12/06/2014 Midlands Today


12/06/2014

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cooler through the weekend, but the weather is looking pretty good

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Hello and welcome to Midlands Today. The headlines tonight:

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Helping Harry Help Others ` the charity dedicated to the melory of

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Harry Moseley gives a children's cancer unit a ?78,000 boost.

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Mind the gap ` apprenticeshhps have trebled in over the last ten years,

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so why are employers worried about a shortage of skills in our region?

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Not just about England, our Premier League players `re

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flying the flags for multiple nations in the World Cup.

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A bumper crop of strawberrids, thanks to one

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For us to have four players from four different continents in the

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World Cup is a source of prhde. Will we be able to pull it out of the bag

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tomorrow and at the weekend? You will hear all about it later.

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The mother of Harry Moseley, the young Birmingham boy who raised

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hundreds of thousands of potnds for charity as he battled

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a brain tumour, has given a cancer unit appeal a ?78,000 boost.

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Harry earned the title "Britain's kindest kid" before his

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death in October 2011 as he became famous for makhng

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Since his death, his mum Georgie has set up ` charity

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shop and a family centre at a local hospice, in Harry's memory.

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And this afternoon she handdd over the cash to help young people

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like Harry having treatment in his home city.

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He was important because he was ill and he made loads of braceldts and

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made loads of money even though he had cancer.

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They don't have as long a lhfe as us because they don't `` because they

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have cancer. Harry raised thousands of pounds for cancer research. A

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charity set up in his name `s `` has recently funded a room at this

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hospice. This is the Harry Loseley centre which we were honourdd to be

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able to support and give ?300,0 0 to help them create a home frol home

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environment where families can be together in a time of need during

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the final stages. The charity is helping out with another big`money

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project. A cheque for ?78,000. Help Harry Help Others is teaming up with

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the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. We are the largest unit outside London and

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if we weren't able to work with partners like this charity we

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wouldn't be able to help thd number that we want to or need to.

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Some children have their radiotherapy in here but thdir

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parents have to stay in the waiting room. There is nowhere Priv`te for

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them to go. However, they whll soon have their own dedicated room where

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they will be able to take thme out, tacked to the medics and it is the

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charity that will fund this. The hospital is even giving up hts old

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archive room and turning it into a treatment area. Back at Harry's

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headquarters, his face beams. Always smiling.

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Coming up later: Frozen veg with a difference, the University seed bank

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which is securing the futurd of the nation's vegetables.

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The number of young people on apprenticeships in the West Midlands

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has trebled in the last dec`de, according to government figtres

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Across the region, there ard now more than 60,000 apprentices,

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but despite that increase, dmployers are increasingly worried about

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In some areas it's so acute there's concern it could hold back growth.

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Here's our business correspondent, Peter Plisner.

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High`tech manufacturing in South Birmingham. This company makes

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automated production equipmdnt. They have seen growth of 25% in the last

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few years and they want to double their size within three years.

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According to its managing dhrector, finding people with the right skills

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isn't easy though. It is extremely difficult in our business as there

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is only a limited pool of qtalified engineers in the marketplacd because

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there are similar companies to us accelerating their growth as well at

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this time. Part of the answer our apprdntices.

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Jake started here last year and is already acquiring valuable new

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skills. It is an expensive decision though and in the past we h`ve taken

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trainees and graduates and we have formulated that now into school

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leavers. Record numbers of new apprentices has meant the nded of a

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new training centre which h`s been set up by the EEF. Jake and others

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come here for the formal part of their training. We are the dmployers

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organisation so we are employer driven and owned and we pride

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ourselves on being responsive to the needs of our employers. That is

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where we gain as we underst`nd their needs and we understand enghneering

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and pride ourselves that we understand apprentices. This has

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cost more than ?3 million to set up and trains in a variety of

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disciplines. Here, apprentices are shown how to use lathes and over

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there is the latest technology, machines that make components

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controlled by computer will stop for people like Jake it is a grdat

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learning experience. I am ldarning whilst on learning. I would probably

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have gone to university and have had massive debt. The increasing number

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of apprentices is already hdlping to bridge the so`called skills gap but

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it is only part of the solution The Business Secretary has been in

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Staffordshire today looking at the way one of the region 's biggest

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employers has been ensuring they have a skilled workforce to deal

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with manufacturing in the ftture. The Business Secretary met the

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business brains of the future. This is the JCB Academy. It is the UK's

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first academy dedicated to developing the skills of engineers

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and entrepreneurs between 14 and 19. Later, at the headquartdrs,

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Doctor cable discussed the importance of doing more to tackle

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the skills shortage seen in some industries. More needs to bd done

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because I want the recovery to be sustained and concentrated on

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manufacturing and exports which will keep the economy going and we need

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trained people to do that. Apprentices had been educatdd here

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and are now amongst the first to graduate and work full`time to ``

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for JCB. It prepared me for being in the working environment bec`use it

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was so hands on. We were also treated as young adults as we were

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in the workplace are ready. The skills relate to what I am doing now

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as I have to run through projects in design. Run them into production.

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JCB's chairman delivered his maiden speech in the House of Lords this

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week. It takes time. I would be very keen and I mentioned it to dogs came

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bowl `` Doctor cable and I would to any politician, industry nedds a

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long`term strategy and educ`tion should be part of that. The ambition

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to improve skills is reflected in investment in apprenticeships but

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all sides agree much more ndeds to be done.

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There are just a few hours to go until the World Cup

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More than 100 players from the Premier League will be hoping

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it's their country who'll bd lifting the trophy in a month's timd.

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Fans of Stoke City have plenty of teams to cheer with four

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of their stars representing four different nations.

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Goalkeeper Asmir Begovic is already a hero to Stoke City supporters

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after a string of fine performances in the Premier League.

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But he's also one of the biggest stars

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They've brought joy to a nation after qualifying for the World Cup

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It will be very special for myself and the whole family. It has been a

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lifelong dream of mine so to achieve it is great. We want to achheve

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something at the World Cup. Hopefully we can be positivd and

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achieved something. Wilson Palacios is in the Honduras squad for the

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tournament whilst the American team features Geoff Cameron in ddfence.

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And striker Odemwingie will come up against Begovic in their group. We

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are in a global league which means players that we attract our global

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superstars. For us to have four players from four different

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continents playing in the World Cup is a source of great pride. I am

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pleased and proud. Shawcross ought to have been there though. Begovic

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is one of the best in the Premier League. It is great for our club.

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Very proud. They are also ilmensely proud that players like Begovic will

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be carrying their name to the World Cup.

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A World Cup party organised by BBC WM is taking place now

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in Birmingham City Centre, `nd Ben Sidwell is there for us now

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Ben, who needs Copacobana bdach in Rio

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Absolutely. The excitement hs greater in Brazil, I suspect. Plenty

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of England fans are making their way over to the World Cup, incltding a

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number from right here in the Midlands.

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Wherever Robin Evans goes hhs England flag is never far bdhind. It

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has travelled around Europe, Miami and is now heading for the big one

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in Brazil. I can't wait. It is once in a lifetime. The one everxone

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wants to go to, in Brazil. Fingers crossed we will do well. With

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hundreds of flags making thdir trip to Brazil, the competition for pride

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of place will almost be as competitive as the game on the

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pitch. Quite a lot of peopld turn up and there is argy`bargy to try and

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get there first and get the best place. A friend of mine is Dnglish

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as well. In Detroit, Glen from Sutton Coldfield has been dhsplaying

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his new `` his England flag, to the bewilderment of many Americ`ns.

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There is not much of their height in the United States so I really had to

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come back home for it or go to Brazil and watch it there.

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Back at Stoke City, a permanent tribute to one of the club `nd

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countries legends who has fond memories of Brazil. Playing them,

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anyhow! When you think all the great saves goalkeepers have made and for

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people to remember this one... It is something very, very special. Robin

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and Glen and their flags will hope their World Cup memories ard just as

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special. Robin has completed a 48 hotr treat

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and has arrived in Brazil. Glenn is due to get there on Wednesd`y but

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the question is, how will England do? Former Coventry and Aston Villa

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midfielder, and what do you think? I think they will do better than most

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people think. They will get out of their group. It will be a vdry good

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competition for us. We never do well in South America historically. Can

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we cope with the weather? That is the problem. It will be eight have

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game for us and for Italy bdcause humidity is a problem. If wd can get

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out of that game OK and then I am confident we can do well ag`inst

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Uruguay and Costa Rica. With our exciting young talent, it is quite

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exciting. For the first timd, no one expects anything and we might be

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surprised. Is it a good thing that there is almost an apathy? The

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atmosphere is building. Tomorrow night, and kick`off, the whole

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nation will be right behind the country and if we get off to a great

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start it will build and mount as the competition goes forward. The

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atmosphere is building. Everything is fantastic. The Brazilians tonight

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are opening the tournament `nd they are very colourful. If we c`n

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surprise a view and progress into the tournament you never know. We

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may do better than everyone thinks. Who will win? Brazil!

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The University of Warwick h`s been tasked with securing the future

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The government is funding a project to save the seeds of rare and wild

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The aim is to preserve DNA that could help solve

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Our science correspondent, David Gregory`Kumar, spent the day

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This is a great store of gi`nt `` genetic diversity we can usd to

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breed into crop varieties in the future. If there is less water in

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the future there might be useful drought resistant genes in ` wild

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lettuce stored here. The sedd bank is a living thing and the sdeds need

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to be regenerated and grown into plants from which new seed hs

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gathered. Seed can only be stored for so long and in order to store in

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long`term it needs to be tested for viability. Periodically, depending

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on the crop type, crops are taken out and they will be regenerated. An

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important part of this is these fellows. Maggots are import`nt

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because some of the vegetables will need to be pollinated by flhes. Take

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these and turn them into flhes and they do the hard work for you.

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Carrots, and lettuce, turnips and more. These 14,000 seeds lock and

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key are a vital insurance against all sorts of threats from drought to

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pest and disease. If we didn't have this then you couldn't do that.

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These are equally if not more important for future breeding

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activities. They don't tastd as good? No. Some of our rarest

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vegetables kept alive so th`t people in the UK can keep on eating our

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greens. Our top story: The charity dedicated

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to the memory of Harry Mosldy gives a children's cancer unit a 78 `` 70

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?8,000 boost. Woman`macro whll report from Herefordshire as

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strawberry growers expect a bumper crop.

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British strawberry growers predict a highly successful crop thanks to the

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wet and mild winter. More than 51,000 tonnes of the fruit `re

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expected to be picked at Brhtish farms this summer. We met a

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strawberry grower from Herefordshire.

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Looking for strawberries thhs summer than Herefordshire is your place.

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Here they expect a bumper crop right before the kick `` picking. We have

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just come out of the wettest winter for years and we have had a mild

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swing `` spring with good lhght levels and we have been abld to

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strike the strawberry crop three weeks earlier than normal. There

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will be strawberries available for the next six months which is really

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encouraging. The county produces 20% of this country is soft fruht and

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this business is one of its biggest contributors with a turnover of 1000

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tonnes of strawberries annu`lly While the weather may have played

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its part, it can often play havoc and without modern farming lethods,

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there might not be a thriving soft fruit industry. Water is a big issue

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and we have been able to save it in these structures and recycld it

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These poly tunnels and tabld top planting systems have protected the

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crops. Also investment in ndw varieties has meant it is now

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available out of season but still bursting with flavour. Less need for

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imports. When it comes to plant breeding, this succulent and scented

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fruit is judged on shape, shze, and aroma. This one is the queen of the

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crop and is a perfect heart`shaped. It is naturally sweet and h`s a

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distinctive and fresh aroma. And... It is so tasty. But it is also

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valuable to the local and n`tional economy. Horticulture in thhs region

:18:57.:19:03.

uses 3% of land to produce one fifth of the region 's agricultur`l output

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of which 110,000 tonnes is fruit and 870,000 tonnes of vegetables.

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British very sales alone have doubled in the past decade. That is

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why this gem is a nation 's little treasure, perhaps.

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Sutton Coldfield has this evening become only the fourth town

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in the country to be bestowdd with an official "Royal" title.

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Royal Sutton Coldfield is the region's second "royal" town.

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Royal Leamington Spa was gr`nted the patronage in 1838 by Queen Victoria.

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The announcement has just been made at Westminster.

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We wish to reassert something we claim never to have lost and which

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we have enjoyed down the centuries. That the Royal town of Sutton

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Coldfield bears this title hn perpetuity as clearly documdnted

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throughout our history. An historic moment. Kath, dhdn't the

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town already have a royal town of some sort?

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Well, it is Royal already. Henry VIII was the one who granted its

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Royal Charter. It has been largely forgotten no particularly as it has

:20:29.:20:33.

become part of Birmingham. Two years ago, the local paper launchdd a

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campaign to end this confushon once and for all and this afternoon they

:20:38.:20:41.

were busy putting together tomorrow's triumphant front`page. It

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will now be known as the Roxal Sutton Coldfield Observer. We asked

:20:48.:20:54.

people to prove that Sutton Coldfield is Royal and we got an

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avalanche of people sending in information about family hehrlooms

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and keepsakes and evidence of the Royal past of the town. Well, with

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me is Elizabeth Allison, thd chairman of the local civic society.

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Welcome to Royal Sutton Coldfield. How does that sound? It is great

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news and so many people herd will be delighted to it. May I pay tribute

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to the people who put in so much effort to achieve this end `nd not

:21:29.:21:33.

least our MP, Andrew Mitchell, and Marion Baxter who collated `ll the

:21:34.:21:38.

evidence and took it to London to present it. Why does it matter? It

:21:39.:21:44.

is certainly not snobbery btt people just believed it was their right as

:21:45.:21:51.

it was granted in the 16th century. It had been preserved in melory over

:21:52.:21:56.

the years. The civic societx played a small part in restoring the Royal

:21:57.:22:03.

town signs on certain occashons It is based on what people truly

:22:04.:22:09.

believed they were entitled to. A lot of support? Yes, a very popular

:22:10.:22:16.

campaign here. Thank you. All Royal Sutton Coldfield needs now hs a

:22:17.:22:20.

Royal visit and I imagine a letter is winging its way to the P`lace as

:22:21.:22:28.

we speak. Jeremy Houghton is an artist with a

:22:29.:22:34.

royal seal of approval. He hs now painting at Windsor Castle for the

:22:35.:22:39.

Queen but it is his links whth rural life in the Cotswolds which led him

:22:40.:22:43.

to explore the role of horsds in World War I.

:22:44.:22:52.

Horses have always played a role in Jeremy Houghton's life. Frol a boy

:22:53.:22:57.

growing up in Broadway to an artist who paints them today. But ht was

:22:58.:23:02.

his grandfather's photo collection that inspired his latest exhibition

:23:03.:23:06.

from the meadows of the Cotswolds to the fields of the Somme. It was a

:23:07.:23:12.

rule, equestrian village and horses were part of its way of lifd. They

:23:13.:23:19.

help recreate the story. It is a vivid relevant photo. Insidd this

:23:20.:23:28.

gallery of Broadway, the role of horses through the war is told

:23:29.:23:31.

through paintings. They looked like photo negatives. With this

:23:32.:23:37.

exhibition I have tried to still `` tell the story of life before,

:23:38.:23:43.

during and after the war. Prewar you have scenes like this. Yes, it is an

:23:44.:23:49.

important part of the narrative of the exhibition. You didn't have a

:23:50.:23:57.

say in the matter as horses were owned by the state. 1.2 million

:23:58.:24:04.

horses were used in the war, transporting artillery and len. Many

:24:05.:24:09.

started life in rural places. This could be a farming lead with horses

:24:10.:24:15.

who was ploughing the fields and then, because of the circumstances,

:24:16.:24:20.

they find themselves in the middle of the Somme stuck in the mod ``

:24:21.:24:26.

mode with bombs going around them. A really gritty, dark side to what was

:24:27.:24:33.

quite a miserable war. Todax, Jeremy shows hp through paintings of races,

:24:34.:24:39.

hunting and parades. 100 ye`rs ago, the same horsepower was being used

:24:40.:24:41.

in the war effort. It has been perfect weather to ripen

:24:42.:24:54.

strawberries. Any chance it will stay that way? Not as high `s it was

:24:55.:25:03.

a couple of days ago, Mary. Turning cloudier over the weekend btt

:25:04.:25:13.

otherwise pleasant. However, the pollen level is rocketing at the

:25:14.:25:17.

moment as the temperature rhses by a couple of degrees by tomorrow. As

:25:18.:25:23.

the high`pressure pulls awax to the Atlantic it allows a frontal system

:25:24.:25:30.

to push down from the North. This is what could produce the odd spot of

:25:31.:25:37.

rain. Nothing major. This evening and tonight, plenty of late sunshine

:25:38.:25:41.

and clearer skies as we head into the night. Cloud flitting in and out

:25:42.:25:46.

but it is dry and warm. Starting off with clear skids

:25:47.:26:04.

tomorrow morning so bags of sunshine. Through the day the cloud

:26:05.:26:09.

will start to thicken. The best part of the day is the morning, like

:26:10.:26:22.

today. Very nice temperaturds indeed! The cloud will edge in

:26:23.:26:27.

through the evening tomorrow and perhaps in the afternoon.

:26:28.:26:37.

That brings in a clutch of showers but they will be very light. Towards

:26:38.:26:44.

the tail end of tomorrow night it will be drier. Again, very warm To

:26:45.:26:53.

the weekend and it will be largely cloudy for Saturday. The odd spot of

:26:54.:27:01.

rain but temperatures not that high because of the cloud. Simil`r values

:27:02.:27:05.

on Sunday but there should be more sunshine then.

:27:06.:27:10.

The headlines, Iraqi forces launch air strikes against Islamist

:27:11.:27:18.

militants advancing on Baghdad. And the charity dedicated to thd memory

:27:19.:27:23.

of Harry Mosley gives a children's cancer unit a ?78,000 boost.

:27:24.:27:28.

The first elephant born at Westminster Midlands Safari Park has

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been named in honour of Cancer fundraiser Stephen Sutton. Stephen

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or Sutton were frontrunners in a competition to name the elephant.

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Stephen died last month and raised more than ?4 million. We hope you

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can join us later.

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