Four Oaks Methodist Church

This morning I went to the Methodist church in Four Oaks to meet “Successful Aging UK”, a group who focus on the physical, mental and nutritional wellbeing of seniors in and around Four Oaks. With funding from the Sutton Coldfield Charitable Trust, they are achieving great things for my older constituents. There was also an extremely important talk about the importance of sleep and the challenges we older people face -from which I personally will definitely benefit.

Above: Listening to sleep therapy with the group!

Holy Cross Primary School, Walmley

I had the pleasure of visiting Holy Cross school in Walmley today and very much enjoyed meeting years 5 and 6 and answering their questions.

Many of them will be going on to Fairfax and Sutton Girls- above all Bishop Walsh and judging by the interest and concern about the world around them are going to make a great contribution in Sutton Coldfield and beyond.

Above: Speaking to year 5 Holy Cross students

And year 6!

Above: Holy Cross School is teaching British values in the classroom- tolerance of those of different faiths, democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect.

King’s Award for Cherished UK

One of the great joys about being the Royal Towns MP is going round my constituency meeting exceptional people- many of whom put back so much into the community.

None more so than Hannah Simnett, who runs a remarkable charity in Boldmere, Cherished, which has just received the Kings Award for voluntary service.

Cherished, which has over 100 fully trained volunteers, was set up by Hannah in 2012 and now goes into virtually every school in the Royal Town and across Birmingham - a total of 70 schools in all.

What they do is help give marginalised girls - and some boys - confidence, guidance and support and encouragement as they chart the difficulties of young life and overcome emotional trauma and resulting behavioural issues. They have helped more than 1570 young people to change and improve their life outcomes in the last year.

The social pressure on young girls is creating social, physical and mental health issues; Cherished supports local girls and boys through workshops, community groups and one-to-one mentoring across Sutton Coldfield and beyond.

Many boys and young men need good male role models and guidance as they grow in today's society. We give one-to-one mentoring and workshops to local boys to help them manage big feelings, grow in confidence and discover their strengths.

They are actively working with 40 local schools to reduceexclusions and improve relationships for young people who are struggling tocope with life.

Stop the downward spiral, help us give them a better life by making a donation: https://www.cherisheduk.org/

In memory of Kelan Logan-Derench

I was deeply saddened to hear the awful news of the death of my young constituent Kelan Logan-Derench, who died during his holiday in Egypt.

My thoughts are with his family during this terrible time, and I will help in any way I can in my capacity as MP and of course as a foreign office minister.

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/boy-five-dies-egypt-swimming-28179965

Edna Heappey

I learnt with great sadness of the death of my constituent Mrs Edna Heappey last weekend in her late nineties at her home in Boldmere No MP ever had a more forthright and supportive and loyal member of their local party nor me a wiser and more supportive friend. Involved in the Royal Town conservatives for more than 60 years, she was a mainstay of the Goldieslie Club and started the Royal Town’s Elizabethan Luncheon Club which is still going strong more than 60 years ago. Above all, she built the RNLI Sutton Coldfield branch into the biggest in the country - a remarkable feat given we are further from the sea in the Royal Town than any other constituency in U.K.

I had the great honour of presenting her in the United Reform Church in the Town some years ago now the BEM on behalf of the Her late Majesty. The church was packed with her many friends and admirers, and it was a memorable day.

Her grandson, my ministerial colleague, James, was a source of huge pride to her. I am so glad she passed away in her own home. She would have been most reluctant to move out. She was a wonderful daughter of the Royal Town and had a long life dedicated to the service of others.

We all mourn her loss.

African Child Trust

Last Saturday I attended a special fundraising dinner celebrating 25 years of the African Child Trust at the Castle Broomwich Hall Hotel, whose regional branch and many key volunteers are based in Sutton Coldfield.

For many years ACT have supported the education of children all the way through to university, supported projects reducing the stigma of menstruation and providing reusable sanitary pads across 8 African countries, as well as budding entrepreneurs creating self-sufficiency.

I spoke about how, thanks to the generosity of so many Suttonians, lives and futures have been transformed educating teachers and doctors.

A big thank you to Cllr Alex Yip, one of our brilliant local councillors and volunteer of ACT, for inviting me.

Above: Kunle Onabolu, myself, and Femi Onabolu, both of whom run this brilliant charity

‘Mini-Me’ café

I welcome the new role-play café, ‘Mini-Me’, at the heart of our Town Centre, aimed at Mums with toddlers who will be over the moon with this new addition, with its bespoke play areas for children under 5.

Here is a link to the business: https://minimeroleplay.com/ where you can book online.

I look forward to visiting this wonderful café personally in the coming months.

BVGS Giving Trees – Spirit of Christmas 2023

Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School students are so pleased with the growing success of their annual Giving Tree project, their 2023 ambition is to host two Giving Trees and attract double the gifts for good causes!

“The Giving Tree - Spirit of Christmas” can be found from 27 November onwards at Gracechurch Centre and Mulberry Walk, Mere Green and will conclude on 21 December when the final gifts will be distributed to the chosen local charities– YMCA, St Basil’s Hostel and St Giles’ Hospice. Students have produced a corresponding flyer which explains the range of gifts that are needed.

Senior students get behind the Charity Officers and Charity Interns to attend the trees, meet members of the public, promote the donated gifts needed and form a major production line wrapping up all gifts. Many Corporate Partners of the school support their employees in gathering and contributing gifts. There is also a concerted drive across all school years to bring at least one donated gift per student and more if possible.

Phil Wheat, Wm Wheat & Son, a local garden centre business and long-standing friend of the school, has kindly donated both Christmas trees which are decorated by the Charity Team.

The School wishes to express its sincere thanks to the Gracechurch Centre and Mulberry Walk teams for their help and support in making this a successful annual event.

The Giving Trees can be found from 27 November onwards at Gracechurch Centre, Sutton Coldfield Town Centre and Mulberry Walk, Mere Green. BVGS students will attend each afternoon (2pm-5.30pm) and all day on Saturday and Sundays (10am –3.30pm). Students wrap up all gifts in festive paper and on the final day, 22December, distribute all donated gifts to the charities in time for Christmas Day.

It’s Pantomime-time – Oh no it isn’t….Oh yes it is!!

Hear Ye, Hear Ye, the Royal Town of Suttonia is in danger. The Giant Blunderbore wants to destroy the green belt to build a nuclear power plant! Meanwhile, times are tough for Trott’s Dairies and they have to sell their favourite cow, Daisy, at the Vintage Fair.

This is the panto you have bean waiting for! Packed with songs, slapstick, silliness, audience participation, and all the fairy tale magic of traditional pantomime!

The Town Hall Venue team is busy working with its professional partner, Talegate Theatre Productions and putting the finishing touches in place to welcome the GIANT pantomime Jack and the Beanstalk from 9 to 31 December

James & Phil, Tale Gate Theatre Productions Ltd say:

“We believe pantomime is for everyone. A time for all the family to come together through fun and laughter. Our pantomime at the Sutton Coldfield Town Hall Venue has been lovingly created by the talent in this town for you- the people of Sutton Coldfield. So leave the worries of the real world outside and get ready to cheer for the good and boo for the bad and enjoy our take on the traditional panto, Jack and the Beanstalk.”

Don’tmiss out and book your tickets soon either in person at the Town Hall Venue BoxOffice or call on 0121 296 9543 Mon-Fri 10am-4pm or book online

https://www.suttoncoldfieldtownhall.com/pantomime-2023/

Easy Fundraising

You may recall some time ago that I met with the founders of Easy Fundraising, an innovative website set up here in the Royal Town 20 years ago by Ian Woodroffe, and the first of its kind ever which allows users to donate to a charity simply by shopping online via the app with various retailers. It costs nothing to use as the retailers donate to the chosen charities.

Last week I met them again to discuss overcoming certain challenges while they continue to run their ground-breaking app.

Meeting with our Sutton Coldfield Birmingham City Councillors

Last week I had a meeting at our office with our hardworking City Councillors who work representing the Royal Town on Birmingham City Council. It was an important discussion and we were joined by the leader of the Conservative opposition, Bobby Alden, to discuss their vital work supporting our local community.

We are all working to protect the Royal Town from the fact that Labour have bankrupted Birmingham City Council with the inevitable knock on effect on services and on funding.

My Annual Report 2023

This report of what I have been doing as your member of Parliament throughout the last year should have landed on your doormat through your letterbox.

I hope you may enjoy reading it!

If it has not arrived, please let us know (email at andrew.mitchell.mp@parliament.uk) and we will chase up the post office who are delivering it - at no cost to the tax-payers; it’s our local conservative association which meets the cost.