TOGETHER WITH

Hello Solihull 👋

One week into the summer holidays and today's edition is a big one. One of the biggest sporting events to land on our doorstep is now just two weeks away (with tickets from a tenner), the Moors are back at Damson Park this Tuesday, and Touchwood has a new Italian on the way — with 50% off to celebrate.

One thing before anything else: Age UK Solihull has London Marathon places for 2027, and applications close tomorrow. If you've ever dreamed of running it, scroll straight to the Community Spotlight, this is your sign.

Let's get into it.

— Max

Set a reminder, because this one is historic. In just two weeks' time, the European Athletics Championships arrive in the UK for the very first time, running 10–16 August at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham, down the road from Solihull.

The scale is something else. More than 1,500 of Europe's best athletes from over 50 nations will go head-to-head across seven days of world-class track and field, sprints, distance battles, jumps and throws, at the stadium that hosted the unforgettable, sold-out 2022 Commonwealth Games. If you were there four summers ago, you'll remember the atmosphere. This is your chance to bottle it all over again.

And here's the part we love: it's affordable. Tickets start from just £10 for adults and £5 for under-16s, with 13 sessions across mornings and evenings to choose from, meaning a family of four can watch elite European sport for less than the cost of a pizza night. With the school holidays in full swing, a morning session makes a brilliant (and budget-friendly) summer day out and you might just be watching the stars of the LA 2028 Olympics before the rest of the world catches on.

World-class sport. On our doorstep. Pocket-money prices. Birmingham has done it again and Solihull has the best seats in the house, just up the road.

👉 European Athletics Championships

Some things you have to experience to believe, and this is one of them. My wife and I were lucky enough to try the Neko Body Scan recently, and it feels like stepping into the future of healthcare.

Neko Health, the preventive healthcare company co-founded by Spotify's Daniel Ek, has arrived in Birmingham's Colmore Business District, its first Health Centre in the West Midlands. The Body Scan is a 60-minute, non-invasive, radiation-free health assessment that captures millions of data points: your skin (including moles and marks), blood sugar and pre-diabetes risk, blood abnormalities, and risk factors linked to stroke and heart attacks, for £299.

The idea is beautifully simple: catch things early, before they become problems. We MOT our cars every year, this is the equivalent for you.

Here's the thing though: demand is high, so you can't just book a slot, there's a waiting list. But as a Solihull Spotlight reader, you can skip the queue using our exclusive link below. 👇

👉 Skip the waiting list here: Neko Health Body Scan

Here's a once-in-a-lifetime one, and you'll need to be quick. Age UK Solihull has secured charity places in the 2027 Double TCS London Marathon, the one-off event running across a whole weekend next year only, with the charity's places on Saturday 24 April 2027.

It's the first time Age UK Solihull has ever secured London Marathon charity places, and fundraising manager Rebecca Jacob says the team can't wait to bring supporters along for the journey, whether you missed out in the ballot, you're looking for a local charity to run for, or you've got your own place and want to fundraise for them. Every pound supports vital services for older people right here in the borough, from friendship to digital training to financial advice.

Places are extremely limited and applications close Monday 27 July — that's tomorrow!

👉 Apply for AgeUK Solihull’s London Marathon spots

The National League fixtures are out, and Solihull Moors open the 2026/27 season with a trip to Harrogate Town, before the first big home dates: Southend United on 22 August and AFC Fylde on 31 August.

Want a sneak preview before the real thing? The Moors host League One side Burton Albion in a pre-season friendly this Tuesday 28 July, 8pm kick-off at Damson Park, a lovely, low-cost midweek outing for young footballers in the holidays, and the perfect way to size up Chris Millington's new-look squad.

👉 Solihull Moors

Touchwood's food line-up keeps growing. Prezzo Italian is opening at 46 Touchwood and they're launching with 50% off food for the first two weeks of trading (sign up on their website for the voucher and to be first to hear the opening date).

Even better: to celebrate, they're giving one winner a free pasta or pizza main every week for a whole year, enter by 5 August. Crispy pizzas, comforting pasta and cocktails right in the heart of town, your post-shopping pit stop is about to get an upgrade.

👉 Prezzo Solihull

Bread Collection, the artisan bakery, café and deli on the High Street, is where French baking tradition meets the best of British, with over 40 types of bread baked fresh on site every morning, made with flour from the Cotswolds and France and not an artificial additive in sight.

The counter is dangerous in the best way: croissants, pain au chocolat, almond and cinnamon pastries all made with French unsalted butter, sourdough and speciality loaves, and cakes that regulars swear by. Word of warning, the doughnuts sell out so quickly you'll need to arrive early in the morning to stand a chance. There's a deli counter of artisanal cheeses and meats for building the perfect picnic (Brueton Park is ten minutes away, just saying), and the café serves a proper brunch if you'd rather stay put.

Keep an eye on their Instagram too. Click & collect is coming soon, which means fresh sourdough without the queue. Dangerous knowledge.

👉 Bread Collection Bakery

Get creative together this Monday as Riverside Family Hub (289 Bosworth Drive) hosts a hands-on animation workshop for families, a screen-time-you-can-feel-good-about way to start the week, with the kids learning to bring their own characters and stories to life. Places are limited, so book ahead via the hub's Eventbrite page or the Solihull Family Hubs app. 👉 Riverside Family Hub

Roll up, roll up — literally. Yakinori's Family Sushi Classes are back for the summer: a 90-minute hands-on session with a live sushi-making demonstration before you create your own rolls, with all ingredients and materials provided plus complimentary soft drinks, for ages 6+. The Solihull class runs Sunday 2 August at Touchwood — a genuinely different way to spend a Sunday together. 👉 Yakinori Sushi School

Too hot? Too rainy? The ice rink doesn't care. Public sessions run daily through the holidays, including lunchtime skates from 12:15pm most days plus evening and weekend sessions, a guaranteed hour of red-cheeked fun whatever the weather. Bring gloves.
👉 Planet Ice

A proper only-in-Solihull morning out: a working riding stables with a brilliant farm café attached, serving breakfasts built on sausages made on site and bread from their own bakery, with countryside views for free. Mornings only — 7:30am–1pm Tuesday to Saturday, until midday Sundays, closed Mondays — and horse-mad little ones can book riding lessons too. 👉 Cottage Farm Stables

Bottle-feeding, tractor and pony rides, and animal encounters on a proper working farm, fifteen minutes from town — open daily through the summer, with an indoor play barn for when the weather turns. A full morning of muddy-boots fun for little farmers; book online before you go. 👉 Umberslade Farm Park

🏓 Pickleball Tournament — NEC Campus — 11–16 Aug
The fastest-growing sport in the world lands on our doorstep as a pickleball tournament takes over the NEC from 11–16 August — running the very same week as the European Athletics up the road. Curious what all the fuss is about? This is your chance to see it played properly.
👉 Pickleball at the NEC

🥊 MVPW: UK vs USA — bp pulse LIVE — Sat 29 Aug
Fight night comes to the borough as Most Valuable Promotions' UK vs USA card, headlined by Mayer vs Cameron, hits bp pulse LIVE on 29 August — world-class boxing without the trip to London, right on the NEC campus.
👉 MVPW

🎶 Westlife: 25th Anniversary — Utilita Arena Birmingham — 16–18 Oct
Flying without wings into autumn: Westlife celebrate their 25th anniversary with a three-night run at the Utilita Arena from 16–18 October. Three nights means three chances at tickets — but they won't hang around.
👉 Westlife

❄️ Disney On Ice: Discover the Magic — bp pulse LIVE — 28 Oct–8 Nov
One to book now for half term: Disney On Ice presents Discover the Magic skates into bp pulse LIVE from 28 October to 8 November — the perfect early treat to have in the diary before the C-word season begins.
👉 Disney On Ice

• Bin collections: https://digital.solihull.gov.uk/BinCollectionCalendar/
• Council news + updates: https://www.solihull.gov.uk/news
• Travel disruptions (West Midlands): https://disruptions.tfwm.org.uk/

Thanks for reading Solihull Spotlight 💙 let’s chat again on Thursday! Hit reply and tell me what you want more of next week: family, events, food, deals, walking routes, live music, sport, or hidden gems.

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