The gardens at the care home for the elderly are being refurbished and the community team from Mid Counties Co-op have started to clear the area in readiness for the new woodland area.

Residents are looking forward to their new garden at Pelsall Hall Care Home, Paradise Lane

The residents will also have an area where they can grow their own fruit and vegetables.

Now, the home is launching a competition, open to all children and young people up to the age of 18, to design the perfect spot for a shaded area that measures approximately 14ft by 14ft.

Fiona McCracken, from the care home, said: “You could design a seating area, or a wildlife area, a reminiscence area, a themed area. Anything you like.

“It is a woodland area, which means there is little sun getting through, so think about shade loving plants.”

The design should not include pools or water and it has to be sufficiently spacious for wheelchairs.

What to do:

• Draw your ideas on A4 paper showing how you want your area to look with labels to describe the ideas or a description on an-other page.
• Think of a name for your garden and add that to your entry.
• Ad your name address, school details and a telephone number on the back of your entry.
• Send the completed drawing to: Fiona McCracken, Garden Competition, Pelsall Hall Care Home, Paradise Lane, Pelsall Walsall WS3 4JW.

The closing date is June 30, 2012.

Residents of Pelsall Hall Care Home and pupils of St Michael’s School with their hand-crafted Diamond Jubilee goodies

Meanwhile, residents have enjoyed their final craft club with pupils from St Michael’s School, Maple Road.

Youngsters from Years 3 and 4 have gone weekly to the home to take part in craft sessions with the elderly residents.

A spokesman for the school said: “The children have found it a very rewarding experience and I believe have developed a genuine attachment to the residents they have worked with.

“The boys certainly enjoyed being told about wartime years and being shown which way up the Union Jack should be flown. The residents clearly enjoyed the company of the children as the smiles show.

“We would recommend any school to ‘adopt’ a similar home and enjoy an hour or so with surrogate grandparents.”

See poster below for details.

The former Mayor of Walsall, Coun Garry Perry, and his mother June, who was mayoress

I hope that I have been able to convey to people both within and outside the Town that Walsall is keeping alive an active community spirit and that it is still a very good place to live and work.

There have been both moments of happiness and of sadness. But some key things stand out:

•  I have been amazed at the dedication of the voluntary sector. Many people tirelessly serve their communities week in week out for little or no reward, other than knowing they are making a difference to the lives and well- being of others.
• Our schools and colleges are actively seeking to improve standards and raise the aspirational needs of children and young people.
• Small businesses supporting each other through closer networking and re-branding, ensuring they survive the difficult economic conditions.

We have tried to make our year accessible to the community, throwing the doors open to Civic life and inviting people to get closer to the Mayoralty, learning about its historic past and traditions.

Charity has also been a central theme and fundraising has meant just that.  Challenge 100 was very well supported and captured the imagination of residents.

People shaving their heads, organising sports days, and mountain trekking were amongst some of the ‘challenges’ Walsall people took up to raise a £100 or more for my charity appeal.

It has been touching to see the generosity of people, those who have given money and those who have dedicated time to fundraise or who have donated prizes for raffles and tombolas.

I would also like to express my sincere thanks to all those whose support has enabled us to do so much more, helping me to help others. I thank my employers Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, their support has been vital in allowing the Mayoress and I the time to carry out civic duties.

I also thank my family and those closest to me, my friends and fundraising team for providing stable support and fellowship, giving their time in order for us to raise funds for my Mayoral Appeal and hold some terrific events.

Finally, heartfelt thanks to my own community of Pelsall for their continued support and for their help during what has been a busy year. To all of you that I have had the privilege of meeting this year a very big thank you for making myself and my Mum June feel so very welcome.

Every event that I have attended has seen a hand of friendship extended, and I feel very fortunate to have met so many wonderful people.

With best wishes,

Cllr Garry Perry Mayor of Walsall 2011/2012

Walsall Council’s Anti Social Behaviour Unit, working  with West Midlands Police, successfully obtained an Anti Social Behaviour Order (ASBO) against Robert Jeffery, aged 27, who was “causing distress to residents on a Walsall estate”.

A spokesman for Walsall Council said: “The order was issued by Walsall Magistrates and was made against Jeffery who had been behaving anti socially in and around Pelsall and other areas of the borough.

“Most of the anti social behaviour related to alcohol consumption and included aggressive begging and intimidating behaviour which on occasions was targeted at the elderly or lone females.

“The ASBO contained a number of prohibitions including not being drunk in a public place, not begging or loitering for the purpose of begging and not being able to enter certain areas in Pelsall where much of the anti-social behaviour occurred.

“Breach of the order is a criminal offence that can lead to a fine or imprisonment.  The order was granted for a period of three years.”

Mick Birch, deputy chair of Safer Walsall Partnership, said: “The ASBO is a positive outcome for the residents of Walsall, particularly those who reside in the Pelsall area and demonstrates the commitment of the council and its partners to tackle those who commit anti social behaviour.”

No address was given for Jeffrey.

Pelsall Musical Society is staging Through The Looking Glass this week at the Methodist Church Hall.

The society had hoped it would be staging the world premiere of the musical, which is based on Alice In Wonderland, but was beaten by an American school and another UK musical society earlier this year.

Colette Mumford said they began rehearsing for the show in September last year when it was still in the stages of being written. It was finalised just before Christmas.

“At this point we were performing the world premiere” she said. “Unfortunately, a school in America pipped us to the post and then a society in England, which meant we also lost the UK premiere.”

The society has 35 members who will be performing, as well as backstage hands and front of house volunteers.

Through the Looking Glass is being staged at the hall, on Chapel Street, on May 9-12 and curtains are up at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £8 for adults and £6.50 for children and concessions. For tickets, telephone 01922 411498.

Spaces are available for would-be Cub Scouts at the group that meets at St Michael’s Church hall.

The group meets every Tuesday at 6.30-8.30pm.

Cub Scouts have to be aged between eight and ten and a half.

For more details, contact the Cub Scout leader Keith Smedon on 01922 860427.

A variety of items will be up for grabs at the event, including pottery, small pieces of furniture, collectors items, figurines and dolls, all donated by the congregation.

The hall will be open for viewing at 10am and the auction will begin at 1pm. Catalogues cost 50p.

There will also be a bric-a-brac sale and plant stall selling items from 10am.

“We will want to raise as much as we can so that the Church Hall project can get underway so we need lots of people to come along and support this venture which will benefit the whole community,” said Maureen Paynton.

Refreshments will also be available.

The youngsters from class 4H will perform the scene Shylock’s Rage from The Merchant of Venice at the world-famous Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon.

It comes after they took part in a flagship RSC education project called the Learning and Performance Network, along with Pelsall Village and St Michael’s CE School, Pelsall, and four other schools across Walsall.

Class 4H at Ryders Hayes School who will represent Walsall schools at the World Shakespeare Festival in July

After months of rehearsing, the six schools staged the play at Forest Arts Centre in March, each taking on a scene.

Teachers at Ryders Hayes were trained by Fi Ross, a director at the Royal Shakespeare Company, to edit scripts and teach acting techniques.

“This is a tremendous honour and a fabulous opportunity for Ryders Hayes School,” said headteacher Joanne Speller.

“The children and staff involved are very excited at being chosen to perform with other schools from across the UK, in Stratford.  They have put so much effort into this project and it is a well- deserved reward for all their hard work and dedication.”

The children will perform their scene on July 3.

Carnival Queen Kathryn Cox (centre) with her Maids of Honour Antonia Dodsworth (left) and Jess Watts. Picture/Ian Rhydderch

A competition at Pelsall Community Centre yesterday (April 29) saw 13 entrants vying for the title of Queen, seven for Princess and ten for Rosebud.

Kathryn Cox, from Pelsall, was selected to be this year’s Queen, while Eve Gollins, also from Pelsall, was chosen as Princess.

Antonia Dodsworth, from Rushall, and Jess Watts, from Bloxwich, were chosen as Maids of Honour, while Megan Hayes and Tianna Beech were chosen by the judges to be this year’s Rosebuds.

Pelsall Carnival Princess 2012 Eve Gollins (centre), with Rosebuds Megan Hayes (left) and Tianna Beech. Picture/Ian Rhydderch

The girls all impressed the judging panel, which comprised Zoe Dallaway (current Carnival Queen), Sheila Sheasby, Adrian Ratcliffe, Mark Turner and Lucy Sparrock (a former Maid of Honour).

The Carnival Queen, Maids of Honour, Princess and Rosebuds will all be crowned on Carnival Day (Saturday, July 7) by special guest and popular Black Country Comedian, Aynuk.