Health & Wellbeing
Projects in this category create specialised services for the health and wellbeing of Walsall residents. They reduce social isolation and improve people’s quality of life by supporting vulnerable people from different backgrounds.
Change Your Mind Programme, Queen Mary’s Grammar School
The Change Your Mind Programme is run for sixth formers at Queen Mary’s Grammar School by teacher Sophie McPhee. Students plan and deliver workshops about mental health and wellbeing which by the end of this year will have reached nearly 1900 pupils in 38 different Walsall primary schools. Workshops include a range of topics such as Digital Detoxing, a popular workshop looking at topics such as online gaming, social media, explicit content and fake news.
Bloxwich Junior parkrun
Bloxwich Junior parkrun is a 2km event for juniors only (4-14 year olds). The event takes place at King George V Memorial Playing Fields every week and is free to take part in.
League of Friends, Walsall Manor Hospital
The League of Friends, work in Walsall hospitals to enhance patient experience and raise funds for things over and above what the NHS can provide through providing a Host and Hostess service and raising funds for equipment. They also run a shop for visitors and patients as part of their fundraising efforts.
Arboretum parkrun
The Arboretum parkrun is a free, weekly, timed 5k walk/jog/run at 9am every Saturday. Open to all ages and abilities. It is organised entirely by volunteers and brings together people from all ages and different cultural, religious backgrounds from across the community of Walsall.
Rushall Hub
Rushall Hub officially opened on 18 May 2019. The Hub is managed by Radleys School with support from Rushall Development Group, local Councillors and Walsall Council. The hub hosts a range of activities for local residents including ‘Hope’ an outreach workshop for families with autistic children and ‘Five Senses’, who run sensory play sessions for pre-school children. They also run a book exchange, crafty knitters and St Johns Ambulance. There are lots of plans going forward to turn the hub into a thriving centre for the local community.
Walsall Link Line
Walsall Link Line is a voluntary project run by Mandy Keay that delivers dementia and mental health support across the borough, in order to reduce social isolation and help ensure that older people receive the best care possible. Support includes one to one support, backed by fantastic volunteers, tea dances and dementia dens. As if that wasn’t enough Mandy also leads a professional health forum for older people and a local community networking forum!
Bushido Martial Arts
Bushido is run by Wayne Challoner-Keough and his wife Debbie, who promotes a family friendly environment where a ‘family which train together,
stay together!’. Bushido believes that life skills are an important part of the process such as respect, confidence and self-belief, a concept they also take into schools with specific self-defence sessions. With classes that cover adults, children and family and also Little Samurai Specialist classes there is really something for everyone.
Walsall Bike Project
Walsall Bike Project aims get people cycling by providing bikes, training and education. Walsall Bike Project Maintenance Club provides an informal environment to learn how to maintain your own bicycle. The club offers group sessions with hands on experience of everything from fixing a flat tyre to straightening a bent wheel.
Sporting Khalsa
Established in 1991, Sporting Khalsa Football Club began playing senior football in the local Walsall & District Sunday leagues and, for two seasons between 1995 and 1997, the club played Saturday football at a semi-professional level. Sporting Khalsa launched its charity “Sporting Khalsa Community Facilities” in 2014. The club aims to help tackle social exclusion, and provide football opportunities for all members of the community. Sporting Khalsa aims to use the power of sport to contribute to the tackling of social exclusion. Sport belongs to, and should be enjoyed by, everyone equally.
Holy Ascension Wednesday Club
With an initial weekly attendance of just four people in January 2015 it is to the great credit, enthusiasm and perseverance of Susan Walters that the Holy Ascension Wednesday Coffee Morning Club now enjoys an average of fifty local residents enjoying the hospitality and non-religious ‘get together’ that the morning provides. Free transportation ensures those
with disability are not precluded from attending. No charge is made for the unlimited hot beverages and toast and the generous donations ensure an adequate supply of such items. Regular in-house entertainment evenings (music, quizzes, bingo etc) and outings (theatre, canal boat trips, cinema etc) provide enjoyment and social interaction. Social isolation, boredom and depression have a direct affect on the well-being of, particularly the elderly, many of whom freely admit that the Coffee Club has ‘saved them’.
Dartmouth Neighbourhood Forum
Initially the Dartmouth Neighbourhood Forum was set up with a committee formed by Ken Thompson, to enable the elderly to have a voice on what they required. Loneliness and isolation and having nowhere to go was the most outstanding. Pam Spinks was part of that committee and is the only one who has continued to take an active part, providing support, advice and guidance and more importantly a helping hand to all of her extended family, no matter what the challenge is. To make this happen transport was required to get to and from their homes safely, this became a major cost as purchasing a bus requires funds for insurance, repairs and fuel. The group meet twice a week to raise funds do activities, celebrate birthdays, go to shows, play bingo and go on holidays.
Darlaston Sons and Daughters of Rest
Darlaston Sons and Daughters of Rest was opened officially in 1989. Our aim is to reduce isolation and improve the social welfare of our members by promoting mental well being through activity in a welcoming and friendly environment. There are currently 52 members (male and female) who range in age from 58 to 90. Our facility provides an inviting focal point for our members to come to meet, mix and engage in social activities (such as; snooker, cards, dominoes, bingo, and trips out to local restaurants).
Streetly StreetWatch
Streetly StreetWatch have been patrolling the streets of Streetly for 2 years now. They have a membership of around 50 local residents and patrol the local streets typically 3 times a week, mainly during the evening, but also during the daytime too. They take an active part in the community within Streetly, reassuring local residents and making sure they report anything suspicious to the police. In addition, they also keep an eye on other issues, which they feed in to the council. This is a very good example of resilient communities and shows excellent good practice of how local volunteers can make such a positive contribution, working alongside the local authority and police force.
Other categories