The ‘gateway’ island to Birmingham dubbed a ‘disgusting mess’

“Disgusting” litter thrown from car windows and dropped by shoppers is blighting one of the key gateways into Shirley, a local volunteer has said. Resident Emma McGann, a member of the Friends of Shirley Park, said that it had recently taken her 80 minutes to clear-up all the rubbish strewn around Poppy Island, on Stratford…

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Local man convicted of theft from Solihull Council

A local man has been convicted of theft from Solihull Council, after he misused a pre-paid card which he’d been given to assist with the costs of care for his wife. Colin Tyers, of Castle Bromwich, was sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday 10 January to stealing just over £3,000 between June and October…

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Child sex attacker jailed after WMP investigation

A child sex attacker from #Solihull has been jailed for more than eight years after a West Midlands Police investigation. Serial abuser Graeme Goodsir sexually assaulted a young girl from the age of seven for a number of years. Last Friday (10 January), he was jailed for eight years and three months after the girl…

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Fears over Solihull ambulance station closure as trust bosses pledge to improve services

The closure of the only ambulance station in Solihull will see more ambulances and paramedics made available to borough residents – according to West Midlands Ambulance Service. Fears have been expressed over the closure of Solihull’s only remaining ambulance base at Solihull Hospital. A petition has been launched in a bid to save the base…

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First ever Jingle Bell Jog raises £2,000 for homelessness charity

Solihull fun runners gave the gift of a brighter future at Christmas after it has been revealed over £2,000 was raised for charity at the first ever Jingle Bell Jog. Taking place on Sunday 15th December, over 150 Santas aged between 7 and 70 were seen running through the streets of Solihull town centre in…

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There’s no planet B so Boston Tea Party drives forward with A2B

Did you know that only 0.25% of the estimated 2.5 billion plastic coated coffee cups used in the UK each year are recycled with 4%, that’s approximately 500,000, being littered every day. The rest, 95.75% go to landfill. These plastics are then burnt releasing dangerous substances such as heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants and other…

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Thousands of appeals for help from Solihull residents dealing with debt, benefit changes and other challenges

Almost 30,000 appeals for help from residents grappling with debts, housing and other issues were made to a Solihull support service in just six months. Between April and September, the community advice hubs were contacted 27,098 times by people seeking advice and information relating to various matters. It is thought that residents having to adjust…

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Plans to ‘concrete over’ back gardens in Shirley thrown out amid fierce opposition

A Shirley housing scheme has been thrown out eamid complaints it would have “obliterated” back gardens and made an already “chaotic” road more dangerous. Dozens of residents had objected to plans to build up to five dormer bungalows on a parcel of land behind homes in Lawnswood Avenue. The application to “concrete over” garden land…

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Local homelessness campaign gets £5k cash boost from Renewal and Touchwood

Local homelessness campaign, Change Into Action has been given a massive cash boost thanks to a £3k donation from local church Renewal and a £2k donation from Touchwood Councillor Karen Grinsell, Solihull Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health said: “Although Solihull has very few people who regularly sleep rough,…

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Velo Birmingham & Midlands 2020 road closures revealed

The Velo cycling event is returning to the West Midlands for a third time this year. Velo Birmingham & Midlands is back for 2020 with a new summertime date of Sunday 21 June. Organisers said: “Starting in the heart of Birmingham City Centre, our 100 mile route will take 18,000 riders on a truly unforgettable…

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