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?

Castle Bromwich Youth & Community Partnership has launched a CHARM initiative. The scheme will show how easy it is to make cheap, healthy meals from scratch.

Weekly cook and eat sessions will show how to reproduce cheaper, healthier alternatives to favourite take-away meals at home and help to develop basic cooking skills and confidence. The sessions will take place in the Castle Bromwich Youth & Community Centre from February to May. Sessions are free, but registration is required.

You can register your interest or find out more details on the CBYCP Website.

Why not sign up to the Health Through Art Project, a community based project being organised by the White Ribbon Association.  The project is being run in conjunction with Alcohol Awareness Week 2011, Mouth Cancer Awareness 2011 and Anti-Bullying week 2011 - 14th to 20th November 2011.

The aim of the project is to bring together the community in sharing and learning about alcohol misuse and its effects on health and society.  The fun and interactive activities will be arts and craft based, including  painting, model making, mosaics, collage, video diary, graffiti wall, storyboards, plus much more.

Why not come along and get creative at Kingshurst Art Space ,Kingshurst Shopping Parade on Wednesday 16th November from 10.30 onwards,or Friday and Saturday morning from 9.00 to midday.

Visit our website www.white-ribbon.org.uk or telephone Vickki 0121 744 3214 to find out more.

Friday October 21st at 7.30 pm Barn Dance in St Mary and St Margaret, School Hall, Southfield Avenue - Tickets £8 adults £5 primary school children cost includes a ploughman’s lunch, you have to provide your own drinks and glasses. Prize for the best dressed country bumpkin

Friday November 18th Spectrum (local vocal harmony group) are holding a Cabaret

in aid of St Mary and St Margaret New Community Hall

To be held at Arden Hall, Water Orton Road curtain up 7.45 pm

Tickets £6 adults £3 children

Saturday November 26th St Mary and St Margaret’s ChurchChristmas Fair -Theme‘12days of Christmas’

To be held at Arden Hall, Water Orton Road 11.30 am – 2.00 pm

Friday December 9th at 7.30 pm Christmas by Candlelight to be held in St Mary and St Margaret’s church

Tickets £5 to include light entertainment and a drink of Christmas cheer and mince pie

For tickets and information on any of the above events please contact

MaryJones mary.roma4@btinternet.com or 0121 747 3328

The efforts of the Castle Bromwich Community Project to restore the closed graveyard have paid off with an excellent first time result in the Royal Horticultural Society Britain in Bloom Competition. Members are celebrating after receiving a Thriving Award in this year’s Heart of England in Bloom – It’s Your Neighbourhood Awards category.

Representatives of the group were given the Red Carpet treatment when they attended the awards ceremony in Solihull to be told of the result. RHS Assessors Robin Russell and Ken Whittaker highlighted the group’s achievements in what they described as a massive challenge which had been community lead from day one. The graveyard has now been cleared of decades of overgrowth, graves uncovered, water restored and newly planted flower beds make a colourful addition to the site.

Terrie Knibb, Chairman of the Castle Bromwich Community Project said: “We could not have achieved this fantastic result without the many community groups and residents who have got involved. The judges were particularly impressed by the large number of local young people who joined in to help often giving up their school holidays. This shows how much local residents care about our community and want to help improve the area. There’s still much to be done, but this is a great start.”

The awards are supported by Marches Housing Association and Managing Director Phil Green said: “We continue to be delighted and surprised by the quality and quantity of entries. So much hardwork and determination goes into creating gardens and projects that not only look beautiful but have also been about communities coming together and caring for their local area.” 

If you're involved in a community group in North Solihull the launch of the Confident Communities  programme could help you. Learn the skills, find the resources and build the network you need to be really effective.

Confident Communities will be led by a team from Fircroft College of Adult Education. Introductory sessions will be held at a North Solihull venue in No0vember covering:

Community leadershipEffective meetingsFundraising EssentialsAttracting & keeping new membersTo find out more or to book phone Sustain on: 0121 711 3148

North Solihull Voluntary & Community Alliance has launched a monthly newsletter aimed at improving communication in North Solihull for the benefit if local groups and the communities which they serve. Speaking at the NSVCA network meeting today, Jan Ryan invited community groups to submit name suggestions for the publication and to feedback on the content which they would like to see included. Details of any community events or good news which groups wanted to share would be welcome. Email administrator@nsvca.org.uk or phone June on 07825 410511.

Thursday 29 September at 7.00 pm in the Visitor Centre at the Gardens

£6.00 per person - maximum 4 per team includes Fish and Chip Supper and Tea or Coffee

Pre-booking required due to limited sace - please contact the office or Malcolm on 07769717248

MacMillan Coffee Morning - Friday 23rd September

31 Ringmere Avenue Castle Bromwich B36 9AT

Admission £1 includes Tea or Coffee and Cake

All proceeds to go to MacMillan

SCRAP metal vans have been targeted by police in Castle Bromwich following noise pollution complaints from residents unhappy at their bugle blasts.

Officers from the Castle Bromwich and Smith’s Wood Neighbourhood Police Team, alongside Trading Standards, carried out a day-long clampdown on ‘tatters’ vans who excessively trumpet their arrival in residential areas.During theoperation scrap metal collectors were stopped, documentation verified, cargos inspected, and vans checked to ensure they were

Sergeant Liam Dalton said: "The sound of scrapmetal vans trumpeting their arrival in residential parts of Solihullby blowing bugles is a nuisance being reported with increasing regularity. It was a successful day of action and wewill be continuing to crackdown on tho

The action dayalso focused on rogue builders with van drivers stopped by officers to ensure they complied with Building Regulations. A total of 25 vans were inspected.

Sgt Dalton, said: “Rogue builders often prey on the elderly and vulnerable, conning them out of money for work that iss ubstandard and overpriced. Dealing with a rogue trader can have a seriouslydetrimental effect on a victim's health and confidence.”

Further crackdowns are now jointly being planned by Solihull Police and Trading Standards to catch scrap metal dealersand rogue traders who breach guidelines.

To help protect yourself from rogue traders,follow the crime prevention tips below:

§  Check whether traders are members of the Local AuthorityAssured Trader Schemes: www.oft.gov.uk  or the government Trust Mark scheme: www.trustmark.org.uk

§  Never pay cash upfront

§  Get three written quotes before choosing a trader

§  If you suspect a rogue trader caller is at your door dial999.

If you have thevehicle registration number of a scrap metal dealer causing a noise issue,please contact Solihull Councils ‘Connect’ service on 0121 704 8369.