Former England netball captain and proud Brummie, Ama Agbeze doesn’t stand still. She has media work, non-exec director and trustee roles as well as her work as a solicitor and motivational speaker. While rewarding, none comes close to the Commonwealth Games gold medal win in 2018, which she’ll be reliving when she’s 90 If you didn’t watch the 2018 Commonwealth Games final in which England triumphed over Australia, what the heck were you doing? It was tear-jerking, pride-inducing, an epic match and sporting moment that will go down in history. England captained by Ama Agbeze were brave and bri ..read more

We caught up with the clever people at the Orchestra of the Swan and found an uncompromising force for good committed not only to performing great music, but creating adventurous original work, pushing boundaries and championing the therapeutic power of music for all. A brilliant orchestra? Yes, that’s a given but the Orchestra of the Swan is so much more. In addition to supporting local community projects, they’re also selling out venues, climbing the Classical Music charts and enjoying radio play on 6 Music and Radio 3, not to mention over 10 million digital streams globally. CORE VALUES Fou ..read more

The chef patron at the Michelin-starred Royal Oak in Whatcote, Richard Craven, reveals why a strawberry trifle holds a special place in his life, while smoked kippers have the opposite effect Tell us about your cooking My cooking is totally inspired by my surroundings, I like to call it proper country food. We work really closely with our community of local farmers and estate owners and the menu is written around the best that each season has to offer – be that wild fallow shot a mile from the front door and skinned by my apprentice, or squirrel to help a local estate manage their woodland, wo ..read more

This cracking cocktail from the magic mixologists at the Sky Bar & Restaurant is based on the classic super smooth, gin based White Lady, as developed by the bartending legend Harry Craddock that features in the ‘The Savoy Cocktail Book’. This version is vibrant blue with an elegant shimmer. At its heart there’s a dry touch from the gin coupled with a delicate and perfectly complementary sweet orange and lemon flavour. This is the way gin is supposed to be drunk! INGREDIENTS: 60ml Tanqueray gin 25ml Blue curacao 50ml Aquafaba 25ml Lemon juice 15ml Sugar syrup 3 Saline drops (more accurate ..read more

Sadly, it’s not the norm to go out for lunch on a wet Wednesday in Birmingham and be greeted by a full, lively restaurant. Pleasingly it turns out San Carlo hadn’t got the memo. We arrived to a joyful hubbub, lots of chatter and much laughter. Kicking off with the customary glass of prosecco – when in Rome and all that – we nibbled a bowl of plump green olives and a basket of Italian bread with a tangy sundried tomato paste and a rich olive tapenade. A nice start. There are some dishes new for summer (ha), one of which blew our socks off – carpaccio of tuna. Wafer thin sashimi grade tuna ..read more

Husband and wife team, Juree and Torquil Chidwick, had a dream 20 years ago as university graduates to bring authentic Thai cuisine to the Midlands. They’ve achieved that – and some – with Sabai Sabai and their five award-winning restaurants Sabai Sabai Restaurant recently celebrated its 20th anniversary, marking two decades of serving authentic Thai cuisine and service in the Midlands. The faces behind Sabai Sabai – which means ‘chill and relax’ – are owners Juree and Torquil Chidwick, the husband and wife team who first opened in Moseley back in 2004 and who now have an impressive five resta ..read more

We know that it’s a topic we’ve touched on before, but after a skin cancer scare close to home at Brum Towers, it’s a reminder that we all need to be super careful before venturing out into the sun… Millions of Brits jet off to foreign holiday hotspots every year and it also looks we’re heading for a gorgeous summer here too – but health experts warn the UK sun can be just as dangerous as relaxing in more exotic climes. It’s a message that’s oft repeated but rightly so – unless you give your skin the correct protection you are storing up potentially deadly consequences. Sunburn increases your ..read more

Move over spring, summer is on the way! And Adam Kirtland is here to help you make the best summer garden you’ve ever had I’ve talked before in the past about those pesky awkward months of the year that we’re in right now – it’s the end of spring, the bulbs are fading and disappearing for another year, but summer isn’t quite here just yet. But it’s not all that far away at all and with a little time, some muddy fingers, and a trip to the garden centre, you too could have the best summer garden you’ve ever had. Thankfully, I’ve got three top jobs to keep you busy in your garden, which will take ..read more

TV chef Matt Tebbut serves up a winner with the best of British as the centrepiece The British version of asparagus is absolutely the best on the planet but it’s a pretty short season and only available from May to July, so don’t delay. Not only does it taste awesome, but it’s also jam-packed with high levels of vitamins A and C, potassium, iron and calcium. When cooking, simplicity is the key, so why not try this lovely little recipe from celebrity chef Matt Tebbut. Top tip: We’re sure you already know this, but remember to prepare asparagus simply snap off the woody ends wherever they natura ..read more

The head of grounds at Edgbaston Priory Club, John Lawrence and his team are getting ready for a busy month as the world’s top tennis stars get set to play on the grass courts BEEN THERE, DONE THAT I began working at the Nottingham Tennis Centre, initially as a casual member of staff. That got my foot in the door, and then I had the chance to do some grounds work in my first summer during the Nottingham Open tennis event. Aged 24 I made the move to Birmingham to take up the role of assistant grounds manager at Edgbaston Priory Club. I held that role for nearly 10 years before becoming head of ..read more