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Suttonians urged to back business

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Gracehurch Centre safe say bosses as shops get ready to open

With the imminent reopening of non-essential retail, The Gracechurch Centre in Sutton Coldfield has worked hard to ensure visitors and staff feel safe ahead of their much anticipated and welcomed return to the centre.

The majority of stores at The Gracechurch Centre which were deemed non-essential during the last Covid-19 lockdown will be able to re-open from Monday 12th April following the latest easing of Government restrictions. 

To help support retailers, the Gracechurch Centre is encouraging residents of Sutton Coldfield to shop local and support their local businesses as they look to recover from impact of the pandemic. The team will be promoting offers and events throughout the next few months via its social media channels.

This will include the redressing of the centre to fit the ‘spring in bloom’ theme and welcoming back live music in Bishops Court at the weekend. Shoppers will also be able to take advantage of The Gracechurch Centre’s Concierge Crew, who will be ready to welcome back visitors and help guide them round the centre next week.

Angela Henderson Centre Manager of The Gracechurch Centre said: “We can’t wait for the return of customers to The Gracechurch Centre and would like to thank our fantastic team who have worked very hard to support our retailers during this challenging time. As lockdown restrictions start to ease, we urge people to shop local and visit the centre to help support their local retailers.

The Gracechurch Centre is following Government guidelines to keep staff and visitors safe, and the centre team has worked in partnership with retailers to develop detailed plans which include an enhanced cleaning regime, hand sanitiser stations posted throughout the centre, an increased customer service presence, and refreshed signage to help customers adhere to social distancing requirements.

Angela added: “A great deal of effort has gone into making The Gracechurch Centre a safe place for staff and customers. Everyone has a part to play in this, and we would ask all our customers to be respectful of others and always follow the latest Government guidelines as closely as possible when visiting the centre. We’d also like to thank those essential businesses who have supported the community throughout the lockdown.”

“We can’t wait to welcome you all back.”

To keep up to date with the latest updates and information on the opening times of retailers at The Gracechurch Centre, please visit the website or check out the social media channels. 

News

Man in court over baby death

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A man charged with causing death by dangerous driving has appeared at Wolverhampton Magistrates Court this week (6 April) and has been remanded in custody pending his appearance at Wolverhampton Crown Court on 4 May. 

James Paul Davis, aged 34 from Croxtalls Avenue, Walsall, was charged with causing death by dangerous driving, causing death by driving while uninsured, failing to stop at the scene of a collision and failure to report a collision.

Two-week-old Ciaran Leigh Morris died in hospital shortly after a collision between two cars resulted in a BMW hitting his pram in Brownhills High Street on Easter Sunday.

Sergeant Mark Crozier, from our serious collision investigation unit, said: “We are continuing to investigate the circumstances leading to the tragic death of Ciaran and we have specialist officers in touch with his parents to keep them updated with any new developments.

“I would ask people to please respect their privacy at this sad time and please refrain from speculation which may add to their grief.”

The BMW was abandoned at the scene, however a 34-year-old man called police a short time later and was subsequently arrested.

Police said they are still keen to hear from anyone who was in the area and may have dash cam footage, either before or at the time of the collision.

Anyone with information can contact us via FL_COLLISION_INVEST@west-midlands.pnn.police.uk, via Live Chat or by calling 101. 

Lifestyle, News

Restoration project flowers

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Image showing stitched poppies in different colours together with a poppy timeline: red 1921, white 1933, black 2010, purple 2016.

Poppies in the Jewellery Quarter Cemeteries

The Jewellery Quarter Cemeteries Project is a two-year programme of restoration works in Key Hill and Warstone Lane cemeteries, funded in partnership with National Lottery Heritage Fund, Birmingham City Council and Jewellery Quarter Development Trust.

Alongside the restoration there is a programme of events and activities to encourage more people to engage with, visit and learn about the cemeteries in the Jewellery Quarter (JQ), both their history and value as green spaces.

During lockdown, the cemeteries have been a lifeline for the local community as places to take daily walks, but restrictions mean that many people cannot visit and so many events have changed to accommodate this.

One recent example is the JQ Poppy Project which was run in partnership with Woolly Mammoth Stitchworks and funded by the Birmingham Municipal Charity.

In order to commemorate not only those who died in WWI and WWII who are remembered on gravestones and war memorials in the JQ, but also those of all nations killed in all conflict, we have been stitching hundreds of tapestry poppies to make a community artwork, which will be displayed at Remembrance events throughout the project and for many years to come.

The poppy stitching kits were sent to participants by post and nearly all of them have now found their way home! The kits included a postcard explaining the meanings of the 4 colours of poppy.

Colour phot showing a pile of stitched poppies in white, red, black and purple.

Nearly 150 members of the public have stitched a poppy for us and we are now just waiting for our school groups to return their poppies, as their stitching sessions were delayed due to remote learning, and then artist Tina Francis will put them all together!

We originally intended to debut the artwork in April but this will not be possible now due to COVID restrictions. We plan to have the artwork on display in the cemeteries on June 4 and 5 in Warstone Lane Cemetery (COVID roadmap permitting).

Project staff and volunteers will be on hand throughout both days to chat about the project and hand out self-guided war graves trails for those who wish to explore further.

We are so grateful to everyone who took part in the project, it was amazing to have people from across Birmingham, the Midlands and beyond, come together to stitch and remember those who have been lost – spending collectively over 200 hours on the project!

We know from the feedback comments that the participants really valued the fantastic kits created by Woolly Mammoth and being part of the project.

One stitcher said: “It’s been nice to think that my small contribution will be part of a tribute that is so significant and a cause close to my heart”.

Although our project is now drawing to a close, Woolly Mammoth Stitchworks are involved with other projects all the time, so there are often opportunities to get involved. Check their website for the latest projects.

We hope to see many of our stitchers and other interested people in person in June, but for those who can’t attend, you can find out more about the cemeteries from the comfort of your own home on our website.

Josie Wall, Jewellery Quarter Cemeteries Project.

This article is part of  a collaboration between Birmingham Archives, Community Libraries, the Library of Birmingham, Library Services at Home, the Mobile Library, and the Prison Library. Our aim is to share Birmingham’s history, archives, and community heritage activities, showcasing our city’s unique and irreplaceable archival collections, keeping you updated about projects and events you can get involved with.

Business, Food and Drink, Lifestyle, News

Raising a glass to the great outdoors

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The Butlers Arms has created a marquee which will complement the decking areas
Pubs and hospitality venues show versatility for big reopening

As hospitality venues in Sutton prepare to tentatively come out of lockdown on April 12, pubs and restaurants are coming up with some ingenious solutions to the problem of eating and drinking outside.

From that date hospitality venues will be allowed to serve people outdoors and there will be no need for customers to order a substantial meal with alcoholic drinks and no curfew, although customers must order, eat and drink while seated (‘table service’), as before the last hospitality closure in October. 

Wider social contact rules will apply in all these settings to prevent indoor mixing between different households.

It will be a welcome return to business for hospitality venues, with many having gone to the wall and others surviving through grants, loans and the use of the Job Retention Scheme (furlough).

Now they hope to be back for good with a return to full opening on May 17, providing there is no further surge in Covid-19 cases.

Clockwise, from top left, the outdoor area at The Town House, two views of The Bracebridge, and The Crown

To cope with this, pubs in particular are adapting their premises to allow groups of people to drink and dine together when the weather is poor

These include these of shelters, which look like kiosks used at the Birmingham German markets, seen at the Crown at Four Oaks and the Hardwick Arms at Streetly and strengthened open marquees, like at the Butlers Arms on Lichfield Road, covered outdoor areas, like The Bracebridge in Sutton Park and some, turning their gardens into the equivalent of a German beer garden, like the Town House in Sutton Coldfield Town centre, similar to those seen at Munich’s Oktoberfest.

It is anticipated there will be a huge rush and many venues are contacting customers through the use of apps to invite them back and book a table where available.

The team at the Bulters Arms said on their Facebook page: “Have a sneak peak at our menu for The Butlers Outdoors… We’re not taking bookings for outside tables. Tables will be available on a strictly first come, first serve basis. We can’t wait to welcome you all back on April 12th (hopefully 🤞).”

Other indoor locations to open on May 17 include indoor entertainment venues such as cinemas and children’s play areas; the rest of the accommodation sector, including hotels, hostels and B&Bs; and indoor adult group sports and exercise classes.

 The government will also allow some larger performances and sporting events in indoor venues. In the largest outdoor seated venues, where crowds can be spread out, up to 10,000 people will be able to attend.

By that point hospitality in Sutton and across the country will be hoping to be fully back in business by June 21. All dates are subject to change, depending on any sign of a further wave of coronavirus infection.  

Lifestyle, News

New player in Sutton store wars battle

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Aldi could be the new face of the eyesore Brassington Avenue in Sutton Coldfield

Store wars in Sutton Coldfield could be stepped with supermarket Aldi’s plans to build a new store on a derelict site in Sutton Coldfield.

The German grocery giant plans to build a new store in Brassington Avenue in the town centre, a site that been an eyesore in the town for many years.

It is believed Aldi is planning to move from its Sutton town centre store on The Parade, where there are parking problems, to the new site.

The land, which is on the edge of the Sutton ring road has been empty for many years despite many ambitious plans which have come and gone with no end result. As far back as 2009, a scheme to build more than 250 apartments earmarked for the site were finally abandoned due to problems brought about by the financial crash.

The development will form part of the Sutton Coldfield master plan, which includes a major transformation of Brassington Avenue, with more housing, shopping and leisure facilities.

Clockwise from the top, the for sale sign at Brassington Avenue, the former Waitrose in Belwell Lane, work continuing on the new Lidl and the current Aldi store in the town centre

It will be the second Aldi in Sutton Coldfield, following plans for the conversion of the former Waitrose in Belwell Lane, Mere Green and will join the new Lidl, currently being built in Mere Green on the former Lucas site.

The framework for the building is now in place with work nearly complete on the car park.

The Lidl store and panned Aldi in Mere Green have sparked fears of traffic chaos in what is already a congested area.

Lifestyle, News

The future’s orange for fundraiser

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Amy Foster will be dressing in orange, organising a fundraising tea and taking part in a sponsored space hopper race.

Get up and go this April to support St Giles Hospice

Everyone in Sutton Coldfield is being invited to get up and go orange this April to brighten up their spring and support St Giles Hospice.

The charity, which has centres in Whittington and Sutton Coldfield, is calling on supporters to dress up or dress down in orange for a day, a week or for the entire month this April. They can then text to make a donation to raise funds to support the hospice’s work caring for people living with a terminal illness and their families.

St Giles has also drawn up a host of other fun, colourful fundraising ideas to keep supporters entertained throughout the month as they take part in Orange April with friends, family or colleagues, whether at home, at work or even on Zoom.

Chloe Herbert, Head of Fundraising at St Giles Hospice, said: “We’re hoping to add an extra splash of colour to everybody’s April this year by asking our supporters to get up and go orange for St Giles.

“It takes a community to make a hospice and we’ve never need you more than we do today. By dressing in orange and taking part in other orange-inspired fundraising activities you can show your support for St Giles and make a real difference to the lives of local patients and their families.

“We rely on voluntary contributions to fund two thirds of the £10m we need to raise each year to fund the care we offer, and throughout the current Coronavirus crisis our services have faced unprecedented demand at a time when we have had to cancel our fundraising events and close our shops.

“Over the past 12 months our clinical and fundraising teams have had to adapt to ensure that we meet the increased demand and deliver our services in different ways – and our supporters have been so imaginative in finding ways to raise funds for us despite the lockdowns and social distancing.”

Everyone wanting to get up and go orange this April can request a fundraising pack in the post, which includes a special orange St Giles Hospice ribbon to add to their outfit along with a whole host of entertaining fundraising ideas and activities, or receive their pack digitally.

These ideas include a special orange Zoom background, a Zoom-based orange-themed scavenger hunt, a ‘guess the weight of your carrot cake’ competition, a ‘guess how many orange Smarties are in the jar’ competition and a new Olly the Orange activity pack for the kids.

Amy said: “We would urge everybody to Get Up and Go Orange to support St Giles this April and hope people will be happy to take part this year as we’re all in need of a good laugh!

“We want everyone to wear their orange ribbon with pride this April, knowing that they are helping us to continue providing care to people in our local community living with a terminal illness,” added Chloe.

The Hospice at Home team at St Giles will be among those dressing in orange to mark Orange April while they are out in the community caring for patients and their families at home next month.

Healthcare Assistant Amy Foster will also be organising a fundraising afternoon tea takeaway service and taking part in a sponsored space hopper race with her daughter to raise funds for St Giles.

“It’s so important to have our community supporting us and raising funds for us, this year more than ever. Whether it’s doing a sponsored walk or a cake sale, raising a couple of pounds or a thousand, it makes such a difference to the care we can provide to local families.”

Amy visits between six and eight people every day, offering personal and respite care, night support and emotional support to patients and their families. She has been a supporter of St Giles for many years but was inspired to join the Hospice at Home team after her mother-in-law was diagnosed with cancer and supported by the hospice until her death in 2019.

“The hospice staff were absolute angels and I wanted to give other people some of the love and support that I had received from St Giles,” Amy added. “It’s such a rewarding job.

“Hospice at Home support gives patients the opportunity to stay in their own home with their loved ones rather than having to go into hospital. It really means the world to people and shines so much light and positivity onto patients and their families at a time when they are in such a difficult and challenging situation.”

As well as caring for patients at home, St Giles also supports patients at its Inpatient Unit in Whittington. Many people who are admitted stay for just a few days and nights to have their symptoms controlled and their condition stabilised before returning home, while some require an extended stay involving specialist care, especially during the final stages of their illness.

Orange April has been launched as part of St Giles Hospice’s response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Find out more at http://www.stgileshospice.com/orangeappeal

For more information about St Giles Hospice and the expert care it provides, please visit http://www.stgileshospice.com

News

Trees axed in restoration

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Action to improve Sutton Park environment

Tree surgeons have been busy clearing a large tract of land opposite the car park at Bracebridge in Sutton Park as part of a heathland restoration project.

The work is part of a heathland restoration project designed to improve the habitat for wildlife and preserve different types of vegetation in the park.

While many park visitors assumed the car park was being extended, it was in fact a project to clear dead and overpopulated trees to be replaced with lowland heathland an ecologically rich habitat that forms on nutrient poor sandy soils.

Sutton Park is a nationally important lowland heathland site and while much uch of the restoration work carried out looks dramatic and sometimes drastic, it had to be carried out.

Park rangers say it is important to continue to graze and work the site to ensure the survival of a patchwork of different vegetation types at different stages of development and to provide to a host of species in miniature the habitats that once existed across the entire midlands region.

  • Even the Exmoor ponies are wondering what’s going on
The large area being cleared as part of the heathland restoration project

The work, by Birmingham City Council, includes a reduction of mature birch to maintain and enhance lowland heathland areas.

One of the Birmingham City Council tree surgeons said that heathland is also better for absorbing harmful CO2, as well being an extra grazing area for the wild Exmoor ponies and other wildlife in the park.

The timber will be transported and used in an ecologically friendly way to power plants in the region.

For more information visit https://www.facebook.com/suttonparknnr/

News

Sutton warning on Census scams

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Residents told to be aware of conmen

Residents in Sutton Coldfield have b been warned to be aware of a new breed of scammers using the Census to perpetrate doorstep, telephone and online scams.

Census Day was last Sunday 21 March and from the end of the month until into April, census field officers will be visiting households across the town from which they have not received a completed census form. Their job is to encourage people to complete the census and help residents to access further help if they need it.

Scammers may seek to use the Census as an opportunity to perpetrate doorstep, telephone, and online scams, so it is important to remember the following:

  • At no point will you be asked for your national insurance number, passwords, bank account details, or your credit or debit card numbers, nor any payment
  • You will not receive any payment for completing the census, so any offers of money in exchange for your account details will be fraudulent
  • You will not be called for information about the census unless you’ve made an appointment with the Census Contact Centre or made a query or complaint
  • No-one will enter your home in relation to the census
  • Help to fill out your form is free (for more information visit: https://census.gov.uk/ or phone 0800 141 2021)
  • You can report a fraud direct to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or visit: https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/

News

Sutton Park Games development sparks row

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The existing car park area near the Miller & Carte restaurant, with Powell’s Pool in the back ground. Picture: Birmingham City Council
Mixed reaction for Triathlon car park development

Plans for a £770k development in Sutton Park to support next year’s Commonwealth Games have received a mixed reaction from Sutton Coldfield people.

Sutton Park was chosen as the venue for the triathlon and para-triathlon events, which takes place on July 29 and 31, 2022. It provides the perfect setting, with Powell’s Pool, the park and the local roads, to accommodate all three disciplines of a triathlon event (swimming, cycling and running). The area has already successfully hosted Birmingham Triathlon events over the last few years.

The plans will be part of the Birmingham Commonwealth Games legacy and includes £528,000 spent on the revamped car park, in an area next to the Miller & Carter restaurant.
The plans gained general approval at a series of consultations, but some residents are up in arms with one describing it as a ‘white elephant’ and a further erosion of the park’s natural beauty.

But a former local independent councillor says the proposals will be good for the park and criticised local Conservative town councillors on the planning and highways committee for voting against the plan.

Former Vesey independent Paul Long said on the Boldmere Community Facebook page: ” So what happens if BCC (Birmingham City Council) listen to this objection? It puts at risk the triathlon taking place for the CWG2022 because there will not be the facilities to support it – facilities that will also provide a long-lasting legacy. What should the Town Council have done? They should have spoken to residents in Vesey ward and attended the Vesey Ward Forum meeting.”

To meet Birmingham 2022’s requirements, the venue at Boldmere Gate will be required to  provide a sufficient surface area to allow the installation of the athlete’s zone and media areas.

To achieve this, the existing hardstanding car parking surface area will be upgraded to provide a suitable surface area for the transition area and athletes’ zone.

The improvements to the car park will result in an improved permanent car park area for the benefit of visitors post-Games, as well as legacy benefits including an all-year car park and an improved ability to host future events.

The existing car park will expand from 125 to 221 spaces, a gain of 96, including 12 new disabled spaces and five for cycles, allowing the existing overspill car park further in the park would be reverted to Site of Special Scientific Interest habitat.

But local resident David Carter, who lives on nearby Monmouth Drive, said the proposals would damage the nature of the park.

He said: “The last thing we need here is more parking, causing traffic chaos around Boldmere Gate and back into Monmouth Drive. It will also have a detrimental effect on the beauty of the park. We already seen how the park has been badly affected during lockdown with thousands more people leaving tons of litter behind them.

“It seems unnecessary for such disruption for what is essentially a one-off event. A bit of a white elephant really.”

The designs will provide benefits for the Games and legacy by: improving and expanding the existing hardstanding area (athletes’ zone and media areas); the introduction of another entrance/exit point to the car park, which means traffic can access the car park without crossing event routes; improved accessibility for visitors through the provision of formal disabled parking bays and  the installation of cabling and connections for upgraded electricity provision.

A consultation process  with the city council found general approval of the plans with 62 per cent of those who participated rating the proposals as either ‘good’ or ‘very good’ with a further 20 per cent rating them as ‘average’.

A local consultation by Birmingham City Council saw a wide range  of suggestions for other improvements that resident would like to see at Boldmere Gate, including toilet facilities, a community café or bistro, children’s play area and even electric car charging points.

Presentation was made to attendees the Sutton Vesey Ward Forum on December 3 2020, which numbered 84 attendees, local councillors and stakeholders. This was an open live streamed event given to consult on the pre-application proposals ahead of the formal consultation as part of the Planning Application process. Residents on the contact list and the website were sent the agenda and joining instructions on the 23rd November.

A formal one-month on-line consultation ran from December 3 2020 to January 4, 2021 on the city council’s Be Heard Website, which received 76 responses.

More information on the consultation can be found at https://www.birminghambeheard.org.uk/we_asked_you_said/

News, Travel

Vaccine passport to cruising

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BY TOM PARRY

Virgin Voyages require guest and crew jabs

Virgin Voyages will require all guests and crew to be vaccinated against Covid-19 before sailing, the line has announced.

The move follows similar policies from Crystal Cruises and Saga, while all passengers aged over 16 onboard Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas in Israel will also have been inoculated.

Virgin Voyages, which recently revealed its third ship Resilient Lady would launch in Europenext summer, said its vaccination stance was to “ensure we’re providing the safest travel experience”. 

“This is a step towards the safe return to sailing and is the right decision for Virgin Voyages,” said the line’s president Tom McAlpin in a statement.

McAlpin said he was “really encouraged” by US president Joe Biden’s plans to offer vaccinations to every American adult by the end of May. 

“We’re an adult-only cruise line, which allows for us to offer a highly controlled, safe environment for everyone onboard,” added McAlpin. 

“Our business us uniquely set up to do this with testing and vaccine travel requirements. There’s a huge pent-up demand for travel, and Virgin Voyages will be ready to welcome you onboard soon.”