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Press releases, features and more
Liskeard Leisure Centre Soft Play Opens
A Soft Play facility is opening at Liskeard Leisure Centre this weekend – part of an investment worth more than £455k that also includes a new café and relocated reception area. Slides, climbing frames, a crawl tunnel, revolving doors, ball pit and sensory play zones...
Starry line-up for The du Maurier Fowey Literary Festival 2026
Booking is now open for a stellar line-up at this year’s The du Maurier Fowey Literary Festival from 1-9 May. Renowned historian and biographer Andrew Lownie discusses his book Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York; journalist...
Zip the Zebra at Coseley
A Zip the Zebra children’s book reading with craft and wellbeing activities will take place at Coseley Library in Bilston at 2pm on Tuesday 7 April. Psychotherapist Shoshanna Clay has written and illustrated the book with the aim, she says, of helping “children...
Gornal Library book returned – to Australia
When a book was handed to Jessica Berry, she assumed it belonged to the library she worked at in East Gippsland, Australia. Looking more closely, she realised that wasn’t the case. The loan wasn’t overdue but the library it belonged to was 10,500 miles away in...
Free Easter holiday family fun in Dudley
There are hundreds of free school holiday activities to choose from at Dudley Libraries this Easter. From making Easter bunnies, wooden windmills and chick masks to rubber duck decorating, dinosaur superhero craftmaking and games club, a wide range of activities will...
GLL Teams Up with Diabetes UK to Get Wales Moving in 2026
Social enterprise and leisure operator GLL is once again teaming up with leading health charity Diabetes UK to help people in Wales get active for a great cause in 2026. For the third-year running, GLL will support two of the charity’s flagship fundraising challenges...
GLL Teams Up with Diabetes UK to Get Cornwall Moving in 2026
Social enterprise and leisure operator GLL is once again teaming up with leading health charity Diabetes UK to help people in Cornwall get active for a great cause in 2026. For the third-year running, GLL will support two of the charity’s flagship fundraising...
Reading pools take part in Swimathon 2026
Rivermead, Palmer Park and Meadway leisure centres in Reading are hosting fundraising challenges for Swimathon 2026. The world’s biggest fundraising swim - which began 40 years ago - happens over the weekend of 20-22 March and sees...
Four pools in Cardiff take part in Swimathon 2026
Fairwater, Western, Eastern and Maindy leisure centres in Cardiff are hosting fundraising challenges for Swimathon 2026. The world’s biggest fundraising swim - which began 40 years ago - happens over the weekend of 20-22 March and sees fundraisers’...
Bath Sports and Leisure Centre hosts Swimathon 2026
Bath Sports and Leisure Centre is hosting fundraising challenges for Swimathon 2026. The world’s biggest fundraising swim - which began 40 years ago - happens over the weekend of 20-22 March and sees fundraisers’ proceeds going to Cancer Research UK,...
Four pools in Cornwall take part in Swimathon 2026
Helston, Bodmin, Newquay and Truro leisure centres are hosting fundraising challenges for Swimathon 2026. The world’s biggest fundraising swim - which began 40 years ago - happens over the weekend of 20-22 March and sees fundraisers’ proceeds going to...
Superstitions, divination and strange Victorian parlour games
If you’ve ever wondered where superstitions come from and why they hold such sway, Professor Black’s free adults-only talk at Lye Library on Wednesday 18 March at 2pm should provide the answers. “The event will delve into the origins and meanings of the UK’s most...
Special events mark Cradley Library’s 90th birthday week
Cradley Library is marking the week of its 90th birthday with a series of special events. It begins on Saturday 21 March with a Days Gone By family craft session at 11am and, on Monday 23 March at 1130am, continues with Buskateers Billy Spakemon and Tim Martin...
Thirty years of running nineteenth century Camborne pub
Belinda (Billy) and Scott Sowden are celebrating thirty years as licensees at The Vyvyan Arms Hotel in Camborne. First recorded in the 1856 Post Office Directory as The Vyvyan Arms Inn, the public house with rooms was founded during Cornwall’s mining boom and,...
Three local children’s authors awarded GLL Literary Foundation bursaries
Poppy T. Perry, Donna David and Siren Knight have been selected by the GLL Literary Foundation as three of the 20 children’s authors across the UK to receive a bursary placement for 2026 worth up to £4,000 each. Poppy has an honours degree in Visual Communication...
Authors and comic artists wanted!
Local authors, writing groups and comic artists are invited to apply for a free table at Dudley Library’s first ever Authors’ Market. Taking place on Saturday 25 April from 11am to 3pm, the event aims to celebrate local talent – with those taking part able to promote...
Local library World Book Day costume swap
With little time left before World Book Day on Thursday 5 March, parents and carers in Dudley are being reminded that last year’s costume can be swapped for another at Brierley Hill, Gornal, Wordsley and Halesowen libraries. Many schools encourage children to dress up...
GLL Health Watch: “I no longer take medication”
According to NHS England, physical activity is essential for people living with long-term health conditions writes Sue Bradbury. Symptoms associated with arthritis, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s and chronic lung conditions can all benefit from regular...













