Who We Are

The geographical region called the ‘Black Country’ is made up of 30 towns and four strategic centres with a growing population of 1.17m. The population is broken down by a gender split that is slightly more women than men, an age split that has 82.6% of its population under the age of 65 and a diverse ethnic population which is slightly larger than national average.

Sitting at the heart of England, the Black Country forms the west part of the West Midlands Metropolitan Area comprising the three separate Borough councils of Walsall, Dudley and Sandwell, and the City council of Wolverhampton. It has a proud and diverse history with a belief that it is a place not defined by its borders, but by its people.

Physical inactivity now kills as many people as smoking in the UK, and costs the economy £7.4bn a year.

The Black Country has some of the highest national levels of physical inactivity across our working age population – we need to get another 72,000 people physically active every week to reach national average.

Critically the health and wellbeing of our regions children and young people is in a perilous state, with childhood obesity amongst the highest in the country – we have to act now to secure future generations health.

We work collaboratively with a range of local partners to inspire and enable people to lead an active lifestyle, creating a broad and diverse range of opportunities for individuals that are both inclusive and attainable

As a commissioner:
Where we hold programme investment we will distribute our funding in line with addressing inequalities, working with those greatest in need to realise a broader impact.

As an enabler:
We will seek to strengthen communities across the Black Country and support those partnerships who can support great community led activity.

As a lead, a broker or a facilitator:
We will strengthen our networks locally, regionally and nationally actively sharing ideas, knowledge and evidence. We will collaborate with those who can make a difference and reflect the diversity across our communities. We recognise we can’t deliver this vision alone and will play our part, leading from the front or supporting from behind, to ensure our common purpose is realised.

As an innovator:
Embracing new ideas from people, communities and partners with fresh approaches to complex problems. We will be open to ideas generation, new approaches, partners and thereby grow new best practices. As an advocate: We will champion the Black Country and continuously seek to promote and advance its successes within the region and to a wider audience.

As an advocate:
We will champion the Black Country and continuously seek to promote and advance its successes within the region and to a wider audience.

As an interpreter:
We will understand the needs of the communities and individuals which we seek to represent and serve.