Quit with Bella is a free app which has an AI-powered personal stop smoking robo-coach. The coach, Bella, is able to talk in a completely natural way and allows the user to have a human-like conversation. The app supports thousands of people to give up smoking around the world and has already been used across the West Midlands (Birmingham, Dudley and Solihull). Bella uses knowledge from trusted sources, including expert advice and guidance and provides a personalised response to a variety of different situations for users. The app is ready to provide support for up to 12 weeks. Users have…

Walsall Council is pleased to announce the return of the much-loved Arboretum splash pad in time for summer. Starting from Saturday 24 May until Sunday 31 August 2025, the splash pads at Walsall Arboretum will be open daily for everyone to enjoy. On weekends, school holidays and bank holidays, the attraction will be open between 11am to 5pm. On weekdays, outside of school holidays, opening hours are from 11am to 3pm, These times provide preschool children an opportunity to enjoy the splash pad. “ It’s always a fun time of year to reopen our popular Arboretum splash pad for our…

The project has been funded by Walsall Council and supported by a £60,000 grant from FCC Communities Foundation, a not-for-profit business that awards grants for community, conservation and heritage projects, through the Landfill Communities Fund. A new children’s play area and an outdoor gym have been installed at the park and are now open to the public. The play area features a range of equipment, including toddler and junior swings, a roundabout, a wheelchair accessible roundabout, two castle climbing frames, sensory play panels and more. The project has also seen the old play area repurposed into a dog-friendly user area.…

Councillor Louise Harrison is Mayor of Walsall for 2025-26 A new Mayor for the borough has been appointed following the annual Mayor Making ceremony in the Council Chamber in Walsall on Monday 19 May 2025. The ceremony is one of the highlights in Walsall’s civic calendar, with the new Mayor receiving the robes and chains of office and naming the charities that will benefit from fundraising activities during their time in office. Councillor Louise Harrison was elected as Mayor of Walsall for 2025-26 and Councillor Chris Bott was elected as Deputy Mayor for 2025-26. The new Mayor takes over…

The Bostin’ Black Country Bash will include live music all day. The event marks the 20th anniversary of the UNESCO Global Geopark network, with the Black Country recognised as one of its prestigious members. The designation highlights the region’s geological significance in shaping the Industrial Revolution and its enduring impact on the world. Set against the picturesque backdrop of Walsall Arboretum, which celebrated its 150th anniversary last year, the festival promises a lively mix of entertainment for all ages including all day live music as well as mouth-watering local cuisine. King Pleasure and the Biscuit Boys King Pleasure & The…

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…

Walsall Trading Standards, in partnership with West Midlands Police and a specialist search dog team, including sniffer dogs Griff, Bran and Cooper, searched seven retail premises and one associated vehicle. Illegal goods were found in the vehicle and all shops visited, including across storeroom floors, hidden concealments, and even inside a jigsaw puzzle box. The seizures removed more than 150,000 cigarettes, 20.5kg of illegal hand rolling tobacco, and 1543 illegal disposable vapes from Walsall’s streets. “ Our Trading Standards team really put the pieces together with this investigation, managing to find goods which pose a real danger to our residents…

The introduction of an additional 48 hours per week of community patrols has been welcomed by those working and shopping in Walsall town centre. Walsall Council has funded additional patrols during peak times, following feedback from residents and traders about community safety in the town centre. Community support officers from RG8 are on hand to help reassure members of the public and help deter anti-social behaviour in and around the town centre. The increase in patrols has already been well-received by local traders and residents. Solomon and Jade are regularly patrolling the town centre and shared their insights of how…

Work to build a new state-of-the-art Household Waste Recycling Centre and Waste Transfer Station in Walsall has ramped up on Middlemore Lane in Aldridge. In the last few weeks, tarmac has been laid to create the bays where residents will be able to recycle their waste for years to come. External cladding has also been fitted to buildings on the site, with both the waste transfer station and reuse shop now taking shape. Work at the site is expected to be complete by summer 2025, with a view to operations starting later in the year. “ The site is progressing…

Walsall Council is highlighting the importance of healthy eating and hydration during Nutrition and Hydration Week (17-23 March) and encouraging residents to take advantage of the support offered by Be Well Walsall. The annual campaign which has been running since March 2012 focuses on the simple steps everyone can take to improve their overall health and wellbeing through better nutrition and hydration. Maintaining a balanced diet and staying hydrated is crucial for physical and mental health. It is also one of the council’s Eight Steps to Wellbeing to help residents learn what is important to keep them healthy, independent and…