31/12/2013 Midlands Today

on the BBC News Channel. I'm back with the News at Ten. Now it's time

Good evening. Two women who led the fight against failings at Stafford

Hospital have been recognised in the New Year Honours list. Julie Bailey,

who set up the campaign group Cure the NHS after witnessing her

mother's treatment, was made a CBE. Helenee Donnelly, a nurse who became

a whistle`blower, was made an OBE. Here's our health correspondent

Michele Paduano. It was personal: the death of a mother that inspired

Julie Bailey to confront not only poor care at Stafford Hospital, but

one of the largest organisations in the world ` the NHS. In 2007,

86``year`old Bella, left without oxygen, collapsed in hospital. For

the next eight weeks Miss Bailey stayed by her bedside, witnessing

atrocious care on the ward. I haven't accepted mum's gone yet. I

just haven't accepted it. From her cafe in Stafford, she formed "Cure

the NHS" which exposed the failings in elderly care. She campaigned for

a public inquiry, confronting the politicians in her way. We want

every person who died in that hospital examined. Her campaign cost

her her livelihood and her home. She was blamed for the break up of

Stafford Hospital. Speaking from Abu Dhabi, she felt her mum would have

been proud. I'm overwhelmed. It's fantastic. It will keep our cause in

the limelight. It's recognition of how society feels about the care of

older people. Also honoured with a seasonal gift, nurse Helene Donnelly

OBE who worked in Accident and Emergency. She raised nearly 100

complaints at Stafford Hospital and spoke out at the public inquiry. I

feel priveleged and obviously honoured. But not just for myself `

for all of those who have blown the whistle and raised concerns. It's

very difficult. People have had to deal with terrible consequences.

Between them, they laid the foundations for changing the culture

of the NHS. Nearly 1,200 people have received

New Year Honours, including more than sixty here in the Midlands.

They include two women with football a dominant feature in their lives.

Here's Cath Mackie. Alison O'Connell has spent years on cold, windy

touchlines ` spurring on generations of youngsters in Birmingham. She's

raised thousands of pounds for sports projects and life skills

courses. Her reward, an MBE for services to the voluntary sector.

It's great for the local people. It's not just an award for me. It's

a credit to the people involved over the years. From the touchline to the

boardroom, Karren Brady ` the former Birmingham City Managing Director `

said she was proud to become a CBE. Very priveleged and very proud,

particularly to be recognised for the work I've done for other women

in business. Ann Jones the 1969 Wimbledon Champion from birmingham

also becomes a CBE for services to tennis. `` Birmingham. Elsewhere,

the Mid Worcestershire Conservative MP Peter Luff gets a knighthood for

political and public service. It was, he said, an honour he shared

with his constituents. For the man dubbed "Mr Coventry", Joe Elliott,

it's an MBE for services to museums. And it's an OBE for the leader of

Coventry City Council Ann Lucas. Like many recipients, Carol

Pemberton ` the music director for Black Voices ` said her MBE for

services to music was humbling. Totally unexpected but greatfully

received. With honours for more than 60 people across the West Midlands,

the New Year celebrations will be extra special for many families. And

you'll find more details on the Honours recipients from the West

Midlands on our Facebook page. Football, and 2013 has been a year

to forget for the Midlands' three Premier League teams. Two of them

sacked a manager and not one of them is safe from the relegation battle.

So is there any cause for optimism? Nick Clitheroe reports. There have

been many more downs than ups for the supporters of Aston Villa, Stoke

City and West Bromwich Albion in 2013. All three will see in the New

Year in the bottom half of the Premier League and will be

desperately hoping for a better 2014. Statistics show that both

Stoke and Albion were among the worst performing league clubs in

England in the last 12 months ` winning less than a point per game

in 2013. That cost Tony Pulis his job at Stoke and Steve Clarke his

post at the Hawthorns ` where they're still searching for a

permanent replacement. For me it's been a tough two weeks. A real

examination. We've come through a difficult period. The players have

responded positively. Aston Villa fans can hardly be complacent. They

only won just over a point per game in 2013 and that figure drops

significantly for home matches. Manager Paul Lambert says he's only

18 months into a project to rebuild the club on a sustainable basis, but

how long will that project take? How long I'm given. That's the bottom

line. I don't think you need to be... Nothing's certain in football.

But in football, hope always springs eternal and fans of all three clubs

will turn up again tomorrow believing 2014 will finally be their

year. The weather forecast now with

Shefali Oza, and Shefali I guess it's more rain again? It's not

looking good. Shefali Oza, and Shefali I guess

it's more rain again? It's not We're being battered and bruised by rain.

Low pressure developing in the Atlantic. The two days to take note

of are tomorrow and Friday. Tonight it will be wet and windy. Quiet now,

but winds whipping up later. The north of the region may get off

lightly. Heaviest showers at the stroke of midnight unfortunately!

Winds picking up and a vile start to the new year. We've got warnings out

for an inch of rain. Gusts of 40 to 50 miles per hour. The rain is still

going through tomorrow evening. The whole lot will clear by Thursday. A

few showers then. Friday wet and windy. Thanks. Goodbye for now.

Good evening. It looks like mother nature may provide her own

pyrotechnics in the run-up to bid night tonight. We have some heavy

showers in western parts, starting to ease a bit across Scotland and

Northern Ireland. But the showers further south are heavier, with some

flashes of lightning as they move eastwards. They do get a bit more

hit and miss as we head towards midnight, but a greater chance of

getting wet in the south as we move into 2014. Cardiff and London could

see heavy downpours. Further north, you could be greeting the New Year

on