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First October Edition 

Spooky fun in Dudley

Children and families can have a blast this October half term, with Dudley Council hosting activities in parks and museums in town

Dudley Museum at the Archives will be open Thursday, Friday and Saturday between 10am and 4pm, with interesting exhibitions and activities for families to enjoy.

Park Active sessions will be taking place in selected Dudley borough parks. These 45-minute activities are led by a qualified volunteer and gives people of all fitness levels the opportunity to be active outdoors.

Families can also enjoy using free outdoor gym equipment with more online about both activities.

The chronicles of Dudley

Discover Dudley's 428 million year old history, and how creatures that lived long ago changed our lives forever: a wonderful animation about the Chronicles of Dudley, produced by Natural England and narrated by Sir Lenny Henry. 

Secondary school admissions

Applications for secondary school admissions close on 31 October 2024.

Schools have held open evenings throughout September and October and a few sessions still remain.

Contact individual schools for details. This list, including phone numbers is also available on the admissions pages

Schools:

Dormston School. Date: 17 Oct. Time: 6-8pm. Open days/tours: 21, 22, 23 Oct

Ellowes Hall Sports College. Open days/tours: 14,15,16,17 October (pre-book only)

Open events for all other schools have already been held.

You can apply for up to six schools.

The closing date for applications is 31 October 2024.

Your allocated school will be shared with you on 3 March 2025.

Visit the admissions page for guidance and information about the application process.

Applications for primary school admissions

If your child lives in Dudley borough and was born between 1 September 2020 and 31 August 2021 you need to apply for a primary school place by 15 January 2025. 

Applications close on 15 January 2025

Himley firework tickets selling fast

Join us on Saturday 2 November

For the Himley fireworks

Themed, 'A Splash of Colour', it promises a remarkable 30-minute pyrotechnics show, choreographed to music, plus:

·        Heart West Midlands Radio

·        Giant funfair

·        Live entertainment

·        Night market

·        Food and beverage stalls

·        Plus large screens bringing the theme to life

PLEASE NOTE, A BONFIRE IS NOT PLANNED FOR THIS YEAR'S EVENT

Due to very high demand some customers are experiencing difficulties accessing the ticket page. Please be patient and keep trying.

VIP tickets almost sold out

Dudley Community Toothbrush Scheme

Dudley’s community toothbrush scheme will relaunch this October. The scheme provides toothbrush packs to children and families in need.  

Beacon pumpkin party for children with sight loss

As part of the forthcoming Halloween festivities, Beacon is excited to invite children impacted by sight loss along with their families to a special pumpkin-themed Halloween party that’s accessible, inclusive and designed just for them. 

Attendance is free.

Date is 28 October @ Beacon centre in Sedgley.

This event is specifically for children under 14, and a suitable adult must accompany them.

Kindly inform on dietary requirements where applicable. 

To RSVP or for any further questions, please contact us at enquiries@beaconvision.org or call 01902 880 111.

Looking forward to celebrating and making this Halloween a memorable one!

Villains Unleashed!

It's time for the princesses to step aside as the Villains are unleashed!

This devilishly fun show brings together all your favourite Villains for the ultimate Halloween party.

Losing their magic powers as the screams of Halloween fade away, the Villains plan the perfect Halloween party.

Join them as they plot and scheme to conjure up a magical event, guaranteed to make everyone celebrate the most haunting time of year.

Prepare to be spellbound with this hour-long show of spine-tingling songs, chilling choreography, and devilish party dances guaranteed to get you trembling in your seats.

Dress up in your favourite Halloween costume and if you dare... join the Villains themselves for a FREE meet and greet after the show.

Book now, it's going to be a scream!

STOURBRIDGE TOWN HALL

Thursday 31 October 2024 - 2pm

Tickets: Children £12, Adults £14, Family of Four £46

Half-term fun in Dudley libraries

The October half term is right at the corner, and Dudley libraries will be a hive of fun activities during this period with plenty of spookiness. 

Water safety

 The Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK), in its Water Safety campaign, issued a safety warning in their latest update, using evidence from the National Child Mortality Database (NCMD).

The recent report reveals that 125 children have drowned in the past four years, with 51 incidents occurring at home—primarily during bath time and involving children under five.

The report emphasises the importance of adult supervision, as 86% of cases involved unsupervised children.

Below are highlights:

1. Always keep young children within arm’s reach in the bath. Always keep children under constant adult supervision in the bath. If you need to leave the bathroom, take the child with you. In our survey, 59% of parents of children under five admitted to leaving the child unattended in the bath at least once in the past month – and for most, this was down to them forgetting something, such as a towel.

3. Never leave your child under the supervision of child siblings in the bath. If you need to leave the bathroom, take the child with you. We found that 2 in 5 parents (41%) think it's safe to leave a baby in the bath with an older sibling, as long as it's not for too long. 
4. Drowning can happen quickly and silently – in a matter of minutes. You won’t hear that something is wrong. Parents often don’t realise that drowning happens quickly and silently. In our survey, 55% of parents believe they would hear thrashing and a lot of noise if their child was struggling in the bath.