Good Evening Solihull 👋

Your Sunday dose of everything happening around the borough has landed — and there's plenty to get stuck into this week.

Up to 500 new EV chargers are rolling out across Solihull, a huge careers and apprenticeships show is returning after attracting more than 1,000 visitors last year, and we've found everything from cheese & wine in Knowle to some brilliant half-term Halloween days out.

Plus, we've got your local sporting round-up, a £37 return escape to Málaga, and plenty more for the diary.

Let’s get into it.

— Max

Electric car drivers should find it much easier to charge up around the borough, with up to 500 new public charging points being rolled out across Solihull in partnership with operator Qwello. The chargers are being installed in Council car parks and on-street locations, with sites including Knowle, Castle Bromwich, Lyndon and Solihull town centre among those benefiting.

The project is particularly aimed at making EV ownership more practical for residents who don’t have a driveway or off-street parking, around 29% of Solihull homes fall into that category. The wider programme is supported by £800,000 of government funding, while Qwello is funding and operating much of the network through its partnership with the Council.

🔌 Spotlight takeaway: More places to plug in while you shop, work or spend time around Solihull and another step towards making an electric car a realistic option even if you can’t charge one at home.

👉 Find out more about Solihull’s Going Electric programme via Solihull Council.

Got a teenager wondering what comes after GCSEs? Solihull’s Apprenticeship and Pathways Show is returning to Cranmore Park in Shirley on Wednesday 21 October, bringing employers, colleges and training providers together under one roof.

Visitors can explore apprenticeships, BTECs, T Levels and other post-16 routes, speak directly to current apprentices and meet organisations from sectors including engineering, construction, manufacturing, finance and the public sector. Exhibitors lined up include Paragon Bank, Solihull College & University Centre, the University of Derby, The King’s Trust and Solihull Council.

Last year’s event attracted more than 1,000 visitors, so it’s clearly becoming a big date in the calendar for local young people. This year’s event runs 2:30–7pm, is completely free, includes free parking and starts with a quieter hour designed to make the event more accessible for visitors with additional needs.

💡 Spotlight tip: If you’ve got someone in Years 10–13 at home who isn’t sure whether university, college or an apprenticeship is right for them, this looks well worth adding to the diary.

👉 Find out more and register for the Apprenticeship and Pathways Show

Year 5 pupils at Balsall Common Primary School Academy have been swapping the classroom for two wheels this week as part of Cycle to School Week, taking on their Bikeability training to build confidence and stay safe on local roads.

The youngsters are learning everything from bike safety checks and signalling to braking and road positioning, with those completing Level 1 progressing onto local roads alongside instructors. There’s good news for the wider borough too: 86% of Solihull Year 5 pupils now take part in on-road cycle training, with Solihull recently recognised by the Bikeability Trust as one of the UK’s most successful cycle-training providers.

💚 Spotlight loves: Practical skills, active travel and a new generation of more confident cyclists — well done to everyone getting involved.

👉 Read more about Bikeability

Looking for an excuse for a midweek date night? Loki Wine in Knowle is hosting another of its popular Cheese & Wine Evenings next Thursday, with seven wines from around the world, each matched with an artisan cheese.

The relaxed two-hour tasting starts at 6pm, with Loki's team talking you through why different flavours, textures, acidity and tannins work together — so you might even come away knowing what to put on your next cheeseboard. Beginners are very welcome, and tickets are £45pp.

🍷 Spotlight pick: Seven wines, seven cheeses and no need to pretend you already know what you're doing. Sounds like a pretty good Thursday night to us.

👉 Midweek Cheese & Wine Evening at Loki Knowle — Thursday 15 October, 6pm

The Barn at Berryfields has launched its new seasonal à la carte menu, making the most of produce grown and reared right there on the family farm.

New dishes include glazed lamb shoulder, venison haunch with blackberry jus, pan-seared scallops, sage & onion rolled pork belly, plus a smoked oyster mushroom & beetroot skewer. You'll also still find their pedigree Hereford steaks and some familiar Barn favourites.

What makes this place a little different is just how much is done on site: the family has farmed at Berryfields for four generations, meat comes from their own cattle and pigs, bread and desserts are made in the bakery downstairs, and seasonal fruit, veg and herbs come from their two-acre Kitchen Garden.

🍁 Spotlight pick: Venison, blackberry jus and views across the Warwickshire countryside feels about as autumnal as it gets.

👉 The autumn menu is now being served Monday–Saturday from 12pm at The Barn at Berryfields, Meriden.

🧙 Mystical & Magical Woodland Trail — Packwood House — 24 October–1 November
Little explorers can head into the woods at Packwood House this half-term for a magical autumn adventure. Follow the Welly Walk and search high and low for autumn treasures and spooky surprises, with themed crafts and a prize for completing the trail too. It runs daily from 9:30am–4pm, is suitable for the whole family and costs £3.50 per trail, with normal admission also applying for non-members.
👉 Mystical & Magical Woodland Trail at Packwood House

🏰 Castle After Dark — Warwick Castle — 24 & 29–31 October
Fancy something a little scarier this Halloween? Warwick Castle is opening its gates after dark for four nights of live entertainment, DJs, street food and some seriously spooky scare attractions. New for 2026 are The Other Side, a supernatural journey through an abandoned séance, and The Terror, set inside a plague-stricken castle. It runs 6–10pm, is recommended for ages 10+, and tickets start from £27pp.
👉 Castle After Dark at Warwick Castle

👹 Fantastical Creatures — Compton Verney — Saturday 24 & Sunday 25 October
Let imaginations run wild this half-term at Compton Verney, where families can create their very own weird and wonderful creatures. Inspired by the surreal artwork in the Raqib Shaw: Night Sonnets exhibition, artist Niall Singh will help visitors make fantastical creatures and scenes through collage. The workshop runs 10:30am–3:30pm, is recommended for ages 7+, and is free and drop-in with normal admission.
👉 Fantastical Creatures at Compton Verney

🦉 Woodland Petting Zoo — MAC Birmingham — Saturday 24 October
Hedgehogs, owls and rabbits are taking over MAC Birmingham for one day this October half-term. Families can get up close to a host of woodland friends including a barn owl, tawny owl, little owl, hedgehog, rabbits and even giant snails and millipedes. There’ll also be free woodland-themed face painting and hot chocolate available on the terrace. It runs from 11am–2pm and, even better, both the petting zoo and face painting are completely free.
👉 Woodland Petting Zoo at MAC Birmingham

🍂 Autumn Wreath Workshop — Castle Bromwich Historic Gardens — Saturday 24 October
Feeling crafty? Head to Castle Bromwich Historic Gardens for a relaxed morning creating your own autumn wreath surrounded by the colours of the season. You’ll work with berries, crab apples, seed heads, cones, grasses, foliage and wispy birch branches, with all materials included and expert guidance to help bring it together. The workshop runs from 10:30am–1pm — and if you’d rather wait for Christmas, festive wreath workshops are also taking place on 28 & 29 November.
👉 Wreath Workshops at Castle Bromwich Historic Gardens

🏆 Moors youngsters help seal cup comeback
A better night at Damson Park for Solihull Moors on Tuesday, who came from behind to beat Newcastle United U21s 2–1 in the National League Cup. Ben Wodskou levelled things before academy player Flynn Coffey scored his first senior goal for the club to grab the winner. 👉 Read the Moors match report

⚽ Knowle still sitting pretty at the top
Knowle FC's eight-game winning league run finally came to an end — but they remain unbeaten after Connor Mort struck a 90th-minute equaliser to rescue a 1–1 draw against FC Peterborough. The Robins remain top of the United Counties League Premier Division South, two points clear despite Rugby Town having played three more games. 👉 Knowle v FC Peterborough — match details

🏉 Nine tries for flying Bees
What a start to the season for Birmingham & Solihull Bees. They followed up their opening-day win with a huge 64–28 victory over Bournville II, running in nine tries — including a hat-trick for Ali Cook. Two games, two bonus-point wins and the Bees sit top of the table. 👉 Birmingham & Solihull Bees

🏒 Barons top the league — and they're at home today
The Solihull Barons are flying too, sitting top of the NIHL Moralee Division with 19 points from seven games. They're back on home ice today (Sunday 11 October) as they welcome Hull Jets to Planet Ice Solihull in the cup, with face-off at 5:30pm. 👉 Solihull Barons fixtures

Fancy squeezing in some autumn sunshine? Fly direct from Birmingham Airport to Málaga on Tuesday 13 October, returning Friday 16 October, with return fares currently showing from around £37pp. The outbound is with Ryanair and the return with easyJet, with each flight taking around three hours.

October is a great time for a quick Costa del Sol escape — think tapas in the old town, a walk along the waterfront and hopefully a little more sunshine than we're getting back home. ☀️

👉 Check Birmingham → Málaga flights on Trip.com

Or how about a couple of nights in Budapest? Ryanair return flights from Birmingham are currently showing from around £69pp, flying out on Wednesday 14 October and returning Friday 16 October.

With thermal baths, ruin bars, riverside views and plenty of ridiculously good food, Budapest packs a lot into a two-night city break — and at under £70 return, this one caught our eye.

👉 Ryanair — Birmingham to Budapest

*Prices correct when checked and subject to change.

• 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/

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