Praise for 'Sweet Dudley' community Initiative
Councillors Adeela Qayyum and Shaukat Ali from St. Thomas’s ward have warmly congratulated Finesse Desserts for their successful “Sweet Dudley” initiative, a community-focused programme designed to celebrate local businesses, culture, and creativity in the town centre.
Finesse Desserts were successful in securing funding through the Community Grants programme and supported by the West Midlands Combined Authority. The project delivered three events in the shop and the High Street. The events brought residents, families, local entrepreneurs, and visitors together through food, entertainment, and creative activities centred around desserts and food culture.
The events featured dessert stalls from local vendors and students, live entertainment including music and spoken word, volunteering and employment opportunities for young people, family workshops such as cupcake decorating and dessert trivia, as well as performances from local artists.
Cllr Adeela Qayyum said: “We are delighted to see Finesse Desserts deliver such a positive and inclusive project that brought people into our High Street. Events like these not only showcase Dudley’s talent and culture but also create memorable experiences for families and visitors. Thanks to the business for their efforts to bring people into the town.”
Cllr Shaukat Ali said: “The ‘Sweet Dudley’ initiative is a fantastic way to bring people back into our town centre while celebrating the creativity and entrepreneurial spirit of our local community. Projects like this help strengthen community pride, support local businesses, and create opportunities for residents and young people to get involved.”
Jas Kaur and Ali Naqvi, Business Partners, said “We want to thank the councillors for visiting us and supporting our initiative and the Council and West Midlands Combined Authority for the funding. The events proved to be a real hit with local people and we are planning further such events during the year. As a local business we are passionate about Dudley and invested in its success.”
The project was delivered in collaboration with local High Street businesses and Dudley Council’s events team, helping to revitalise public spaces while encouraging community participation and local economic activity.
