Groups across the West Midlands are celebrating being awarded over £170,000 of National Lottery funding to host 100 community-led activities this weekend, 9th and 10th September, as part of the first West Midlands Mayor’s Community Weekend since the pandemic.

The weekend of community-led activity returns thanks to a partnership between Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, the West Midlands Combined Authority and The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest community funder in the UK.

The Mayor’s Community Weekend aims to celebrate the strength and diversity of West Midlands’ communities by bringing people together. Communities across the region were invited to apply for grants between £500 and £2,000, to host activities.

The events will see people from all backgrounds strengthening existing connections and giving them opportunities to make new ones.

Across the Black Country:

• Jubilee Park Community Centre in Tipton will be inviting local people to 'Come Dine With Me' on Saturday and Sunday between midday and 3pm.
• Wednesbury Community Association will be hosting  'Celebration Show' on Saturday between 1pm to 4pm at St Bartholomew's Church Hall.
• Ekho Collective will be inviting people to come along to Hawbush Garden Party and Community Picnic' on Saturday between 2pm-7pm.
• The Bangladeshi Women's Centre will be hosting 'Connected Communities Funday' at Tipton Muslim Community Centre between 2pm-8pm on Sunday.

Black Country Radio are inviting people to join them at a new a brand-new, public-facing studio in Merry Hill Shopping Centre. This new site will be used for live broadcasts, performances and training. As part of the celebration of the West Midlands Mayor’s Community Weekend  there’ll be a full schedule of live performances as well as a ‘discussion couch’ to hear from members of the public and special guests.

Events and activities are taking place right across the wider Midlands area and a full list of activities can be found on the West Midlands Combined Authority's website. Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands and WMCA Chair, said:

“We know just what a remarkable source of strength our region's diverse communities continue to be. That’s why I’m so pleased that – after a Covid induced hiatus – the Mayor’s Community Weekend is back.

“We've provided grassroots grants ranging from £500 to £2,000 to all areas of the West Midlands. This will be a wonderful opportunity for local people to come together - celebrating community spirit at its very best. I cannot wait to see it all in action.”

Nicola Thurbon, Head of Regional Funding for the Midlands at The National Lottery Community Fund, added: “Thanks to National Lottery players we are connecting communities across the West Midlands for this exciting weekend of events which are designed, led by and open to local people.

"The groups we have awarded funding to – and the large number of excellent applications we received - are testament to the creativity and commitment of diverse communities in the West Midlands.”

This year will be the first Mayor’s Community Weekend since pre-pandemic, an initiative by the Mayor of the West Midlands in partnership with The National Lottery Community Fund. Sponsored by Lloyds Bank and Natwest.  The events aim to highlight the diversity, unity and community spirit that exists in communities in the West Midlands and which make it such a great place to live.

Earlier this summer, The National Lottery Community Fund unveiled its new seven-year strategy, ‘It starts with community’, which will underpin its efforts to distribute £4 billion of funding by 2030 – with a focus on four key missions where it wants to make the biggest impact.

These are to support communities to come together; be environmentally sustainable; help children and young people thrive and enable people to live healthier lives. National Lottery players raise over £30 million a week for good causes across the UK.

Thanks to them, last year The National Lottery Community Fund was able to distribute over half a billion pounds (£615.4 million) of life-changing funding to communities.