Tea party bring almshouse residents together for first time since pandemic

It was time for a celebration as Sutton Coldfield residents enjoyed their first party since the lockdown.

Sutton Coldfield Charitable Trust (SCCT) held a special tea party for residents of its 46 almshouses following the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions this autumn. 

Guests at the Residents’ Tea Party were treated to afternoon tea, coffee, cakes, sandwiches, and music. For some residents, it was their first opportunity to see one another in over 18 months, due to Covid-19.

The tea party was one of three separate events organised by Almshouse manager Pamela Johnston, with Almshouse wardens Marie and Michael. A number of trustees joined Pam at the events, alongside Tina Swani, Chief Executive of the trust, and trustee Ammo Singh.

Of the events, almshouse manager Pamela Johnston commented: “The residents have greatly missed our regular social gatherings during the past eighteen months, and it was a pleasure to organise the tea parties where they could meet and socialise in person whilst maintaining sensible protocols. I know that they thoroughly enjoyed the events.”

The event coincided with the 75th anniversary of The Almshouse Association, a support organisation representing over 1,600 independent almshouse charities across the UK.

While Covid-19 has seen management exercising extra caution to protect its residents over the festive season, Christmas hampers have also been arranged to spread some cheer among Almshouse residents.

With 2021 coming to an end, the trust will also be releasing its 2020/2021 annual review, highlighting its many achievements throughout the year. The review details the total grants awarded, which came to approximately £1.1m in 2021.

This includes over £73,000 in school uniform grants, with almost 50 per cent more local families in poverty receiving grants to buy school uniforms in 2021.

For many years, the trust has supported local residents in sheltered or retirement accommodation with a contribution towards their festive celebrations. This year, 21 groups were awarded grants totalling £14,171.

The trust remains committed to major ongoing expenditure to maintain and improve its almshouses and residents’ facilities, as well a wide range of communities throughout Sutton Coldfield.

With the release of their Social Needs Review coming in spring 2022, the trust will gain invaluable insight into Sutton Coldfield’s most vulnerable local communities, which will heavily influence their long-term strategic decisions and plans.

The trust recognises that the outcome of the Review will be of interest to the wider community and statutory agencies, and therefore aims to hold dissemination events from spring 2022. 

An innovative project which provides free training to children with a talent for dance celebrates its 25^th anniversary in 2022. And to mark the occasion, Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Dance Track is inviting everyone who has been through its programme to a celebration, including anyone form Sutton Coldfield who have been involved.

Launched in 1997, Dance Track offers specialist dance training to hundreds of inner-city children aged between six and 11, providing free classes, uniforms, the chance to see live shows and the opportunity to perform.

Run by BRB’s Learning, Engagement, Access and Participation department, the programme aims to reach into the community and support children who may not have access to high quality dance education.

Many Dance Track children have gained places at the Royal Ballet and Elmhurst Ballet Schools and have gone on to dance professionally but the team believe all the participants have benefited.

“I am so passionate about the programme because we are changing lives – it’s not just about teaching dance,” says BRB Learning and Participation Manager Rebecca Brookes.

“It’s about teaching social skills, self-development, independence, how to interact and communicate with each other. It’s also about understanding how to work as a team, how to perform, be an appreciative audience member and learn to be a critical thinker to enhance their ballet skills.” 

Dance Track would not be possible without its many supporters. The programme’s 25^th anniversary activities will be supported by HSBC UK and Birmingham Royal Ballet is totally committed to the project.

Since its launch, Dance Track has supported 3,500 youngsters and now the team are keen to hear from as many former Dance Track students as possible for the 25^th anniversary celebrations which include a new book and an event in the spring.

 “We want to reach all those people who remember Dance Track, remember their teachers, remember what it did for them – however big or small – to know what that impact was. Maybe it changed their life choices,” says Rebecca. “We would like to celebrate the achievements of everyone, students and staff, who have been involved in the programme.”

Nine-year-old Joshua McKenzie was just five when the Dance Track team visited his school, St Teresa’s Catholic Primary in Handsworth Wood, and he was offered a place on Dance Track.

Joshua has excelled and is now a Royal Ballet Associate and an Elmhurst Young Dancer and was picked to dance a child role in this year’s BRB production of The Nutcracker at Birmingham Hippodrome. 

“It’s a life-changing experience for him,” says his mum Pei. “We didn’t know that he would find that ballet was something he would go on to become really passionate about. Before this he was someone who liked to be in the background but ballet has changed him and given him so much more confidence. He now enjoys being in the spotlight.”

This September, Joshua’s seven-year-old sister Kimora also joined Dance Track and Pei is grateful for the opportunities the programme brings.

“Most of the kids on Dance Track are just from normal families,” she says. “Dance Track is a place where everyone comes together and we feel we are valued. It is free and they get the best. Everyone is so wonderful, it’s the best programme in the world.”

*If you are an alumni of Dance Track, the team would love to hear from you at dancetrack@brb.org.uk

A leading Sutton Coldfield GP has said a massive effort was under way in the town to vaccinate 1,000 people a day as the new omicron Covid variant spreads.

Sutton Coldfield Group Practice has ramped up its capacity, to meet that ambitious target, according to a report in the Express and Star newspaper and website.

Doctor Rahul Dubb, the local GP leading on vaccinations, said the efforts were in response to the government announcement and target of offering booster vaccines to all over 18s by the end of the year.

He said: “We are putting these appointments on the National Booking Service and you can book either online or, if you do not have access to the internet, by ringing 119.

“Please remember, if you have not had any vaccination as yet or not completed your initial complete two jabs, or three for those who are immunosuppressed, you can have these at the Sutton Coldfield Town Hall as well.

“It is also vital to continue precautions of washing hands, maintaining space and wearing a mask as advised by the government.”

He added: “I am forever grateful to our volunteers and all SCGP staff who are making this possible by lengthening the times they work to 13 hour days, with more vaccinators and working through some of the bank holiday period to ensure we get our local residents protected as best as possible.

“Although the government have advised us to focus on vaccinations and urgent care as top priorities, I am proud that the practice is being run without closure of services while simultaneously upscaling the vaccination effort.

“Please get your booster jab at three months after your last jab, as soon as you’re eligible to have it. Wishing all Sutton Coldfield residents a safe and Merry Christmas.”

To book online visit https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination/

Recycling Christmas trees raised £65k for hospice

Sutton Coldfield people are being urged to help make St Giles Hospice’s annual TreeCycle campaign next January (2022) the most successful yet.

Since 2016, local families and businesses have been disposing of their real Christmas tree in a clean, convenient and eco-friendly way by signing up to have their trees collected by the hospice’s army of volunteers in return for a small donation.

In January this year, 76 volunteers took part in TreeCycle. They picked up 4,428 Christmas trees, raising over £65,000 for the hospice, which cares for local people and their families living with a terminal illness.

This year St Giles is hoping that even more people will sign up to have their real Christmas tree recycled – and is calling for volunteers to step forward to help collect trees in January (2022).

Chloe Herbert, Head of Fundraising at St Giles Hospice, said: “TreeCycle is a brilliant fundraising campaign which supports our work at the hospice and makes a real difference to the environment too, so we’re delighted to be running it again this year. 

“We received an amazing response from our supporters and volunteers last January, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, and we’re hoping that this year’s event will be bigger and better than ever. If you’ve got a real Christmas tree then please sign up to TreeCycle, and we’ll take away your tree with no mess and no fuss.

“We’re also looking for enthusiastic volunteers to join our TreeCycle team – so if you want to banish your winter blues by taking part in something truly worthwhile then we’d love to hear from you. It costs St Giles £850,000 every month just to keep our services going so every donated tree and every hour volunteered makes a huge difference to everyone at the hospice.

“St Giles would also really like to thank Lichfield Tree Works, Greener Composting and Wincanton – without their support this campaign would just not be possible.”

Julie Deaves (47), a regular St Giles volunteer who lives in Lichfield and runs a business with her husband Ian (48), has taken part in the last two TreeCycle collections with Ian and their 12-year-old son Riley.

She said: “We absolutely loved taking part. It was really nice to do something worthwhile together as a family. St Giles is a great cause and it was really good to be able to help out. Riley really enjoyed it too – he said that when he’s a teenager he’s going to volunteer and get all his mates to join in.

“Volunteering for TreeCycle is our way of giving something back to the local community and we’d encourage anyone who is thinking of taking part to get involved. Signing up as a volunteer for TreeCycle is also a great way to be able to contribute to a good cause by giving up your time.

“Not only is it very rewarding,” she added. “It’s a great workout too and a good way to start getting back in shape after Christmas. It’s also great for the environment as you are putting your old tree to good use, as well as saving you time as you don’t have to queue at your local tip.

“TreeCycle is a great event which really helps the charity and the difference it makes is beyond words – especially when the charity is still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic when shops had to close and events were cancelled.”

This will be the seventh year that St Giles has been running TreeCycle to raise funds for the hospice, and teams will collect trees from around Lichfield, Walsall, Sutton Coldfield, Tamworth, Burton, Rugeley, Burntwood, Uttoxeter, Swadlincote, Stafford and surrounding areas.

TreeCycle will be collecting trees from Wednesday 5th until Wednesday 12th January 2022. The suggested donation for trees up to 8ft is £10 and the donation for trees up to 10ft is £12. For trees over 10ft, please call 01543 432538. 

Collections must be booked by 5pm on Wednesday 5th January 2022 and trees should be left out overnight on Tuesday 4th January as collections will start early the following morning.

Lichfield Tree Works and Greener Composting in Wall, Lichfield, will be recycling the trees for agricultural uses and as a result artificial trees cannot be accepted. 

To find out more about volunteering for TreeCycle, please email fundraising@stgileshospice.com or call 01543 432538. For more information or to book a collection visit www.stgileshospice.com/treecycle. 

Welcome for Sutton’s newest drinks venue

Sutton Coldfield’s newest pub will open its doors next week on December 2. Work is continuing at the Mere Green venue to get the micropub ready for the grand opening on Thursday.

Run by the McDiarmid family, it will be their fourth Ale Hub.

The former premises of Garner Canning Solicitors on Hill Village Road has been undergoing a refit and in its new incarnation will offer traditional ales for drinkers together with a selection of gins, other drinks and bar snacks and provide a relaxed environment for customers.

It will be open from midday to 11pm seven days a week.

The mini boozer, will have a capacity of around 12 tables. There will be background music, but no electronic machines, with the emphasis on conversation and socialising with few distractions.

Opening well in time for Christmas, it adds a new dimension for drinkers in the Mere Green area, adding more variation to the already vibrant food and drink scene.

The family said they have a love of real ale and their aim is to help to revitalise the local pub scene and provide the community with a choice of refreshing and well-kept drinks in a relaxed and friendly environment.

The tiny new pub, sandwiched between a general store and a barbers shop, will offer another option for tipplers in the area.

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Operation Sceptre weapons sweep

WEST Midlands Police are again attempting to stem the tide of knife crime with another Operation Sceptre initiative in Sutton Coldfield.

Police says that with Covid restrictions in place they can’t involve the community in their work as much as they would like to, but Sutton residents may see officers involved with weapon sweeps where we will be looking for knives hidden in public places.

They will also be:

• Test purchasing – where we will be checking that retailers are being responsible and only selling knives to people of the correct age

• Using knife arches and knife wands to search for weapons

• Having a more significant presence at transport hubs including bus stations

Police say they would normally be talking to children in school about knives and the dangers of knife carrying but we cannot do this at the moment.

However, if you want to take this week as an opportunity to talk to your child about knife crime officers have help and advice on how to have that chat, including what to say on our website.

https://www.west-midlands.police.uk/campaigns/life-or-knife