Birmingham Mail

A Year of Celebrations

JANUARY Jan 30-Feb 1 Mahayana. Buddhist New Year. This starts on the first full moon day in January in Mahayana (one of the two divisions of Buddhism along with Theravada) countries. Buddhist holidays usually involve a visit to the temple where food is offered to the monks and to hear a Dharma talk. The afternoon might consist of food being given to the poor, walking round the temple three times in honour of the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha), chanting and meditation. Jan 30 Tu B'Sheva...

A Year of Celebrations

FEBRUARY Feb 14 Chinese New Year. The Spring Festival, also called the Lunar New Year. It begins on the first day of the first month of the Chinese calendar and ends on the 15th day - the Lantern festival. Customs and traditions can vary. Houses are cleaned to sweep away ill fortune and make way for good luck. Windows and doors are decorated with red paper cut outs and couplets. Small gifts might be exchanged. On New Year's Eve families will sit down to a feast and end the evening with fire c...

A Year of Celebrations

Feb 15 Nirvana Day. Also known as Parinirvana, this is celebration of the Buddha's death after he achieved total Nirvana at the age of 80. Some Buddhists celebrate this on Feb 8. Feb 16/Feb 17 Shrove Tuesday. Known in America as Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday, in Britain it is more commonly called Pancake Day. It takes its name from the shriving (confessing and doing penance to obtain absolution) before Lent begins. Rich foods are consumed made with eggs, sugar and butter - like pancakes - to use ...

A Year of Celebrations

FEBRUARY Feb 28 Teng Chieh or Lantern Festival. This marks the first full moon of the year, the lengthening of days and the end of the celebration of Chinese New Year. Lanterns of different colours are hung up (except for white which is the colour of mourning). A popular activity is guessing the riddles stuck on the lanterns. Traditional foods include a sweet stuffed dumpling made with sticky rice flour that symbolises family unity, completeness and happiness. MARCH Mar 1 St David's Day. The ...

A Year of Celebrations

APRIL APR 8 Hana Matsuri. Flower festival celebrating Buddha Shakyamuni's birthday. APR 23 St George's Day. Feast day of the patron saint of England; whilst not celebrated as passionately as the equivalent days in Ireland, Wales and Scotland, its popularity has increased in recent years - not least due to a campaign to have it recognised as a new Bank Holiday.

A Year of Celebrations

APRIL APR 28 Therevanda New Year. Buddhist festival which starts on the first full moon day in April. MAY 27 Visakha Puja. An extremely important day in the Buddhist tradition; it is celebrated for three reasons - it represents the day on which Buddha was born, achieved enlightenment and attained nirvana. Buddhists celebrate with colour, decorate their homes with flowers and incense and attend temple for services and teachings.

A Year of Celebrations

JULY JUL 5 Birthday of Guru Hargobind. sixth of the 10 gurus of Sikhism. JUL 8 Lailat al Mi'raj. Important date on the Muslim calendar which celebrates the Prophet Muhammad's journey from Mecca to Jerusalem on the winged steed Buraq.

A Year of Celebrations

NOVEMBER NOV 16 Eid-al-Adha. Known as the Festival of Sacrifice or Greater Eid, this marks the end of Hajj, the holy pilgrimage to Mecca by thousands of Muslims. NOV 21 Birthday of Guru Nanak. Celebration of the birth of the first Sikh guru.

Brummies Help Save Our Planet

Farmers Look to Co-Exist with Nature

A FATHER and son team has launched a three-year project to plant hundreds of trees and hedges at a Midland farm. Roy and Rod Bartlett, who farm more than 700 acres of land around Shenstone, near Lichfield, plan to create more than 20 acres of woodland as well as planting hundreds of metres of hedgerows as part of a scheme to return farm land to nature.

Dangers of a Hotter Brum

BIRMINGHAM could end up hotter than Bali over the next century unless action is taken now, climate scientists have warned. Scientists for the Department of Energy and Climate change have said that temperatures in the West Midlands could rise by between two and 6.1 degrees centigrade by 2040 and by up to 10 degrees by 2080.

Garden Centre Site Set for a Makeover

A BROWNHILLS-based businessman is set to perform a Ground-Force style makeover to transform a horticultural hot spot. John Joslin, aged 49, will be revamping four acres of land to create a landscape gardening centre, craft area, swimming pool, creche and picnic and play area.

Professor to Advise the Government

A LEADING professor from Aston University will soon be advising the Government on green matters after being named the UK's Low Carbon Business Ambassador. Vice-Chancellor Julia King joins a select band of 24 business and education leaders appointed by the Prime Minister to promote excellence internationally.

Rock, Sand and Gravel Value Probe

A MIDLAND Wildlife Trust is to research the value of rock, sand and gravel sites in the Black Country, thanks to a substantial government grant. Birmingham and Black Country Wildlife Trust was awarded funds from Defra's Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund to support a project to discover the wildlife and biodiversity importance of local aggregate sites.

Baby Talk of Organic Clothing

A NEW organic and handmade baby clothing shop has opened in the Midlands thanks to support from a local council. Bel's Baby Boutique, in Solihull, sells a range of comfortable and ecofriendly baby clothing, including christening and communion outfits.

Agency in Fight to Halt Chase Disease

A BATTLE to save a Midland beauty spot from a devastating disease is stepping up a gear for the New Year. Ecologists on Cannock Chase are working with top national plant disease experts on a new front in the battle against the phytophthora infection, which is continuing to affect Staffordshire's internationally important heathland. The disease was first discovered on the Chase a year ago.

Fresh Food Straight to the Doorstep

STOCK up your kitchen and cut down on shopping trips. Riverford delivers award-winning organic food fresh from the farm straight to your door.

Healthy Help From Vegbox ; Editorial Feature in Association with Riverford Organic

THE Government and food industry should help everyone lighten their impact on the environment, a local organic food company has said. A new agricultural strategy to meet future food demands and the challenges of climate change has been welcomed by Riverford Organic.

Focus On Reduction Pledge

BUSINESSES are preparing to attend the 2010 Midlands Carbon Reduction Commitment Conference later this month. The event will help local companies and organisations learn more about the implications of the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC), which begins in April 2010.

Pounds 1bn Incinerator Takes Step Closer

CONTROVERSIAL plans for a new pounds 1 billion private finance initiative waste incinerator in the Midlands could be one step closer to reality after a shortlist was revealed of its potential contractors. Project Transform, a partnership between Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire Councils, plans to replace an outdated burner at Whitley with a new sub-regional waste incinerator to deal with the masses of waste officials say cannot be reused or recycled.