Lakeside Live festival returns to Walsall on Sunday 17 August 2025, promising a day of electrifying performances, family-friendly fun, and diverse food options, all completely free to attend. The annual community music festival will take from 12:00pm to 6:00pm at the Walsall Arboretum Bandstand. The line-up of this year’s festival features 20 local acts, showcasing a vibrant mix of genres including rock, funk, reggae, folk, and blues. Fun-seekers can look forward to performances from contemporary folk singer Aayushi, live music from Ancient Champion Notion of Fortune, the Goddam Band, and Midnight Crossing. “ We are proud to bring back the…

440 families in Walsall have already signed up to the council’s newly launched Summer Adventure Passport. Summer adventure passport The passport is a free activity booklet packed full of fun, educational challenges aimed at families with children aged 0-5. Since 11 July, parents have been able to collect their passport from libraries and Family Hubs across Walsall, collecting stamps for each activity they complete together. The passport is an active step forward in the council’s vision to create a child-friendly borough by 2040, and ensure all children and young people are happy, healthy and are given the opportunities to thrive.…

Walsall Council’s libraries across the borough are preparing to launch this year’s Summer Reading Challenge on Saturday 5 July 2025 to encourage children to maintain their reading habits during the school holidays. The challenge will run until Saturday 13th September 2025 under the exciting theme, ‘Story Garden – Adventures in Nature and the Great Outdoors’, which is designed to inspire children aged 4-11 to discover connections between storytelling and the natural world. “ This initiative is a great way to help children maintain a culture of reading over the school holidays, and I’m looking forward to seeing more children than…

Artists impression of the play area at Leamore Park Both Leamore Park and Bloxwich Park, Memorial and Prominade Gardens will soon be transformed thanks to funding from the Bloxwich Town Deal. Contractors were on site last week for a pre-start site visit and work has started in Leamore Park today (Monday 12 May). The work will be phased so that both parks aren’t closed to the public at the same time. The work will see both parks given a new lease of life, with new play areas designed by local schools, and various other improvements and repairs. “ Improving Bloxwich’s…

Local councils are picking up the AI mantle to help unleash this revolutionary technology across the UK – to turbocharge the Plan for Change and deliver a decade of national renewal. The latest transparency data – published by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) – shows that councils are wasting no time in putting the weight of the public sector behind AI and finding new and innovative ways to make it work for working people. It shows that AI is being used to identify when a pensioner has had a fall, to stop people fall into rent arrears,…

Interactive water feature at Darlaston swimming and fitness centre Various sessions are being held between Monday 17 February and Sunday 23 February, including public swimming sessions at Bloxwich and Oak Park Active Living Centres and Walsall Gala and Darlaston Swimming and Fitness Centres. Ever-popular Big Bounce events will be held on Tuesday 18 February at Bloxwich Active Living and Friday 21 February at Oak Park, pre-booking online for these sessions is recommended. There will even be roller-skating sessions on offer, firstly at Oak Park on Wednesday 19 February from 1.30pm to 3:00pm, Followed by session at Bloxwich Active Living on…

Music for All, the charity of the UK musical instrument industry, is currently accepting applications for its first funding round of 2025. Groups, schools, any form of educational establishment, community projects, charities, and organisations that are bringing music to their communities in the UK can apply. Priority will be given to applicants who are most in need of help. In the current round, grants of up to £2,000 are available in the following areas: Working with primary school-aged children –  community-based groups providing music-making opportunities to young-people aged between 4–11 can apply, including groups operating in caring as well as…

In the spirit of Valentines Day, Walsall Council is encouraging residents to love their environment by disposing of their waste responsibly. Each year in the UK, approximately 220 million roses, 25,000 tonnes of plastic and cardboard packaging, 25 million cards, and 13,500 miles of gift wrap are sold. Walsall Council is encouraging residents to think mindfully about their gift purchases and ensure that waste is disposed of responsibly. presents to reduce waste. By being mindful of our choices, we can all help make Walsall cleaner and greener and avoid contributing to landfill. “ Councillor Kerry Murphy, Portfolio Holder for…

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…

Bentley owner’s love of the marque begins in childhood, and the owner of the third of twelve Speed Six Continuation Series is no exception. In his case, it was a ‘Models of Yesteryear’ scale model Blower Bentley, given to him by his uncle, that sparked a lifelong fascination with the pre-war Bentley racing cars. The owner and his wife enjoy a stable of Crewe-built Bentleys, including a first-generation Continental GT, a motorsports-inspired Continental GT3R, second-generation Continental Supersports and First Edition Bentayga. Pride of place however goes to his Continuation Series ‘Blower’ 4½ Litre Supercharged and the latest addition, a Continuation…