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…

The popular Yo! Active programme, which provides free access to physical activity opportunities for children and young people across the city, is to be extended. The City of Wolverhampton Council has gone out to tender for a provider to deliver and manage the programme – in conjunction with the local authority – from April 2026, and to ensure its continued success in breaking down financial barriers to sport and exercise. Launched last year by the council, WV Active and Wolves Foundation, Yo! Active is a public health initiative that offers a wide range of free physical activity sessions across WV…

City of Wolverhampton Council has put in place initiatives to support unemployed young people into work and training as part of the West Midlands Youth Trailblazer programme. Launched by the Mayor of the West Midlands, Richard Parker, the new Youth Trailblazer provides £5million across the region for a range of innovative projects and activities to engage young people aged 18 to 21 who are currently not in education, employment or training. Through Open Door Wolverhampton, the council is co-ordinating 4 to 12 week supported work experience placements with city employers to help young people overcome barriers to employment and upskill.…

The next steps in a major infrastructure upgrade on the A454 Willenhall Road Corridor will be considered by Planning Committee next week. The Neachells Lane junction improvements form part of the wider City East Gateway project. This aims to improve traffic flow on the corridor linking Wolverhampton with Walsall, the Black Country Route, M6 and key housing, employment and regeneration areas including Canalside and East Park. The council has now submitted a planning application, which forms Phase 3 of the wider series of proposed highway improvements along the A454 corridor, that will be considered at a meeting on 11 November.…

The thermostat on radiator installed horizontally instead of vertically A rogue trader whose substandard and incomplete work left a disabled city homeowner £23,300 out of pocket has been given a suspended prison sentence following a prosecution by City of Wolverhampton Council. Neil Parker, of Lichfield Road, Wednesfield, left behind trip hazards, defective installations and a window and door that were neither watertight nor fully operable. He was sentenced to 20 months in prison, suspended for 2 years, at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Thursday (30 October) after previously pleading guilty to 6 charges. As part of a rehabilitation programme, Parker was…

Every year, Sandwell Council is legally required to set a balanced budget and the authority is now looking at the money available to spend next year. A consultation is now open to give residents, businesses and voluntary organisations the chance to have their say on proposals and what their priorities are for 2026/27. The survey gives people the chance to tell the council where they think the council should prioritise spending, where savings should be made and what could be done differently. Sandwell Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources Councillor Paul Moore said: “It has been…

The Sandwell community came together for a charity penalty shootout aimed at raising awareness of youth mental health and encouraging local engagement through sport and wellbeing. The event took place on Sunday 26 October 2025 at York Road Sports and Social Club in Sandwell, drawing families and football fans from across Sandwell and Oldbury for a day filled with laughter, friendly competition, and community spirit. It was organised by Wellness Education, the non-profit arm of Active Clinics — a Birmingham-based wellness and aesthetics clinic founded by Sandwell resident Tammy Takkar. Active Clinics specialises in advanced, non-surgical treatments for recovery, performance,…

Sandwell Council has published its Annual Housing Report for Tenants and Leaseholders 2025 and Annual Complaints Report. These give residents a clear update on progress and improvements made over the past year. Following the Regulator of Social Housing’s C3 judgement in October 2024, the council has taken decisive action to raise standards. The Housing Report highlights: Stock condition surveys being carried out on all Sandwell homes A new contract in place to deal with the outstanding backlog of home repairs A new housing management system to track repairs more effectively £46.7million invested in modernising homes 8,891 home checks completed to…

A Wolverhampton charity is launching a new scheme to help residents in the city learn skills which could change their lives, while restoring unwanted bicycles. Hope Community Project has created Heath Town Spokes and Skills – a 6 week programme focusing primarily on bike mechanics and maintenance, which will restore bikes donated through the council’s Too Good to Chuck scheme. But it will go far beyond that by empowering people to build skills, confidence, friendships and potentially even gain employment. It’ll also strengthen communities, as it brings people together. It is the latest scheme under the council’s City Homemakers banner…

BIRMINGHAM, UK — A Birmingham community organisation has unveiled a new discount card designed to help residents save money while strengthening local businesses across the West Midlands. Desire Community Hub (DCH), based in Balsall Heath, has launched the Community Saver Card, which offers exclusive discounts and special offers from a wide network of participating local traders. DCH has become a vital part of the local landscape since opening its doors more than three years ago. The hub provides free IT and English courses, sewing workshops, coaching sessions, and regular coffee mornings. Its wider mission focuses on youth engagement, knife crime…