Sport scheme to cut anti-social behaviour expanded

A scheme designed to encourage positive use of open spaces and reduce anti-social behaviour is being expanded to cover more of Wolverhampton.

Sessions in Bushbury and Low Hill are set to offer young people and families "access to a wide range of free sport, physical activity and creative opportunities", the council says.

The overall Your Spaces initiative in the city, paid for by the authority and the Premier League Foundation, has included sessions of football, basketball, cricket, an outdoor gym, art and graffiti workshops.

The new sessions, delivered by Wolves Foundation, the football club's charity, in partnership with the council, will be held on Thursday evenings in Tennyson Road.

The scheme was launched earlier this year, at Peace Park in Whitmore Reans and Long Ley Sports Ground in Heath Town.

Further expansion is planned, with sessions due to start at Weddell Wynd in Bilston in the coming weeks.

The programme was developed using data to "target areas where increased activity and visibility could have the greatest impact on tackling anti-social behaviour", the council said.

Wolves Foundation general manager Tom Warren said the city had "fantastic community organisations already delivering great work" and Your Spaces "gives us an opportunity to bring that expertise together to benefit even more residents".

The initiative has been delivered by Wolves Foundation staff alongside local organisations.

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