasades online at www.thepallasades.co.uk

This year the festival will run from 10-12 Septemeber and they’ve created a brand spanking new website to provide you with all the information on volunteering and what you can expect to see there. This year the event promises to be bigger and better than before. Once again there will be over 600 perfomers from all categories and genres. There will be festival favourites such as Classical Fantasia and KerrangFest as well as a few new and exciting things that ArtsFest seem to have up their sleeve.

But for all this to happen and be successful, ArtsFest heavily relies on it’s voluneteers.

Volunteering at Artsfest gives you the change to get involved in one of the cities most exciting festivals and see if from a completley differend and totally unique perspective? ArtsFest needs it’s volunteers like a fish needs water and loves em like a fat kid loves cake. Without the volunteers the event simply wouldn’t be able to happen. In return the volunteers get an up clost experience of the event. They also get the satisfaction of knowing that they are one of many crucial coggs that keep this event ticking over year after year.