Over 100 air purification devices have been installed at Walsall Manor Hospital courtesy of GAMA Healthcare.
With support from Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust’s Infection Prevention and Control (IPC), Estates and Facilities and Electrical and Biomedical Engineering (EBME) services, the Rediair instant air purification devices help to capture airborne particles, including fungi, bacteria and viral aerosols in spaces that are poorly ventilated.
Head of Infection Prevention and Control, Amy Wallett, said:
“I am really pleased that we are one of the first Trust’s in the country to purchase these to a large scale to help protect our patients and staff. We have learnt a lot in the last two years during the pandemic and have increased our understanding of the importance of indoor air quality. This is fantastic progress and I feel really proud that we have implemented these devices here at Walsall.”
She added: “Delivery, assembling and installation of 134 devices in one day was no easy task. The teamwork displayed from our colleagues in Infection Prevention, Estates and Facilities, EBME and from the company was exceptional.
“Comments from staff have included ‘these are amazing’ and ‘I love that the Trust is doing this, makes me feel safer at work’ while comments from patients have included ‘I feel much more comfortable being in hospital having this near me’ and ‘wow that’s so quiet!’
The supermarket chain will employ 36 local residents and will be opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony from gold medal Paralympian, Chris Skelly.
Local charities will also benefit from the opening of the new Walsall Aldi by getting access to surplus food from the store. Any interested charities can get more information by emailing aldi@neighbourly.com
The new store will open on Thursday, May 5 at 8am and is situated near to Smyths Toy Shop on the Crown Wharf retail park.
Celebrate your favourite consoles from across the generations with a fantastic day of retro gaming in Walsall every month!
With hundreds of classic games spanning over 40 years of gaming history, there’s plenty of fun to be had for all the family.
Consoles available on the day include: the NES/SNES, Sega Master System/Mega Drive, Atari, Gamecube, Dreamcast, as well as more modern offerings with the likes of PSOne/PS2 and Xbox.
The event takes place at Asgard Games, which is situated at Unit 3, 2 Digbeth, Walsall, WS1 1QU with the next retro gaming session happening on Saturday April 30 from 11am until 10pm.
You can buy tickets in advance for £2 and get 10% off by using the discount code PIONEER when you check out at the Eventbrite website, or you can simply turn up on the day and pay. For just £2 you can stay and play as long as you like.
If you’re new to visiting Asgard Games, it’s also well worth checking out the selection of food and drinks on offer!
Walsall Council is asking residents of Bloxwich to express their views on planned developments to the local public parks.
King George V playing fields
The survey asks questions about a number of local green spaces, including King George V Memorial Playing Fields, Leamore Park and Bloxwich Park, Promenade Gardens and the Pat Collins Memorial Garden.
A number of options have been discussed on how to improve these areas, including better lighting, more seating or development of nature zones after Bloxwich was awarded £21.3 million from the Town Deal fund for new projects in the town.
Chair of the Town Deal Board, Manjit Jhooty said:
“After months of planning it’s heartening to see some of the Town Deal projects moving forward. Our parks are at the heart of our communities and provide residents with valuable space for leisure or relaxation. This is a great opportunity to help shape the future of parks in Bloxwich and I would encourage people to get involved and have their say.”
Advanced drawing workshops are taking place for children aged 10+ over the next couple of weeks at Walsall libraries.
Hosted by award-winning illustrator Steve Smallman, sessions are taking place on the following dates:
13 April 2022 – 2pm-3.30pm – Willenhall Community Library
20 April 2022 – 10.30am-12 noon – Bloxwich Community Library
20 April 2022 – 2pm – 3.30pm – Aldridge Community Library
22 April 2022 – 10.30am – 12 noon – Brownhills Community Library
22 April 2022 – 2pm-3.30pm – Streetly Community Library
Additionally, on the 21 April, Walsall Leather Museum are going on tour to two local libraries where children will have the opportunity to make a personalised phone case.
These sessions take place at 10am – 12 noon at Bloxwich library and 2pm-4pm at Brownhills library.
James Davis, the driver who caused the death of 18-day-old Ciaran Morris on Brownhills High Street last year, has been found guilty at Wolverhampton Crown Court this week.
The 36-year-old was found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving and causing death while uninsured with the judge revealing that Davis had cannabis in his system when the catastrophe happened on Easter Sunday 2021.
Members of Ciaran’s family were in court to see the verdict being delivered where the jury were shown police bodycam footage of David saying: “I’ve killed a baby, I’m going to prison. I deserve to go to prison”.
Davis, from Croxtalls Avenue in Bloxwich, was behind the wheel of a BMW on April 4, 2021 when he lost control of his vehicle and mounted the pavement on Brownhills High Street. His car hit the pushchair of Ciaran Morris and the baby suffered fatal injuries. Davis initially ran away on foot, but later turned himself into the police.
Despite the evidence, Davis pleaded not guilty, but will face his sentencing later today, Friday 8 April, 2022, after the jury deliberated for two hours and six minutes and found him unanimously guilty on both accounts.
One woman delighted to be supporting St Giles and encouraging people to buy a raffle ticket is Sarah Bentley from Burntwood. The 49-year-old and her sister Becky Tolley have been helping to raise funds for the hospice after they helped care for their mum, who spent her final years being looked after by the St Giles team.
Sarah and Becky supporting fundraising after the hospice took care of their mum
Sarah said: “St Giles is such a fantastic, amazing place. Even though we all felt the sadness of parting from mum, we were in a place filled with love and happiness. I’d urge everyone to support St Giles. You never know when you or your family are going to need it.”
“We knew we were going to lose mum, but being at St Giles made it so much easier and more bearable,” Sarah said. “The staff really looked after us. My dad was struggling to accept that mum was dying but the staff spent so much time with him, making sure he was supported.
“Nothing prepared us for what St Giles was like. We didn’t really know what to expect but it just felt like such a safe haven.
“The staff were simply amazing. My mum’s first great-grandson was only a month old but they let us take him in and lay him on the bed with her. It was just priceless.”
Raffle tickets are available until 30th June online, or can be bought over the phone by calling the Lottery Office on: 01543 434020.
The draw will be made on 13 July 2022 and those who enter before 22 April will also be entered into a draw to win one of 20 M&S Gift Cards valued at £20.
After being postponed for two years running due to COVID, Sister Act is finally arriving at the Prince of Wales theatre in Cannock from the 12-14 May, 2022. Hallelujah!
Image from original Sister Act film.
Based on the classic Touchstone Pictures Motion Picture of 1992 featuring Whoopi Goldberg, this musical comedy has wowed audiences across the U.S. and the U.K. with a scintillating score from Alan Menken and a hilarious script.
Taking to the stage at the Prince of Wales is the Aldridge Musical Comedy Society (AMCS), who return to the iconic Staffordshire venue following critically-renowned performances over the last few years with the likes of Thoroughly Modern Millie and West Side Story.
What Can You Expect From Sister Act?
The audience can expect a high energy performance with the enigmatic Deloris Van Cartier (Sister Mary Clarence) at the forefront, surrounded by the singing sisters and their hilarious antics.
Some of the AMCS cast members taking their roles very seriously by practising their singing in church.
Alongside plenty of moments to make you laugh out loud, the show is full of memorable songs that have entertained theatre goers since the show launched in the West End in 2009. Get ready to tap your toes to classics such as “Take Me to Heaven”, “Raise Your Voice” and “Sunday Morning Fever” and brace yourselves for the rapping elderly nun!
Prices And Show Times For Sister Act
Sister Act runs at the Prince of Wales Theatre in Cannock from Thursday 12 May until Saturday 14 May with each performance starting at 7.30pm.
Prices start at £15 per ticket. Concessions and tickets for children are priced at £12. There’s also an option for family ticket (2 adults, 2 children) priced at £45.
The Walsall branch of Ninja Warrior UK takes its inspiration from the U.K. TV show, which sees adults compete against each other across an obstacle assault course.
Such was the success of the ITV show, which ran from 2015 until 2019, it spawned 14 activity and fitness centres across the U.K. with the 15th centre opening in Walsall in 2022.
The opening date has been confirmed as May 27 at 9am.
What Can You Do At Ninja Warrior UK?
The centre has numerous obstacles, including slides and climbing walls, as well as obstacles that will test your balance or require you to jump or swing across. These are called Ninja Runs. You’ll be testing your Ninja skills to the max including balancing and can even have a go at conquering the Warped Wall from the TV show.
The centres take health and safety very seriously, so you can expect plenty of soft cushioning under your feet should you fall! Nevertheless, participants will be required to sign a waiver form before tackling the courses.
The Warped Wall.
It’s very much made in the spirit of the TV show with some obstacles requiring more of a challenge to navigate than others. It’s essentially a fun-filled fitness workout!
There’s also an Air Park, consisting of a giant inflatable obstacle course.
Check out the video of the Stoke centre to get an idea of what to expect.
What Should I Wear?
Typical sports gear is highly recommended with long sleeves and trainers that are clean. For the inflatable areas, children will be given antibacterial socks that can be bought at reception. Though you don’t need to wear gloves, you can bring your own or buy some from reception. Note: only the socks provided by Ninja Warrior UK can be used, so factor this into the pr
How Old Do You Have To Be?
There are activities for all ages from 5+, including large inflatables for younger children and specific Ninja runs designed for children between 5-14 and 14+. Of course, it should also be fun for the adults!
There will be minimum height restrictions in place for the Ninja runs, which have yet to be revealed.
Children under 5 may use the inflatable area if accompanied by a paying adult during certain session times.
How Long Does A Session Last?
A session lasts 60 minutes and you’ll be able to book in specific slots that start every 30 minutes throughout the day. These sessions can be extended if required at a cost.
Does It Serve Food and Drink?
Yes, all Ninja Warrior UK centres have a café and restaurant serving drinks and hot and cold food. You cannot bring your own food or drinks.
Other centres are operating a card-only system, so bear this in mind for the Walsall centre.
Does Ninja Warrior UK Sell Alcohol?
A current application to sell alcohol at the premises is underway with plans to sells drinks between the hours of 11am and 8.30pm each day.
What Are The Opening Times?
The opening times are 9am-8pm Monday to Thursday and 9am until 9pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday with the last entrance allowed at 8pm.
When attending the centre, you’ll be asked to arrive 30 minutes prior to your booking to take part in a safety briefing.
How Much Does It Cost?
The new Walsall Ninja Warrior UK will cost £12 per perons or £3.50 for mini-ninjas.
Spectating is free in a designated spectator zone.
Yes, options will be available to host larger groups for birthdays and celebrations. Costs and details have yet to be confirmed.
Where is Ninja Warrior UK Walsall?
The location of the activity centre is at Unit 7/8 Crown Wharf Retail Park, Walsall, WS2 8LL.
Is Parking Available?
There are hundreds of car parking spaces available on the Crown Wharf retail park, though charges do apply.
It currently costs £1 for or up to an hour, £1.50 for 2 hours and £2 for three hours. Payment is made via one of the machines when you leave the car park, which uses number plate recognition technology.
The owners of the car park are notorious for issuing car parking fines, so don’t forget to check out and pay at the machines outside Argos before you leave.
Walsall Mayor, Councillor Rose Burley, is urging local residents to nominate any local person that they believe is worthy of being recognised for their achievements in the New Year Honours 2023 list.
“We are so blessed across the borough of Walsall with literally hundreds, if not thousands, of local people who voluntarily staff food banks, go out litter-picking in all weathers, lead uniformed youth groups, look after people in need and so much more.
“I honestly couldn’t be more proud of these wonderful people who simply give their time and effort for nothing more than wanting to help.
“Please do think about nominating some of these special people. They need to be in it to win it.”
