Deputy Mayor of Walsall Cllr Louise Harrison with members of the Bloxwich Launchpad On Wednesday 19 February, Bloxwich Library and Theatre hosted the Bloxwich Launchpad Expo event, where residents were invited to speak to service providers and find out more about what will be on offer when the new centre opens in Spring.  Bloxwich Launchpad, which is currently being constructed on the site of the former Post Office in the centre of Bloxwich, will provide digital skills training and support, as well as business support for entrepreneurs. Walsall Council is delivering Bloxwich Launchpad as part of the Bloxwich Town…

The biggest annual celebration of Indian culture in the Caribbean returns for a special 30th anniversary event on March 1 in Trinidad and Tobago. The Chutney Soca Monarch competition, which sees top singers compete for a huge cash prize recently had a star-studded launch event at the Queen’s Park Savannah, in the countries capital Port of Spain. This year’s competition commences with a semi-final on February 8 ahead of the main event on March 1 at Skinner Park, San Fernando. The biggest event in the calendar for popular music genre chutney, which combines strong South Asian influences with soca, African…

Work to create more ‘bee beaches’ and restore historic heathland habitats is being carried out across the West Midlands. This conservation effort is part of the Purple Horizons Nature Recovery Project, led by Natural England. The work involves using diggers to remove vegetation and create bare ground areas – known as ‘bee beaches’ – which are crucial habitats for many threatened pollinators. This project, now in its second year, has created even more bee-friendly habitats across seven sites: Shire Oak Park, Barr Beacon, Pelsall North Common, Chasewater Country Park, Brownhills Common, Wharf Lane and Muckley Corner.  The work is being…

The Mayor of Wolverhampton Councillor Linda Leach will be hosting a fashion show in aid of her 3 chosen charities later this month – featuring preloved outfits from the Beacon Centre’s network of shops. Charity Fashion and Fizz takes place at the Beacon Centre, Wolverhampton Road, on Tuesday 25 February. Doors open at 6pm and the fashion show, featuring over a dozen models, starts at 6.30pm. Tickets, which must be booked in advance, are available at Beacon Centre for the Blind and cost £15, including a glass of prosecco or alcohol free alternative on arrival. Clothing will be on sale on the…

Wolverhampton Symphony Orchestra and young musicians from Wolverhampton Youth Orchestra raised the roof at the city’s premiere music venue as they put on an incredible display of live music for more than 2,500 local students on Tuesday 11 February, 2025. Wolverhampton Music Service provided free tickets to secondary and special schools across the Black Country for 2 concerts at The University of Wolverhampton at The Halls. Students were able to learn about the development of orchestral music through the years, with performances of pieces by Charpentier, Beethoven, Mozart, Grieg, Tchaikovsky, Holst, Christopher Tin and John Williams, and there was also…

Wolverhampton’s Young Poet Laureate and Primary Poet Champion were officially unveiled at this year’s Wolverhampton Literature Festival. Young Poet Laurate Agneta Krieva, from Ormiston SWB Academy, and Primary Poet Champion Florence Ehigie, from SS Mary & John’s Primary Academy, were chosen from dozens of budding poets after winning a competition organised by Wolverhampton’s library service. This year, children and young people are asked to write a poem about friendship entitled ‘Life is better with friends’. Councillor Obaida Ahmed, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Digital and Community, said: “For the past 5 years, our library service has been…

JLR’s Barbara Bergmeier has been named the overall winner at the inaugural Autocar Drivers of Change awards. Held and judged in association with the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders and Ennis & Co, Autocar Drivers of Change is a new initiative championing diverse talent in the automotive industry. A sibling event to Autocar Great Women, these awards celebrate the automotive industry as a place that welcomes everybody. The 40 Autocar Drivers of Change winners are individuals who are driving change and promoting diversity in their business in whichever role they perform. They were named at an awards ceremony at…

Image from www.sandwell.gov.uk The Restoration of the historic community buildings was completed by the people for the people. The award is sponsored by Hortons’ Estate Limited. The 2024 award recognises the restoration of the High Street’s striking Grade II Town Hall and Library. The Town Hall was designed by Alexander and Henman, opening in 1874 –5, with the Central Library by Weller and Proud, added in 1907. The Central Library was a gift to the people of West Bromwich from the astonishingly generous Scottish-American philanthropist and industrialist, Andrew Carnegie, who endowed 660 libraries in the United Kingdom alone. The Victorian…

Walsall Council Cabinet will meet to discuss and approve the strategy for playing pitches and outdoor sport facilities in the borough. The new Playing Pitch and Outdoor Sport Strategy (PPOSS) will guide future use, investment, planning decisions, and management of playing pitches and outdoor sports facilities in Walsall. The strategy aims to enhance the quality and accessibility of outdoor sports facilities within the community, fostering health, well-being, and community engagement. The updated PPOSS provides a robust needs assessment for evaluating development proposals, directing investment, managing outdoor sports facilities, and seeking funding. It expands the number of covered sports from 5…

Over 600 students, teachers and parents attended the third edition of an award winning careers fair for children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) last week – the most ever. The City of Wolverhampton Council, with support from Tettenhall Wood School, staged the free Moving into Adulthood Careers Fair at Wolverhampton Racecourse, aimed at young people in Year 9 and above, parents, carers and staff who support the children in their current educational setting. They were invited to find out about the options available for further education, training and employment from exhibitors including colleges, providers, supported…