An ambitious national plan to reinvent work experience for schoolchildren is to be tested in the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA). New pilot guarantees 10 days’ worth of modern work experience starting earlier in secondary school and building skills for every child the workplace West Midlands Combined Authority chosen as one of four national pilots The pilot is targeting disadvantaged young people in the region to break down barriers with high-quality provision for all as part of efforts to prevent young people becoming NEET WMCA Careers Hub are working in partnership with the City of Wolverhampton Council to identify and…
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Richard Parker (left), Mayor of the West Midlands with Abdikadir and Ruqia Ali, their two-month-old son Zakariya and Cllr Jayne Francis, Birmingham City Council’s cabinet member for housing and homelessness Thousands of families faced with a potential health hazard from living in mouldy homes are breathing easier following a £15m programme to upgrade some of the region’s dampest social housing. The money, given to local councils by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), has been used to install damp busting measures in more than 4,400 homes across the region. Around 8,000 individual improvements have been carried out with some homes…
Infant at the Centre photograph – members of the event planning team are l-r: Jackie Alexander, The Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Natalie Colclough, The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, Denise Williams, Children’s Services Manager, City of Wolverhampton Council, and Natasha Stubbs, The Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust A group of early years practitioners recently came together to share learning and best practice emphasising the importance of infant mental health and good parent-infant relationships during a child’s first 1,001 days. The first 1,001 days, from conception until the age of two, are a critical time in a baby’s development.…
Councils across the Black Country are encouraging older drivers to sign up to free road safety courses being held across the region in 2025. The next course for drivers aged 60 and over in Walsall will take place at Walsall Arena and Arts Centre, Bloxwich, on Tuesday 11 March 2025. An additional course will be held at The Wheelhouse, Wolverhampton Cricket Club, on Wednesday 14 May 2025, for drivers who cannot attend the first date. “ For many mature drivers, being able to drive provides real independence. These sessions are offered in partnership with our neighbouring Black Country authorities, West…
During Ramadan, Muslims engage in charity as a means of purifying their wealth, helping those in need, and earning spiritual rewards. There are various ways they give charity: 1. Zakat (Obligatory Charity): Zakat is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, making it a mandatory form of charity for eligible Muslims. It involves giving a fixed percentage (typically 2.5%) of one’s savings and assets to those in need, including the poor, orphans, and those in debt. Many Muslims choose to pay their Zakat during Ramadan as the rewards for acts of charity are believed to be multiplied during this holy…
A pool in Bloxwich has been rejuvenated thanks to more than two years of partnership work. Walsall Council, in collaboration with the Canal & River Trust, Enovert Community Trust and volunteers, has brought Baileys Pool back into community use. The work was made possible thanks to a £40,000 grant from Enovert Community Trust through the Landfill Communities Fund (LCF). This funding was supported by £8,000 from the Canal and River Trust and £7,000 through Walsall Council’s Healthy Spaces Team. A key result of the work, which started back in 2022, is the improved accessibility of the site. This is…
Origin, the UK focused industrial and logistics platform formed by HBD, part of Henry Boot, and Feldberg Capital, has started on site with the first phase of SPARK, a £100 million scheme in Walsall. Contractor Bowmer and Kirkland have been appointed to deliver the first two units of 255,000sq ft and 18,000sq ft which will both be ready for occupation by Q4 2025. SPARK is a 44 acre regeneration project which, once complete, will deliver a total of 620,000sq ft of high spec, net zero carbon enabled space within the region’s manufacturing and logistics heartland. Just minutes from J9 and…
A planning application for City Centre West, Wolverhampton’s largest regeneration opportunity, has been approved by the local planning authority A planning application for City Centre West, Wolverhampton’s largest regeneration opportunity, has been approved by the local planning authority. ECF – a joint venture between Homes England, Legal & General, and Muse – working in partnership with City of Wolverhampton Council, submitted proposals in Autumn 2024. This included detailed plans for the first phase, as well as on outline application for the wider masterplan. Following the decision, the new neighbourhood will be re-named Smithgate in a nod to the city’s historic…
The City of Wolverhampton Council has launched new online tools which will enable adults, or their family or carers, to self assess their care and support needs, their eligibility and any financial contribution they might need to make. It has been working with Looking Local to introduce 2 new platforms, BetterCare Support and BetterCare Finance. BetterCare Support, features over 40 easy to understand, relatable animations that lead users through the 10 areas of the Care Act, putting people in control of assessing the areas where they feel they need support. They will be pointed towards relevant local and national information…
Walsall Council and contractor Tarmac have completed works to widen the footpath on Rayboulds Bridge Road, to better connect the A34 Green Lane to the canal and nearby houses. The previous footpath was not wide enough for pushchairs and wheelchairs. Funded through Walsall Town Deal, the improvements are a small part of a wider scheme to improve sustainable transport across the borough, making it easier for people to walk and cycle. “ It’s great to see another active travel scheme completed successfully. With funding through the Town Deal we are working hard as a council to improve active travel across…