More than 200 young people have worked together on a community art project, which has been unveiled by youth workers in Sandwell. A professional artist delivered workshops aboard Sandwell’s double-decker Youth Bus during October half-term, taking canvases to parks and housing estates in each of the six towns. The final designs, which have gone on display at the Coneygre Art Centre, in Tipton, aim to celebrate young people’s sense of pride in their communities. Freelance artist Ginger Dan (real name Danni Evans) led the drop-in sessions alongside trained youth workers and said: “The project is about what their communities mean…

Women from across Walsall got together recently, marking the third in a series of events as part of an ongoing programme of work focused on understanding what matters most to women in Walsall. The event, led by Walsall Together, Brownhills Community Association and One Walsall, welcomed special guests including the Mayor of Walsall Councillor Louise Harrison and local MP Wendy Morton, showing strong support for improvements in women’s health across the borough. “ It was truly inspiring to see so many women come together to share their experiences and shape the future of health services in Walsall. Listening to…

Sandwell’s annual roadshow for Anti-Bullying Week is now under way and is travelling to 10 schools across the borough. Pupils at Crocketts Community Primary School in Smethwick wore odd socks to celebrate their individuality and uniqueness to help launch the first roadshow as part of nationwide Odd Socks Day yesterday (Monday 10 November), the first day of Anti-Bullying Week. Adults attending the launch also wore odd socks to show their support. Sandwell Council’s SHAPE Team will deliver the roadshow in partnership with West Midlands Police, visiting seven primary schools and three secondaries. The theme of this year’s roadshow is ‘Power…

Children and young people can now visit registered safe spaces in Walsall if they are worried, upset or need help whilst out and about. Walsall Council and West Midlands Police have launched a new, safe spaces initiative following calls from young people to make the town feel and be a safer place. 14 venues taking part in the scheme have received specialist training, ensuring staff are prepared to offer practical help and immediate support to young people whenever it’s needed. “ We’re proud to deliver on a commitment to our young people by launching this scheme. This is something young…

The Sound Doctor’s stop smoking online course is divided into three modules. Each one contains several films and audio clips to help support residents in their journey to quit smoking, complementing the evidence-based programmes delivered by Be Well Walsall and Quit with Bella. The online course resources include easy to follow videos featuring expert advice on topics such as the benefits of stopping smoking, motivational support for anyone thinking about quitting, what to do to prepare to quit, nicotine replacement products to help you quit, and what to do if you re-lapse or go back to smoking. It is completely…

Walsall Council’s Community Protection Enforcement Officers (CPEOs) will continue their work across the borough after a successful summer of proactive patrols tackling antisocial behaviour, environmental crime, and community safety concerns. For the past three months the team has carried out daily, high-visibility patrols in Walsall and Willenhall town centres as part of the Safer Streets initiative.   More than 500 residents and 50 businesses were engaged with by officers during patrols, addressing issues such as street drinking, waste issues, and local complaints. A key part of the council’s response to anti-social behaviour in the Town Centre is a Public Space Protection…

The City of Wolverhampton Council is launching its new Technology Enabled Care (TEC) Service, following a highly successful pilot programme. It will help residents access innovative technology that provides everyday support, enabling them to live the independent lives they want. The council has commissioned tech supplier Alcove to deliver the service over the next 2 years, while a long term partnership offer for the city is developed. The new service will provide people with a wide range of TEC products tailored to their eligible care needs, such as sensor devices and voice activated wireless technologies including fall detectors, smart speakers…

People who are caring for someone else’s child – or know someone who is – are reminded to inform the City of Wolverhampton Council about the arrangement. The local authority has a legal duty to support children who are being “privately fostered” and to ensure both the child and their private foster parent receive the support and guidance they need. A child or young person under the age of 16 (or under 18 if they have a disability) is considered privately fostered if they are being cared for by someone who is not their parent, guardian, close relative (i.e grandparent,…

Sakhir, Bahrain: The spectacular Aston Martin Valkyrie hypercar concluded its debut season of global competition with a second-straight points finish, at the Bapco Energies 8 Hours of Bahrain, on Saturday, after leading a round of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) for the first time. The seventh-place result for Aston Martin THOR Team’s #009 entry, driven by three-time WEC GT champion Marco Sørensen (DEN), Alex Riberas (ESP) and Roman De Angelis (CDN), added to the fifth-place finish the team had taken last-time out in Japan on a weekend of notable landmarks for the unique 6.5-litre, V12-powered British hypercar. A magnificent…

Birmingham, UK – Desire Community Hub (DCH), a well-established community organisation based in Balsall Heath, has proudly opened a brand-new community centre on Warwick Street, Digbeth. Founded over three years ago on Runcorn Road, DCH has built a strong reputation for supporting the local community through a wide range of projects, including mental health support, sewing and computer classes, fitness sessions, and Quran studies. The organisation also works closely with young people to tackle issues such as knife and gun crime, while hosting regular events, community trips, and educational workshops. The new Digbeth branch aims to extend these efforts, with…