Aldridge Musical Comedy Society (AMCS) are set to light up the stage this November with a brand-new pantomime take on A Christmas Carol, performed at Norton Canes High School on 14 and 15 November.

Inspired by the beloved Dickens classic, this reimagined version promises a playful, family-friendly twist packed with festive cheer. Expect new ghosts, mischievous elves, a larger-than-life Dame in the form of Aunty Mistletoe, and plenty of laugh-out-loud moments.

The production features an exciting mix of musical numbers, including a feel-good 70s disco medley, You Will Be Found, Anything You Can Do, The Sound of Silence, and the festive favourite Merry Christmas Everyone. 

This new adaptation has been written and directed by Richard Beckett, who also stars as Scrooge. He said:

“It has been a real pleasure taking on this role of director for the first time. Although full of different challenges, it has been brilliant to see the show and characters all come to life. I hope the audience enjoys watching it as much as we have done rehearsing it!”

Show Dates and Tickets

• Friday 14 November – Evening performance

• Saturday 15 November – Matinee & Evening performance

Tickets start from £12.50 and are available at:
👉 www.seaty.co.uk/Christmascarol

AMCS have been entertaining audiences for nearly 60 years, performing a wide range of musicals, pantomimes and community productions. Looking ahead, the group will return in June with Little Shop of Horrors at the Rugeley Rose Theatre.

Parades and services across the borough will take place this Remembrance Sunday as residents come together to honour the men and women of the armed forces.

In Walsall town centre, the annual Remembrance Day parade and service at the Cenotaph in Bradford Place will take place on Sunday 9 November 2025. Residents are invited to watch the procession and join the service, which is attended each year by military veterans, serving personnel and representatives of the armed forces community.

The Mayor of Walsall, Councillor Louise Harrison, will lead this year’s tributes on behalf of Walsall Council. The Service of Remembrance will be conducted by The Reverend Canon Rob Hall, vicar of St Paul’s and St Luke’s in Walsall, along with Reader Anita Edwards. David Frost CBE DL, Deputy Lieutenant of the West Midlands, will also take part in the wreath-laying ceremony.

Councillor Harrison said:

“ It is an honour to represent the borough at this year’s annual Remembrance Sunday service in Walsall town centre. This is a time to reflect and honour those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. I hope many of our residents will come along and pay their respects at one of the many services taking place across the borough.

“Also, I’d like to thank all those involved in repairing the centrepiece of the Barr Beacon War Memorial, which was damaged by vandals earlier this month. The Barr Beacon Trust has purchased replacement topography discs, and I’m pleased to confirm that repairs will be finished in time for the Remembrance wreath laying ceremony due to take place on Friday 7 November 2025. “

Councillor Adam Hicken, Armed Forces Champion at Walsall Council, added:

“ On this, the eightieth anniversary since the end of World War II, we remember and pay tribute to the bravery and sacrifice of all service personnel, past and present, who have served our country. Walsall Council is committed to our armed forces community and today is a time for reflection and thanks. We will remember them. “

Parade and Service Details – Walsall Town Centre

• Parade starts: 10.25am (Hatherton Road / Hatherton Street)

• Route: Past the Council House and down Lichfield Street, Lower Bridge Street, The Bridge, and Bradford Street

• Arrival at Cenotaph: 10.35am

• Service begins: 10.40am in the Cenotaph Garden

• The service will include amplification and a sign language interpreter for the hard of hearing.

• The two-minute silence will be observed at 11am.

• A bugler from the Staffordshire Band will sound The Last Post and Reveille.

• Wreaths will be laid at the Cenotaph.

• At the end of the service, the parade will return to the Council House, where the Mayor will take the salute, and then lay a wreath at the John Carless VC Memorial.

The parade will feature representatives from 159 Theatre Support Company, Cheshire Regiment Association, Mercian Volunteers Regimental Association, Walsall Sea Cadets, Queen Mary’s Grammar School Combined Cadet Force and a range of uniformed youth organisations.

The full Order of Service Programme can be accessed here:
https://go.walsall.gov.uk/newsroom/programme-arrangements-remembrance-day-0

Services and Parades Across the Borough

Friday 7 November 2025

Barr Beacon War Memorial
Wreath-laying ceremony attended by the Mayor of Walsall, David Frost CBE DL, the Barr Beacon Trust Committee, Wendy Morton MP, local veterans and schools.
Mayor arrives at 10.45am.
Minute’s silence at 11am.
Location: Barr Beacon Park, WS9 0QR

Sunday 9 November 2025

• Aldridge War Memorial
  Parade at 10.45am from Aldridge Community Centre to the Cenotaph, The Green, WS9 8NH.

• Bloxwich Cenotaph
  Parade at 10.45am along the High Street with scouts, brownies, cubs, the British Legion and military representatives. Service and silence at 11am. High Street, WS3 3JT.

• Brownhills Cenotaph
  Parade around 10.30am from Brownhills Memorial to St James Church. Service and silence at 11am, followed by wreath-laying.

• Darlaston War Memorial (Darlaston North)
  Parade at 10.15am from King Street. Service at 10.40am at the Cenotaph. Victoria Road, WS10 8AB.

• Moxley War Memorial (Darlaston South)
  Meet at 10.30am for an unveiling of four new plaques (VE Day, VJ Day, Korea, Falklands). Refreshments afterwards at Moxley Peoples Centre.

• Pelsall Cenotaph
  Service at 10.50am at Pelsall War Memorial. Parade of uniformed organisations begins at 10.40am from Pelsall Village Centre. Norton Road/Station Road.

• Rushall War Memorial
  Meet at Pelsall Lane/Lichfield Road junction. Service at 10.45am outside Rushall Hub, followed by wreath-laying.

• Short Heath Cenotaph
  Parade at 10.30am from the British Legion Club, followed by service and silence at 11am. High Road, WV12 4JT.

• Streetly War Memorial
  Service at 10.30am at All Saints Church, B74 3EX. Minute’s silence at 11am. Streetly scouts will parade after the service.

• Walsall Wood War Memorial
  Parade from KFC car park to St John’s Church. Assemble at 1pm; parade begins at 1.30pm.

• Willenhall Cenotaph
  Parade starts at 10.30am from Market Place. Service and wreath-laying at 11am at Field Street Cenotaph. A separate service will take place at the Portobello Cenotaph at the same time.

A rogue builder has been jailed for more than four years following a detailed investigation by Walsall Council’s Trading Standards team.

Shane Steven Rollinson, who traded under several business names including SN Brickwork, SSR Brickwork & Driveways, and Brickwork Best, was convicted at Wolverhampton Crown Court of running a fraudulent business and multiple counts of perverting the course of justice.

Two Walsall residents were defrauded of more than £34,000 after hiring Rollinson, who initially came across as friendly and reliable. Once contracts were agreed, he requested large advance payments for materials and labour that were never supplied. As work slowed to a halt, he repeatedly demanded further payments, giving false excuses such as illness, family bereavements, accidents and hospital stays.

When the money had largely been handed over, communication dwindled and the little work completed was described as unsafe and substandard. Independent surveyors valued the combined work at just £2,600, compared with the tens of thousands paid by victims.

During the investigation, Rollinson attempted to pressure witnesses into withdrawing their statements, resulting in additional charges for perverting the course of justice.

Rollinson, of 5 The Shrubbery, Dudley (DY1 2BZ), was sentenced on 21 October 2025 to:

• Three years’ imprisonment for participating in a fraudulent business

• One year’s imprisonment (four counts) for perverting the course of justice — to run concurrently with each other but consecutively to the fraud charge

• One month for failing to surrender to bail

His total sentence amounts to four years and one month.

The court also issued a 10-year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) preventing him from advertising or carrying out any building work, or arranging for others to do so.

Councillor Adam Hicken, Portfolio Holder for Enforcement and Safe Communities, said:

“Our Trading Standards officers work tirelessly to bring offenders like this to justice and protect consumers from being exploited. We’re grateful to those affected who came forward and helped ensure this conviction.

“This case shows how devastating the impact of rogue traders can be on residents — both financially and emotionally.“

Residents are encouraged to thoroughly research tradespeople before hiring them, obtain at least three quotes, and avoid making large upfront payments. People are also urged not to deal with cold callers and to take care when using social media to source services.

Anyone who is concerned about rogue trading or unfair practices can report it to Walsall Trading Standards via the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133.

Walsall Council has welcomed the Government’s announcement that Blakenall is set to receive up to £20 million over the next ten years as part of the national Pride in Place programme. The long-term investment aims to support regeneration, strengthen local opportunities, and empower residents to play an active role in shaping the future of their community.

Councillor Adam Hicken, Portfolio Holder for Enforcement & Safe Communities, has emphasised the council’s commitment to ensuring the programme is genuinely community-led. While the council awaits final guidance from the Government, it has confirmed that neighbourhood boards will be central to the decision-making process, with the council acting as the accountable body.

Councillor Hicken said:

“The Pride in Place programme is a significant opportunity for Blakenall, and I am determined to get it right. I will not rush into making promises until all the facts and responsibilities are clear, but my commitment is to ensure local residents are properly represented and that every decision delivers real outcomes for the community.“

Once full Government guidance is received, the council plans to move quickly to establish a local board composed of residents and community partners, making sure local voices are present at every stage.

The council has stressed that transparency will underpin the entire process. A Cabinet report is currently being prepared to set out the proposed governance arrangements, guaranteeing robust oversight of how funding is allocated and spent.

Regular updates on spending, project progress, and agreed priorities will be published, and the council will continue to work closely with residents throughout the programme’s delivery.

No major decisions or commitments will be made until all funding conditions and responsibilities are fully confirmed by the Government. The council has been clear that every pound invested must translate into meaningful and visible improvements for people living in Blakenall South.

The council acknowledges that some residents felt previous regeneration efforts in the early 2000s did not deliver the lasting impact they had hoped for. In response, this programme will put community involvement, transparency, and accountability at its core.

Lessons from earlier initiatives—such as the importance of clear objectives, continuous monitoring, and strong engagement with local people—will guide how the new funding is delivered.

The future Pride in Place board will work closely with residents and partner organisations to identify priorities, oversee delivery, and track results. The aim is to ensure the investment brings long-term, positive change that the community can see and feel.

Walsall Council’s Bereavement Services have been recognised with a prestigious national award.

The award, announced this week, celebrates the outstanding support provided to families across the borough. From funeral arrangements to cemetery and crematorium services, Walsall’s bereavement team has long been praised for balancing efficiency with empathy. 

The honour comes at a time when bereavement services nationwide face growing challenges, from changing cultural expectations around funerals to pressures on local authority budgets. Despite these difficulties, Walsall has continued to modernise and improve its service, introducing innovations such as online booking systems and expanded memorial options while still maintaining traditional support for families who prefer personal contact.

Staff members say the recognition is also a tribute to the partnership they maintain with local funeral directors, faith groups, and community organisations.

One recent family supported by the service praised the team for their “kindness, patience, and understanding,” adding that they felt “listened to at every stage.”