I'm not in the West Midlands but I was recently in a similar boat - I met more people by doing workshops/classes (which can be great for networking), but also through going to local events, etc.
Obviously here and places like MySpace are also quite good for networking and some other MoB members might have some good local tips for you, but I honestly think (even if you don't feel you need it) that doing a workshop is a great way to meet other interested people. In fact, if you mention to friends you are going to do a class you'd be surprised how many might say its sounds interesting and ask how much it will cost