It was an amazing day, led by the wonderful staff of Dr Haque and Partners! We were joined by lots of our patients as well as Healthy Sandwell, making it a fantastic community event. The day was filled with delicious treats, samosas, cakes, and exciting raffle prizes all enjoyed alongside the flu vaccination clinic that was open on the day.

A huge thank you to everyone who took part, donated, and helped make the day such a success.

The event took place on Sunday 26 October 2025 at York Road Sports and Social Club in Sandwell, drawing families and football fans from across Sandwell and Oldbury for a day filled with laughter, friendly competition, and community spirit.

It was organised by Wellness Education, the non-profit arm of Active Clinics — a Birmingham-based wellness and aesthetics clinic founded by Sandwell resident Tammy Takkar. Active Clinics specialises in advanced, non-surgical treatments for recovery, performance, and rejuvenation, with a growing focus on community wellbeing through Wellness Education initiatives.

The event was held in collaboration with AFC Blackguard , a Sandwell football club founded by local barber and entrepreneur Ryan conlon, who set up the team initially to support mental health through sport.

Around 100 people attended the event, which featured a lively penalty shootout, children’s face painting, and family activities. After a competitive tournament, during the final stage no body scored to be crowned champion of the shoot out and the community voted that the £100 cash prize would be donated into the charity.

The event comes at a time when one in five young people in England are experiencing a probable mental health disorder, according to NHS Digital (2023).

To help address these challenges locally, Active Clinics has sponsored AFC BlackGuard, strengthening community links and supporting initiatives that give young people a safe, inclusive space to connect, stay active, and focus on their wellbeing.

Ryan Conlon, founder of AFC BlackGuard and a Sandwell barber said: “The penalty shootout was a fantastic success, and it was amazing to see so many young people and families come together for such a positive cause.

“Events like this show how sport can unite our community and open up conversations about mental health. I’m really grateful to Active Clinics for sponsoring our club and helping us create opportunities that give young people a sense of belonging and purpose.”

Tammy Takkar, founder of Active Clinics said: “Being from Sandwell myself, it’s a real privilege to give back to the community that shaped me.

“Supporting AFC BlackGuard and events like this penalty shootout allows us to promote wellbeing in a way that’s accessible, fun, and community-led. It’s inspiring to see Sandwell come together for such an important cause.”

Hilal Mehdi, co-founder and business partner at Active Clinics, said: “This event truly reflects what we stand for at Active Clinics — promoting physical and mental wellbeing in equal measure.

“Real wellness etends beyond the clinic walls and by sponsoring AFC Blackguard we partnered together to help young people build confidence, resilience and a sense of connection”

Meanwhile, the Wellness Education Charity recently hosted a wellness day retreat at Barston Lakes, Barston, where more than 30 people from Sandwell and neighbouring areas took part in a holistic day focused on mindfulness, relaxation, and disconnecting from technology.

The success of these initiatives highlights how Sandwell’s community spirit and collaboration are driving positive change in youth mental health and wellbeing across the region

Thousands of patients will benefit from faster and safer cancer treatment thanks to new cutting-edge radiotherapy machines being rolled out to every region in the country.

The government has paid for new linear accelerator (LINAC) machines at 28 hospitals, which use modern technology to reduce delays to treatment and, in some cases, could reduce the number of hospital visits a patient needs to make by half, helping to cut waiting lists faster.

Replacing these older machines will save as many as 13,000 appointments from being lost to equipment breakdown.

The machines will be rolled out at hospitals across the country from August, funded by a £70 million government investment as part of its plans to improve cancer care through the Plan for Change.

By March 2027, up to 27,500 additional treatments per year will be delivered, including up to 4,500 receiving their first treatment for cancer within 62 days of referral, helping to treat more cancer patients in faster time.

Equipped with cutting-edge technology, the machines are safer for patients and can more precisely target tumours, causing less damage to surrounding healthy tissues. They are particularly effective at targeting cancers in harder to treat areas, such as the chest, abdomen and pelvis.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said:

There is a revolution taking place in medical technology which can transform treatment for cancer patients. But NHS hospitals are forced to use outdated, malfunctioning equipment thanks to 14 years of underinvestment under the previous government.

Thanks to the investment this government is making in our NHS, we will provide more cancer patients with world-class, cutting-edge care.

By reducing the number of hospital visits required and preventing cancelled appointments, these state of the art radiotherapy machines free up capacity so that thousands more patients are treated on time.

As a cancer survivor, I know just how important timely treatment is. These machines are part of the investment and modernisation that will cut waiting times for patients, through our Plan for Change.

The tech is being prioritised in hospitals which are currently using outdated treatment machines older than 10 years, meaning patients can be treated faster and reducing cancelled appointments due to faults.

It will also increase the availability of Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy (SABR) cancer treatments, which can more precisely target tumours.

NHS national clinical director for cancer, Professor Peter Johnson, said:

Radiotherapy is essential for many cancer patients, so it’s great news that the investment in new machines means that some will need fewer rounds of treatment, as we bring in more sophisticated techniques.

These machines will deliver more precise treatment for patients, which helps them to recover sooner, as well as enabling the NHS to treat people more efficiently as we continue in our efforts to catch and treat more cancers faster.

The new LINAC radiotherapy machines were allocated across England by specialised commissioning teams at NHS England, which will help to improve health inequalities by ensuring every radiotherapy service has the modern equipment needed to offer innovative radiotherapy treatments.

Alongside turbocharging treatment for patients, significant work is being carried out to get cancers diagnosed more quickly than ever before.

Improved performance against the Faster Diagnosis Standard has led to the equivalent of 4,000 extra patients given the all-clear or a definitive cancer diagnosis within 4 weeks in March 2025 compared to the same time the year before, to reach over 217,000 in total in March 2025.

Patients are also getting easier access to vital tests, checks and scans, with community diagnostic centres delivering almost 2.5 million on high streets and at other convenient locations in March.

Senior policy manager at Cancer Research UK, Matt Sample, said:

All cancer patients, no matter where they live, should have access to the best treatment, so it’s great to see investment in cutting-edge equipment for hospitals across the country.

Modern LINAC machines can offer more efficient, targeted treatment with fewer side effects for patients, which is why it’s vital that there is sustained funding to replace them routinely.

The government has a huge opportunity in its upcoming national cancer plan for England to tackle unequal access to optimal treatment, and we look forward to working with them to help give every patient the care they deserve.

Kate Seymour, Head of External Affairs at Macmillan Cancer Support, said:

Today marks an exciting step forward for cancer treatment in England. Many people across the country are facing long delays for care but today proves that better is possible.

Investment in cutting-edge technology is essential to bring down waiting times and help more people with cancer get the best care the UK has to offer, whoever and wherever they are.

The investment in this new technology follows on from the government rolling out 13 new DEXA scanners across the country, which will allow 29,000 extra bone scans per year to be delivered for patients as part of the Plan for Change.

The government’s Plan for Change will continue to put patients first as it works to end the misery felt by millions up and down the country who have been denied the care they need for too long.

Over 3 million appointments have already been delivered since the end of June 2024, smashing the government’s target of delivering 2 million extra operations, scans and appointments. This is alongside over 8.3 million more appointments each year becoming available as 1,000 doctors surgeries receive a bricks and mortar upgrade to modernise practices and expand capacity.

The 28 trusts receiving upgraded machines are:

• Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust
• Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust
• United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust
• University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust
• Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust
• Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust
• Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
• Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust
• Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust
• Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
• Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust
• University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust
• South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• The Christie NHS Foundation Trust
• Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust
• Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust
• The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust
• University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust
• Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust
• University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• Barts Health NHS Trust
• Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust

Backed by £3.4 million this year, the Early Language Support for Every Child (ELSEC) programme deploys specialist teams across primary schools and early years settings, helping to identify and respond to speech and language needs, particularly for children with SEND.

Developmental delays have been a growing issue since the pandemic, with more than 40,000 children waiting over 12 weeks for speech and language therapy as of June 2024.

It is particularly prevalent for children with SEND as numbers have skyrocketed from 1.3 million in 2020 to 1.67 million in 2024 – with one in four of these children requiring additional help to overcome difficulties listening, understanding and talking.

A lack of early identification can have a devastating impact on development, social skills, attendance, and academic attainment for all children – holding them back from progressing in school and life.

This is seen by the staggering rise in children requiring specialist support, with the number of children on Education Health Care Plans escalating from under 250,000 in 2015 to over 575,000 in 2024.

The ELSEC programme paves the way for a reformed SEND system that embeds earlier intervention and targeted support, enabling children to thrive at their mainstream school and making sure all children have the best start in life.

Minister for School Standards, Catherine McKinnell said:

When challenges with speech and language go unnoticed, it can have a devastating impact on children’s attainment, attendance, social abilities and future life chances.

ELSEC is turning this around for so many pupils – and particularly those with SEND – helping them find their voice and thrive at school and with their friends and family.

This type of approach is exactly what we want to see in a reformed SEND system that delivers the support children need at the earliest stage and restores parents’ trust in a system which has let them down for too long.

Minister for School Standards, Catherine McKinnell visited Hasmonean primary school in Barnet, which has been part of the ELSEC programme since January, and observed a small group intervention in one of the school’s calming environments. The activity focused on developing children’s social communication skills by engaging the children’s attention, promoting interaction and vocabulary, and making learning and communication fun.

Head of Early Years and SEN Support at Hasmonean Primary School, Jemma Brahams, said:

The ELSEC team first trained me on how to run a small group intervention for our pupils who are experiencing speech and language difficulties. The team was there to help me from the start and was always available as I got used to implementing the approach.

The training provided on these interventions has been huge for us, as we now don’t need to wait for anyone to come into the school or go on any waiting lists – we can just take it forward straightaway. In fact, I’m now able to train other staff members in the school to deliver intervention groups, so we can have it running frequently and across different year groups.

The impact on our pupils’ development has been really positive too. As the activity is creative and interactive, it supports the children’s speech and language development, concentration and attention – we’ve seen so much progress.

Parent of Raphael at Hasmonean Primary school, Deborah, said:

Raphael is 4 and did not speak until recently, he only made noises which was so frustrating for him, but with interventions he has progressed amazingly.

With 3-4 interventions a week he has massively grown in confidence, he is communicating with his friends and expressing himself more than ever – we are now hopeful that Raphael can go to Reception in September which was not an option a few months ago!

This programme has been so impactful for my son and it is amazing to see the work being done for children like Raphael.

Communication needs can manifest itself in a number of ways, including physically through stuttering and issues putting sentences together, as well as difficulty understanding words.

As part of the ELSEC programme, Speech and Language Therapy Assistants become part of the fabric of the school, working across numerous settings in their area to assist pupils aged 2-11 years old who need help with their language skills – whether that’s universal support for the whole class, or specialist 1:1 help for pupils with intensive needs.

Staff are taught to use characters and games to boost engagement and improve expression in ways that children can understand.

This support can also have a huge impact on children’s wellbeing at school, and as a result, their attendance. Last year, SEN children in primary school with Speech Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) as a primary need missed almost a week more of school than children without SEND.

Jointly funded by NHS England, ELSEC has already supported over 200 early years and primary school settings, trained over 3,000 setting staff and provided support to just over 20,000 pupils so far since launching in 2023.

Clinical Coordinator in Barnet’s ELSEC team, Georgia Roskin, said:

It can be very easy for teaching staff to identify children with significant needs but the children with mild-moderate needs often get missed, which can sadly cause long-term speech and language difficulties, and poorer outcomes.

That’s why when we first partner with a setting, we train teaching staff to screen every single child, which assures us (and parents!) that no children go undetected.

We work intensively within a setting for six weeks, helping to identify pupils who may need support, while also upskilling the school staff on different interventions and teaching approaches they can adopt. We then stay in regular contact, coming back into the setting every couple of months to see how they’re getting on and address any new concerns.

NHS National Director for Primary Care and Community Services, Dr Amanda Doyle, said:

It is vital that children with speech, language and communications needs get access to support as early as possible, to help give them the best start in life.

That’s why the NHS is working closely with the Department for Education and early years and primary school settings to transform the way children access support, enabling them to get the right care at the right time.

Chief Executive of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, Steve Jamieson, said:

We’re delighted that the Department for Education and NHS England will fund the Early Language Support for Every Child programme until March 2026.

It has shown that when speech and language therapists, therapy support workers and education staff work together, they can identify children’s needs earlier and put timely support in place.

Providing early intervention for children’s speech, language and communication needs can improve their wellbeing, development, and educational attainment. The extension of the funding means more children will benefit from this important programme.

ELSEC forms one part of the government’s work testing SEND reforms through a reformulated Change Programme focused on early intervention and support in mainstream schools.

Local areas will also test how children in so-called alternative provision – for children who have been excluded or have behavioural needs – can get the right support to return to mainstream provision.

This includes by supporting the expansion of Alternative Provision Specialist Taskforces (APST) – multi-agency teams, including SEN specialists, youth workers, and mental health practitioners, working in AP settings, with mainstream schools to provide holistic support and ensure more children receive the right support to achieve and thrive.

This International Women’s Day, Redbridge Council is proud to collaborate with Binti International to launch a period dignity campaign across the borough. The initiative aims to tackle period stigma and provide free access to period products, ensuring dignity for all women and girls. 

In May 2021, Surrey County Council became the first in the UK to provide free period products in over 55 locations, setting a precedent for eradicating period stigma. Scotland followed suit in August 2022, becoming the first country in the world to legally ensure free access to period products for all women through the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act. 

Kam Rai, Leader of Redbridge Council, stated: “ It is appalling that period products that are essential for over half our population are often unnecessarily expensive and not freely available in public spaces in the same way that toilet paper, hand towels and soap is. Accelerating action means ensuring all women and girls have access to them whenever they start.”. 

Jas Atwal, MP for Ilford South, added: “21% of women and girls across the UK struggle to afford period products, with some forced to choose between them and other basic essentials like food.* I’m proud of our campaign to promote period dignity and provide free period products in Redbridge and Ilford South, ensuring that no one has to face this difficult choice.” *Action Aid in 2023) 

Manjit K Gill MBE, founder of Binti International and recognised by Her Majesty for her work on menstrual health, emphasised: “The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 mandate free toilet paper in workplaces—why not period products? Until the government enforces this as a legal requirement, we will continue helping organisations set up sustainable projects to ensure their staff have access to free products.” 

Anjuna Kalsi, Chief Human Resources Officer at Theramex, signed up to the campaign globally for her staff in 2021. This year, for International Women’s Day, she has selected Binti as the charity of the year because she is deeply passionate about women’s advocacy. Her commitment underscores the importance of corporate responsibility in addressing menstrual health and dignity. 

Donation bins and collection boxes will be placed in key locations across Redbridge, including libraries and community centers. Residents can donate or collect pads as needed. The Binti app will also help users locate nearby donation points and collection sites. 

Binti is the UK’s first period charity with a vision to create a world where all girls have menstrual dignity. 

1. Spiritual Benefits:

Increased God-consciousness (Taqwa): Fasting encourages self-discipline and strengthens a person’s relationship with God, promoting a higher level of devotion and mindfulness.

Purification of the Soul: Ramadan is seen as a time for spiritual cleansing. By abstaining from food, drink, and bad habits, a person can purify their heart and mind, focusing more on good deeds and prayers.

Gratitude and Humility: Experiencing hunger and thirst fosters gratitude for what one has and promotes humility by understanding the struggles of the less fortunate.

Increased Charity and Good Deeds: Fasting motivates acts of kindness and charity. Many Muslims engage in additional prayers, Qur’anic recitation, and charity during this time.

2. Physical Benefits:

Detoxification of the Body: Fasting gives the digestive system a break and helps the body eliminate toxins, potentially leading to improved health.

Weight Management: When done correctly, fasting can help with weight loss and improve metabolic health by promoting fat burning and insulin sensitivity.

Improved Digestion: A break from constant eating allows the digestive system to function more efficiently, potentially improving digestive health.

Better Blood Sugar Control: Fasting can help stabilize blood sugar levels, which may benefit individuals with type 2 diabetes, though it’s essential to do so under medical supervision.

3. Psychological and Emotional Benefits:

Mental Clarity and Focus: By reducing physical distractions such as eating and drinking, fasting can improve concentration and mental clarity. Many people report feeling more spiritually focused and emotionally stable during Ramadan.

Increased Patience and Self-Control: Fasting teaches patience, self-discipline, and emotional resilience, as one learns to control impulses and desires.

Sense of Community and Solidarity: Ramadan fosters a sense of unity among Muslims worldwide, as they all fast and engage in prayer together. This collective experience can strengthen the community and sense of belonging.

4. Social and Community Benefits:

Strengthening Bonds: Ramadan is a time for families and communities to gather for prayers, meals (Iftar), and shared experiences, helping strengthen familial and social ties.

Support for the Less Fortunate: The emphasis on charity and feeding the poor during Ramadan helps foster social responsibility and encourages helping those in need.

Fasting during Ramadan offers a comprehensive approach to physical, mental, and spiritual well-being, fostering a balanced lifestyle that nurtures both the individual and the community.

Aston Institute for Membrane Excellence (AIME) and Aston University College of Health and Life Sciences have installed a cutting-edge mass spectrometer to study biological membranes, following a grant of £1.5m from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).

The research team is led by Dr Ivana Milic, a lecturer in Aston University School of Biosciences and part of the multidisciplinary AIME. The new Orbitrap Ascend Tribrid mass spectrometer from Thermo Fisher Scientific is configured for the study of biological membranes in utmost detail, enabling researchers to analyse proteins and lipids, and their chemical modifications and metabolites with unmatched sensitivity, precision and speed.

How lipids and proteins within cell membranes work together to ensure cells can communicate, interact and carry out essential functions is still not well understood. Cell membranes undergo tiny but significant chemical changes in response to factors such as stress, ageing and disease. These changes can have a big impact on how cells function, but they are particularly poorly understood. Defining these changes is key to understanding both health and disease processes.

The AIME team’s research is focused on four main objectives, one of which is to explore how proteins and lipids interact within membranes to regulate protein function in health and disease. The team will study membrane proteins such as aquaporins, which transport water in and out of cells, which play roles in conditions like inflammation, cancer and brain injury. This knowledge could lead to the development of more effective drugs and therapies.

Another objective sees the researchers study protein changes under stress and through ageing to identify those signalling processes which go wrong and lead to age-associated disease.

Membranes also form small capsules known as vesicles which carry important cargo which are important in the control of inflammation and healing. The AIME team will identify important molecules carried by vesicles during inflammation and healing, such as rare enzymes, paving the way for new treatments for non-healing wounds and chronic inflammatory conditions.

The researchers will also aim to create engineered membranes that produce active proteins, make industrial microbes more stress-resistant and develop precision drug delivery systems for cancer treatments.

Aston University’s Ascend mass spectrometer is the first such instrument outside of the so-called ‘Golden Triangle’ of London, Cambridge and Oxford. It is available for use to more than 20 membrane and biosciences research groups across the Midlands and across other regions without access to such a device.

Dr Milic said:

“This funding is a huge milestone, not just for our research at Aston University and AIME, but for the entire region. The creation of Ascend, a one-of-a-kind multi-omics platform, will allow us to explore the intricate interactions between proteins and lipids that drive vital cellular processes. This deeper understanding will pave the way to developing new therapeutics for diseases and age-related conditions that currently have poor solutions.

“On a personal note, I’m especially excited about the opportunity this will give us to train and mentor the next generation of Midlands researchers. Providing them with hands-on experience in advanced mass spectrometry will be impactful for their careers and for addressing the critical skills gaps in complex data analyses across the region. This is a true turning point for us, and I’m incredibly grateful for the support.”