:00:00. > :00:00.cooler through the weekend, but the weather is looking pretty good
:00:00. > :00:00.Hello and welcome to Midlands Today. The headlines tonight:
:00:00. > :00:08.Helping Harry Help Others ` the charity dedicated to the melory of
:00:09. > :00:10.Harry Moseley gives a children's cancer unit a ?78,000 boost.
:00:11. > :00:14.Mind the gap ` apprenticeshhps have trebled in over the last ten years,
:00:15. > :00:17.so why are employers worried about a shortage of skills in our region?
:00:18. > :00:19.Not just about England, our Premier League players `re
:00:20. > :00:22.flying the flags for multiple nations in the World Cup.
:00:23. > :00:23.A bumper crop of strawberrids, thanks to one
:00:24. > :00:54.For us to have four players from four different continents in the
:00:55. > :01:01.World Cup is a source of prhde. Will we be able to pull it out of the bag
:01:02. > :01:10.tomorrow and at the weekend? You will hear all about it later.
:01:11. > :01:13.The mother of Harry Moseley, the young Birmingham boy who raised
:01:14. > :01:15.hundreds of thousands of potnds for charity as he battled
:01:16. > :01:18.a brain tumour, has given a cancer unit appeal a ?78,000 boost.
:01:19. > :01:20.Harry earned the title "Britain's kindest kid" before his
:01:21. > :01:23.death in October 2011 as he became famous for makhng
:01:24. > :01:26.Since his death, his mum Georgie has set up ` charity
:01:27. > :01:29.shop and a family centre at a local hospice, in Harry's memory.
:01:30. > :01:32.And this afternoon she handdd over the cash to help young people
:01:33. > :01:34.like Harry having treatment in his home city.
:01:35. > :02:04.He was important because he was ill and he made loads of braceldts and
:02:05. > :02:10.made loads of money even though he had cancer.
:02:11. > :02:19.They don't have as long a lhfe as us because they don't `` because they
:02:20. > :02:26.have cancer. Harry raised thousands of pounds for cancer research. A
:02:27. > :02:33.charity set up in his name `s `` has recently funded a room at this
:02:34. > :02:38.hospice. This is the Harry Loseley centre which we were honourdd to be
:02:39. > :02:42.able to support and give ?300,0 0 to help them create a home frol home
:02:43. > :02:49.environment where families can be together in a time of need during
:02:50. > :02:56.the final stages. The charity is helping out with another big`money
:02:57. > :03:04.project. A cheque for ?78,000. Help Harry Help Others is teaming up with
:03:05. > :03:09.the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. We are the largest unit outside London and
:03:10. > :03:14.if we weren't able to work with partners like this charity we
:03:15. > :03:18.wouldn't be able to help thd number that we want to or need to.
:03:19. > :03:22.Some children have their radiotherapy in here but thdir
:03:23. > :03:28.parents have to stay in the waiting room. There is nowhere Priv`te for
:03:29. > :03:32.them to go. However, they whll soon have their own dedicated room where
:03:33. > :03:37.they will be able to take thme out, tacked to the medics and it is the
:03:38. > :03:41.charity that will fund this. The hospital is even giving up hts old
:03:42. > :03:46.archive room and turning it into a treatment area. Back at Harry's
:03:47. > :03:50.headquarters, his face beams. Always smiling.
:03:51. > :03:53.Coming up later: Frozen veg with a difference, the University seed bank
:03:54. > :04:03.which is securing the futurd of the nation's vegetables.
:04:04. > :04:06.The number of young people on apprenticeships in the West Midlands
:04:07. > :04:08.has trebled in the last dec`de, according to government figtres
:04:09. > :04:10.Across the region, there ard now more than 60,000 apprentices,
:04:11. > :04:13.but despite that increase, dmployers are increasingly worried about
:04:14. > :04:17.In some areas it's so acute there's concern it could hold back growth.
:04:18. > :04:28.Here's our business correspondent, Peter Plisner.
:04:29. > :04:34.High`tech manufacturing in South Birmingham. This company makes
:04:35. > :04:40.automated production equipmdnt. They have seen growth of 25% in the last
:04:41. > :04:43.few years and they want to double their size within three years.
:04:44. > :04:49.According to its managing dhrector, finding people with the right skills
:04:50. > :04:53.isn't easy though. It is extremely difficult in our business as there
:04:54. > :04:57.is only a limited pool of qtalified engineers in the marketplacd because
:04:58. > :05:00.there are similar companies to us accelerating their growth as well at
:05:01. > :05:07.this time. Part of the answer our apprdntices.
:05:08. > :05:12.Jake started here last year and is already acquiring valuable new
:05:13. > :05:17.skills. It is an expensive decision though and in the past we h`ve taken
:05:18. > :05:23.trainees and graduates and we have formulated that now into school
:05:24. > :05:27.leavers. Record numbers of new apprentices has meant the nded of a
:05:28. > :05:36.new training centre which h`s been set up by the EEF. Jake and others
:05:37. > :05:41.come here for the formal part of their training. We are the dmployers
:05:42. > :05:45.organisation so we are employer driven and owned and we pride
:05:46. > :05:49.ourselves on being responsive to the needs of our employers. That is
:05:50. > :05:53.where we gain as we underst`nd their needs and we understand enghneering
:05:54. > :06:00.and pride ourselves that we understand apprentices. This has
:06:01. > :06:05.cost more than ?3 million to set up and trains in a variety of
:06:06. > :06:09.disciplines. Here, apprentices are shown how to use lathes and over
:06:10. > :06:14.there is the latest technology, machines that make components
:06:15. > :06:19.controlled by computer will stop for people like Jake it is a grdat
:06:20. > :06:24.learning experience. I am ldarning whilst on learning. I would probably
:06:25. > :06:31.have gone to university and have had massive debt. The increasing number
:06:32. > :06:38.of apprentices is already hdlping to bridge the so`called skills gap but
:06:39. > :06:41.it is only part of the solution The Business Secretary has been in
:06:42. > :06:45.Staffordshire today looking at the way one of the region 's biggest
:06:46. > :06:51.employers has been ensuring they have a skilled workforce to deal
:06:52. > :06:56.with manufacturing in the ftture. The Business Secretary met the
:06:57. > :07:00.business brains of the future. This is the JCB Academy. It is the UK's
:07:01. > :07:07.first academy dedicated to developing the skills of engineers
:07:08. > :07:12.and entrepreneurs between 14 and 19. Later, at the headquartdrs,
:07:13. > :07:16.Doctor cable discussed the importance of doing more to tackle
:07:17. > :07:23.the skills shortage seen in some industries. More needs to bd done
:07:24. > :07:26.because I want the recovery to be sustained and concentrated on
:07:27. > :07:31.manufacturing and exports which will keep the economy going and we need
:07:32. > :07:34.trained people to do that. Apprentices had been educatdd here
:07:35. > :07:42.and are now amongst the first to graduate and work full`time to ``
:07:43. > :07:45.for JCB. It prepared me for being in the working environment bec`use it
:07:46. > :07:51.was so hands on. We were also treated as young adults as we were
:07:52. > :07:55.in the workplace are ready. The skills relate to what I am doing now
:07:56. > :08:02.as I have to run through projects in design. Run them into production.
:08:03. > :08:10.JCB's chairman delivered his maiden speech in the House of Lords this
:08:11. > :08:17.week. It takes time. I would be very keen and I mentioned it to dogs came
:08:18. > :08:20.bowl `` Doctor cable and I would to any politician, industry nedds a
:08:21. > :08:26.long`term strategy and educ`tion should be part of that. The ambition
:08:27. > :08:29.to improve skills is reflected in investment in apprenticeships but
:08:30. > :08:32.all sides agree much more ndeds to be done.
:08:33. > :08:35.There are just a few hours to go until the World Cup
:08:36. > :08:39.More than 100 players from the Premier League will be hoping
:08:40. > :08:42.it's their country who'll bd lifting the trophy in a month's timd.
:08:43. > :08:45.Fans of Stoke City have plenty of teams to cheer with four
:08:46. > :08:50.of their stars representing four different nations.
:08:51. > :08:52.Goalkeeper Asmir Begovic is already a hero to Stoke City supporters
:08:53. > :08:55.after a string of fine performances in the Premier League.
:08:56. > :08:57.But he's also one of the biggest stars
:08:58. > :09:01.They've brought joy to a nation after qualifying for the World Cup
:09:02. > :09:18.It will be very special for myself and the whole family. It has been a
:09:19. > :09:23.lifelong dream of mine so to achieve it is great. We want to achheve
:09:24. > :09:28.something at the World Cup. Hopefully we can be positivd and
:09:29. > :09:34.achieved something. Wilson Palacios is in the Honduras squad for the
:09:35. > :09:38.tournament whilst the American team features Geoff Cameron in ddfence.
:09:39. > :09:45.And striker Odemwingie will come up against Begovic in their group. We
:09:46. > :09:51.are in a global league which means players that we attract our global
:09:52. > :09:54.superstars. For us to have four players from four different
:09:55. > :10:02.continents playing in the World Cup is a source of great pride. I am
:10:03. > :10:08.pleased and proud. Shawcross ought to have been there though. Begovic
:10:09. > :10:17.is one of the best in the Premier League. It is great for our club.
:10:18. > :10:20.Very proud. They are also ilmensely proud that players like Begovic will
:10:21. > :10:24.be carrying their name to the World Cup.
:10:25. > :10:27.A World Cup party organised by BBC WM is taking place now
:10:28. > :10:30.in Birmingham City Centre, `nd Ben Sidwell is there for us now
:10:31. > :10:31.Ben, who needs Copacobana bdach in Rio
:10:32. > :10:50.Absolutely. The excitement hs greater in Brazil, I suspect. Plenty
:10:51. > :10:53.of England fans are making their way over to the World Cup, incltding a
:10:54. > :10:58.number from right here in the Midlands.
:10:59. > :11:03.Wherever Robin Evans goes hhs England flag is never far bdhind. It
:11:04. > :11:10.has travelled around Europe, Miami and is now heading for the big one
:11:11. > :11:14.in Brazil. I can't wait. It is once in a lifetime. The one everxone
:11:15. > :11:20.wants to go to, in Brazil. Fingers crossed we will do well. With
:11:21. > :11:23.hundreds of flags making thdir trip to Brazil, the competition for pride
:11:24. > :11:30.of place will almost be as competitive as the game on the
:11:31. > :11:32.pitch. Quite a lot of peopld turn up and there is argy`bargy to try and
:11:33. > :11:42.get there first and get the best place. A friend of mine is Dnglish
:11:43. > :11:49.as well. In Detroit, Glen from Sutton Coldfield has been dhsplaying
:11:50. > :11:52.his new `` his England flag, to the bewilderment of many Americ`ns.
:11:53. > :11:57.There is not much of their height in the United States so I really had to
:11:58. > :12:03.come back home for it or go to Brazil and watch it there.
:12:04. > :12:09.Back at Stoke City, a permanent tribute to one of the club `nd
:12:10. > :12:18.countries legends who has fond memories of Brazil. Playing them,
:12:19. > :12:23.anyhow! When you think all the great saves goalkeepers have made and for
:12:24. > :12:30.people to remember this one... It is something very, very special. Robin
:12:31. > :12:33.and Glen and their flags will hope their World Cup memories ard just as
:12:34. > :12:39.special. Robin has completed a 48 hotr treat
:12:40. > :12:44.and has arrived in Brazil. Glenn is due to get there on Wednesd`y but
:12:45. > :12:50.the question is, how will England do? Former Coventry and Aston Villa
:12:51. > :12:54.midfielder, and what do you think? I think they will do better than most
:12:55. > :13:00.people think. They will get out of their group. It will be a vdry good
:13:01. > :13:05.competition for us. We never do well in South America historically. Can
:13:06. > :13:11.we cope with the weather? That is the problem. It will be eight have
:13:12. > :13:17.game for us and for Italy bdcause humidity is a problem. If wd can get
:13:18. > :13:22.out of that game OK and then I am confident we can do well ag`inst
:13:23. > :13:26.Uruguay and Costa Rica. With our exciting young talent, it is quite
:13:27. > :13:32.exciting. For the first timd, no one expects anything and we might be
:13:33. > :13:38.surprised. Is it a good thing that there is almost an apathy? The
:13:39. > :13:41.atmosphere is building. Tomorrow night, and kick`off, the whole
:13:42. > :13:46.nation will be right behind the country and if we get off to a great
:13:47. > :13:51.start it will build and mount as the competition goes forward. The
:13:52. > :13:57.atmosphere is building. Everything is fantastic. The Brazilians tonight
:13:58. > :14:01.are opening the tournament `nd they are very colourful. If we c`n
:14:02. > :14:07.surprise a view and progress into the tournament you never know. We
:14:08. > :14:16.may do better than everyone thinks. Who will win? Brazil!
:14:17. > :14:18.The University of Warwick h`s been tasked with securing the future
:14:19. > :14:23.The government is funding a project to save the seeds of rare and wild
:14:24. > :14:27.The aim is to preserve DNA that could help solve
:14:28. > :14:29.Our science correspondent, David Gregory`Kumar, spent the day
:14:30. > :14:52.This is a great store of gi`nt `` genetic diversity we can usd to
:14:53. > :14:59.breed into crop varieties in the future. If there is less water in
:15:00. > :15:03.the future there might be useful drought resistant genes in ` wild
:15:04. > :15:07.lettuce stored here. The sedd bank is a living thing and the sdeds need
:15:08. > :15:13.to be regenerated and grown into plants from which new seed hs
:15:14. > :15:20.gathered. Seed can only be stored for so long and in order to store in
:15:21. > :15:26.long`term it needs to be tested for viability. Periodically, depending
:15:27. > :15:31.on the crop type, crops are taken out and they will be regenerated. An
:15:32. > :15:37.important part of this is these fellows. Maggots are import`nt
:15:38. > :15:41.because some of the vegetables will need to be pollinated by flhes. Take
:15:42. > :15:47.these and turn them into flhes and they do the hard work for you.
:15:48. > :15:53.Carrots, and lettuce, turnips and more. These 14,000 seeds lock and
:15:54. > :15:58.key are a vital insurance against all sorts of threats from drought to
:15:59. > :16:04.pest and disease. If we didn't have this then you couldn't do that.
:16:05. > :16:07.These are equally if not more important for future breeding
:16:08. > :16:14.activities. They don't tastd as good? No. Some of our rarest
:16:15. > :16:19.vegetables kept alive so th`t people in the UK can keep on eating our
:16:20. > :16:27.greens. Our top story: The charity dedicated
:16:28. > :16:33.to the memory of Harry Mosldy gives a children's cancer unit a 78 `` 70
:16:34. > :16:38.?8,000 boost. Woman`macro whll report from Herefordshire as
:16:39. > :16:47.strawberry growers expect a bumper crop.
:16:48. > :16:54.British strawberry growers predict a highly successful crop thanks to the
:16:55. > :16:57.wet and mild winter. More than 51,000 tonnes of the fruit `re
:16:58. > :17:03.expected to be picked at Brhtish farms this summer. We met a
:17:04. > :17:08.strawberry grower from Herefordshire.
:17:09. > :17:13.Looking for strawberries thhs summer than Herefordshire is your place.
:17:14. > :17:20.Here they expect a bumper crop right before the kick `` picking. We have
:17:21. > :17:24.just come out of the wettest winter for years and we have had a mild
:17:25. > :17:29.swing `` spring with good lhght levels and we have been abld to
:17:30. > :17:33.strike the strawberry crop three weeks earlier than normal. There
:17:34. > :17:39.will be strawberries available for the next six months which is really
:17:40. > :17:43.encouraging. The county produces 20% of this country is soft fruht and
:17:44. > :17:48.this business is one of its biggest contributors with a turnover of 1000
:17:49. > :17:54.tonnes of strawberries annu`lly While the weather may have played
:17:55. > :17:59.its part, it can often play havoc and without modern farming lethods,
:18:00. > :18:04.there might not be a thriving soft fruit industry. Water is a big issue
:18:05. > :18:11.and we have been able to save it in these structures and recycld it
:18:12. > :18:17.These poly tunnels and tabld top planting systems have protected the
:18:18. > :18:20.crops. Also investment in ndw varieties has meant it is now
:18:21. > :18:26.available out of season but still bursting with flavour. Less need for
:18:27. > :18:33.imports. When it comes to plant breeding, this succulent and scented
:18:34. > :18:42.fruit is judged on shape, shze, and aroma. This one is the queen of the
:18:43. > :18:48.crop and is a perfect heart`shaped. It is naturally sweet and h`s a
:18:49. > :18:56.distinctive and fresh aroma. And... It is so tasty. But it is also
:18:57. > :19:03.valuable to the local and n`tional economy. Horticulture in thhs region
:19:04. > :19:12.uses 3% of land to produce one fifth of the region 's agricultur`l output
:19:13. > :19:18.of which 110,000 tonnes is fruit and 870,000 tonnes of vegetables.
:19:19. > :19:28.British very sales alone have doubled in the past decade. That is
:19:29. > :19:31.why this gem is a nation 's little treasure, perhaps.
:19:32. > :19:33.Sutton Coldfield has this evening become only the fourth town
:19:34. > :19:36.in the country to be bestowdd with an official "Royal" title.
:19:37. > :19:38.Royal Sutton Coldfield is the region's second "royal" town.
:19:39. > :19:41.Royal Leamington Spa was gr`nted the patronage in 1838 by Queen Victoria.
:19:42. > :19:54.The announcement has just been made at Westminster.
:19:55. > :20:01.We wish to reassert something we claim never to have lost and which
:20:02. > :20:05.we have enjoyed down the centuries. That the Royal town of Sutton
:20:06. > :20:09.Coldfield bears this title hn perpetuity as clearly documdnted
:20:10. > :20:16.throughout our history. An historic moment. Kath, dhdn't the
:20:17. > :20:23.town already have a royal town of some sort?
:20:24. > :20:28.Well, it is Royal already. Henry VIII was the one who granted its
:20:29. > :20:33.Royal Charter. It has been largely forgotten no particularly as it has
:20:34. > :20:37.become part of Birmingham. Two years ago, the local paper launchdd a
:20:38. > :20:41.campaign to end this confushon once and for all and this afternoon they
:20:42. > :20:47.were busy putting together tomorrow's triumphant front`page. It
:20:48. > :20:54.will now be known as the Roxal Sutton Coldfield Observer. We asked
:20:55. > :20:59.people to prove that Sutton Coldfield is Royal and we got an
:21:00. > :21:03.avalanche of people sending in information about family hehrlooms
:21:04. > :21:11.and keepsakes and evidence of the Royal past of the town. Well, with
:21:12. > :21:17.me is Elizabeth Allison, thd chairman of the local civic society.
:21:18. > :21:22.Welcome to Royal Sutton Coldfield. How does that sound? It is great
:21:23. > :21:28.news and so many people herd will be delighted to it. May I pay tribute
:21:29. > :21:33.to the people who put in so much effort to achieve this end `nd not
:21:34. > :21:38.least our MP, Andrew Mitchell, and Marion Baxter who collated `ll the
:21:39. > :21:44.evidence and took it to London to present it. Why does it matter? It
:21:45. > :21:51.is certainly not snobbery btt people just believed it was their right as
:21:52. > :21:56.it was granted in the 16th century. It had been preserved in melory over
:21:57. > :22:03.the years. The civic societx played a small part in restoring the Royal
:22:04. > :22:09.town signs on certain occashons It is based on what people truly
:22:10. > :22:16.believed they were entitled to. A lot of support? Yes, a very popular
:22:17. > :22:20.campaign here. Thank you. All Royal Sutton Coldfield needs now hs a
:22:21. > :22:28.Royal visit and I imagine a letter is winging its way to the P`lace as
:22:29. > :22:34.we speak. Jeremy Houghton is an artist with a
:22:35. > :22:39.royal seal of approval. He hs now painting at Windsor Castle for the
:22:40. > :22:43.Queen but it is his links whth rural life in the Cotswolds which led him
:22:44. > :22:52.to explore the role of horsds in World War I.
:22:53. > :22:57.Horses have always played a role in Jeremy Houghton's life. Frol a boy
:22:58. > :23:02.growing up in Broadway to an artist who paints them today. But ht was
:23:03. > :23:06.his grandfather's photo collection that inspired his latest exhibition
:23:07. > :23:12.from the meadows of the Cotswolds to the fields of the Somme. It was a
:23:13. > :23:19.rule, equestrian village and horses were part of its way of lifd. They
:23:20. > :23:28.help recreate the story. It is a vivid relevant photo. Insidd this
:23:29. > :23:31.gallery of Broadway, the role of horses through the war is told
:23:32. > :23:37.through paintings. They looked like photo negatives. With this
:23:38. > :23:43.exhibition I have tried to still `` tell the story of life before,
:23:44. > :23:49.during and after the war. Prewar you have scenes like this. Yes, it is an
:23:50. > :23:57.important part of the narrative of the exhibition. You didn't have a
:23:58. > :24:04.say in the matter as horses were owned by the state. 1.2 million
:24:05. > :24:09.horses were used in the war, transporting artillery and len. Many
:24:10. > :24:15.started life in rural places. This could be a farming lead with horses
:24:16. > :24:20.who was ploughing the fields and then, because of the circumstances,
:24:21. > :24:26.they find themselves in the middle of the Somme stuck in the mod ``
:24:27. > :24:33.mode with bombs going around them. A really gritty, dark side to what was
:24:34. > :24:39.quite a miserable war. Todax, Jeremy shows hp through paintings of races,
:24:40. > :24:41.hunting and parades. 100 ye`rs ago, the same horsepower was being used
:24:42. > :24:54.in the war effort. It has been perfect weather to ripen
:24:55. > :25:03.strawberries. Any chance it will stay that way? Not as high `s it was
:25:04. > :25:13.a couple of days ago, Mary. Turning cloudier over the weekend btt
:25:14. > :25:17.otherwise pleasant. However, the pollen level is rocketing at the
:25:18. > :25:23.moment as the temperature rhses by a couple of degrees by tomorrow. As
:25:24. > :25:30.the high`pressure pulls awax to the Atlantic it allows a frontal system
:25:31. > :25:37.to push down from the North. This is what could produce the odd spot of
:25:38. > :25:41.rain. Nothing major. This evening and tonight, plenty of late sunshine
:25:42. > :25:46.and clearer skies as we head into the night. Cloud flitting in and out
:25:47. > :26:04.but it is dry and warm. Starting off with clear skids
:26:05. > :26:09.tomorrow morning so bags of sunshine. Through the day the cloud
:26:10. > :26:22.will start to thicken. The best part of the day is the morning, like
:26:23. > :26:27.today. Very nice temperaturds indeed! The cloud will edge in
:26:28. > :26:37.through the evening tomorrow and perhaps in the afternoon.
:26:38. > :26:44.That brings in a clutch of showers but they will be very light. Towards
:26:45. > :26:53.the tail end of tomorrow night it will be drier. Again, very warm To
:26:54. > :27:01.the weekend and it will be largely cloudy for Saturday. The odd spot of
:27:02. > :27:05.rain but temperatures not that high because of the cloud. Simil`r values
:27:06. > :27:10.on Sunday but there should be more sunshine then.
:27:11. > :27:18.The headlines, Iraqi forces launch air strikes against Islamist
:27:19. > :27:23.militants advancing on Baghdad. And the charity dedicated to thd memory
:27:24. > :27:28.of Harry Mosley gives a children's cancer unit a ?78,000 boost.
:27:29. > :27:33.The first elephant born at Westminster Midlands Safari Park has
:27:34. > :27:39.been named in honour of Cancer fundraiser Stephen Sutton. Stephen
:27:40. > :27:43.or Sutton were frontrunners in a competition to name the elephant.
:27:44. > :27:45.Stephen died last month and raised more than ?4 million. We hope you
:27:46. > :27:48.can join us later.