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Hello Solihull 👋

It’s one of those weeks where the calendar suddenly looks very full.

It’s England’s first game at the FIFA World Cup this Wednesday at 9pm, let’s hope we can get off to a good start! Solihull Music Festival is back next weekend, bringing free live music across the town centre, Father’s Day is just around the corner, and there are plenty of reasons to get out and about locally, from LEGO at Thinktank and dads going free at Dudley Zoo, to big events at the NEC and a couple of lovely more local finds.

We’ve also got an update on Solihull Police Station, a spotlight on Carers Week and a shout out for Volunteers’ Week, all within the usual mix of news, food and things to do.

Let’s get into it.

— Max

Plans have been submitted for the redevelopment of the current Solihull Police Station on Homer Road, with the proposal including demolition of the existing buildings and the creation of a new office development.

The site sits in a key town centre location, close to Solihull Station, and forms part of the wider vision to bring more investment, jobs and modern workspace into the heart of Solihull.

Importantly, Solihull Council has also said it is in advanced discussions with West Midlands Police for a new central town centre location for the public contact office and neighbourhood policing teams.

It’s another sign of how much change is coming to Solihull town centre over the next few years, from Mell Square to the station area and now Homer Road. Handled well, this could help bring more life, footfall and opportunity into the town centre while keeping essential services close by.

👉 Read more via Solihull Council

A big congratulations to Ananda Pearl Yoga & Wellness, who recently celebrated their 2-year anniversary and I was lucky enough to be there! Run by Gurpreet, Ananda Pearl Yoga & Wellness is all about creating space to slow down, breathe, reset and properly look after yourself.

They also host day retreats, designed to help you step away from the noise of everyday life and give yourself time to relax, unwind and reflect.

"A retreat which really caters to you. The attention to detail from Gurpreet is out of this world! This is a day that gives you space to relax, unwind, reflect and put yourself first."

In a world where we're constantly on the go, it’s a time that's entirely yours. No phone, no to-do list, no rushing, is rarer than it sounds. Gurpreet delivers exactly that. Whether you're a seasoned yogi or just need to properly exhale for the first time in months, the classes and retreats are worth every second.

👉 Find out more and book your spot here

It’s exactly why we love partnering with local businesses through Solihull Spotlight: our readers get to discover and support brilliant people doing brilliant things across the borough, and Ananda Pearl Yoga & Wellness is a perfect example.

If you’d like to put your business in front of our growing local audience, just reply to this email and we’ll send over more information.

This week was Carers Week, it was a chance to recognise the thousands of people across Solihull who quietly support loved ones every day.

It’s thought there are around 27,000 unpaid carers in Solihull, people caring for family members, friends or neighbours who could not manage without that support. Many are balancing caring with work, parenting, school, their own health, and everything else life throws at them.

This year’s Carers Week theme was Building Carer Friendly Communities, which feels especially relevant locally. It’s a reminder that carers are often doing extraordinary things behind the scenes and that small acts of understanding, flexibility and support can make a real difference.

If you are a carer, or know someone who might be, Carers Trust Solihull is a good place to start for local support and advice.

👉 Carers Trust Solihull

It was Volunteers’ Week recently, which feels like the perfect moment to give a shout-out to the people who keep so much of Solihull moving.

From community groups and charities to libraries, sports clubs, food projects, youth organisations and local events, so many brilliant things around the borough rely on people giving their time.

Solihull Council’s Community Development Team has been encouraging residents to explore local volunteering opportunities and connect with groups that need support. Whether you’ve got a spare hour, a specific skill, or you simply want to meet more people and do something useful locally, there are lots of ways to get involved.

👉 Warwickshire & Solihull Volunteering

A lovely option this week. The Malt Shovel is a country pub and restaurant with that cosy village feel, log fires in winter, a terrace and garden for warmer days, and a converted barn-style restaurant if you’re making more of a meal of it.

It’s known for proper pub dining with a slightly more polished feel, and it was named Gastro Pub of the Year at The Food Awards England 2025. A good one for a relaxed lunch, dinner with friends, or somewhere just outside Solihull that still feels like a bit of a treat.

👉 The Malt Shovel at Barston

An easy local pub pick for the week. Olton Tavern is one of those useful “something for everyone” spots: family catch-up, quick lunch, Sunday roast, or a relaxed drink in the beer garden when the sun behaves itself.

They’ve got the classic pub food set-up, including fixed price lunch and dinner options, kids’ choices, vegetarian and vegan dishes, plus a Sunday menu. Simple, familiar and very handy if you’re after somewhere low-fuss in Olton.

👉 Olton Tavern

A nice gentle midweek one at Boston Tea Party Solihull. Their crochet group runs on Tuesday 16 June from 12pm, with Judy Monaghan hosting during term time. It’s free to join, but you’ll need to book your spot, ideal if you fancy learning something new, meeting a few people, or just having a calm hour with coffee and wool.

👉 Crochet Group at BTP Solihull

A relaxed evening of painting, chatting and probably discovering you’re more artistic than you thought. Brush Party is bringing its “Royal Haathee” session to Paramo Lounge on Wednesday 17 June, 7–10pm, with all the canvas, brushes, paints and aprons included.

👉 Sip & Paint at Paramo Lounge

A very strong option for any LEGO-loving families this weekend. Thinktank is running a Father’s Day LEGO Weekend across Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 June, with LEGO activities across the museum, including giant LEGO blocks, DUPLO build stations and plenty for little builders to get stuck into. Ideal if Dad secretly wants to play too.

👉 Father’s Day LEGO Weekend at Thinktank

Dudley Zoo is going big for Father’s Day weekend, with family fun across Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 June and dads can go free. Expect a day of animals, the castle, family activities and a very easy excuse to make a proper day of it.

👉 Family Fun Days at Dudley Zoo

One for the more adventurous dads. Go Ape is offering the first 1,000 dads or father figures a free Treetop Challenge experience for Father’s Day, and the nearest location to Solihull is at Coombe Abbey, which is also well worth a look around while you’re there.

So if Dad’s idea of a relaxing weekend involves climbing, swinging and pretending he’s not scared of heights, this could be a good one.

👉 Go Ape Dadventure

A lovely one for train fans, history lovers or anyone who fancies doing something a bit different. Vintage Trains, based at Tyseley, run heritage rail experiences from Birmingham, bringing back the golden age of steam travel with proper old-school charm. Worth keeping an eye on their upcoming journeys if you’ve got a railway fan in the family.

👉 Vintage Trains

The Solihull Music Festival returns next weekend and… it's completely free.

Running across Friday 19th to Sunday 21st June, the festival takes over venues right across the town centre, from the High Street to some of Solihull's best-loved bars and restaurants. Whether you're into soul, indie, jazz, classical or a good old-fashioned silent disco, there's something on for you.

Here are some of the acts to pencil in:

Rich Keogh is the one to watch this weekend, he plays three times across the festival, kicking off at the Crowne Plaza on Friday evening before returning to Yakinori on Saturday and John Lewis on Sunday. If you haven't caught him live yet, this is your weekend.

The Score close out both Saturday night (Popworld, 17:00) and Sunday afternoon (Solihull Royal British Legion, 16:00) with a Chart Hits Party Band set, expect singalongs.

Holly Fitzgerald brings Classic Soul, Jazz and Contemporary to Cote on Saturday afternoon, and Karen Germano takes over Boston Tea Party at 14:00 on Saturday with her 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s Ballads set, a brilliant excuse to grab a coffee and stay a while.

For something a little different, the Silent Disco pops up at Slug & Lettuce on Friday and O'Neill's later that evening, perfect if you want to dance without committing to a genre.

And if you're bringing the kids, don't miss the free Music Monsters Workshop on the High Street near Carluccios, no booking needed, just turn up. It runs Saturday 12pm–4pm and Sunday 11am–3pm.

There's also live music on the High Street Stage (near Metro Bank and The Mason's Arms) across Saturday and Sunday, featuring local choirs, classical performers and Irish folk, ideal for a wander with an ice cream.

👉 Full lineup and venue details here

Good Food Show Summer — NEC — Thu 18 to Sun 21 June
A big one for food lovers at the NEC, with live demos, food shopping, workshops and plenty of summer inspiration. James Martin and Si King are among the names listed.

👉 Good Food Show Summer

BBC Gardeners’ World Live — NEC — Thu 18 to Sun 21 June
Usually paired nicely with Good Food Show weekend at the NEC — ideal for anyone into gardens, summer planting and a day out wandering the show gardens.

👉 BBC Gardeners’ World

Tutankhamun: The Immersive Exhibition — NEC — from Fri 19 June to Sun 13 September
A new immersive exhibition opening at the NEC this week, taking visitors into the world of Ancient Egypt and Tutankhamun.

👉 Tutankhamun Exhibition

• 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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