Borough-wide Digital Engagement & Wellbeing
Pilot → District-wide rollout
Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council faced significant challenges duringthe COVID-19 pandemic, with widespread cancellation of events and limitedaccess to indoor cultural activities. The borough has high levels of deprivation and historically low cultural engagement, creating a strong need for inclusive,accessible outdoor activity.
“The turnaround time between starting the work and getting thousands of people out and about using the app was remarkable. We look forward to continuing our excellent working relationship.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council needed an innovative way to keep residents active, engaged and connected while traditional events and indoor cultural activities were unavailable. Operating within one of England's most deprived boroughs and facing historically low levels of cultural engagement, the Council partnered with Love Exploring to rapidly deploy a digital platform that encouraged safe outdoor activity, learning and wellbeing.
Love Exploring Solution
Love Exploring provided a rapid-deployment digital platform enabling families to engage in safe, self-directed outdoor activities that promoted health, wellbeing and learning. The solution allowed council officers to quickly populate content and launch engaging experiences across multiple sites.
Features Delivered
- Digital interpretation and site-specific storytelling
- Interactive maps with amenity and point-of-interest mapping
- Family-friendly AR games including Dinosaur Safaris and Halloween Dance Trails
- Trails incorporating history, poetry and nature
Implementation & Delivery
- System set-up completed within one month
- Two council officers trained and actively creating content within two weeks
- Minimal technical issues, resolved rapidly through responsive support
- Collaborative approach to refining and expanding content
Outcomes & Impact
- High levels of app usage across the borough
- Significant social media engagement with residents sharing experiences
- Enabled thousands of families to participate in healthy outdoor activity
- Clear pathway established for expansion across additional sites
Future Plans
Sandwell MBC is now extending the digital programme to additional locations across the borough.
The Social Value, Health, Active Travel & Levelling Up Alignment table outlines the benefits provided by the Love Exploring platform in Sandwell across four key areas:
