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Aldo Zilli's source of achievement

Chef Aldo Zilli is getting used to being mobbed – it comes with the celebrity territory. Read

Top acts lined up for Lichfield Festival

Peter Bacon looks forward to 10 days when the music world heads for Lichfield. Read

Brum's central library- should it stay or go?

Birmingham Central Library is far from a classic and it's time it was flattened, says Arts Editor Terry Grimley. Read

Always look on the dark side of life - the Birmingham Goth scene

What does it mean to be Goth? How How do you become one? Birmingham Goths tell their stories. Read

Catalina gets back on the road to recovery

Elite athlete Catalina Thiersen tells Alison Jones why she got back on her bike after nearly dying in an accident while out cycling. Read

Bringing a ray of hope to redeem lost souls

Jo Ind reports on Bringing Hope, the charity that organised the conference at which Pat Regan spoke. Read

Pat rekindles faith in fight to end gun and knife violence

On Friday the body of Pat Regan, who was killed earlier this month, will be laid to rest. Two Birmingham pastors tell Jo Ind how her work of bringing peace amidst the violence of the streets goes on. Read

Wolverhampton celebrates its heritage

Stefan Kucharczyk previews a month of cultural celebrations in Wolverhampton. Read

From guns to God – how Simeon found a change for good

This week the Government launched a campaign to deter young people from carrying knives. Simeon Clarke tells Jo Ind why he used one and why he laid it down. Read

Birmingham fashion students flying high

Alison Jones hears about the future of fashion as Birmingham City University designs students get ready for their final show. Read

John Craven faces the audience

For a man who is never more at home than when in front of a television camera, John Craven sounds more than a little apprehensive about his appearance at the BBC Summer Festival. Read

'Every man needs a shed'

Sheds clearly hold some strange fascination to thousands of people across the country. Amazon has more than 400 books on the subject. Read

A labour of love at Ragley Hall

One of the nation's great ancestral seats celebrates 50 years of being open to the public. Richard McComb pops above stairs to meet Lord and Lady Hertford. Read

It's hammer time with Philip Serrell

I've watched Philip Serrell on BBC’s Bargain Hunt, Flog It and other antiques programmes many times. He’s smart-suited and silver-haired with a warm, amiable smile and twinkling eyes. Read

Consall Hall gardens are William's pride and joy

Philippa Ashley meets 89-year-old William Podmore whose passion to create a beautiful garden from a former colliery site has taken half a century to realise. Read

Plumbers and princes pony up for an exhilarating ride

Polo has a reputation for being enjoyed by the upper crust or the filthy rich. But a new tournament is opening it up to all-comers. Alison Jones reports Read

Putting a time limit on abortion

Sam Wylie-Harris looks at the key issues surrounding the forthcoming vote on abortion and talks to those for and against a change in the law. Read

Life through a lens with Pogus Caesar

Photographer and film-maker Pogus Caesar eschews hi-tech gear in favour of capturing history on 35mm. Professor Roger Shannon profiles the visual artist as a major exhibition of his work is launched. Read

Watch the birdie with Rory McGrath

Few of his fellow ornithologists might agree with Rory McGrath's views on birdwatching. Read

Texas signs up Birmingham author Jim Crace

Birmingham novelist Jim Crace has joined Samuel Coleridge Taylor, D H Lawrence and Norman Mailer in having his archive acquired by the University of Texas. Read