• Families can enjoy a range of Easter activities at Cannock Chase and Chasewater Country Park.

•Events include environmental games, creative crafts and the imaginative “Chase Creatures” experience for children aged 5–12.

• Visitors are encouraged to have fun while respecting the countryside by sticking to paths and protecting wildlife.

• Nine native cows have arrived at Moors Gorse to graze the land.

• Cattle grazing is a natural and sustainable way to help care for internationally important heathland.

• Visitors are being reminded to keep dogs on leads and clear up after them.

• Rangers have carried out important winter work on Cannock Chase, including thinning trees to protect veteran oaks and improve woodland health.

• Training programmes and volunteers supported the work, helping people gain skills while improving the landscape.

• Teams are aiming to replant 40 oak trees at Brocton Coppice by the end of the season.

• Sixteen adult social care workers and three teams have been recognised for their work in social work
• Over 300 were nominated by their colleagues this year
• The British Association of Social Workers, who run the awards event, has featured their accomplishments online as part of their World Social Work Day celebrations

Nominations for the 2026 Dignity in Care Awards will open on Wednesday 1 April celebrating the compassion, respect and dedication shown by professional carers of adults. Unpaid Carers will also be recognised at ceremony later this year

• More than 2,000 carers have accessed training through new social care learning platform
• The training launched as a pilot in 2025 and has proven to be successful
• The learning portal offers free or low-cost courses and includes e-learning and in-person training sessions

• Country park visitors are being reminded to stick to paths and keep their dogs on leads to protect wildlife.

• Cannock Chase is one of the region’s most important strongholds for adders, which have declined sharply across the UK.

• Protecting rare species such as adders is a key part of the council’s refreshed Natural Environment Strategy.

• Cabinet will consider a new five-year Environmental Action Plan (2026–2030) next week.

• The plan sets out practical actions to tackle environmental challenges and support economic growth.

• Eight priorities include reducing waste, supporting access to affordable and reliable energy, strengthening resilience to flooding, and supporting biodiversity.

• County council is supporting a new initiative to recycle food waste separately each week.

• The food waste will be used for renewable energy and fertiliser.

• Residents are automatically signed up and will be provided a small kitchen caddy, a larger outdoor caddy, and a starter roll of liners.

• Residents can now enter a competition to design a Staffy statue for a major new public art trail.

• A copy of Staffy's outline can be downloaded online or collected from any Staffordshire library.

• Up to three winners will be picked, whose designs will be brought to life by professional local artists.