The ‘Black British Ballet Exhibition’ will be hosted at Lichfield Street Hub Library, open now until July 30, 2025. The exhibition will include 20 to 30 images taken over the past 60 years, archive posters, and audio and video clips of the dancer’s stories. The video clips will be sourced from interviews carried out by Oxygen Arts over the past 18 months with 20 black British ballet dancers. There will also be a range of events and activities including reading, photography, ballet and creative writing workshops, and a ballet show curated by Oxygen Arts. “ I am very excited we…

The New Art Gallery Walsall is getting a green makeover as part of a project to cut carbon emissions and reduce energy use, thanks to funding from the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. Work is currently underway to replace the Gallery’s old heating system with modern, eco-friendly air source heat pumps. Solar panels will also be installed on the building to help generate clean electricity, along with new double glazing, efficient hot water taps, and other upgrades to make the building use less energy overall. These improvements will make the 25-year-old…

The Local Offer includes information and services for children and young people aged 0-25 years with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their families living in Wolverhampton. We have taken on board valuable feedback received from families with children and young people with SEND and created a section on the website for local support available to families. Support for young people | Wolverhampton SEND Local Offer Support for parents/carers | Wolverhampton SEND Local Offer Autism and ADHD assessment and diagnosis | Wolverhampton SEND Local Offer Parents and carers have shared that these pages are ‘ helpful, useful and definitely…

Three new youth clubs have been launched in Smith’s Wood at a celebration event on Tuesday 17 June. The youth clubs provide new opportunities for young people in the area, and include the Solihull Youth Bus, part of a new mobile youth outreach programme. Jointly funded by Solihull Council and the Violence Reduction Partnership (VRP), the youth clubs aim to provide support and guidance to improve the lives of young people in the area aged 8-17. The youth clubs are run by three local organisations with experience in providing youth support across Solihull, led by Urban Heard and supported by…

City of Wolverhampton Council is putting plans in place to remove the chewing gum that blights local streets after receiving a £20,155 grant to tackle the issue. The council is one of 52 across the country that have successfully applied to the Chewing Gum Task Force, now in its fourth year, for funds to clean gum off pavements and prevent it from being littered again. Established by Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) and run by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, the Chewing Gum Task Force Grant Scheme is open to councils across the UK who wish to…

Convenience and comfort features topped a list of the technologies motorists can’t live without in new research by eBay, ahead of the latest Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). The study by eBay, the UK’s number one online marketplace for vehicle parts and accessories, looked into the attitudes to in-car technologies of 2,000 UK drivers. Parking sensors (37%) were rated the most essential piece of kit for UK drivers, ahead of USB ports (29%) and Bluetooth connectivity (29%). As one in three (31.7%) of the 36.1 million cars on the road in the UK are more than 12 years old**, as…

With the launch of new air quality webpages and the installation of air quality sensors across the borough, as well as our Engines Off anti-idling campaign with schools, 2025 has been a big year for air quality in Solihull. Council staff hosted an information stall at the Core, taking place to mark Clean Air Day. The annual campaign is focused on raising awareness of the impact of air quality on people’s health and wellbeing. Cllr Mackiewicz said: “We’re working with the West Midlands Combined Authority, Birmingham Airport and many more businesses to play our part in improving air quality across…

Walsall residents are being encouraged to play a role in creating cleaner, healthier air for all as Clean Air Day is marked on 19 June 2025. Clean Air Day is a national campaign which focuses on taking collective action to tackle air pollution, increasing public awareness of the health harms of air pollution, and demonstrating support for clean air. Air pollution remains a significant public health challenge and affects individuals from before birth through to old age. Although often invisible, air pollution is linked to a wide range of health issues throughout life, from premature births and effects on organ…

With temperatures rising this week, Walsall residents are being reminded to take steps to stay safe and well during the hot weather, as the UK Health Security Agency (in partnership with the Met Office) has issued an amber heat-health alert for the West Midlands. The alert is in place until 23 June 2025 at 9am. “ While many enjoy warm, sunny weather and time outdoors, it’s important to remember that high temperatures can be challenging for some, especially older adults, young children and those with long-term health conditions. Keep indoor spaces cool by closing curtains on sun-facing rooms and check…

The Met Office has announced a yellow heat health alert from 12pm on Wednesday 18 June 2025 until 6pm on Sunday 22 June across the West Midlands. It is very easy to become dehydrated in hot weather as we can soon lose more fluid than we take in, so drink cold non-alcoholic drinks regularly, keep out of the sun during the hottest times of the day, and avoid physical exertion in the heat where possible. People who are very young, the elderly and those with chronic conditions are more at risk, so keep an eye out for friends…