Worcester Warriors, the Citizens Advice Bureau, University of Worcester and the City Council have all taken part in the first local meeting of the Dementia Action Alliance.

The alliance plans to make the city a friendlier place for people who are living with dementia.

Worcester Warriors will be holding some dementia-friendly fixtures in the New Year, external.

Image source, Worcester Warriors

The club is also hoping to identify people who are experiencing the onset of dementia at a younger age who would be interested in participating in mixed-ability rugby games.

A Dementia Bus will be present outside Sixways on some match days, providing advice and support to people living with dementia and their families.

Approximately 1,131 people in Worcester and 8,636 people across the county have been diagnosed as having dementia, the city council says.  These figures are expected to increase to 1,725 and 14,475 by 2030.

Kidderminster Shuttle

Campaigners who took part in a placard waving protest outside Kidderminster Train Station against rising rail fare costs have said they are pleased with the support they received, external.  

A new plan for Redditch will go before councillors for approval after two years of public examination by the government, external.

Redditch Borough Council says the plan will go before the executive committee on 17 January before the full council votes on its adoption on 30 January.

Charlie Slater
BBC Weather presenter

It will be a fine but cold day with light winds and plenty of winter sunshine - highs of 2C (36F).

You can read a full forecast on the the BBC Weather page.    

BBC Hereford and Worcester

Three men have been attacked outside Shrub Hill station in Worcester, with two of them needing hospital treatment, police say.

West Mercia Police say the men, who are in their 20s, 30s and 50s, were assaulted shortly before 23:00 on New Year's Eve.

A 16-year-old and two 18-year-olds have been arrested on suspicion of racially or religiously aggravated assault occasioning actual bodily harm. They've been bailed until 1 February.

Image source, Google

BBC Hereford and Worcester

Here are some of the stories we are looking at this afternoon:

- A taxi driver has been injured in a suspected racial attack in Worcester

- Bid to make Worcester a more "dementia friendly" city

- Lack of volunteers threatens the future of village halls

An organisation representing rural communities says village halls in Herefordshire and Worcestershire could disappear because they're running out of volunteers. 

Action with Communities in Rural England warns the thousands of older people running Britain's village halls are not being replaced by the next generation.

Worcester News

Council chiefs have defended new rules on busking in Worcester - insisting they have no intention of driving performers out, external.  

Tim Race
Producer, BBC Hereford & Worcester

I took these pictures on my walk to work across the racecourse in Worcester, and yes, it was cold.

You can read a full forecast on the the BBC Weather page.    

Bromsgrove Advertiser

Bromsgrove motorists have a higher driving test success rate than the national average, external, while the town’s male drivers are more likely to pass than women.  

Some 800 tonnes of hay have gone up in fire in a blaze at a farm in Madley, Herefordshire.

In all, seven crews from Hereford, Eardisley, Leominster, Fownhope, Ewyas harold, Bromyard and Peterchurch were sent to the scene from 23:13 last night.

The fire service says the operation has now been "scaled down" to one appliance.

Elliott Webb
Breakfast presenter, BBC Hereford & Worcester

I took a nostalgic final look around Worcester's old swimming pool in Sansome Walk before it is demolished. 

A new pool has been built at Perdiswell Leisure Centre.

Members of the Leominster Morris take part in a torch-lit wassailing ceremony ahead of Twelfth Night.

BBC Hereford and Worcester

Here are some of the stories we are looking at this morning:

- Friends of a Herefordshire man left in a coma after an accident in Peru struggle to find him an NHS hospital

- Warning that more volunteers are needed to keep village halls open

- Leading organisations meet to make Worcester a more "dementia friendly" city

Don't leave your car running while you wait for the windscreen to defrost unless you're sitting in it, is the warning from the Central Motorways Police Group.

A Herefordshire woman says she's having to fight to get a friend who was seriously injured when he fell from a roof in Peru last year admitted into an NHS hospital. 

Will Welch, 55, (pictured) had been working abroad for more than five years - before that he lived in Herefordshire and is currently registered as a British citizen. 

Image source, Friends

Mya Marchington says she thinks NHS hospitals don't want to take him because he's been out of the UK for so long.

BBC Weather Watchers

The freezing temperatures didn't stop these BBC Weather Watchers getting some great early morning shots.

Scottie took his in Kinnesley and Mikesnapper braved the cold in Lower Broadheath.

Image source, Scottie

Image source, Mikesnapper

Worcester News

A taxi driver has told of his horror at being attacked by a gang of youths in an alleged race attack, external. 

The man responsible for highways in Worcestershire says his teams are working hard to keep the roads safe as the temperatures drop.

Lows of -7C (19F) were reported in parts of Herefordshire and Worcestershire last night, with temperatures expected to drop to -4C (25F) tonight.

Image source, Getty Images

BBC Hereford and Worcester

Here are some of the main stories we are looking at in Herefordshire and Worcestershire:

- Friends of a Herefordshire man seriously injured falling from a roof in Peru struggle to get him admitted to an NHS hospital

- Threat to the future of village halls in Herefordshire and Worcestershire because they're running out of volunteers

- The boss of Worcestershire Highways says they're working hard to keep the roads safe as the temperatures drop