Category: News

This summer, Walsall Council has a number of opportunities for children and families to get creative, learn, and explore. At the Walsall Leather Museum, visitors can delve into the area’s leather trade history and participate in hands-on craft workshops. Meanwhile, The New Art Gallery Walsall invites everyone to engage in various art forms, such as painting, printing, and sculpting, inspired by current exhibitions.

South Asian Heritage Month Community Day

Saturday 3 August, 12-4pm. Free.

Get ready for a celebration of South Asian Heritage Month featuring music by broadcaster and radio DJ Manpreet Darroch, creative workshops by local artists Nilupa Yasmin, Haseebah Ali, and Daya Bhatti, and stalls from the Bangladeshi Progressive Society. Don’t miss the temporary photography exhibition ‘Punjabi Tales of Willenhall.’

Events at The New Art Gallery Walsall

Gallery Square, Walsall, WS2 8LG
Opening hours:
Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm
Sundays 12 noon to 4pm
Closed on Mondays and Bank Holidays. Free admission.

• Sunday Art Club

Sundays, 12-3pm. Ages 4+. Free, drop-in.

Engage in various art activities such as painting, printing, sculpting, and crafting. Full listings can be found at: Sunday Art Club

• Mini Makers: Crafty Caterpillars & Sensory Play

Tuesday 6 August, 11am-1pm. Ages 2-4. Drop-in. £3.

Explore art materials and develop fine motor skills.

• Wednesdays for All

11am – 3pm. Free, drop-in. Ages 4+.

Fun creative workshops for all the family.

• 24 July: Painting houses & special places
• 31 July: Dream Holiday Diorama
• 7 August: Concertina Bird Books
• 14 August: 3D Pet Houses

Thursday Skills: House Head Sculptures

Thursday 25 July
Age 4+: 11am-12.30pm
Age 7+: 1.30-3pm. £4.50 per child. Book by calling 01922 654400.

• Baby & Me

Wednesday 14 August, 10.30am-12pm and 12.30-2pm.
Ages 0-2. £3 per child. Book by calling 01922 654400.

Events at Walsall Leather Museum

Littleton Street West, Walsall, WS2 8EW
Opening hours:
Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm. Closed on Sundays and Mondays. Free admission.

Join us for various drop-ins and workshops every Tuesday and Wednesday throughout the summer holidays, featuring quiz trails, keyring & badge-making, and other family-friendly activities.

• Tuesday Leathercraft Have-a-Go
  30am – 12.30pm & 1.30 – 3.30pm. £1.50 – no booking needed.

• • 23 July: Fish keyring
  • 30 July: Decorated bookmark
  • 6 August: Pencil pouch
  • 13 August: Notebook
  • 20 August: Monster bag charm

• Wednesday Art and Crafts
  30am – 12.30pm & 1.30 – 3.30pm

• • 24 July: Dreamcatcher drop-in. £1.50 – no booking needed.
  • 31 July: Dolly Peg Butterfly drop-in with Kate Tilley. £1.50 – no booking needed.
  • 7 August: Decorated Clay Flower Coil Pot Workshop with Kate Tilley. £4.50. Booking essential. Suitable for ages 5-12.
  • 14 August: Circle Weaving drop-in with Ruth Turnbull. £1.50 – no booking needed.
  • 21 August: Garden Creature Junk Modelling with Rob Conway. £4.50. Booking essential.

A unique view of Walsall Arboretum, which explores its 170 acres of land, offers a new perspective on the town’s popular historic park.

Utilising a drone, Walsall Council has launched the footage on YouTube ahead of the 150^th anniversary celebrations of the Walsall Arboretum.

“Residents and visitors can now experience the beauty of this historic park from a breathtaking aerial perspective. We hope these visuals will inspire people to come and see it for themselves and experience the Arboretum’s magic,” said Jaki Brunton-Douglas, Healthy Spaces team manager at Walsall Council.

Check out the footage.

The anniversary celebrations take place on Saturday May 4 from 12-7pm. The line-up  includes a host of music acts across two stages, as well as boat rides and the re-opening of the miniature railway.

Children’s toy retailer, The Entertainer, is expanding its partnership with Tesco to appear in numerous stores in the area, including Walsall Extra on Littleton Street and the Superstore in Brownhills.

Following the successful launch of its products in 35 locations across the U.K. over the last couple of years, The Entertainer will become a feature in all 853 stores across the U.K. and Republic of Ireland.

Brands will include LEGO, Hot Wheels, Barbie, Paw Patrol and Peppa Pig, as well as a range of toys from the Early Learning Centre.

Andrew Murphy, CEO of The Entertainer, announced the extended partnership on LinkedIn, saying:

 “This expansion will give The Entertainer the largest number of retail locations of any toy retailer in the UK.

“It’s a huge opportunity, but also a huge undertaking and logistical challenge.

“Getting to this point has required a great collaborative effort between almost every part of our organisation and our counterparts in Tesco.

“It’s been a great team effort and I want to thank everyone across both businesses who has done so well and moved so quickly to get us set for success.”

A new sculpture trail at Reedswood Park designed to represent the harmonious coexistence of art and nature, features artwork that appeared at The New Art Gallery as part of the National Lottery-funded ‘Bee Inspired Walsall’ project.

Commissioned by the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, local artist Daisy Askins created a series of sculptures using natural materials that were exhibited at the gallery from July to September 2023. These sculptures are now strategically placed around Reedswood Park, forming a trail where visitors can admire the art and scan QR codes to learn more about bumblebee conservation efforts.

“The aim is to spark an interest in the importance of bumblebees and inspire conversations about our wild friends, the bumblebees”, said Gurinder Atwal, Outreach and Volunteering Manager at the Bumblebee Conservation Trust.

“Thanks to the players of the National Lottery, this installation will provide a real talking point and encourage communities to champion the UK’s bumblebees by using the QR codes accompanying the artwork to find out more information on the Bumblebee Conservation Trust website.

“This milestone wouldn’t be attainable without the unwavering support of Richard McVittie and his team for their assistance in the installation, Daisy Askins for her brilliant artwork, and the invaluable guidance from Zoë Lippett from The New Art Gallery Walsall.”

 

Keeling School of Dance started in 1934 when Miss Keeling started teaching pupils in her parents’ back room. She then moved into studios in Great Barr and Sutton Coldfield before setting up base in Aldridge during the 1970’s.

Many of her former pupils danced both in the UK and abroad with professional contracts and starred alongside Michael Barrymore and the Roly Polys! Many pupils have used the training she gave them to open other local dance and theatre schools to help train others the same way she did for them.

When Beatrice Keeling sadly passed away in 2014, four of her previous pupils, Jane Eardley, Clare Cooksey, Elaine Wigfield, and Sarah Beckett, who had all trained with her, took on the school to continue her legacy.

“Without the dedication she showed to her pupils over the years, none of us would have the love of dance that she inspired in us,” Jane told Pioneer Magazines.

“In March, we performed our show celebrating 90 years of Keeling School of Dance, which featured numerous routines that she regularly taught to her pupils over the years, which many of us watched as we grew, envisaging that one day we would be able to perform them. There were over 100 performers involved, ranging from 3 up to our adults, covering ballet, tap, contemporary, commercial, gymnastics, jazz, theatre craft, and ballroom.”

Come to the Keeling School of Dance open day

On Sunday, July 14th, from 1-3 p.m., Keeling School of Dance is holding an open day at the school to celebrate its 90^th anniversary, as well as being the longest-running dance school in the Midlands.

“We are hoping to see many former and current pupils reminisce and share memories, along with showing previous performances and photographs,” said Jane.

“If you used to dance at Keeling or are interested in seeing the classes we offer, please feel free to come along and speak to us. Our classes run at Keeling School of Dance, 16a High Street, Aldridge, WS9 8LZ.

“We hope to continue for many more years and send a big thank you to Miss Keeling for giving us all this love of dance. We know you are always with us!”

The SPAR store in Pelsall is hosting a unique chance to win a basket of shopping*, as well as the chance to win a month’s worth of groceries, just by singing karaoke!

SPARaoke starts on Saturday 6 July, coinciding with the Pelsall Carnival, with another session on Saturday 13 July.

To join in the fun, simply:

1. Head to the Pelsall SPAR.

2. Listen for the claxon and an iconic song over the in-store radio.

3. Head to the checkout, grab the mic and sing along for 30 seconds or more.

There will be one winner per song played, and all winners will be entered into a prize draw to win a months’ worth of food shopping.

A spokesperson for SPAR said: ‘We know that most champions belong on the world sporting stage, but we also know that champions secretly live within local communities. So, whilst you may not be getting a medal this summer, you can definitely feel the rush of being your local SPARaoke champion with SPAR!’.

The full terms and conditions can be found on the SPAR website. Entrants must be 18+.

Also, look out for the SPAR food truck at Pelsall Carnival on July 6 for some free tasters!