Today is world mental health day. It’s really important to look after our mental health, and to remember that support is available should anyone need it. I know I mentioned it last month but it’s always good to remind ourselves that there’s lots of useful information on the council website about the range of help available for anyone suffering with their mental health.
On the subject of mental health, this evening I – along with many others including the Mayor of Solihull and the Solihull Women’s Stride Squad – will be taking part in Cameron’s night walk. It’s the 10th night walk held in memory of Cameron Grant. The Cameron Grant Memorial Trust was set up in his name to highlight mental health support across Solihull, Birmingham and the whole country. There’s more information about tonight’s event and the fantastic work the memorial trust do on their website.
From mental health to physical health, the announcement that former rugby World Cup winner Lewis Moody has been diagnosed with motor neurone disease was a stark reminder of the impact this vicious illness is having on people’s lives, and my thoughts go out to Lewis, his family and the MND community as they come to terms with his diagnosis.
The recent announcement that £250 million will be invested in Solihull is hugely welcome, with the manufacturing company TVS Motor set to expand here and develop the next generation of electric vehicles. The funding is the largest single investment coming from government trade talks with India. I’m delighted that this level of investment is coming to Solihull, with hundreds of jobs soon to be created as a result.
Get your nominations ready, the 2025 Civic Honours awards will open soon. They’re a way of recognising unsung local heroes who make Solihull a better place, with awards in different categories presented at an event hosted by the Mayor. They’ve been revamped this year, with nine new categories included. The awards are an important part of our calendar in Solihull, and we’ve had so many worthy winners in the past. We’d like to see as many nominations as possible this year so please have a look at the details on our website for last year’s honours and start thinking about which person, group or organisation you think might be a worthy winner.
The River Blythe restoration project in Brueton Park was completed this week. We have been working with Warwickshire Wildlife Trust and the Environment Agency to remove a rock ramp by a small weir which was just downstream of the Warwick Road Bridge. The work will allow the river to flow more naturally and allow new habitats for wildlife to flourish. It might seem a small thing given all that’s going on in the world, but returning the river to a beautiful and natural place and making sure we are sharing our world with all the creatures who live in it will give our residents an even prettier spot to enjoy on their walks through the park. There are some information boards about the project up in the Parkridge Visitor Centre and the North Car Park, and you can read all about the work here.
For anyone interested in getting into the hospitality industry, a fully-funded eight week course will start next month. An information session will also be taking place at Chelmsley Wood Shopping Centre next Monday lunchtime. Anyone interested in finding out more or taking part can visit the University College Birmingham website. As we approach the festive period, I’m sure many of our local businesses are starting to advertise their Christmas jobs for anyone keen to see if a career in hospitality is for them.
And finally, earlier this week the council awarded the new all-age carer support service contract to Carers Trust Solihull. The contract will start in December and run for five years. We’ve been working with Carers Trust for a number of years now and are looking forward to continuing that work over the coming years, helping support carers across the borough look after their own physical and mental wellbeing, as well as the people they care for. You can read more about the award here.
Thanks for reading,
Karen