Well, it’s been quite a busy week with no let up, even with the heat coming back again. The big news at the start of the week was of course that Solihull Police Station will be relocating to The Priory on Church Hill Road which is part of the Council House site. We have worked very hard to secure this as we know it’s extremely important to residents that they have a police station in the town centre that they can access.
There are still a few hoops to jump through before it’s completely confirmed, but we fully expect that in the not-too-distant future they will be in their new location. It’s good news for all of us that there will be a continued police presence right where it needs to be, in the heart of Solihull.
It’s a year to the day until the start of the Invictus Games 2027, which will be hosted primarily at the NEC in our borough. It will be an honour to welcome the games, which is a multi-sport event along the lines of the Olympics but with wounded, injured and sick military personnel competing. It recognises all that they have overcome and all that they can achieve despite the difficulties they face. We look forward to welcoming veterans and serving soldiers from around the world next year, I’m sure we’ll make them feel at home in Solihull.
I’ve mentioned our Youth Trailblazer programme recently, so it’s nice to be able to bring you a real success story during Youth Employment Week. Sabba, who had been searching for work for a couple of years has completed a 12-week paid placement at a local nursery and landed a permanent job at the end of it. The programme offers funding for businesses to provide unpaid 3-week or paid 12-week placements to young people who are looking for work. It covers the costs of employment for the business and provides vital experience for the young person, whilst hopefully leading to local employers finding great new members of staff. I’m proud of the work of the programme, Sabba isn’t the only success story but she is the latest, if you think your business could benefit, or if you are or someone you know is aged 18-21 and looking for work, have a look at the details here.
If you’re looking for something that will help you get out in the fresh air and help out your community this summer, why not join our Love Solihull litter picking volunteers? You can register as an individual or join a local group. You get all the kit you need and guidance on how and where to litter pick so it’s safe and brings most benefit to our community.
Finally, after a breathless (and sleepless for some) match in the early hours of Monday, I’m pleased England are back at the more sociable time of 10pm tomorrow. Hopefully there will be plenty of people out in our pubs to support them, wherever you’re watching let’s hope it’s a little calmer than the last game. Come on England!
Thanks for reading,
Karen