“On Tuesday 15th June from 11am to 3pm we are holding an open day at the Community Centre on Griffiths Drive to showcase the work of the groups using the centre. We will also be marking  the official launch of our new Over 50’s Fitness Programme which will be launched by Dr Adrian Phillips, Director of Public Health for Wolverhampton at 11am.”

“The state of the art Gym equipment has been funded by Wolverhampton Primary Care Trust who are working with Wolverhampton City Council improving the health and well being of our communities.”

“Everyone is welcome – so please come along and find out about the other activities we run at the Community Centre, including Art Clubs, Craft Clubs, Card making, Friendship Club, Computer Courses, Children’s Centre activities and more. Refreshments will be provided!”

There are several opportunities to get involved either running (full marathon, half marathon, relay challenge event or the children’s mini-marathon) as well as the 19.4km cycling event which includes wheelchair racers.

The WV11 team are considering entering the cycle event – is anyone else interested in entering with us?

For entry details and information on road closures, please visit: www.wolverhamptoncitymarathon.co.uk

The applicant (Mr H.S. Gill) has requested a change of use of the ground floor from retail (Use Class A1) to a dental surgery (Use Class D1).

View the full application here.

Click here to view the embedded video.

This powerful video highlighting the plight of 106 year-old Louisa Watts who was evicted from her care home Underhill House in Bushbury recently appeared online. The video urges voters to ‘evict’ the 8 councillors who voted to close the home.

Louisa’s 78 year-old son Derek Watts (of Ashmore Park) is standing as an independent candidate for Wednesfield North in the upcoming local election.

Read more about Louisa’s plight at the Express & Star.

The City’s Rotary Clubs will be out again on the next two Saturdays offering simple health checks.

On Saturday 1st May Wednesfield Rotary Club will have their gazebo in Wednesfield High Street between 9.30am and 3.30pm whilst on the 8th May the other clubs are setting up in the Piazza of the Wulfrun Centre from 9.00am until 4.00pm. This exercise is carried out in conjunction with the Stroke Team of the Wolverhampton NHS Trust, West Park Rehabilitation Centre and the city’s Coronary After Care Group.

The health-checks undertaken will include blood pressures, pulse, blood sugar, heights weights and BMI scores and lifestyle advice will be available on exercise, diet, smoking and alcohol.

At last year’s corresponding events over 700 people were tested and a number were referred to their doctor, some as a matter of urgency. It is certain that this year, once again, there will be a goodly number of shoppers who will have reason to be pleased that they interrupted their shopping to have a quick health check.

Dr Amar Das Gupta, a local GP and Wednesfield member said: “I hope people will stop by our stand again this year, it only takes a few minutes and could save lives. High Blood Pressure is often a silent killer which shows no symptoms. Uncontrolled High Blood Pressure is the number one cause of avoidable strokes.

For every ten people who die from strokes, four could have been saved if they had arranged regular blood pressure checks and then followed medical advice. The are 300,000 people living with the effects of stroke in England and Wales and more than 130,000 people suffer their first stroke each year. Stroke is one of the country’s biggest killers and the single greatest cause of adult disability.”

Wednesfield & Fallings Park neighbourhood partnership officer will hike up the highest mountain in Britain to raise money for Cancer Research UK after his own father was diagnosed with the illness.

Simon Hamilton, who works for Wednesfield and Fallings Park Local Neighbourhood Partnership, will be attempting the arduous task along with his friend Diane Crutchley, a rehabilitation assistant at Warstone’s Resource Centre, in July.

Simon walked up Snowdon Mountain last year, but this time around the trek will have added significance as he hiking with his dad.

“I walked up Snowdon last year for my 40th birthday with my brothers – this year we decided to do it again but for charity,” said Simon.

“My dad had cancer of the bowel but is in remission now and is back at work and enjoying himself.

Those of you who would like to donate to Simon and Diane’s cause can visit their just giving site by clicking here: http://www.justgiving.com/Simon-Hamilton69. Alternatively, you can get in touch with Simon by calling 07814549416.

WV11.co.uk will be donating a month’s worth of our advertising revenues to Simon’s cause – we hope you join us.

“I’m really excited because last year it was the first time all my brothers came together  as a family for years but this time we will be walking with our dad too, who although is 61 is very fit for his age and celebrating that he is in remission.”

Simon already donates to the charity every month but felt he wanted to do all he could to help others who found themselves in his dad’s position.

“With my dad’s treatment, we thought it would be a good idea to support the huge amount of research that is already being carried out, which helps to save so many lives,” added Simon.

Diane is best friends with Simon’s wife and asked if she could be a part of the slog too.

“I like walking and completed a half marathon – it’s good to stay fit but I’ve never done it for charity,” she said.

“I’m not really getting worried as it’s something I love to do. I’ve started to go out rambling on the weekends in preparation and am really looking forward to it.”

As well as raising cash for Cancer Research UK, some of Simon’s brothers will also donate money to Compton Hospice after it helped the family during an illness that was suffered by a relative.

Simon’s dad Ken added: “I’m really looking forward to the hike with my sons and am proud that we are raising as much as we can for two such good causes.”

I am writing to introduce the Lee Matthews Blackbelt Academy and to let WV11 readers know that we have just opened a new satellite school in Wednesfield at Edward The Elder Primary School on Moat House Lane East. We teach Martial Arts to everyone from the age of 4 years old and currently have 3 different classes running from this school every Tuesday and Friday.

For more information on our classes and to book a free lesson at Wednesfield, please call 0800 3893987 or visit us online at www.leematthews.co.uk and follow the link at the bottom of the home page.

If after a couple of months of 2010 you’re still struggling to shed those extra Christmas pounds and are looking for a way of losing weight, why not try the local Weight Watchers club?

Local Weight Watchers meetings:

Wednesfield
Every Monday 5.45pm
Community Centre, Alfred Squire Road, WV11 1XU

Ashmore Park
Every Wednesday 5.30pm & 6.45pm
St Albans Church Hall, Griffiths Drive, WV11 2LJ

For more information contact Beverley on 07739 968 678 or bev_ww@yahoo.co.uk or visit the Facebook page.

As reported in the Express and Star today, a new bus route is set to begin running next week that links two of the regions main hospitals.

The 549 bus service will take passengers between Walsall Manor Hospital and New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton.

The half-hourly service which begins on Monday will start from St Paul’s Street in Walsall, calling at both hospitals and travel via Bentley and Wednesfield, then on to Wolverhampton city centre.

The service will be run by commercial operator Midland and extra buses will be introduced to cover the route, which will operate Mondays to Saturdays between 8am and 6pm.

West Midlands Passenger Transport Authority, Centro chairman Councillor Gary Clarke, said: “This new service is excellent news for local people by providing affordable and easy transport to two of the region’s main hospitals from major residential areas.

“This will be a major benefit to all people living along the route, but especially elderly people and those with limited mobility by making it easier than ever to access the hospital, attend appointments or visit family and friends.”

A single journey bus ticket will cost £1.70 and the free National Concessionary Travel Pass for passengers over 60, eligible blind and disabled people will be accepted.

Midland managing director David Reeves said: “We realised that there was no easy way of travelling from Wednesfield into Walsall, from Pool Hayes into Wolverhampton or between the two hospitals without having to change buses.

“We’re delighted to provide the new 549 service which will fill those gaps in the network and provide a fast link between Walsall and Wolverhampton too.”

For next week only, fares will cost of £1 for adults and 50p for children.

Patients in Ward D20 (respiratory and neurology) were first affected last week and a hospital spokesman said last night: “The trust is taking every precaution possible to contain this virus.”

Limited visiting is being allowed in cases of critically ill patients and births, but decisions are being made on a per-patient basis by ward managers. Relatives of patients can contact the hospital on 01902 307999.

A total of 24 hospital wards across Birmingham and The Black Country have been shut due to the outbreak.

Read more at the Express & Star or Birmingham Mail.