Supporters of the run, from left, James Pike, Vanessa Hoe and Doug Wright MBE
Sutton Coldfield’s iconic fun run has received a further boost from the boss of the local McDonald’s franchise. Doug Wright is the latest local business to become a commercial partner of the Royal Sutton Fun Run.
Doug, who began his working life at McDonald’s as a cleaner in Bedford aged 16, became the youngest UK restaurant manager at the aged just 20.
He took on his first McDonald’s franchise in Lichfield, October 2002 and now operates 21 McDonald’s Restaurants across the West Midlands including Sutton Coldfield, Bassetts Pole and Burntwood.
Doug said: “Over the last 40 years, the Fun Run has been an ‘annual pilgrimage’ for so many local people. Not only does it provide the best ‘atmospheric day’ in the royal town but has generated nearly five million pounds for charities, voluntary groups and community interest organisations since 1982.
“I’m delighted to have the opportunity to support the Fun Run and look forward to a special day celebrating the 40th event at the start of June.”
James Pike, Fun Run director said: “After the turbulent years of Covid restrictions, it was fabulous to see so many people gathering together in Sutton town centre and enjoying the Fun Run last year.
“We’re still very much recovering from the effects of having to cancel three times in two years and having to reschedule last year’s event to avoid a clash with the late Queen Elizabeth’s Jubilee celebrations.
“We very much welcome the franchise supported community initiative from Doug and his McDonald’s logo will feature on each official run number worn by all entrants.
“We hope this is the start of a long-term partnership helping us drive the event forward and generating more money for charities, voluntary groups and community interest organisations who provide such critical support to people across our town.”
The Farmer John’s pub in Streetly has reopened with a new look following a £120,000 investment. The pub’s revamp has seen the introduction of new wallpaper, stylish lighting, updated seating, and uplifting colour palettes. With an updated bar area and investment in team training, the pub has now officially reopened with a fresh new look.
Don Welch, Sutton Coldfield’s 31st West Scout Group leader, was chosen as the pub’s community hero to pour the first pint in celebration of the pub’s reopening. He was also joined by the flag bearers from all age ranges of the Scout movement.
Situated on the edge of Streetly, Farmer John’s has a family-friendly feel, an extensive grassed beer garden and large outdoor playing area. The pub is ideally situated for a drink or meal before or after a walk in the nearby Sutton Park and Barr Beacon Local Nature Reserve.
The Farmer John’s offers a varied menu of pub favourites such as Steak and Ale Pie served with chips, garden peas and gravy and new additions such as Loaded Fries with spicy pulled pork, nacho cheese sauce, BBQ sauce, crispy onions and chopped chives and classic lagers on draught, cask ales and a variety of cocktails and G&Ts. The pub also offers a traditional Sunday Roast each week, all served with fluffy mashed potato, roast potatoes, seasonal veggies, home-made Yorkshire pudding, stuffing and gravy.
Guests can also enjoy a new mid-week offer of a main meal and a drink from £10.75. The dishes vary daily with a burger and a drink available on a Tuesday, curry and a drink on a Wednesday and steak and a drink for £11.95 on a Thursday.
With over 1,600 pubs and bars across England, Scotland and Wales, Marston’s sites range from their traditional local pubs and family-friendly pubs to sites with a focus on a ‘warm, timeless country pub atmosphere’.
Iain Kaye General Manager of Farmer John’s said, “We are so excited to open the doors of the Otter and to show our guests the final results of our refresh. We have invested over £115k into breathing new life into venue. The pub is much-loved by its regulars and we can’t wait to welcome everybody back.”
Farmer John’s reopened on Sunday 30th April.
More information on Farmer John’s can be found via their Facebook and Instagram.
A second phase of work has been completed on Sutton Coldfield Charitable Trust’s Almshouses, which have undergone an £870,000 refurbishment to upgrade the residents’ facilities, the guestroom and the wardens’ accommodation.
The Almshouses are a combination of bungalows and maisonettes located at Lingard House in Walmley, Sutton Coldfield and are typically designed for individuals over 60 years old. Currently, the properties house a total of 52 residents and create a safe and welcoming environment for both single and married couples.
The project has been fully funded by the Sutton Coldfield Charitable Trust and has provided the refurbishment of 46 homes in total.
During the refurbishments, the current Almshouse residents were moved into the vacant estate properties whilst Logmoor, the contractor, undertook work on the kitchens and bathrooms.
The Trust provided the opportunity for the residents to choose from a range of colour schemes allowing them to personalise the space to their taste and make their houses feel like a home.
The Almshouses each feature a double bedroom, a living room and now a brand-new kitchen and bathroom at the Lingard House estate. The properties are complemented by well-maintained gardens, a communal lounge space, a laundry room, a computer suite, a games room and a craft room, allowing residents to fully immerse themselves in the Almshouse community.
The landscaped garden at the centre
Residents are also provided with additional benefits from two on-site wardens during the day, a monitoring centre overnight and an out-of-hours emergency call service.
Pam Johnston MBE JP, Almshouse Manager at Sutton Coldfield Charitable Trust, said: “We are delighted to announce the completion of the second phase of the Almshouse refurbishments and for the residents to be able to settle back into their properties.
“The Trustees are consistently looking to maintain the Estate to the highest quality and the provision of upgraded kitchens and bathrooms will allow our residents to have a functioning, yet welcoming space to call home.”
A very happy resident at one of the Almshouses, said: “I have recently had my kitchen and bathroom refurbished to a very high standard. I was involved in the choice of colours for the tiles, worktops and cupboards. The final result exceeded my expectations.”
Ashleigh Mills, Senior Corporate Fundraiser at St Giles, after completing the London Marathon
Runners urged to step out and raise funds
St Giles Hospice is encouraging local people to put on their running shoes and take to the pavements to help fund care for local people, and their loved ones, living with a terminal illness.
If you’ve been inspired by watching the energy, passion and determination of runners taking part in the London Marathon, perhaps you might like to consider taking part in a running event of your own and fundraise to support St Giles Hospice, which has a centre and a number of charity shops in Sutton Coldfield.
One runner who’s enjoying a well-earned rest after her success at the London Marathon is Ashleigh Mills, Senior Corporate Fundraiser at St Giles.
Ashleigh raised funds for three different charities to celebrate her 30 th birthday year, raising an incredible £1,602 for St Giles as one of her chosen charities.
Ashleigh’s mum, Sue, received care and support from St Giles, following her breast cancer diagnosis in 2016, as well as receiving end of life care from the hospice in 2018.
Ashleigh said: “Choosing to run the London Marathon was always more than just a physical challenge. It was for Mom, and in her memory.
I wanted to raise funds to say thank you to the wonderful staff and volunteers at St Giles Hospice. They did so much for Mom, and for the rest of my family, during her final few days. It really was exceptional care.” Ashleigh had never run before, prior to entering the ballot for the London Marathon.
Although she had to delay her marathon date by a year due to an injury, she triumphantly sailed across the finish line this year and completed the marathon in just 5 hours and 35 minutes.
Ashleigh said: “I’m not a natural born runner by any stretch, and it took 12 months of training to get myself ready. I started by running for one mile, and built myself up from there, a mile at a time.
“To anyone who may be thinking of participating in a running event, whether its 5k, 10k or a marathon; running is free, anyone can do it and it has so many health benefits. Once you’ve completed a run, you feel fantastic, and walking, jogging or running are actually a really great natural therapy for people who are living with bereavement themselves.
“To me, St Giles represents hope and comfort. St Giles brought my family hope during the most stressful time in our lives, and gave my mom comfort throughout her illness and in her final few days – they were just fantastic.
“Our patients here at St Giles need continued specialist care and support, and that’s where local people can make a huge difference, by taking part in an event and raising those crucial funds for the hospice.
Those looking for a running event for the whole family this summer can look no further than the Tamworth Gate Gallop, held on Sunday 25 th June at the Anker Valley Sports Complex in Tamworth.
Organised in aid of St Giles Hospice by the Peel Road Runners, this event has been running for over 25 years, raising over £115,000 to date. Choose from a 10k run (£16), a 4.4k fun run (£9), or a 600m children’s run (£3).
Those looking for a more intense physical challenge, or a next step in their training journey, might like to try one of two half marathons in support of St Giles; The Great Birmingham Run or The Great North Run, both hosted by AJ Bell. The Great Birmingham Run is held in Birmingham on Sunday 7 th May, and St Giles are offering free entry to ten lucky runners, with a minimum sponsorship target of £350.
All you have to do is sign up for the run, and the free places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.
You can also run in support of St Giles by securing your own place for either the half marathon or 10k Great Birmingham routes. The Great North Run is held in Newcastle on Sunday 10th September, and is the world’s biggest half marathon.
Although ballot places have now sold out for this event, St Giles are currently offering 8 lucky runners the chance to gain entry for £40, with a minimum sponsorship target of £350.
What’s more, those entering the Great North Run will be in excellent company, as Olympic gold medallist Mo Farah has just announced that the run will be the final professional race of his career before his retirement.
Prezzo Italian restaurant in Mere Green one of 46 outlets hit by cost of living crisis
A popular Italian restaurant in Mere Green has permanently closed its doors. It is a blow for the area, which has only recently seen all of the units at the prestigious Mulberry Walk development fully let.
Prezzo in Mere Green is one of 46 closures announced by the Italian chain on Monday, April 24. The Mere Green restaurant’s website says the venue has permanently closed.
The firm said it was part of a ‘strategic review of its business’, where it said it would focus on its ‘better-performing restaurants’ to ‘ensure long-term, sustainable growth’.
The firm said it has informed all its affected employees as part of a consultation process and said it will look to ‘redeploy as many staff internally as possible and will support others in finding new opportunities’.
Prezzo said it has seen keys costs rise in the last year including more than doubling of utility bills which now represent nine per cent of total revenues as well ‘continued inflationary pressures’ on key ingredients,
A much-loved character is coming to Sutton Coldfield town centre as part of an Easter egg-travaganza this weekend, with fun activities.
Much-loved character Peter Rabbit™ is coming to the Royal Town for a two-day ‘meet and greet’, organised by Visit Royal Sutton Coldfield BID and hosted by Gracechurch Shopping Centre.
Peter Rabbit will be in Bishop’s Court (outside WH Smith) on Good Friday 7 April and Saturday 8 April, appearing at regular intervals between 11am – 3pm.
Michelle Baker, Sutton Coldfield Town Centre BID manager, said: “We are delighted that the most famous rabbit of them all is coming to Sutton Coldfield this Easter and we hope that the local children enjoy meeting him.
“We are introducing regular character meet and greets for our younger visitors to ensure that Sutton Coldfield becomes a family destination and a fantastic free day out.”
The Gracechurch Shopping Centre will also be hosting a two-day ‘Eco Easter’ event between 11am and 3pm on the same days.
The event will see fun workshops, where young eco-warriors can create artwork from household waste, turning unloved plastic bottles and egg cartons and more into spring masterpieces.
Supported by local charities such as the Severn Trent Trust and the Community Environmental Trust, crafting tables will be set up in the centre with each stall hosting a different eco-easter craft.
There will also be a digital competition, where parents and children are encouraged to make their very own #EcoEaster creation at home and share an image online to win a Gracechurch gift card.
Centre Manager of the scheme Angela Henderson added: “Easter is a time for fun and joy but it can be surrounded by a lot of waste boxes and plastic.
“This year, we want to provide our community with a sustainable and exciting way of creating fun seasonal things from objects that otherwise would have gone to waste.
“We are very excited to welcome out local community to enjoy this free event with us and can’t wait to see all the creations from everyone.”
The Easter events are just one of the BID’s ideas to raise the profile of the town – following the launch last year of a vibrant new ‘Visit Royal Sutton Coldfield’ brand – with special events, competitions and improvements designed to make it a destination to spend time, eat, drink, shop and relax.
Previous star appearances, by much-loved characters including Bluey, the Transformers and the Grinch, have brought thousands of visitors to the town centre, and many more events are being lined up for 2023, including festivities to mark the coronation of King Charles III.
With the holiday season gearing up one of the most popular areas of Cyprus is preparing to show visitors some of the areas hidden treasures.
A new bee-themed nature trail at Vavatsinia has opened which takes walkers on a 2.5km journey through the life of bees and their role in wellbeing. ‘The Humming of the Bees’ trail combines walking in the picturesque and tranquil surroundings of mountainous Vavatsinia village with an educational and healing experience centred around the therapeutic sound of the humming of bees; something that has been proven to have health and wellness benefits.
Vavatsinia is one of the nine Rural Larnaka Honey Villages that share a rich history of beekeeping and honey production. The route has bee-friendly plants signposted, decorative beehives and bee ‘hotels’ offering refuge for solitary bees, as well as a pavilion, benches and wooden loungers to enjoy a relaxing break. Walkers can discover interesting information on bees, such as facts about ‘apitherapy’ which uses products made by honeybees for medicinal purposes and the way in which bees communicate with flowers. Click here for more info.
Historic Larnaka Municipal Market is re-born with new indoor market
The new Larnaka Municipal Market has opened on its original site with an indoor market throughout the week and an open-air farmer’s market on Saturdays. With the market’s long history as an integral part of Larnaka city’s fabric, the new design honours its heritage by fusing traditional elements with a contemporary structure and is set to be a landmark in the commercial centre.
The market first opened in 1928 and operated in its original form until 1963. It remained unused for some 30 years until it was demolished at the end of the 1990s to create municipal parking. Alongside the open-air farmer’s market that operated at the site, a smaller indoor market was opened in a building across the street.
The new market houses 20 vendors offering a variety of traditional, local produce from across the region, including stalls selling wine, dairy, cured meats, baked goods and sweets, herbal products, souvenirs and fresh fruit and vegetables. The Saturday open-air farmer’s market (from 6am – 1.30pm) offers fresh fruit and vegetables, fresh flowers and other produce.
The new structure is a reimagined design reminiscent of the circular dwellings of the Choirokoitia Neolithic Settlement. In the future the mezzanine level will host restaurants, cafes and a snack bar, as well as cultural spaces, whilst the upper level will feature a terrace with seating area, roof garden and bars. The market has a Facebook page that will be updated with news and events.
Kalavasos-Tenta archaeological site ‘virtually’ reconstructed
The Kalavasos-Tenta archaeological site has been ‘virtually’ reconstructed with a historically accurate video that shows how the Neolithic settlement appeared 9500 years ago. The video takes viewers back in time to the site during the Aceramic Neolithic period (7.000-5.200 BC), when the island’s first permanent residents established a village west of the Vasilikos River plain.
The remains of the settlement in Kalavasos village – alongside those at Choirokoitia Neolithic Settlement – are an excellent example of an early permanent settlement. The village was eventually abandoned in 5.600 BC for reasons unknown. Watch the video here to find out more about this fascinating and sophisticated settlement. Click here for more info.
Two new ‘Talking’ statues bring history alive
Two new Larnaka Storytelling Statues have been unveiled. ‘Man with Wreath of Leaves’ at the Archaeological Museum of the Larnaka District and ‘Medieval Knight of Larnaka Castle’ are the newest members of the Larnaka Storytelling Statues family ready to narrate their unique histories.
The Larnaka Storytelling Statues are a series of statues, busts and monuments that bear a plaque with a QR code. Once scanned users receive a call-back in English or Greek from the monument and can listen to the insightful story of each in a character narration.
‘Man with Wreath of Leaves’ paints a vivid picture of Larnaka city during ancient times, and in particular, the areas surrounding the museum and the site of the Ancient Port of Kition. ‘Medieval Knight of Larnaka Castle’ is a noble French knight’s narration conjuring evocative images of the castle during its different eras; Byzantine, Venetian, Ottoman and British. Click here for more info.
Sutton Coldfield Charitable Trust supports access to specialist services
Lucy Cole’s charity is now able to offer free support
A Sutton Coldfield grief charity has received vital funding to allow more people to access essential services
Love Life Again, a private clinic that has developed coaching programmes targeted towards helping adults and children overcome grief and trauma, has given over 30 individuals free access to the private services thanks to a £26,000 grant from Sutton Coldfield Charitable Trust.
Sutton Coldfield Charitable Trust (SCCT) exists to enhance the quality of life for individuals in Sutton Coldfield, but the trauma attached to grief is something that is felt globally.
The Trust’s grant went towards funding for individuals receiving benefits or low-income households that would benefit from the 7-15 grief recovery group programmes but didn’t have access to the funds to afford them.
According to the UK Commission on Bereavement, millions of people across the UK faced bereavement in 2020, with hundreds of thousands more bereaved than in previous years because of Covid-19, making access to grief clinics such as Love Life Again more vital than ever.
Lucy Cole, fully qualified Grief Recovery Specialist, Trainer in & Master Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) & Trainer & Hypnosis Practitioner, Timeline Therapist, Personal Evolutionary, Health & Emotional Coach who solely runs Love Life Again, said: “The grant from Sutton Coldfield Charitable Trust came at a perfect time for the service users at my clinic. I had a huge waiting list as well as people who wouldn’t have been able to afford the private clinic without funding.
“I want to say thank you to the Trust for having such a significant impact on the community and giving people a place to come and talk about their feelings and emotions surrounding grief. They’ve given those individuals a lifeline and changed their lives for the better.
“There’s not many people in the local area doing what I’m doing, so there’s a really high demand – I’m looking to take on two new employees after Easter to help me keep up.”
Lucy opened the clinic after experiencing first hand her and her family’s battle with grief, after having to pull herself and her daughter out of some dark places, which is what encouraged her to start up the clinic.
She is doing lots of work with local schools in the area, where she delivers workshops that students can also get referred to her.
An award-winning Sutton Coldfield video production company has agreed an extended two-year production deal with a major national construction company.
Ark Media has built on its seven-year relationship with Willmott Dixon in the Midlands region, expanding their existing partnership to include work on their southern projects.
The flexible deal will see Ark Media, based at Wren’s Court, Victoria Road, provide a complete suite of video production services, covering everything from training content and internal communications to case studies, marketing and awards packages.
Phil Arkinstall, chief executive of Ark Media and president of the Sutton Coldfield Chamber of Commerce, said: “We are delighted to be able to extend our close working relationship with Willmott Dixon and are excited to see how our video productions skills can continue to bring added value to their business.
“The construction sector is driven by innovation, and we have seen how Willmott Dixon embrace it not only in the remarkable projects they build but also in the way they communicate internally and with customers, and how they connect with communities across the UK.
“Video is the perfect way of sharing that spirit of innovation, which is why our flexible and responsive way of working is such a good fit with Willmott Dixon.
”Internal content produced by Ark for Willmott Dixon has included training clips, video packages for awards and messaging from senior management.
Marketing activity has included storytelling films and case studies on new developments, instructional videos for new tenants, thought leadership, events and explainer clips that share some of the innovative construction techniques being used by the contractor.
Key to Ark’s success is the flexible credit system it offers clients, which allows them to select from a complete range of content options, ensuring that the video content produced reflects the changing needs of the business.
Phil added: “We pioneered the use of a credit system with our clients, and we pride ourselves on being able to respond to their needs by being flexible and responsive.
“The system means that they can choose to direct their budget in a way that adds real value to their offering – they can choose anything from subtitling to animation, or from glossy case studies to simpler content for social media or internal use.”
Louise Roden, senior communications manager at Willmott Dixon, said: “Willmott Dixon has built a strong relationship with Ark Media, who are very responsive to our needs, and we are delighted to continue to work with them.
“Ark are a small team who have proven to be very adaptable to the needs of a large organisation like Willmott Dixon. They are available whenever we need to brainstorm ideas or have last minute requirements.
“The Credit Package concept offered by Ark is also ideal for us, as it provides great value, is flexible and allows cost to be spread throughout the year.”
Sutton Coldfield Charitable Trust awards £33k grant
Sutton Coldfield Charitable Trust, which exists to enhance the quality of life for individuals in Sutton Coldfield, has recently awarded an additional three-year grant of up to £33,659 to New Heights.
The award-winning charity provides support services for domestic abuse victims in North Birmingham including Sutton Coldfield, and the new funding is set to allow its free, specialist, domestic abuse services to continue until 2025.
With the current cost of living crisis, the demand for domestic abuse services is at an all-time high, with new research revealing that one in four women will suffer some form of domestic abuse in their lifetime .
New Heights was founded in 2004, began delivering support to victims of domestic abuse from 2012 and over the past decade has pushed to ensure that the needs of vulnerable people in the Erdington and Sutton Coldfield Constituencies are met.
The charity is run by a diligent team of around 100 volunteers, a small staff team and twelve elected trustees. In 2019, New Heights was awarded its first three-year grant by Sutton Coldfield Charitable Trust (SCCT) to help in supporting with individual and group therapy sessions.
After a successful three years, supported by the Trust’s grant, New Heights re-approached the Trust last October following which it was awarded its second grant. The grant has allowed the charity to continue to provide a wide variety of discreet support services including a Domestic Abuse Counselling Service, The New Heights Community Café, training for volunteers and advisors and a telephone ‘befriending’ service.
The benefits of the Trust’s grant, along with the hard work of the New Heights’ team have been evidenced in the below results:
A total of 895 domestic abuse survivors have been provided with free support services
A total of 1,667 counselling sessions were delivered between May 2021 and April 2022
A total of 751 clients have been provided with one-off, advice, support and information
Sean Flynn, New Heights Chair, commented: “With support from the Sutton Coldfield CharitableTrust, we have been able to expand the delivery of free counselling support to probably the most vulnerable people in Sutton Coldfield – those who are victims of physical, emotional, sexual, financial abuse and/or coercive control.
“It’s so important we enable them to get to a position where they see themselves as survivors ratherthan victims of domestic abuse.”
Clare Haines, Grants Manager at Sutton Coldfield Charitable Trust, added: “We are so pleased to announce that we have awarded New Heights an additional grant for the next three years to help financially support the incremental services that they deliver to domestic abuse survivors across North Birmingham.
“With new research revealing that domestic abuse referrals are rising, the Trust believes that it’s vital to continue to support charities, such as New Heights, which are helping to support the individuals that need it in the borough of Sutton Coldfield.”
Anonymous quotes from individuals who have benefitted from New Height’s specialist domestic abuse counselling include:
“Counselling has given me the confidence to deal with daily events, for the first time I am able to put myself first without feeling guilty or thinking I don’t deserve it. It’s helped me believe in myself, value and feel better about myself.”
“My self-esteem and mental health have improved. It has been really helpful to be able to share my experiences, to be believed, understood, respected and not judged”.
“It was excellent. Not sure how I would have coped without having it.” For further information about Sutton Coldfield Charitable Trust and how to apply for grants, please visit: http://www.suttoncoldfieldcharitabletrust.com/alms-houses.htm, or to find out more information on the services that New Heights provides, please visit: http://new-heights.org.uk/.
Sutton Coldfield Life 