I asked people in Birmingham what they are giving up for lent & they had lots of different choices

Lent has begun, a Christian observance commemorating the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert leading up to Holy Week ahead of Easter Sunday - arguably the most important day in the Christian calendar and a day of indulgence and celebration for many of us regardless of faith.

Millions mark this period by giving up something they love or otherwise taking up something meaningful. I’m asking people in Birmingham which pleasures of theirs they feel they could spend less time indulging in.

And as fasting and sacrifice harbour discipline - what good is there in strengthening ourselves if we’re not giving back to others? So I also ask Brummies how they feel they could better give back to the world.

Tony says: “Well, it would be good if I gave up chocolate biscuits, because I love that - I tend to eat too much of that sometimes. So that’d be good. And I don’t drink much alcohol so that one’s sort of gone. I don’t smoke - I gave that up 25 years ago.

“But I think it’s always good to give something up, you know. Definitely, especially at a time of Lent and what it’s all about. You’ve got to give something up, like people who smoke - give up smoking for six weeks, it’ll do you the world of good and you’ll probably not go back and start smoking again.”

Des says: “It would just be usual really like everybody else. I suppose alcohol. I don’t drink a lot of alcohol, but it’s one of the pleasures I think I could give up. And maybe chocolate because I’m a chocoholic. Yeah, I do like a lot of chocolate.”

Lauren says: “Probably eating out meals, I do go out and eat quite a lot and spend quite a lot of money eating out meals. So probably that would be the one that I’d probably like to cut down a little bit.”

“No great indulgences. I don’t smoke. I do drink! I drink a bit of beer and I drink a bit of whiskey and I drink a bit of wine - probably more wine than I should. So possibly a bit of wine - I could cut back on that. I do like chocolate also, you know, I had a lot of chocolate for my Christmas presents. I haven’t quite finished that. But I don’t know whether I’m ready to give it up for Lent yet.”