Hello Solihull 👋

A very warm welcome to everyone new here this week. It’s lovely to have you with us.

Solihull Spotlight is our little corner of the internet for finding the good stuff happening across the borough, local news, community stories, food finds, family plans, live music, sport, events and the people quietly making Solihull feel like home.

This week also marks Mental Health Awareness Week, and it feels like a good reminder that community really does matter. Sometimes it’s a big event in the park. Sometimes it’s a walking group, a coffee with a friend, a conversation you’ve been meaning to have, or simply knowing there are people nearby who care.

As always, thank you for reading, sharing and supporting Solihull Spotlight. And if you’re new here, please do hit reply and say hello, we’d genuinely love to know what you’d like to see more of, what we’ve missed, or what’s happening near you.

Let’s get into it.

— Max

A new NHS community hub has officially opened in Monkspath, giving Solihull residents access to more specialist care closer to home.

The hub, overseen by Optimised Care, will host consultant led clinics, diagnostics, imaging and specialist tests, helping patients get the support they need without always having to travel further afield or into hospital.

It’s designed to make healthcare feel a little more local, joined-up and accessible. Anything that brings more care into the community and makes appointments, tests and specialist support easier to reach, feels like a win for Solihull.

*Photo from Marcus Mingins

👉 Find out more at Optimised Care

This is what community looks like and it’s especially apt for Mental Health Awareness Week. More than 200 people came together in Malvern & Brueton Park for One Big Walk, a brilliant joint walk from Solihull Women’s Stride Squad and Men Walking and Talking Solihull.

The message behind it was simple: No one walks alone. And on a sunny evening in the park, that message really landed.

People walked side by side, chatted, laughed, opened up, made new connections and showed what can happen when a few good people decide to create space for others. A huge well done to the organisers, buddies, volunteers, local businesses, professionals and everyone who turned up, shared the posts or helped spread the word.

Want to get involved, find out more from their facebook pages below:

👉 Solihull Women’s Stride Squad

👉 Men Walking and Talking Solihull

Thank you for being a part of Solihull Spotlight. If you're enjoying Solihull Spotlight, one thing you can do to help us out, is forward this to a friend. When they subscribe using your personal link below, you’ll earn rewards from us as a thank you. Here's what's on offer:

A much-loved canal-side pub is making its return. The Navigation Inn in Lapworth is reopening with new landlords, bringing “The Navi” back just in time for those warmer evenings, waterside walks and “shall we stop for one?” moments.

Set beside the canal, it’s exactly the sort of place that suits a slow weekend lunch, a post-walk pint, or one of those lazy May afternoons that accidentally turns into dinner.

One to get back on the local list.

For families with little ones, this is a very cute one.The Two Mugs is hosting a special Winnie the Pooh meet and greet at Mini Mugs Funhouse on Saturday 16 May.

So if your weekend needs coffee, cake, soft play energy and a photo with everyone’s favourite honey-loving bear, this could be a lovely little plan.

One for the little ones and let’s be honest, probably the grown-ups too.

👉 Check The Mini Mugs Funhouse for booking/details.

This section includes events happening soon. For a complete list of all events, you'll have to wait for future editions!

NEC Lakeside Cinema — NEC
A new free outdoor cinema and play space has opened by the lake at the NEC, with family animated favourites showing from Saturday 23 May. Alongside the films, there’s a children’s play area, activity trail, picnic seating and food/drink vendors, making it a handy low-cost family plan for warmer days. It’s running through the summer, with a short closure from 27 May to 2 June for the UK Games Expo.

👉 NEC Lakeside Cinema

Kids Under 10 Go Free — Drayton Manor
A very useful May offer for families: kids under 10 go free at Drayton Manor with a full-paying adult. It’s a good excuse to make the most of Thomas Land, the zoo, family rides and a proper theme park day before the half-term diary gets too packed. The offer runs through May, so one to check before booking if you’ve got younger children to entertain.

👉 Kids Under 10 Go Free at Drayton Manor

Touchwood Farmyard Trail — Touchwood, Solihull
A family-friendly trail is coming to Touchwood for half term, with little ones invited to follow the clues and enjoy a bit of farmyard fun around the centre. It’s a nice low-effort plan if you’re already heading into town for shopping, coffee or lunch, and a handy one to keep in your back pocket for entertaining younger children during the May break.

👉 Touchwood Farmyard Trail

Plaits and Pints — Pup & Duckling, Solihull
A relaxed midweek workshop with braids, drinks and a very Solihull kind of social evening. Plaits and Pints is coming to the Pup & Duckling on Wednesday 20 May, with the session running from 7pm to 9.30pm. Expect a friendly, informal night learning plaiting techniques while enjoying a pint, prosecco or soft drink in the pub. One for anyone who fancies doing something a bit different after work. Tickets from £17.

👉 Plaits and Pints

The Artisan Show at Maxstoke Castle — Maxstoke
A rare chance to enjoy the grounds of beautiful Maxstoke Castle this weekend, with an artisan show taking place on Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 May. Expect heritage crafts, handmade pieces, demonstrations, living history, music, food vendors and a proper browse-worthy day out in a setting you don’t often get to explore. The event runs from 10am to 4pm each day, with access to the grounds rather than the inside of the castle. Tickets from £10.50.

👉 The Artisan Show at Maxstoke Castle

Solihull Chess Club — The Core Library / Blossomfield Club
A calm, clever local pick for anyone who enjoys a proper brain workout. Solihull has a friendly chess scene, with sessions for beginners, juniors and more experienced players across the town. Whether you’re learning the basics, returning after years away, or quietly convinced you’re one move away from greatness, it’s a lovely way to meet people, focus the mind and try something a little different.

👉 Solihull Chess Club

Touch Rugby — Silhillians Sports Club
A friendly Thursday night run-around for anyone who fancies getting moving without the full-contact rugby bit. Touch rugby at Sils is a social, mixed-ability session where you can sharpen the passing, get the legs going and enjoy a bit of team sport in a relaxed setting. A good one if you’re looking for a new fitness habit, a midweek reset, or just an excuse to get outside after work. 7.30pm at £6 a session.

👉 Touch Rugby at Sils

Shirley Beer & Cider Festival — Camp Hill Rugby Club, Shirley
Shirley’s big beer and cider weekend is back at Camp Hill Rugby Club from Thursday 14 to Saturday 16 May, bringing together real ales, craft beers, ciders, food, live music and a few thousand very happy festival-goers. There’s comedy on the Thursday night too, making it a proper long-weekend local event rather than just a quick pint. One for the beer lovers, cider fans and anyone who enjoys seeing Shirley in full social swing.

👉 Shirley Beer & Cider Festival

Makers Central — NEC — Sat 16 to Sun 17 May A big weekend at the NEC for makers, creators, engineers, designers, YouTubers and hands-on families. Expect live demos, creative builds, interactive displays, tools, tech and plenty of “how did they make that?” moments. A good one for curious kids, practical adults, hobbyists, and anyone who loves seeing clever people build brilliant things. Tickets from £25.

👉 Makers Central

Peppa Pig Space Adventure — NEC Birmingham
A brand-new immersive walk-through experience for preschoolers and their grown-ups, running at the NEC from Saturday 23 May to Friday 31 July. The adventure starts in Peppa’s sunny garden before little imaginations are taken all the way into space, with hands-on play, photo opportunities and gentle storytelling along the way. A lovely one to book ahead if you’ve got little Peppa fans at home.

👉 Peppa Pig Space Adventure

Doja Cat — Utilita Arena Birmingham — Tue 26 May
Doja Cat brings her Ma Vie World Tour to Birmingham, with Naomi Sharon also listed on the bill. One of the biggest arena music nights locally this month. Tickets from £99.

👉 Doja Cat at Utilita Arena

• 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 Sunday! Hit reply and tell me what you want more of next week: family, events, food, deals, walking routes, live music, sport, or hidden gems.

P.S. Want your business in front of local Solihull readers? Reply with SPONSOR and I’ll send over our options.