A pioneering recovery programme in Wolverhampton is helping people struggling with addiction to make the difficult transition from treatment back into everyday life. The RISE Day Hab programme, co-facilitated by SUIT and Recovery Near You and supported by the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Public Health team, helps individuals to achieve long term recovery within their own communities. For many people recovering from drug or alcohol dependency, the period after detoxification, structured treatment or residential rehabilitation is one of the most challenging points in their recovery journey. The structure and support available during treatment can suddenly reduce, leaving individuals facing…

Care leavers and members of the City of Wolverhampton Council’s REACH Leaving Care team have raised hundreds of pounds after pulling on their hiking boots to complete a sponsored walk up The Wrekin. 8 care experienced young people and 7 members of staff from the REACH Team took on the challenge, setting off just before midday on Thursday (23 July, 2026) under cool and cloudy skies. However, it was not long before the sunshine appeared, making for a much warmer and more demanding hike than anticipated. Despite the conditions, the walkers were rewarded with breath taking views across Shropshire and…

Walsall Council is supporting the Men’s Wellbeing Alliance as it marks Men’s Health Week (15-21 June 2026), with a borough-wide call for men to access support early and for local communities to play an active role in improving men’s health and wellbeing. The Men’s Wellbeing Alliance, a growing grassroots collaboration between community groups and organisations across Walsall, is leading the way in building a more connected, accessible and preventative approach to men’s wellbeing. Working alongside the Alliance, the Council is helping to strengthen partnerships, amplify local support and ensure services are reaching men where they are, before issues reach crisis…

Walsall Council Public Health is encouraging women and people with a cervix aged 25 to 64 to check if they are due to attend their cervical screening appointment this Cervical Screening Awareness Week (15–21 June 2026). Cervical screening saves lives by detecting changes early, before cancer can develop. Cervical screening is a test for human papillomavirus (HPV), a common virus that can sometimes cause cancer. It is one of the most preventable cancers and attending screening when invited is the best way to protect health. Around 3,300 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer in the UK each year, but most…

In a world where second chances are often hard to come by, Jamil Ahmed is proving that real change is possible. Once known for living the dangerous life of a gangster, James has turned his back on crime and dedicated his life to helping some of the most vulnerable people in his community. Today, instead of fear and violence, his name is becoming associated with compassion, generosity, and hope across the Sparkhill area and surrounding communities. Every single week, Jamil and his team distribute tonnes of food to homeless people, struggling families, and individuals facing hardship. From hot meals to…

Walsall Council’s Public Health team has been named Team of the Year for Walsall at the Black Country Integrated Care Board Cancer Workforce Awards, held on 13 May 2026. Colleagues from Walsall Public Health at Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust winning their awards at the Black Country Cancer Workforce Awards. Colleagues from Walsall Council and the NHS were recognised at awards, which celebrate the collective efforts of partners across health, local authority and the voluntary and community sector to improve cancer prevention, screening and early diagnosis for residents. The Public Health team was recognised for its strong commitment, expertise and…

Three female entrepreneurs have launched the UK’s first of a kind clinic dedicated to weight loss will officially open its doors this month, setting a new benchmark for personalised care, an important step forward for the future of integrated health. Reports suggest that more than 1.6 million people in the UK are now using GLP-1 weight loss drugs like Wegovy and Mounjaro. The latest from the BBC shares that a pill format of weight loss drugs could be used to help people coming off weight-loss jabs to avoid regaining weight – a known risk when coming off GLP-1 injections. This…

Foster Care Fortnight is delivered by leading fostering charity, The Fostering Network, and is one of the UK’s biggest campaigns to raise awareness of fostering, celebrate foster carers, and encourage more people to consider opening their homes to children and young people who need them. The theme for 2026, “This is Fostering”, shines a light on the everyday realities of fostering, the care, commitment and resilience shown by foster carers, and the life‑changing difference they make for children and young people in Walsall. The campaign also recognises the challenges foster carers can face, while celebrating the strength of…

Families across Sandwell are being invited to celebrate play, creativity and community this half term as Sandwell Council launches its Festival of Free Play, featuring more than 25 free activities. Running from 25 to 31 May, the festival brings together outdoor play sessions, library activities, creative workshops and family-friendly performances in parks, libraries and community spaces across the borough, including Oldbury, Smethwick, Tipton, West Bromwich, Wednesbury and Rowley Regis. The festival is delivered by Sandwell Council’s GoPlay and Library services in partnership with local organisations and is designed with children at its heart, championing children’s right to play, feel safe,…

The City of Wolverhampton Council will be marking Mental Health Awareness Week, beginning on Monday (11 May, 2026) and is encouraging people to talk openly about mental health, challenge stigma, and take positive steps to look after their wellbeing. Led by the Mental Health Foundation, the theme of this year’s campaign is ‘Action’, recognising that, while awareness is important, real change happens when people take simple, practical steps – for themselves, for others, and for their communities. John Denley, Wolverhampton’s Director of Public Health, said: “Around 1 in 5 adults in the UK experience mental health problems like anxiety or…