22/12/2016 Midlands Today


22/12/2016

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The headlines tonight: Police accused of being heavy handed

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with homeless people they suspect of begging.

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are not. We are human beings like are not. We are human beings like

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the rest of society. Also tonight: He disappeared

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without trace six months ago today - how are the family coping

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on their Shropshire farm? We thought he might have done

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something drastic. thoughts on radio this morning,

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Prince Charles visits about our waistlines

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from a Black Country reggae star. Storm Barbara has been getting quite

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a build up this week Details of warnings

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in the forecast later. More than 14,000 people are reported

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missing in our region every year. The vast majority, 95%,

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will return home within a week. And what of the impact

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on their families who're struggling disappeared without trace six months

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ago today and Sarah Bishop has been Our way of coping is to get on with

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the work. We have good days, we feel positive. Then we have bad days when

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we think he may have done something that we hope not. Andrew Green

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seemingly disappeared. His long-term partner had told him she was to

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leave. We thought he might have done something drastic. As time goes on

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we are hopeful he has not. He got into his car after an apparently

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normal conversation with his father and then vanished. It was here, less

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than half a mile from the farm, that his vehicle was found. There have

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been extensive searches of this area of farmland, 700 acres, by the

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police and the community, but to no avail. Police say they are treating

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Andrew as a high risk missing person but are keeping an open mind about

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what might have happened to him. There is no leads whatsoever.

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Normally there is a lead. Statistically things happen within

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1800 metres of the vehicle or a house. They have not found anything.

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The police contained a fresh search in the New Year. In the meantime

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Christmas on the farm their son lost so much will be the difficult

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affair. They are stuck between hoping and ceiling. -- hoping and

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fearing. Earlier I spoke to Lucy Holmes

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from the charity Missing People. The numbers often shock people. It

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is important to remember most of them are found safe and well very

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quickly. Only a small proportion of cases people remain missing for

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longer. We are focusing on the family of Andrew Green. Families

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must feel powerless especially when a member of the family has been gone

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for so long, six months in this case. My heart goes out to the

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family. It is particularly difficult with Christmas coming up. Families

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with a loved one part in this limbo all the time, not having answers,

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that is excruciatingly painful. It is not just the emotional impact. If

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that missing person as an income earner families can face enormous

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financial pressures. Legally they may be in a difficult position. One

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of the things that we seek to do to resolve this is to campaign for a

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new guardianship law which would allow for fear is to be looked after

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in their absence. Two police have the resources for this? We welcome

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anything that the police can do. It is essential that we get a good

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response. I have been working for this organisation for a long time

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and I have seen improvements in the police response. It is different to

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ten years ago. We would always encourage forces to think about how

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they can come their response, and for other organisations such as

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local authorities to make the effort to work well with obese forces. They

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cannot do it on our own. This charity is here every day of the

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year and we provide our services for free. We can support families with

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publicity appeals. We can provide emotional support. We have a 24-hour

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helpline. Missing adults and missing children can call this number at

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times of crisis. Staffordshire Police have issued

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handwritten warning letters to homeless people suspected

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of begging in Stoke-on-Trent, telling them to leave or face

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potential prosecution. It follows an investigation

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by BBC Radio Stoke - they've been given a copy

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of one of the letters. Our Staffordshire reporter

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Sian Grzeszczyk has been to meet one of the men who's had one and claims

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that homeless people in the city are being treated like rats

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rather than human beings. Gary's been on the streets

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for the last 22 years. he was given a letter

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by police accusing him prosecution if he didn't move on,

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somehing he strongly denies. If I was to see you in the street I

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would ask you if you could spear a little change. I would ask that

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question once. If you say no and I would walk away. I am not begging.

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You have not been aggressive? No. What is the atmosphere like amongst

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homeless people at the moment? We are being treated like rats. We are

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not. We are human beings like the rest of society that needs to be

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given chances. They think the police

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are being heavy handed. We were outraged when we read it.

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Gary is homeless. He was at the time of receiving a letter, he has in a

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hostel no. It is the way they are portraying the homeless. Nobody was

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available from Staffordshire Police but they received a statement saying

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they work closely with partners trying to offer advice and help to

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anyone who is homeless. It cannot be easy for the police to move

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everybody on. Sometimes it gets awkward when you are coming out of

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the shops and people are begging but that said there have been a feud

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where we have given money because we feel sorry for them especially at

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this time of year. We need to give more support rather than just moving

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them alone. They need help. I do not think there is a solution. There

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will always be that minority that are not working and do not want to

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work. In the majority of cases it is easier. Homelessness is a problem

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across the country and in the West Midlands.

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In Gloucester a new team tackling begging says the problem is made

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When people give caught we want people to consider alternative

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giving this Christmas. Stoke-on-Trent City Council have

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said they are working hard with agencies across the city.

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More barriers have been installed around the German Christmas Market

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in Birmingham in the wake of the terrorist attack in Berlin.

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They've been put up on Temple Street and Bennetts Hill.

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That's in addition to a number of concrete bollards set

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Police say the added security isn't based on any new intelligence.

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A man's critically ill in hospital following a crash involving

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several lorries and cars on the M6 in Warwickshire.

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It happened near Rugby around 5.30 this morning

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with the southbound carriageway closed for several hours.

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It's believed the man, who's in his 40s, was thrown

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He was taken to the University Hospital Coventry in Warwickshire

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A Vietnamese man who control a workforce has been jailed. Inside

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police discovered a sophisticated setup. The man was jailed for 11

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years. Wolverhampton Civic Hall 's will

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close their last events tomorrow before closing for refurbishment.

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The multi-billion pound refurbishment will see capacity

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increased as well as a new stage and bar area. It is hoped the work will

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see the venue attract as many as see the venue attract as many as

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330,000 additional visitors every year.

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A reward's been posted to catch whoever has been shooting birds

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West Mercia Police say they know of ten buzzards deliberately

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It's illegal to kill birds of prey, and offenders risk heavy

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fines and even prison, but X-rays taken from the dead birds

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At the Herefordshire Wildlife Rescue in Dinmore, they are used to looking

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after injured birds of prey, like this female buzzard.

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Being large birds, up until now, their survival rate

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But a recent spate of deaths has begun to cause concern.

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Of the 15 or 20 buzzards we've had over the last couple of years,

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they've all survived, except the one that we had

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in November and that was quite puzzling.

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That bird and another two badly injured buzzards were taken

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to the Holmer Veterinary Surgery in Hereford.

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And when x-rays were taken, it showed they had been shot.

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We had to euthanise some of them, because they were so badly injured

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and you find all these gunshot pellets, so yes, it was, er,

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It makes me wonder how many more we might have found in the past if we

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had looked for them. Jane Edwards and her family found

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one of the badly injured birds in the Herefordshire

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village of Mordiford. Not having held a bird of prey

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before, and this being the first time that I'd been able to,

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I felt it was a huge privilege and I couldn't understand why anyone

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would want to harm a creature But it's not just here that

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birds are being killed. Another buzzard was

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shot in Eaton Bishop. Buzzards are protected

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by law in England and it's West Mercia Police tell me

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that they take very seriously any incidents where a bird of prey

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is intentionally harmed or killed. They say they have a ?1,000 reward

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for anyone that has any information that leads

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to a successful prosecution. It is a crying shame if people feel

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they want to harm or even kill these animals. Such a shame that they

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cannot appreciate them in a different way.

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The worry is that many more buzzards are being shot each

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year in Herefordshire, but never found.

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Those people killing the birds are being warned

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Ben Sidwell, BBC Midlands Today, Dinmore.

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Thanks for being with us in these final days before Christmas.

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Still to come in tonight's programme:

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The Shropshire-based British archery team are to appeal after losing

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all their ?3 million Olympic funding.

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And Shefali will confirm there's a slight nip in the air!

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There is, but you would hardly think it

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from the warming colours of this sunrise at Barlaston

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A nip in the air though is the least of our problems

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I'll have the latest for you in a short while.

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The Prince of Wales has been in the region today

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to celebrate his longstanding links with a Gloucestershire hospice.

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Earlier he spoke on BBC Radio's Thought for the Day

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with a warning about the growing danger of religious persecution.

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Whatever religious path you follow the destination is the same.

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To value and respect the other person,

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accepting their right to live out their peaceful

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A few hours later, leaving us all to digest his message,

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Prince Charles was at the Sue Ryder Hospice,

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near Cheltenham, a charity he's been involved in for 30 years.

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There is flash photography in this report.

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The Prince of Wales today celebrating three decades of his

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involvement. He was here to meet staff, patients and volunteers. As

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ever, willing to get involved. He was invited to meet a felt snowman.

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It led to a slight royal injury. Thankfully everything was OK. This

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was a visit to lift the spirits of everyone from the staff to the

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patients who rely so much on the work of the hospice. The staff here

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are brilliant. The volunteers understand our needs. Largely they

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have been through something similar to what I am going through. A big

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difference because it helps me meet people. As well as DK at the hospice

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provides 16 inpatient beds, the only unit of its type in the county. --

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as well as day care. The patients are listed by his visit. To have him

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as our patron means a lot to us. Before he left, cutting the cake to

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celebrate three decades as patron and a chance to pay tribute. Meeting

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the patients, they all say such marvellous things about the quality

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of the care. Maybe be many more years of looking after people. He

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will be back here again to say thanks for the vital work done here,

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not just at Christmas, but every day and night of the year.

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The British archery team are considering an appeal,

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after losing all their ?3 million Olympic funding

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It means the archers, who are based at the National Sports Centre

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in Shropshire, will have to get jobs to allow them to carry on training.

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Four other sports have also lost their funding.

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Naomi Folkard from Leamington Spa has been to four

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Now she's coaching youngsters in the academy and seriously

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considering another shot at a medal in Tokyo.

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But that just became a much tougher prospect.

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Because archery will no longer be Lottery funded and Naomi

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and her team-mates will have to find part-time jobs to support

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There is quite a few people on the programme that are at university.

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For them to be able to train, go to university, and get a job, that will

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be tough. This means there will be less rest time, any spear time out

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of training they will be working. It is tough. But it gives you

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resilience as well. The man brought in 18 months ago

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to improve archery's performance They are saying that. We would

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dispute that. The last year and a half, but is not the case. We have

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one of the world's leading coaches. He would back us up on that.

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Wheelchair rugby, which is also based at Lilleshall,

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has lost its ?3 million funding as well.

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With ?345 million to be shared among 31 sports there were always

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Success in Rio has seen funding for gymnastics,

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which is also based at Lilleshall, rise by more than two million.

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The para-archery team who topped the medal table in Rio

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see their funding rise by a million.

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But badminton, weightlifting and fencing are the other three

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If their target is still to be as successful in Tokyo as in Rio

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smaller sports like ourselves will have to play a part.

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Behind the scenes GB Archery will have to cut costs as well

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Tough choices lie ahead for the sport.

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Nick Clitheroe, BBC Midlands Today, Shropshire.

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The new Coventry City manager says he must focus on the football

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and not be distracted by the Sky Blues' many problems.

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Russell Slade joined the club yesterday

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The Sky Blues are bottom but one of League One, having

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But Slade hopes disaffected fans can get behind him.

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job in terms of resources. It has to job in terms of resources. It has to

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stop at some stage. That is what helped me to come to the club, I

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think I can help. I believe I can turn it around.

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Hereford FC have invented a new ten year lease on the Edgar Street

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ground. The club say the deal with Herefordshire council will allow

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them to make improvements to the stadium including a new spectator

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fans at the end of 2014 after the fans at the end of 2014 after the

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collapse of Hereford United. People with debilitating

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lung diseases are being It's known that singing can improve

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breathing and quality It's now being used

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by the NHS in Warwickshire Our reporter Kevin Reide's visited

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one such choir in Nuneaton. Val McPherson, a retired nurse

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from Bedworth in Warwickshire, has suffered from Chronic Lung Disease

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since having severe pneumonia. She remembers it being a close call

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between life and death. At six o'clock in the morning I ran

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111 and said, I am really ill, I have not been to bed all night

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because I cannot sleep, I cannot get my breath. She said she would send

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an ambulance. I said it is pointless, I will be dead before

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they get here. I never did see them. They picked me up off the floor in

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my kitchen apparently. at George Eliot Hospital

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in Nuneaton, her It uplifts you. You do feel better.

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Treatment with medication has some effects but we need other treatments

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like exercise and breathing control. Singing achieves both. Exercise is

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all the muscles we need. The choir also helps build

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confidence. I love it. If anybody said I would be doing

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4-part harmony and acquire I would have said, Norway. But we do and we

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love it. and the choirmaster is a GP

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as well as a gospel singer: The socialising is more than the

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singing sometimes. This is thought to be one of the largest quires of

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its type. -- largest choirs of its type.

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Now to a reggae artist with a festive warning

:22:51.:22:52.

Wolverhampton's Macka B has been writing and performing songs

:22:53.:22:55.

But this Christmas he's spreading the message of good health

:22:56.:22:59.

following a personal plan to lose weight.

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So we sent our arts reporter, Satnam Rana,

:23:02.:23:03.

It's time for a reggae reggae workout with Macka B.

:23:04.:23:15.

As a practising Rastafari, Macka B is passionate about nature,

:23:16.:23:17.

Excess Baggage is his latest track as he sets us on mission

:23:18.:23:36.

I was bigger than I am now, I was 18, 19 stone.

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I went to the doctor and the doctor was saying, it's a bit of

:23:50.:23:54.

arthritis, I can't do anything about it, age

:23:55.:23:56.

So I decided to do something about it

:23:57.:23:59.

Immediately as I lost a bit of the weight my knees felt better

:24:00.:24:18.

again so I thought, I'll carry on losing the weight

:24:19.:24:23.

A good time of year to spread that message.

:24:24.:24:47.

But for him it's not just about keeping fit.

:24:48.:24:49.

I'm cooking Jamaica's national dish which is ackee and

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If I don't have saltfish it's ackee with

:24:54.:24:56.

This is going to take about half an hour.

:24:57.:25:03.

But guess what - here's one I made earlier.

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# It's about the exercise and good nutrition.

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# Anything can happen and you may not live long

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# Keep fit, keep healthy have a happy holiday.

:25:11.:25:15.

Time for the weather and Shefali has a new friend, called Barbara!

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She is no friend of mine and I will tell you why in a moment. Today was

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calm and frosty to begin with. It was dazzling, lots of sunshine

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around. It was a classic winter 's day. It is not going to last.

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Christmas Day -- it will be wet and windy, christmas Eve it will settle

:25:51.:25:55.

down. Christmas Day itself, it will be drizzly but mild and windy once

:25:56.:26:02.

again. As far as tomorrow's turbulent weather is concerned there

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is a warning in place from midday at that runs until six o'clock tomorrow

:26:06.:26:13.

evening. Gusts of 50-60 mph, possibly in excess of 60 mph, over

:26:14.:26:19.

70 mph in exposed areas. It is because of storm Barbara. She is

:26:20.:26:25.

rattling in from the West. Still on a course for the British Isles.

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Bringing in heavy rain. Arrival time here will be around that day.

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Running through the afternoon. There could be travel disruption as a

:26:38.:26:40.

result. Christmas Day is going to be

:26:41.:26:44.

exceptionally mild, record-breaking week mild for some parts of the

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country. Act to this evening, in contrast it is much colder.

:26:49.:26:52.

Temperatures and clearer skies will drop down to 1-4 C. Not as much

:26:53.:27:00.

frost. That is because we have some close pushing and from the West.

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That'll hold temperatures up slightly. Tomorrow is a dry start to

:27:05.:27:08.

the day. Some sunshine, particularly the further East you go. Then comes

:27:09.:27:14.

the rain. At around midday and into the afternoon. You can see that

:27:15.:27:17.

heavier rain running from north to south. But all sweeps away by

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tomorrow night and into Christmas Eve.

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And on tomorrow's Midlands Today at 6.30 we'll be catching up

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with a fifth generation baker from Shropshire.

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John Swift will be starring in a Christmas Day TV special

:27:31.:27:33.

They'll be looking at how the Victorians invented Christmas

:27:34.:27:36.

I'll be back at 10.30 with your late update.

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