1

The Solihull Way | Solihull Council staff newsletter | March 2017

Welcome to the March 2017 edition of The Solihull Way

In this edition we reveal the finalists for the Solihull Together 2017 Awards, meet the new resourcing team and find out how to get involved

in this year’s Pedometer Challenge.

The Solihull WaySolihull Council staff newsletter | March 2017

Solihull Together 2017 Awards finalists revealedThe finalists for the Solihull Together 2017 Awards have been released. Now in their third year, the Awards attracted over 100 nominations celebrating the dedication of Solihull residents, health and care professionals and local organisations who provide outstanding care and support to adults in the borough.

Winners in each category will be revealed at the awards ceremony which will be held at the Renewal Conference Centre, Lode Lane, Solihull on the afternoon of Friday 31 March.

Join the celebrations and support your colleagues and friends who are finalists this year. Visit www.solihulltogether.co.uk for ticket information.

Cllr Bob Sleigh OBE, Leader of Solihull Council will open the awards and welcome the Rt Hon Jacqui Smith, Interim Chair of Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust who will compere the ceremony again this year.

The named category finalists are…

2

The Solihull Way | Solihull Council staff newsletter | March 2017

Care Professional of the Year

Darren Townsend | Rough Sleeper Outreach Worker

Oswald Morgan | Key Worker Early Help Service, Solihull Council

Pete Duffield | RAID Team, Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (BSMHFT)

Care Team of the Year

Dermatology Department | Solihull Hospital

Housekeeping & Laundry Team | Royal Star & Garter Homes, Solihull

Solihull Early Intervention Service | BSMHFT

Solihull Community Respiratory Team | Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust (HEFT)

STEPS (Support Towards Employment Progression & Satisfaction) | Solihull Council

Collaborative Working

Geriatric Optimisation & Liaison Service Before Surgery (GOALS) | HEFT

Macmillan Palliative Care Therapy Team | HEFT

Solihull Community Housing (SCH) | Wellbeing Service & Better Living Centre

SOLAR | BSMHFT

Solihull Integrated Addiction Service (SIAS)

Dementia-friendly Service

Enhanced Recovery at Home | HEFT

Silver Birches Residential Home

Solihull Specialist Care Dental Service | HEFT

Health Professional of the Year

Dr Anand Chitnis | The Castle Practice

Ann White | Solihull Community Services, HEFT

Geraldine Russell | Specialist Special Care Dentistry Service, HEFT

Jackie Gale | Admiral Nurse, BSMHFT

Jacqui Rea | Croft Medical Centre

Rebecca Billingsley | Solihull CCG/Macmillan Cancer Support

Inspiring Leader

Karen Lewis | Deputy Therapy Lead, HEFT

Linda Murphy | Service Manager, SMBC

Phillip Hall | Senior Nurse Dementia, HEFT

Rev Neil Roberts | Chelmsley Wood Baptist Church

Suzi Thomas | Team Manager, SIAS

Local Hero

Christine Logan | Director Act on Dementia CIC

Libby Servis | voluntary work

Martin Shalley | voluntary work at The Hampton Gym and Marie Curie Hospice

Maureen Johnson | Carer Governor, BSMHFT

Millie Skinner | Founder member Friends of Solihull Hospital

Outstanding Community Project

Gro Organic

MAN v FAT football

Solihull Borough Talking Newspapers Association

Solihull Fire Station/Safe and Well visits

3

The Solihull Way | Solihull Council staff newsletter | March 2017

Outstanding Customer Care

Homes Library Service | Solihull Council

Solihull Community Housing (SCH) | Wellbeing Service

Solihull Connect

Solihull Integrated Addiction Service (SIAS)

Primary Care Service of the Year

Bernays and Whitehouse Medical Partnership

Care Navigator Service | Age UK Solihull

Coventry Road Surgery

The Solihull Together Chairman’s Award is given by the Awards Judging Panel to an individual or organisation that has demonstrated outstanding commitment to improving the lives of Solihull citizens. This year the judges have shortlisted three people for the award:

Chairman’s Award

Amy Jackson | The Lily Mae Foundation

Andrew Shanahan | MAN v FAT

Jackie Gale | Admiral Nurse

Visit www.solihulltogether.co.uk for more details about the Awards ceremony.

Pedometer Challenge Monday 1–Friday 5 May 2017

Raise money for a great cause and challenge yourself to walk as many steps as you can in this year’s Solihull Council Pedometer Challenge.

Enter as an individual or team of five in support of ‘Walking out of Darkness 2017’ and the CLASP charity.

CLASP’s mission is to confront the stigma surrounding mental and stress-related illnesses.

Physical activity is beneficial for mental health and wellbeing as well as physical health. Walking is a low-impact exercise that’s easy, free and available to everyone. Regular exercise, such as walking, has been shown to boost mood, help reduce stress and anxiety, and improve mental wellbeing and sleep patterns.

The Pedometer Challenge runs from Monday 1 – Friday 5 May.

Entry fees are £10 for a team of 5 people or £2 for an individual. Prizes are given for highest number of team steps and the highest individual steps.

For more information and to enter a team please contact Solihull Active on solihullactive@ solihull.gov.uk or call (0121 704) 8207.

Public Health colleagues will be using the pedometer challenge as part of their training for ‘Walking out of Darkness Birmingham’ on Saturday 6 May – a ten mile walk in support of people affected by mental health difficulties.

Good luck and happy stepping!

4

The Solihull Way | Solihull Council staff newsletter | March 2017

Advancing Adult Social Care (AASC) update

Care workers role celebrated

On 10 April staff involved in the AASC programme will move into their new roles.

A lot of work has been going on behind the scenes to ensure all the necessary changes are made and the transition is as smooth as possible.

The key feature of the redesigned service is an extended pathway into Adult Care & Support. This means more people will be able to access immediate information and advice, and be signposted to external organisations and good quality preventative services.

March has seen two events, one held in the north of the borough and one in the south, to celebrate the valuable role of care and support workers in improving people’s lives.

Colleagues from Commissioning, Solihull for Success and Workforce Development organised the events, which were supported by AgeUK, Community Navigator Services, Ideal for All, Local Area Coordination, Skills for Care and Solihull College. Information stalls were hosted by these organisations, giving care workers the chance to receive advice and discover the support that’s available to them.

The events also featured a video booth and feedback wall for people to share their thoughts, as well as first aid training, mindfulness sessions, back care support and a prize draw with prizes donated by local businesses.

Care workers had the opportunity to share what they love about their job with others, as well as discussing things they feel could be improved.

Those who attended were really pleased to see appreciation for their work, so well done to everyone who was involved in the event!

People will also be able to receive targeted rehabilitation and reablement services, with the aim of reducing future demand for other Adult Care & Support services. In addition, people will also be able to have supported self-assessments and supported self-reviews where appropriate.

Details of who will be working in each team and how the service will be structured can be found on the intranet here.

A big thank you to everyone who has been involved in the programme over the last year and getting us to where we are!

5

The Solihull Way | Solihull Council staff newsletter | March 2017

Agile working update

Social workers attract new recruits

The new offices at Chelmund’s Cross are nearly ready – the Looked After Children teams should move in at the end of April. The staff currently based at Jensen House and New House are being helped to prepare for the move and to plan their journeys.

Some of the young people involved in this service have also had the opportunity to choose the name for the offices – Solihull’s Children in Care Council ‘OVOS’ voted for the name ‘Chelmund’s Place’. This name has also been supported by the North Solihull Partnership and key stakeholders in the local area.

Colleagues in children’s social work services recently attended the Compass Jobs Fair at the Thinktank in Birmingham with the intention of attracting new and experienced social workers to the Council.

Compass is the largest recruitment and career development event in the UK for the social work and social care sector.

The jobs fair is part of the Council’s ongoing recruitment campaign to attract social workers who are passionate about supporting and improving the lives of vulnerable children and young people in the borough.

The day was a great success with staff talking to potential recruits from all over the West Midlands and beyond. We will be keeping in touch with them through our Stay Connected email bulletin service so that we can keep them up to date with vacancies and continue to promote a positive image of social work in the borough.

For more information visit our recruitment microsite http://socialsolihull.org.uk/childsocialwork/ #ChangingLivesSolihull

Image: Social workers host our stand at the Compass Jobs Fair

6

The Solihull Way | Solihull Council staff newsletter | March 2017

Solihull school chef wins highly commended in national competition

Local school chef, Jose Davies Kochakkadan, from Marston Green Infants Academy, has emerged with a ‘highly commended’ for his innovative and delicious dessert, in the 2017 School Chef of the Year Competition. 

The annual cook-off, organised by LACA (Lead Association for Catering in Education) challenges school cooks to prepare a two-course meal suitable for a 10-year-old, on a budget of just £1.30 for ingredients.

Jose, who beat chefs from Birmingham and Coventry to take the regional title, was up against nine other top UK school chefs in the national competition at Stratford-upon-Avon College on 2 March.

Jose impressed the panel of chefs and catering professionals with an Indian inspired main followed by mango frangipane using mashed potato as a twist.

Image: Jose Davies Kochakkadan

Apex Middle Managers Programme starting May 2017

The Apex Middle Managers Programme is an exciting opportunity for staff to develop and take charge of their leadership and potential, and starts this May.

Leadership needs within the Council have never been greater. During the programme participants will look carefully at how leaders can support changes and help move the organisation forward.

This eight month programme includes working as part of a learning set, personal coaching, 360 degree feedback and project work. It looks at future challenges, current strengths and areas that leaders could develop, to deliver powerful results for both delegate and the Council.

Once accepted onto the programme staff are committed to attend every workshop. If you are interested in attending please contact Training on training@solihull.gov.uk for further details of dates and sessions.

7

The Solihull Way | Solihull Council staff newsletter | March 2017

See me, hear me! success

The regional child sexual exploitation (CSE) awareness campaign See me, hear me! has been shortlisted for a PR Moment award in the public sector campaign of the year category.

The campaign was launched in June 2014 by Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall and Wolverhampton councils, along with West Midlands Police, to raise awareness of child sexual exploitation.

The latest phase of the campaign has seen more than one million parents, carers and young people across the region discover more about the signs of CSE.

A digital media campaign reached 761,000 people in just two weeks (17 February to 3 March), whilst a further 278,000 people were reached via Twitter using #seemehearme and more than 15,000 visited the website www.seeme-hearme.org.uk

In addition, between 20 and 24 February more than 4,000 commuters stopped to find out more about this horrific, hidden crime from local authority CSE leads and police at transport hubs in each of the areas.

National CSE Awareness Day also took place on 18 March, with people encouraged to think, spot and speak out against abuse and adopt zero tolerance to adults developing inappropriate relationships with children. The #HelpingHands was used far and wide on social media with people making a pledge about how they plan to support the fight against CSE.

To find out more about See me, hear me! visit www.seeme-hearme.org.uk or follow @SeeMeHearMeWM on Twitter.

Solihull leads the way to secure £639,000 funding to tackle domestic abuse

In December a team from Solihull Council led on submitting a bid for government funding to help victims of domestic abuse across the West Midlands. News of the success of the bid arrived last month.

Solihull’s Domestic Abuse Coordinator, Caroline Murray, was delighted with the success of the bid and the unprecedented collaboration between seven regional local authorities and four regionally based Women’s Aid providers.

Victims of domestic violence may now benefit from the input of £639,000 to support ten projects aimed at offering flexible support as and when it is most needed.

Caroline explained: “This bid reflects an on-going commitment by statutory and non-statutory partners in the West Midlands to work together to tackle domestic abuse.

“Developing the bid was hard work for all concerned, particularly within the short time scale we were faced with, but we believe it will provide the encouragement to continue to work together in the future.”

8

The Solihull Way | Solihull Council staff newsletter | March 2017

A fantastic Fairtrade FortnightA variety of events have been taking place around the borough to mark Fairtrade Fortnight (Monday 27 February to Sunday 12 March).

The annual Fairtrade Cake Off competition, which took place at The Core on Saturday 4 March, was once again a huge success with 24 entries and over 80 spectators watching the prize giving.

The borough’s best bakers included Fairtrade ingredients in their cakes and battled it out for the top prizes, which included afternoon tea at Hampton Manor and tickets to The Core Theatre.

Their creations were scored by guest judges Amari Koryang, winner of the CBBC Bake Off, Christopher Von-Landkammer, Executive Chef at Genting Hotel, Claire Donohue from Claire’s Quality Cakes and Steven Hearn, Head Chef at Hampton Manor.

The town centre Fairtrade Trail was also popular, with more than 300 children taking part!

The trail has now moved to Chelmsley Wood town centre, where children can hunt down the banana characters and solve the Fairtrade code until Tuesday 21 March.

For anyone wishing to take part, trail sheets can be collected from Chelmsley Wood library or downloaded here http://www.solihull.gov.uk/fairtrade

If you want to find out more about Fairtrade in Solihull, please contact Andrew Greenall agreenall@solihull.gov.uk

Image: The winning cake in the children’s cake category made by Madison Poolton

9

The Solihull Way | Solihull Council staff newsletter | March 2017

Recruiting? Consult our in-house expertsRecruiting, often referred to as resourcing, has taken an evolutionary leap at Solihull Council, which now boasts its own dedicated resourcing team.

The team was formed at the end of October last year, splitting off from Human Resources (HR) to provide a much more specialised service.

Senior resourcing advisor, Debbie Woodcock, explained: “We want managers to know that we are here now and explain what we can do for them.

“Following the restructure of the HR team, the resourcing team was put in place to improve the level of recruitment support to managers with the aim of ensuring we attract, and retain good quality candidates and employees.

“We are keen to encourage managers to make contact with the team at the earliest opportunity so that we can work together on a bespoke recruitment plan.”

With the wide range of jobs that the Council recruits to, and in recognition of the fact that each position requires a different approach to attract suitable candidates, the resourcing team are working one-on-one with managers to ensure an appropriate plan is developed for every vacancy.

Work has also begun on reviewing the Council’s recruitment templates and the team are developing and researching new and more creative ways of attracting candidates, including the use of social media and YouTube. You can follow the team on Twitter @SMBCPeople.

10

The Solihull Way | Solihull Council staff newsletter | March 2017

As well as recruiting new permanent staff members, the team also deals with accessing agency staff and Tracey Getlevog co-ordinates the Council’s apprenticeship scheme, providing support and advice to both council managers and schools.

To discuss how this highly-skilled team, several of whom are also qualified to conduct psychometric testing, can help you attract the very best candidates, get in touch with them at their 5th floor, Church Hill House office on 704 6188 or at recruitment@solihull.gov.uk

It is accepted that employees are an organisations most important and most expensive resource, and making sure the right candidate is appointed in the first place can save not only a lot of time and effort, but also much needed finance.

Pictured left to right, bottom to top: Jayne Loach, Resourcing and Development Manager; Nicky Fellows, Resourcing Advisor; Debbie Woodcock, Senior Resourcing Advisor; Vicky Britton, Resourcing Advisor; Tracey Getlevog, Employment Services Advisor; Michelle Jackson, Resourcing Assistant. Andrew Heighway will also be joining the team very soon as a Resourcing Assistant.

Don’t miss the Solihull Apprenticeship ShowThe Solihull Apprenticeship Show returns on the 30 March 2017 between 3:00pm and 7:30pm for a sixth year.

It is a great opportunity for young adults to find out more about apprenticeships and how they can earn while they learn.

Attendees will have the opportunity to speak to employees and training providers about their apprenticeships and their current and upcoming vacancies, meet current apprentices, take part in Spotlight sessions highlighting the benefits of an apprenticeship as well as ‘Have a go’ sessions.

Employers attending the Apprenticeship Show include Jaguar Land Rover, BMW, Graham Facilities Management, Balfour Beatty, RSM, the Royal Shakespeare Company and Specsavers amongst many others.

Hereward College and Solihull College will also be on hand to talk about Supported Internships which are launching in September 2017.  Supported Internships are structured study programmes based primarily with an employer, and aimed at 18 – 25 year olds with a current Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

There is no need to book but be advised that the busiest period is between 3:00pm and 4:00pm.

Lookout for the #SolApp17 on Facebook and Twitter, for more information visit https://www.solihullforsuccess.com/events/225461/2/Solihull_Apprenticeship_Show_2017

11

The Solihull Way | Solihull Council staff newsletter | March 2017

Youth Hub to launchA new initiative to tackle homelessness will launch on 1 April 2017.

The Youth Hub will provide housing advice and specialist home options support to single young people aged 16 – 24 who are at risk of homelessness or in housing need.

Operating for an initial term of two years, the pilot will aim to accurately measure demand, capture the range of needs that young people are presented with and highlight gaps in local services that need to be addressed.

Residents will be able to refer themselves or others through an online referral system or by contacting the Youth Hub, which will be based in

Kingshurst with outreach centres in Chelmsley Wood and Solihull town centre.

St Basils, a Midlands based charity specialising in preventing homelessness in young adults, will deliver the youth hub service on behalf of the Council, working closely with Solihull Community Housing and other statutory services and partner organisations.

St Basils also hosted the Solihull SleepOut on Friday 10 March, which saw a record number of 176 fundraisers take part! The event promoted homelessness awareness in the borough and all money raised will be put back into the local area.

Image: The Solihull Sleepout

12

The Solihull Way | Solihull Council staff newsletter | March 2017

Help shape support for hate crime victimsThe West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner has commissioned a piece of work around support for victims of hate crime.

A hate crime or incident is where a person is targeted because of their:

• disability• gender or gender identity• race, colour, ethnic origin, nationality or

national origins • religion• sexual orientation

Hate crime can take many forms including:

• physical attacks – such as physical assault, damage to property, offensive graffiti, neighbour disputes and arson

• threat of attack – including offensive letters, abusive or obscene telephone calls, groups hanging around to intimidate and unfounded, malicious complaints

• verbal abuse or insults – offensive leaflets and posters, abusive gestures, dumping of rubbish outside homes or through letterboxes, and bullying at school or in the workplace

Dr Stevie-Jade Hardy and Professor Neil Chakraborti from the University of Leicester are undertaking a project which aims to:

• identify the support needs of hate crime victims in the West Midlands

• identify victims’ experiences of support services in the West Midlands

• identify ways of improving existing support services for hate crime victims

The findings and recommendations from this research will help to improve the support provision in the West Midlands and inform the commissioning of support services.

An online survey has been developed to enable people who live in the West Midlands to share their views on support services. Please take the time to complete the survey before Friday 31 March, which can be accessed here https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/MLCD6QR

Mayoral Election for the West Midlands and Purdah reminder

Purdah – Please remember that Purdah starts on Thursday 23 March 2017 (Purdah is the period between the issuing of the notice of the elections) and will last until polling day on Thursday 4 May 2017. During this period, there are specific restrictions on local authority publicity and on the use of public resources, including the Council’s premises and facilities.

Please read the guidance from the Local Government Association if you are issuing any sort of communication to members of the public during purdah including posting on Council-affiliated social media accounts.

If you want advice about Purdah and what you can and can’t do, please don’t hesitate to call the Communications Team on 704 6136 or email comms@solihull.gov.uk

The first Mayoral election for the West Midlands Combined Authority will take place on Thursday 4 May 2017.

The deadline for voter registration is Thursday 13 April 2017 (Tuesday 18 April 2017

for a postal vote). Register online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.

For further information about registering to vote please visit http://www.solihull.gov.uk/About-the-Council/Voting/registertovote

13

The Solihull Way | Solihull Council staff newsletter | March 2017

Friends Against Scams training sessionsWhat do we think of when we hear the word

“scam”? A rogue-trader on the doorstep, a strange phone call in the middle of the day, that ‘bargain’ on eBay or a too-good-to-be-true email offer? All are happening, and all are having a devastating effect on the lives of millions of people in the UK every year.

The council’s Trading Standards Team has joined the national campaign ‘Friends Against Scams’ to spread the word about the havoc and harm fraudsters wreak and has scheduled a number of training sessions to spread the word.

The sessions are open to all, as we may all know someone who is potentially vulnerable, whether that’s an elderly relative, a partner or even a colleague.

Mr X of Solihull is an intelligent and aware 88 year old carer, with a successful former career in the financial sector. Mr X has also paid out over £100,000 to fraudsters. Bullied and blind-sided by incessant phone calls and letters, Mr X was persuaded to make numerous ‘ investments’, all of which were fraudulent. The torment only stopped when Solihull’s Trading Standards team persuaded him to change his phone number, a move he had been reluctant to do for fear of losing contact with family and friends.

Mrs L lived in the north of the borough. Her nightmare began with a call informing her she

had won the lottery. Mrs L was persuaded to make a MoneyGram payment to cover administrative charges. More excuses for further payments followed until she refused and was then threatened, being told she had been involved in funding drugs trafficking. Frightened and confused, Mrs L had eventually handed over her life savings of £32,000 before turning to family for help. Sadly, Mrs L died soon after this terrible experience.

‘Friends Against Scams’ aims to protect and prevent people from becoming victims by empowering communities to take a stand. Attending one of the forthcoming training sessions will equip you with the knowledge of how to spot a scam and how to protect those who may fall foul of the fraudsters.

Become a ‘Friend Against Scams’ and come down to a training event, the next in Committee Room 1, the Civic Suite, on Friday 24 March, 2pm – 3pm. Further events are planned for Friday 7 April 2pm – 3pm and Friday 24 April 2pm – 3pm.

You can book on to a session through the ‘Safeguarding’ training folder in Oracle or by sending an email to tradingstandards@ solihull.gov.uk

‘Friends Against Scams’ encourages communities and organisations to take the knowledge learnt and turn it into action.

14

The Solihull Way | Solihull Council staff newsletter | March 2017

Health Checks prove to be a hit at the Council House

Mark Lardner, an analyst in Public Health, took the opportunity to get his first post-40 NHS Health Check, when health trainers from Solihull Health Exchange ran sessions at the Council House recently.

Mark described himself as a ‘typical male’ when it comes to his health. He does all he can to stay fit and healthy, but generally avoids seeing his GP unless he feels it’s absolutely necessary. So, being able to take up the health check during his working day was a bonus.

On the whole, Mark’s results were good and what he would expect, as someone who is a non-smoker, healthy eater and regularly exercises. The one element of the check–up that will encourage him to make a change was his cholesterol measurement.

Mark explained: “My cholesterol was slightly higher than average which is a result that will make me do something about my mini-cheddar habit, so I know where I might be going wrong!”

If you missed the chance to take up a health check at work, are aged between 40 and 74 and not suffering from a chronic illness, then every five years you should be invited by your doctor to go along for a check. If you are eligible but have not had one yet then contact you GP for an appointment. Checks are simple, results can be instant and help and advice is on offer if you want it.

Other people who took advantage of the in-house health checks had positive feedback:

“It was a very good opportunity to have some health checks done at a very convenient time. The staff were very welcoming and made the appointment quite pleasant. “

“Quick, efficient service provided and very good explanation of results.”

“Very useful check, felt reassured by results, impressed that the results were available straight away. Health Trainers were very friendly.”

“I found the NHS check-up informative and helpful in terms of thinking about changes to my diet to become healthier. The staff were friendly and knowledgeable and put me at ease. “

“I welcome the opportunity to have this check during the working day – much easier and more convenient than visiting my GP.”

“Staff made me feel very comfortable, were approachable and friendly. I would recommend everyone takes time out of their busy day for themselves.”

15

The Solihull Way | Solihull Council staff newsletter | March 2017

Enjoy an Easter egg-stravaganza at our events this month

The Dizzy Duck Race makes a splash in Babbs Mill LNR, B37 6LN on Wednesday 12 April, 11.00am – 12.30pm (registration from 10.30am). Pick a duck for £1.00 and watch it race along the river. There are prizes for the first three finishers!

Easter Egg Hunt returns to Elmdon Park on Good Friday, 14 April, 11.00am – 3.00pm. Find the clues hidden around the park and crack the password to win a chocolate egg! You may even spot the Easter Bunny. Other entertainment includes puppet shows and face painting. Entrance costs £2.00 per child with small charges for some attractions. Volunteers needed – please contact Louise Morley (louise.morley@solihull.gov.uk or 0121 704 6547) for details.

Design your own scarecrow at Scarecrow Making Day, Knowle Park on Thursday 20 April, with prizes for the top three. Pre-booking is essential – for an equipment list and to book, call 0121 704 8000.

Egg-citing Easter activities are happening at the Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, throughout the school holidays. Organised by Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, there are events for babies, toddlers and children aged 4 – 10, from Monday 10 – Friday 21 April. Most events cost £3.50 per child – for more information visit www.warwickshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/whats-on

Music in the Park: Springtime Swing!’ features Coventry Consortium Band and their vocalist, Sue Starr, performing big band classics in Elmdon Park, B92 9EJ on Sunday 30 April, 2.00pm – 4.15pm. Refreshments and toilets are available at Elmdon Church, where the concert will take place in bad weather – or visitors can bring picnics and enjoy the perfect afternoon in the park.

There are markets galore this month! The Farmer’s Market is on the High Street, Friday 7 April, 9.00am – 5.00pm, and offers diverse local produce sourced from within a 30 mile radius of Solihull.

The Fine and Local Food Fayre comes to Mell Square on Saturday 15 April, 9.00am – 5.30pm, and includes locally produced arts and crafts alongside delicacies from overseas.

Finally, the Solihull Spring Craft Fair will be in Solihull town centre on Saturday 22 April, 9.00am – 5.30pm, showcasing the work of local artists and jewellery designers, as well as artefacts from abroad. Clothing, garden furniture and street food are also available.

For more information about Council events, visit www.solihull.gov.uk/events

Image: The Coventry Consortium Band

16

The Solihull Way | Solihull Council staff newsletter | March 2017

OUR VISION SOLIHULL IN 2018: Where everyone has an equal chance to be healthier, happier, safer and prosperous

OUR PURPOSE LIVES NOT SERVICES: To be an organisation that improves lives

OUR AMBITION GOOD TO GREAT: To be an organisation that our citizens and staff say is a great one

If you have a story you would like to share with colleagues in a future issue of The Solihull Way, please get in touch with the Communications team by emailing comms@solihull.gov.uk

Twitter @solihullcouncil | Facebook www.facebook.com/solihullcouncil | Yammer www.yammer.com/solihull.gov.uk

PCC’s Outstanding Citizen Awards 2017Nominate now for the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Outstanding Citizen Awards 2017.

The award categories are:

• Outstanding Citizen• Outstanding Young Citizen• Outstanding Community Project 

Individuals or organisations who are nominated for the awards should be voluntary or community

based and will have shown consistent dedication to their community over a period of time, giving up their own time and helping others in ways which contribute to community safety or reducing crime and disorder. 

The closing date for nominations is Monday 17 April 2017, with the Awards Ceremony held on Thursday 6 July.

Find out more and nominate via the PCC website.