Hednesford will be celebrating this Summer with a festival for the whole community.

Hednesford Festival is taking place on Saturday 13 August between 12 noon and 4pm in Hednesford Park and Town Centre.

There will be lots of fun activities and displays in the park throughout the day including:

• A World War 1 experience

Come along and commemorate World War 1 with the Royal Norfolk Regiment Living History Group – meet the Recruiting Sgt, see an operational territorial field kitchen and speak to experts about military kit and equipment.

Cannock’s Friday street market saw a home and garden special fair last week.

The Home and Garden Fair saw ten additional stalls to compliment the already thriving street market, which runs every Friday in the town centre.

Scores of people came out in the sun to see what the market had to offer.  The extra stalls included Charles Taylor Garden Furniture, who sells wooden crafted garden furniture and Art Box Ltd a new start up business, which sells cushions, prints and much more.

Residents and visitors to Cannock Chase are being urged to dig out their walking shoes and put their best foot forward during the annual Chase Fit Walking Festival from 1 – 14 August.

With 49 walks planned across two weeks, the festival has a varied range of walking pursuits across the district, including group – led and self- led walks alongside fun, free activities that will appeal to walker and families alike.

A report to Cannock Chase Council’s Cabinet has highlighted the financial impact of the closure of Rugeley power station on top of other financial challenges faced by the Council.

Rugeley Power Station ceased production of power on 6^th June.The loss of business rates from Rugeley Power Station represents 25% of the business rates income and amounts to an ongoing loss of over £1 million per annum. This has exacerbated the financial challenges the Council already faces due to Government cuts.

Cannock Chase Council’s Cabinet approved at its meeting last night to introduce tougher penalties for those who blight our landscape by fly-tipping.

This follows an amendment to the Environmental Protection Act 1990 in May this year, which gives Councils the power to issue fixed penalty notices to those suspected of fly-tipping.

The Council’s Cabinet approved the selection of the maximum level of fixed penalty charge of £400 and that there be no discount for early payment for offenders.

Cannock Chase Council’s Cabinet approved at its meeting last night to launch a loyalty website and discount app in the District.

Residents in Cannock Chase will soon be able to download the free Good Life Deals app and start taking advantage of offers and deals from a wide range of local businesses.

The aim of the initiative is to support local businesses by encouraging people to buy local, accessing information on deals through the app and website.

Cannock Chase Council’s Cabinet approved at its meeting last night to invest £40k into the Let’s Grow Programme this compliments a further £20k previously awarded by Chase Community Partnership.

The Let’s Grow Programme awards capital / revenue grants of up to £5,000 (50% match funded) to existing businesses who are looking to expand and grow and create or safeguard at least one full time job in the Cannock Chase District.

Members of Cannock Chase Council and the Heritage Lottery Fund were joined by the architects and building/landscape/play contractors yesterday, as well as local community groups/schools and churches to officially open parts of Hednesford Park.

The refurbished pavilion (Café), skate park, parkour and multi-use games area were officially opened by Councillor Christine Mitchell the Portfolio Leader for Culture and Sport and Sue Beardsmore from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Following on from the excellent re-launch and Love Your Local Market event in May, a Home & Garden Fair is to be run to complement the already existing street market, which is located in the centre of town. This event will benefit from the current footfall of the street market, plus further traders.

The market will see attractively dressed stalls and pop ups. The thriving retail market runs every Friday and currently has stalls which sell plants, bulbs, flowers, candles, incense oils and more.

Chase Community Partnership and Inspiring Healthy Lifestyles launched ‘Chase Active Inclusive Cycling’ at Chase Leisure Centre today (Friday 8^th July).

The exciting new project funded by Chase Community Partnership will offer everyone the opportunity to cycle through a programme of instructor led sessions at locations across the District.

The project followed a consultation carried out by Inspiring Healthy Lifestyles during ‘Chase Active Friday’, which identified a need for a cycling programme in the District.