Castle Bromwich Community Website

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Castle Bromwich Community Website is the number one online resource for Castle Bromwich residents. We provide news, somewhere to chat, details of what's on, reviews of community events, details of where to shop in Castle Bromwich and the surrounding area, a history resource, who to contact to sort a problem, photographs and videos and sign posting to support groups. If you want to know what's happening in Castle Bromwich, what's available for teenagers, what sports groups you can join, what the local Council is doing, who's responsible for what, where you can go and socialise and chat, then subscribe to our updates or bookmark this page. Why not spread the word and invite your friends to share this resource?

Living with MS means living with uncertainty and adapting to changing situations.The MS Society works along with health care professionals to run information sessions for people with MS. Additionally, the award winning MS Helpline offers confidential emotional support and information to anyone affected ny MS including the newly diagnosed, family, friends, carers and those who have been living with the condition for many years.

Phone: 0800 800 8000 (Monday to Friday 9am-9pm except bank holidays)

or email helpline@mssociety.org.uk

There is also a Solihull & District Branch of the MS Society which offers a range of support services including:

• Providing appropriate, high-quality information on MS
• Holding up-to-date information on other local services
• Communicating via a regular newsletter
• Providing a trained person to offer information and support to people who are newly-diagnosed
• Appropriate support for all those affected by MS, including family, friends and carers
• Financial support where this is needed but unavailable through other sources

In addition the Solihull & District Branch organise a range of events and activities.Aromatherapy, Chiropody, Physiotherapy and Reflexology are offered to members and one carer at home by fully qualified therapists. If you are interested in any of these, please contact the Branch on 0121 745 7981.

For more details on the Solihull & District Branch check out their website HERE

Behind many of the headstones and graves in the graveyard at St Mary & St Margarets Graveyard in Castle Bromwich lies a tragic story. The grave of Wing Commander A B Mobley is just one example.

Born in Castle Bromwich, Wing Commander Mobley made his first and last flight from Castle Bromwich air field. His tragic death whilst flying in an air show at Castle Vale was witnessed by his young son who saw his plane plummet to the ground resulting in his father's death.

Further research is being carried out on the history of the people buried in the graveyard and it is intended to publish the details of the research on this site over the coming months.

We need Boyz! So goes the cry from Starz! Arts, with a new film in pre-production and new musicals in the pipeline, the call is out for more teenage boys, and of course, girls are always welcome!

Casting usually from shows currently in rehearsal has always been a good way for moving talent forward, but the current workload is a little above average with a film musical about Zombies, a stage musical, technical and performance classes in drama, dance and voice, social evenings plus a new fund raising community music hall show - Starz! by Gaslight.

This non-profit making film and theatre school has never been so busy. If you think you would like to join Starz! please check out their webiste, phone or text 0788 2962506 or make contact through Facebook or Twitter. Age ranges are currently 4 to 24 years.

Starz! has strong connections to professional theatre, television and film. Their mission statement is "Creating New Futures." This has been proven over and over again. Come and meet Starz! You could have a coffee in their tuck shop and join a class. Life in this unique theatre school is always friendly, happy and very instructional and don't forget dance night is Thursday with London Choreographer Verity Bray.

Come on boys.......Starz! need you.

An exhibition for artists with Autism and Asperger syndrome has been organised by Solihull G2 Gallery and Autism West Midlands.They are looking for art produced by people on the spectrum for display. Artwork can be 2D or 3D, a drawing, a painting or a sculpture.

There are 3 age categories: Primary (5-11) Secondary (11-18) and Adult (18+).

Dealine for entries is 5.00pm Friday 12th March 2010.

The exhibition will take place from Monday March 29th until Saturday April 10th

To find out how to submit art work contact: Claire Hickey - chickey@solihull.gov.uk - 0121 704 8349.

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According to figures published by West Midlands Police, recorded crime and Anti-Social behaviour in Castle Bromwich fell 30% in 2009 compared to figures recorded for 2008. This compares to a 10% decrease in recorded figures  for the West Midlands region as a whole. A total of 712 crimes were recorded in Castle Bromwich during 2009 compared to 1023 in 2008. There were 486 recorded incidents of anti-social behaviour.

According to the breakdowns of the crime figures on the West Midlands Police- My Neighbourhood site, there were 52 residential burglaries, 25 non-residental burglaries, 106 incidents of criminal damage, 78 woundings, 18 Assaults, 43 Robbery (Person), 4 Theft from person, 3 Robberies from Business, 27 thefts of  motor vehicles, 83 thefts from motor vehicles and 273 other crimes. Full details of these figures and how they compare to Solihull overal can be found HERE

The breakdown for the anti-social behaviour figures can be found HERE

Two new community group websites have recently been launched by Castle Bromwich Groups.

Starz! Performing Arts School new website can be accessed HERE

The New website for Castle Bromwich Youth & Community Partnership can be found HERE

If anybody knows of any other websites which should be added to our link page, please contact us

IPSEA an independent charity which provides free legally based advice to parents who have children with special educational need is anxious to hear from any Solihull parent who would like help arguing for quantification of provision in part 3 of their child's statement of educational need at Annual Reviews or who has experienced difficulty or resistance from Solihull LEA when they have requested an amendment to their child's statement aimed at achieving greater quantification.

In January 2009, IPSEA lodged a formal complaint with the Secretary of State against Solihull under section 497 of the Education Act 1996. IPSEA alleged that the Authority was pursuing a policy of never quantifying special educational provision in the Statements it produced. In order to investigate IPSEA’s complaint the DCSF examined a sample of Solihull Statements and the Authority agreed to review 50 Statements issued over the period covered by the complaint. Although the DCSF found no evidence of a policy, as such, Solihull has accepted that someof its Statements were

'not sufficiently quantified and specified [and] … has said it willuse the annual review process to further scrutinise the content ofcurrent statements, clarify any perceived shortfall in terms ofspecificity and quantification and make appropriate amendments wherenecessary.’

The DCSF has informed IPSEA that they have

‘… brought this matter to the attention of the Department’s NationalStrategies SEN Adviser for the region and asked that the work theAuthority has committed to is carried through.’

IPSEA welcomes Solihull’s assurance that vaguely written Statementswill be screened out and made more specific at annual review.

Letter of Complaint from Ipsea to SoS

IPSEA's free phone advice line is 0800 018 4016

The Solihull Children's & Young People's Trust is due to launch its 2010-2013 children and young people's plan.

The plan looks at improving the lives of children and young people in Solihull and we would like your views on what you think we should include in the new plan. The consultation process runs from 5 Januaryto 31 March.

Parents can complete a questionaire with their views HERE.

Children can complete an online questionaire HERE

Park Hall Academy has announced that two of its 6th form pupils have been selected for the National Selection process of the Prime Minister's Global Fellowship.

Gordon Brown's Global Fellowship awards were launced in 2008 giving school and college leavers in England an opportunity  to compete for one of a hundred six week educational trips abroad to explore cultures and societies which Ministers think will be key to Briatin's future such as China, India and Brazil.

During a six week visit, participating students will learn about the culture and language of the country they are in, spend time in a localschool or college, help as a language assistant and pursue an individual research project. They will also spend time with a global company, learning about their business operations and how projects impact on the local community.

Students will be asked to share their experiences with their school,college and local community upon their return. They will also be invited to Downing Street to share what they have learnt with the Prime Minister.