The MG4 XPower MG4 XPower By Bill McCarthy The name MG conjures up many images. And in its centenary in 2023, the iconic and desirable sports cars took on the best in the world. Once a prestigious …

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A leading Sutton Coldfield investment expert is warning affluent people to look out for two of the most common kinds of financial scam, saying ‘more people fall for them than you might think’ more than 25 years ago, said affluent people are being conned out of millions of pounds each year.

He said: “Research shows that a significant number of wealthy people have been the victim of financial crime.

“According to a recent survey, which spoke to people with assets of more than £250,000, two in five had fallen foul of scammers – that’s 41 per cent. So, more people fall for them than you might think.

“There is a bit of a myth that scammers target naïve, isolated and vulnerable people, but the truth is that no-one is immune to fraud, and there are increasingly sophisticated scams that target the affluent.

“Two of the most common types are investment fraud and pension fraud,” Mike explained.

Investment scams tempt victims either into a fake scheme, or one that makes them pay in more than the potential returns.  According to UK Finance, in the first six months of 2023, investment scams collectively cost victims more than £57million.

Mike said: “These scams can be very difficult to spot and may appear completely legitimate, with professional websites, testimonials from clients and persuasive marketing.

“The best-known examples are ‘Ponzi’ or ‘pyramid’ schemes, but there are lots of variants.

“My advice would be to be suspicious of anything that comes via cold calling, anyone who applies ‘hard sell’ tactics and certainly anything that offers high returns for low risk. If it appears too good to be true, it probably is.”

Fraudsters usually use pension scams to try to get access to a victim’s pension fund, Mike explained.

“In some ways, this has been encouraged by changes that have given people the ability to self-manage their pension pots, once they reach 55,” he said.

“We hear about cons where victims are persuaded to cash in their pension, or take a loan from it, and then give it to the fraudster to invest. In other cases, they convince victims to move their savings into a new pot, promising higher returns.

“I would advise you to be wary of terms like ‘unlocking’ your pension, unusual investments and overcomplicated schemes, involving different groups, all of whom want their own fee.

“If you are suspicious of a firm that has contacted you, you can check to see if they are on the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) register or on the FCA warning list, or you could check their HMRC status.

“Just a quick online search can tell you a lot about a company’s reputation and financial position. First of all, my advice is, do not deal with anyone who is not registered with the FCA (and check the FCA website yourself, don’t rely on what they tell you).

“Also, contact the firm yourself using the details that are registered with the FCA. Some scammers “impersonate” a genuine firm and so always check whoever you are dealing with really works for the firm that they claim to.

“Then, do not invest into anything that isn’t covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) or that isn’t a genuine registered and regulated investment product (such as a Unit Trust).

“Then, go to Companies House and look the firm up and look at their accounts so that you can see their financial position. Scammers are likely to have very little money in their business and the amount might contrast starkly with what they’ve told you about their investment success. Also, you vcould visit their business premises and check that they’re a genuine business.

“There is help available if you have been scammed, from Action Fraud and the FCA – but the best approach is to reject any cold calls – and don’t believe anything that seems too good to be true.

“Don’t put yourself in a position where you’re risking everything you’ve worked for being taken away from you. In addition, if you look online, you’ll find the details of local, respectable firms of financial advisers.

“Go and see one of them and show them what you’ve been offered so that you can get a professional opinion. Invest the extra time into making sure you’re not being scammed. Always ignore any pressures where you’re being told that you’ll miss the opportunity if you don’t act immediately, this is classic scammer behaviour.”

Elephants will be on the march across Sutton Coldfield and the surrounding areas when elephant sculptures will bring colour and joy to streets, parks and open spaces

Dee Mistry Creative, a creative designer with over 15 years of trunk-tastic expertise, proudly trumpets his collaboration with March of the Elephants as the art trail’s official Creative Partner.

The March of the Elephants trail will celebrate the vibrancy and creativity that our community has to offer, as well as showcasing a spectacularvariety of talent across Sutton Coldfield, Lichfield and Tamworth.

More than 60 elephant sculptures will bring colour and joy to our streets, parks and open spaces from July 1 to September 8, before being auctioned off to raise funds for St Giles Hospice.

As the Creative Partner for March of the Elephants, Dee Mistry Creative has been marching on, bringing a trunkful of creativity to shape the visual narrative of the art trail.

Dee said: “I am absolutely delighted to join March of the Elephants as the
Creative Partner. This is a mammoth opportunity to contribute to the trail – the team behind the trail is amazing and a real pleasure to work with.

“As a small business, this allows me to share and showcase the creative services that my business provides. But, most of all, I’m a dad, and I just can’t wait to experience the trail and see the elephants with my family!”

Emma Yates, Associate Director of Income Generation at St Giles Hospice, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Dee Mistry Creative on board as our Creative Partner for March of the Elephants.

“We’re still on the hunt for a few more sponsors to adopt an elephant
sculpture that will feature in our herd. If you want to find out more about
sponsorship opportunities, please get in touch at elephants@stgileshospice.com.”
For more information about March of the Elephants, please visit
http://www.marchoftheelephants.co.uk

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Broadband firm installs free high-speed connectivity in new community youth area

A Sutton Coldfield football club is powering ahead both on the field and off with its new Youth Zone.

Boldmere St Michaels FC is now up and running with ultrafast full-fibre broadband, thanks to sponsor Lit Fibre, as the club opens the doors to its brand-new area.

As part of its ongoing commitment to invest in the local community, LitFibre has sponsored the new Youth Zone area, aptly named “It’s Lit”.

It’s a place for designed for children to have fun in a safe space on a Saturday night, during football matches and can also be hired out for parties. 

Spaces for young people to have fun safely have been on the decline, and in the last decade 77 per cent of youth services have been cut, and violent offences among young people have escalated according to the National Youth Agency, making spaces like the ‘It’s Lit’ Youth Zone even more important to the local community. 

Lit Fibre has installed its broadband connection free of charge in the Youth Zone, clubhouse bar and pitch-side terrace so visitors can now have access to the fastest internet speeds, with the supplier claimed gamers won’t suffer the buffer!  

This marks the beginning of a partnership, aimed at creating numerous opportunities to support both the club and the community, which includes sponsoring the FA Women’s National League match on Sunday, May 5, a local derby against Sutton Town FC. 

Lit Fibre provides Sutton Coldfield and surrounding areas with full-fibre broadband at the lowest prices. Sutton Coldfield residents now have access to Lit Fibre’s 10Gb capable network which is up to 18x faster than the UK average*, so they can stream more, play more and do more. 

Carly Cartwright, Commercial Manager, at Boldmere St Michaels FC, comments:  ‘We are delighted to form a strong partnership with Lit Fibre and after the passion and commitment held towards their customers, right from our initial discussion, we are privileged to be able to showcase their full-fibre broadband in our Youth Zone, clubhouse bar and pitch-side terrace.  

Sarah Morgans, Lit Fibre’s Community Manager for Sutton Coldfield and surrounding areas, says: “We are proud to be able to help Boldmere St. Michaels FC and support the great work that the team is doing in the local community. Being able to support the younger generation with a safe space is a great start to this partnership and we’re excited to see it develop over the coming months.” 

Lit Fibre’s full-fibre broadband service is already available in Sutton Coldfield and Erdington. Residents can use Lit Fibre’s postcode checker www.litfibre.com/get-lit to see if their home is covered by the service and register for further information.

A Sutton Coldfield school is changing its look and its name as it aims to become the town’s ‘school of choice.’ John Willmott School will hand out more than 800 free blazers and ties to its students as part of a journey of improvement,

That will see the school renamed the Royal Sutton School in September, with the readopted motto of ‘Potential into Reality’, a redesigned school badge and a brand-new uniform.

Elsewhere at the school, which is part of the respected Arthur Terry Learning Partnership (ATLP), a revised curriculum is delivering results in the classroom, while innovative ‘Moral Virtues’ are improving behaviour and instilling a sense of pride in the students.

The significant progress at the school also resulted in its first ever ‘Good’ Ofsted rating in January.

Ahead of the new academic year, vouchers to get the new blazers and ties will be provided to students in Years 8 to 11, who will also get a free PE sports top. The vouchers will be redeemable at popular school uniform retailer Clive Mark.

The other parts of the uniform – such as trousers, skirts and jumpers – are all basic navy-blue items, which can be bought at a reasonable price from numerous outlets.

Headteacher Nicola Gould said: “We are so excited to announce this uniform scheme, which will really provide the icing on the cake when the school relaunches under its new name in the autumn.

“Providing the basic uniform items like this removes so many barriers – we are passionate about our students and are very proud of how they have embraced the new direction of the school, so being able to so this enables everyone to stand together and look forward.

“There is real excitement among the students about the uniforms, although a few of them are nervous about having to tie a real tie! We may have to organise a few workshops on how to do it!”

The school was originally founded in 1958 as Sutton Coldfield County Grammar School, and was renamed in honour of John Edward Willmott, a much-respected local figure, in 1975.

Penns Lane site planned for new church

Sutton Coldfield has been chosen as the site for the first Mormon church to be built in the country for 30 years. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints known worldwide as the Mormons have submitted plans for a new temple in Penns Lane.

The Birmingham England Temple will be built on a 2.7-acre site located at 185-187 Penns Lane, near the Ramada hotel.

Plans showing the new structure call for a one-story temple of approximately 10,800 square feet, with patron housing and arrival facilities.

Church President Russell M. Nelson announced plans for 17 new temples worldwide in 2022.

The preaching of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ began in 1837 in Britain as missionaries, including two members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, began teaching in Preston.

During the nineteenth century, more than 52,000 converts emigrated from Britain to join the main body of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the United States in Utah. By 1870, nearly half of Utah’s population consisted of British immigrants.

The three temples in the United Kingdom include the historic London England Temple (dedicated in 1958), the Preston England Temple (dedicated in 1998) and the new Birmingham England Temple.

New businesses take over empty premises in Mere Green

The ever-evolving face of an area of Sutton Coldfield is continuing to change as new businesses sprout up. A new Indian food specialist and a window company will take over long-time empty premises, just yards from each other in Mere Green.

The Sutton Sweet Centre, which sells Indian street food and sweet treats will take at the long-closed Mere Green Take Away in Hill Village Road, while opposite a branch of Flair Windows will open at the former Barclays Bank premises.

The Indian food venture came about after Arjun Nijjar, his brother, Rajun, and uncle, Gurupeet ‘Steve’ Garcha, found the area’s large Punjabi population had to travel to places like Smethwick or West Bromwich to pick up Indian treats for weddings and other events.

A new café/restaurant in Sutton will offer Indian cuisine with an English twist. They will serve lunch, as well as curry dishes at the venue which ill also sell Indian street food, sweets, and fusion food like desi tacos and burritos. 

There will also be chip-shop-style chips  with curry toppings and a range of naan and roti breads, plus kids’ snack boxes with chicken nuggets, strips or bites or fish fingers, all with fries.

 A variety of drinks will be available, such as coffee, chai latte, and milkshakes. The owners are currently equipping the venue and plan to open at the end of March.

The business is expected to operate from 9am to 11pm.

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Businesses in Sutton Coldfield are being invited to hear from TV presenter and founder of Crafters Companion, in a free event organised to celebrate International Women’s Day.

Sara Davies, entrepreneur, star of BBC’s Dragon’s Den and Strictly Come Dancing, will be speaking to local businesses at an event organised and funded by Visit Royal Sutton Coldfield BID, the town’s Business Improvement District company which has been representing local businesses for 12 years.

The event, which will be held at BMET’S Sutton Coldfield College on Friday 8 March from 5pm to 6pm, is the second ambitious high-profile speaker organised by the BID, following a packed-out appearance by high street guru Mary Portas last June.

BID manager Michelle Baker said: “Sara Davies is a renowned entrepreneur and a highly respected supporter of women in business, so it’s very exciting to be bringing her to Sutton Coldfield for International Women’s Day.

“The event is free and open to BID members, and we expect tickets will go quickly so we urge businesses that would like to attend to get in touch.

“There are exciting regeneration plans for the town centre in the pipeline and considerable investment coming to the town, and the BID will continue to play our part and host events to boost footfall and support local businesses.”

Sara Davies was born in Coundon and growing up around entrepreneurial parents, showed an interest in business from an early age.

In 2005, Sara founded Crafter’s Companion, a crafter’s supply company, while studying at York University.

While on a placement at a small craft firm, she spotted a gap in the market for a device that could create bespoke envelopes for handmade cards and, with the support of her retired engineer father, Sara designed and launched a ground-breaking craft product called The Enveloper.

Soon after, she launched The Enveloper on TV shopping channel Ideal World, selling 1,500 in the first ten minutes and 30,000 units within six months of the initial demonstration.

Today, Crafter’s Companion is a household name in the industry. It has expanded its range of papercraft products to include sewing and needlecraft items, in addition to its own brand of art materials, Spectrum Noir.

The entrepreneur is passionate about championing women in business, mentoring and the North East of England.

In 2021, Sara became an ambassador of the dressing service and coaching charity, Smart Works Newcastle. The charity believes in the power of clothes and coaching to transform a woman’s confidence.

Sara’s first appearance as a Dragon on BBC2’s Dragons Den was in 2019. The youngest dragon to ever enter the den, she quickly successfully invested in a multitude of businesses across various sectors.

Gracechurch Centre owners BPG and SAV have sponsored her appearance in Sutton Coldfield, while wealth management firm Robson Lister ­­- a longstanding BID board member – has sponsored the buffet that will be provided at the College from 4pm-5pm, prior to the entrepreneur’s talk.

Sara’s appearance will be followed by a business networking opportunity and drinks reception at The Townhouse, across the road from the College, from 6pm-9pm.

Owners, managers, or representatives of businesses in the BID area who would like to attend the event should contact Hello@VisitRoyalSuttonColdfield.co.uk

Pictured credit: Jade Mangles and Jodie Blackburn