Please find below information that we have been asked to pass on to our school community.  Please keep scrolling to ensure you catch all the news!

4. Energy Saving in Community Buildings Workshop

Businesses can learn how to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and lower their fuel bills at a free online workshop hosted by Solihull Council in July.

The Energy Saving in Community Buildings workshop is open to anyone in a voluntary, community, faith or social enterprise organisation to receive support on developing a tailored action plan for energy saving and decarbonisation.

The two-part workshop is delivered by Phil Beardmore (Energy Confidence) and Steph Vidal-Hall (Good Work Coop) on behalf of Solihull Council, and takes place online on Zoom on Tuesday 16 July (10am-12.30pm) and Wednesday 17 July (10am-12.30pm).

Places are limited, so booking is advised. Click here to secure your place.

5. Outdoor festival brings 40 FREE events to Solihull parks this summer

‘Fresh Air Theatre’ is a brand new cultural festival from Solihull Culture, bringing more than 40 free events to parks across Solihull between 30 June and 31 August.

Supported by the Commonwealth Games Legacy Fund, an exciting programme will feature performances from world class theatre, dance, music and physical theatre companies.

Highlights include:

• Creators of world class dance-circus productions, Motionhouse using dynamic parkour and rhythmic beats to perform 'HENGE' in Shirley Park on 28 July.
• Highly Sprung’s ‘CastAway’, featuring a unique gyroscopic flying machine where performers dive, twist, and float over 26 feet in the air, on 17 August (Tudor Grange Park) and 18 August (Lavender Hall Park).
• ‘Out of the Deep Blue’ by Autin Dance Theatre. A beautiful spectacle telling the magical story of Eko, a sea giant who rises from the deep, featuring a 13-foot tall puppet and including a promenade and theatre show. On 28 August in Elmdon Park.

The festival kicks off with a free concert by Solihull’s very own vintage vocal harmony trio, The Boogaloo Babes, on 30 June in Hillfield Park.

View the full programme and find out more about Fresh Air Theatre.

9. Menopause and Andropause in smaller workplaces - an in-person event for MEN only

Come along on 10 July to listen to their experts and to ask any questions about menopause and andropause - it's just for MEN. This FREE event includes lunch.

On Wednesday 10 July, Menopause Knowledge CIC, BVSC and DRC are holding an event at the Birmingham Business Park in Solihull engaging men working in smaller work settings (less than 250 employees) to help them understand their own hormonal changes (the Andropause) and support their menopausal colleagues.

If you are interested in the subject but aren't a man, please encourage male colleagues to come in your place. We are looking to build a network of allies to better understand the menopause and andropause topics and how to support themselves and their colleagues in the workplace and at home.

This is an opportunity to meet in a safe space for men to share their experiences, their views and have their questions answered. 

Are you a male manager working with women? Do you know someone who is?

Then please register below, and share this message with others with a similar interest.

Wednesday 10 July - 9.30am to 12pm

UBC UK Offices

Birmingham Business Park

Lunch is included. 

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/menopause-andropause-in-smaller-workplaces-an-event-for-men-only-tickets

10. Dorridge Memory Café

Thank you to everyone who attended the launch of the Knowle and Dorridge Memory Café on Tuesday.

It was lovely to see so many new faces and hear everyone's unique experiences. Connecting with others living with dementia goes a long way in building a support system and maintaining well-being.

If you're interested in joining them, they will be meeting every Tuesday from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM at Dorridge Methodist Church, 

They are offering free sessions (normally £3) up until 2 July. It's a great opportunity to give it a try!

If you have any questions, call Karen Wilkinson on 07974 263742 or email karen.wilkinson@uniquecare.co.uk

Volunteering Opportunities

1. Read Easy Volunteer Roles

Read Easy established as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation in 2011, they now include more than 80 volunteer-led groups helping 1000+ adults learn to read in their community. Their goal is for all adults in the UK to have the reading skills they need to fulfil their potential and live life to the full.  

There are 2.4 million adults in England alone – over 7% of the working age population – who can barely read or cannot read at all.

They offer free, one-to-one coaching to adults who want to learn to read via their trained volunteer Reading Coaches.

Volunteer Recruiter

The VR receives applications from volunteers, both for the Management Team and Coaches.  Chats with applicants on the phone about Read Easy and their group to see if they are interested, what role they are interested in and also their suitability.  If both sides are happy, an application form is sent for completion and this starts the recruitment process. 

The VR is responsible for referring candidates for interview with the appropriate MT/Coordinators/Literacy Specialists and, if successful, for obtaining references.  On receipt of these, the volunteer is referred on to the next stages, depending on role. The VR monitors progress until the application is complete.

This role involves good people skills as well as organisational skills including tracking and monitoring applications.

Publicity Organiser

The publicity role raises awareness of Read Easy within the community and supports recruitment of both volunteers and readers.

• You need to keep aware of events which are happening locally and liaise with community groups.
• Ensure local organisations and libraries have a supply of leaflets to publicise what they do.
• Manage the website and update it when changes are required.
• Manage the social networking presence, putting stories on each week and supporting other Read Easy groups’ posts.
• Organise displays at local libraries, community events etc.
• Set up and manage media events on local TV, Radio and Newspaper articles. This also involves writing articles, background information, gathering local statistics and liaising with REUK.

Good people skills and an ability to chat to a range of different people are essential.  Good organisational skills to manage events at short notice is helpful!  Use of social media is also an essential part of this role.

Treasurer

The Treasurers role is to explain what the group needs to raise to support its activities for the year, this includes:

• Keeping accurate and up-to-date financial records for your group.
• Ensuring the money and property for the group are properly managed.
• Paying local expenses and invoices e.g. affiliation fees.
• Purchasing manuals for reading pairs.
• Keeping and managing the accounts – for most groups this is a modest undertaking, with probably no more than 50 transactions a year.
• Providing a quarterly financial report to the Read Easy team.
• Ensuring compliance with the Read Easy Expenses Policy.

Good numeracy skills, accuracy and the ability to use spreadsheets and online banking are essential.

If you’d like a chat to find out more, please ring Jenni Ord, Team Leader on 07592 975318 or complete the online application form on their website at https://readeasy.org.uk/groups/birmingham-se-solihull/

Spark Young Writers

is a creative writing group which meets once a month on Saturdays at Dickens Heath Library, from 10.30 – 12.30pm.

The sessions are a fun, relaxed way to explore a range of writing styles, led by a professional writer.

Parents will need to book their young writers on via the website www.sparkwriters.org

Prices are £9 per two-hour session (£10 for a taster session), and there are bursary places for students eligible for pupil premium or free school meals.

Spark Young Writers is a project of Writing West Midlands, the Literature Development Agency for the West Midlands Region, funded by Arts Council England.

National Sleep Helpline

At any given time up to 40% of adults and 50% of children (this rises to 80% with a SEND diagnosis) have difficulties with their sleep. Yet in a recent survey, almost 60% of adults felt there was a lack of support for sleep issues. Sleep problems can leave people feeling isolated and lonely.

Our free helpline is run by trained sleep advisors, many of whom are specialists in working with SEND. We can talk to young people directly, or parents (we can also talk to adults, including older people, about their sleep issues).

The helpline is open 5 times a week, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday evenings 7-9pm, and Monday, Wednesday mornings 9-11am. The number is 03303 530 541.

You can read more here: https://thesleepcharity.org.uk/national-sleep-helpline/

Cycle Hub at Elmdon Park

The cycle hub, (situated by Elmdon Church, B92 9EJ), has several bikes (and helmets) that can be borrowed for group rides. Our next ride will be on Saturday 7^th October.

https://letsride.co.uk/rides/beginner-friendly-bike-ride-from-elmdon-park-7

It will be a family-friendly guided ride in a traffic-free environment. We want to encourage local families to take advantage of free cycling opportunities in the area. There will be another ride taking place in this location on Saturday 21^st October - https://www.letsride.co.uk/rides/beginner-friendly-bike-ride-from-elmdon-park-8

Please note, that although we have plenty of adult bikes, we only have a limited number of children’s bikes (they are suited for children who are 8 or older). Those younger than 8 can still attend our rides however they will need to bring their own bikes. 

Additional information relating to upcoming cycling events including children’s ‘get pedalling’ sessions in the October half-term can be found on the following webpage.

Cycling in Solihull - Solihull On The Move

FREE Family Learning Courses from Solihull College & University

Family Learning is learning that takes place among family members including parents, grandparents, guardians and carers. It encourages family members to learn together in a relaxed and informal way. All Family Learning courses are free.

Why is it important?

• It helps children develop essential skills and achieve at school.
• This leads to improvements in children’s behaviour and attainment.
• Children whose families support their learning do better at school and in later life.
• It helps to reconnect learning by allowing them to discover how their children learn and understand how to support them better.
• It offers a chance for adults to step back onto the learning ladder.