Hello Solihull 👋

And just like that, May is coming to a close.

It’s been a lovely one, hasn’t it? A couple of bank holidays, lighter evenings, some genuinely beautiful weather, and plenty of little reminders that Solihull really comes alive when the sun shows up.

I hope you’ve managed to enjoy it! Whether that was a walk through the park, a BBQ in the garden, a half-term day out, or five quiet minutes with a coffee somewhere local.

Now June is almost here, and there’s loads to look forward to: live music in the town centre, big days out at the NEC, Race for Life in Malvern Park, summer fairs, community events, and plenty more reasons to get out and enjoy where we live.

Let’s get into it.

— Max

Lovely news for Solihull’s arts scene. The Core Theatre has celebrated its busiest year on record since reopening, with more than 60,000 visitors coming through the doors over the past 12 months.

Across the year, the theatre sold 63,492 tickets for 278 shows, which is a 10% increase compared with its last full year before reopening.

It’s a brilliant reminder that local culture is continuing to grow in Solihull, from theatre and comedy to family shows, cinema, live music and community performances. With The Core also marking 10 years since becoming The Core Theatre, it feels like a lovely moment to celebrate a much-loved part of Solihull.

And this one feels a little personal for us too. When we started Solihull Spotlight, The Core was our very first follower on Instagram: a tiny thing at the time, but one that genuinely meant a lot when Solihull Spotlight was just an idea we were trying to get off the ground. Now, with 1,800+ local readers following along, it feels lovely to be able to celebrate a place that supported us right at the beginning.

Have you been to The Core recently?
Hit reply and tell us the best thing you’ve seen there, we’d love to share a few reader favourites.

👉 The Core

This is exactly the sort of Solihull story we love.

A huge donation drive has helped Year 11 pupils get ready for prom without the extra pressure of cost. 100 pupils from Ninestiles received free outfits through the charity Madrina UK.

It’s a lovely reminder that prom should be about celebrating the end of school, making memories and feeling confident, not worrying about whether you can afford the outfit.

A big well done to everyone who donated dresses, suits, shoes, accessories, time and kindness to make it happen.

👉 Madrina UK

A brilliant “local kids doing good” story.

Pupils at Solihull School Prep raised an amazing £13,000 for the Matt Gallagher Foundation following a week of fundraising activities during their annual Charity Week.

A huge well done to the pupils, families and staff involved, a lovely reminder of what can happen when a school community gets behind a good cause.

👉 Solihull School Prep Charity Week

Know of another local school, charity or group doing something brilliant?
Hit reply and tell us — we’d love to share more good-news stories like this!

I first tried KIBOU with my wife for Valentine’s Day and we had the best time. It’s stylish without feeling too formal, the food felt like a proper treat, and it’s a lovely one for a date night, birthday meal or “shall we go somewhere a bit different?” evening in town.

They serve Japanese-inspired dishes including sushi, ramen, katsu, bao buns, tempura, sharing plates and cocktails but our personal recommendation has to be the Rolls. Very, very good!

They’ve also got a new KIBOU Classics Set Menu, featuring the dishes that made people fall in love with Japanese food in the first place, katsu curry, teriyaki, ramen, sushi and all the hits, done properly.

It’s available Monday to Friday, 12pm–6pm, with 2 courses for £19.95 or 3 courses for £23.95.

👉 Kibou

Over in Dorridge, The Forest Bar & Restaurant is one for a slower lunch, Sunday roast, date night or family meal.

Set inside The Forest Hotel, just opposite Dorridge station, it’s an old coach house turned modern restaurant, bar and boutique hotel. The menus change regularly, with seasonal à la carte dishes, weekly lunch specials, Sunday lunch, bar snacks and their popular Wings Wednesday.

It feels like a good one to remember when you want somewhere local, but still a little bit special.

👉 The Forest Bar & Restaurant

A useful one for anyone job hunting, thinking about a career change or exploring what’s out there locally. The Solihull Careers Fair takes place at Crowne Plaza Solihull on Wednesday 3 June, 10am–2pm, with employers and recruiters on hand to chat through opportunities, roles and next steps.

👉 Solihull Careers Fair

A lovely local library event for book lovers. Balsall Common Library is hosting debut author Anna Byk on Saturday 6 June, 11am–12pm, with a chance to hear about her writing journey, her debut novel and the process of becoming a published author.

👉 Local Author Book Signing Instagram Page

A free drop-in event for anyone wanting to live a little greener. Knowle Parish Church’s Green Fair takes place at St John’s Hall on Saturday 6 June, 10am–12pm, with eco information stalls and advice on things like home retrofit, grants, food, gardening and local green initiatives.

👉 Knowle Green Fair - Facebook Event

A quick one first… gutted for Arsenal fans after the Champions League. So close, and we know of a few Solihull households will have been feeling that one.

But football fans do have something big to look forward to: the Football World Cup kicks off on Thursday 11 June, and we’ll be putting together a special one-off Solihull Spotlight World Cup edition to help you find the best places locally to watch the games, enjoy the atmosphere and make the most of it.

A brilliant local event! Race for Life Solihull takes place at Malvern Park on Sunday 14 June, bringing people together to walk, jog or run in support of their chosen charity. Whether you’re taking part, cheering someone on or volunteering, it’s always one of those feel-good community events worth knowing about.

👉 Race for Life Solihull

If you’re looking for something a little different this summer, Lavender Lakes in Balsall Common offers outdoor swimming in a peaceful lake setting. A lovely one for confident swimmers, triathletes, or anyone wanting to swap the pool for open water as the warmer months arrive. Weekday £8 and Weekends £10.

👉 Lavender Lakes Outdoor Swimming

We’re building a proper Solihull list of sports clubs, fitness groups and community activities, from football, rugby and running to swimming, martial arts, dance, netball, cricket and everything in between.

If you run a club, coach a team, attend a group, or know someone doing brilliant things locally, hit reply and tell us. We’d love to feature more of them over the summer.

One of the big free dates for the local summer calendar. Solihull Music Festival returns to the town centre from Friday 19 to Sunday 21 June, with free live music, performances and plenty of atmosphere across the weekend. A lovely excuse to head into town, support local venues and enjoy Solihull feeling properly summery.

👉 Solihull Music Festival

A lovely nearby one for live music fans. Myles Smith is playing a short stripped-back set and Q&A at the O2 Institute Birmingham on Saturday 13 June, celebrating his new album My Mess, My Heart, My Life. Doors are listed from 7pm, with the performance from 8pm, and it’s a 14+ event with an adult. Ticket from £21.

👉 Myles Smith at O2 Institute Birmingham

A brilliant one for food lovers. The Good Food Show Summer returns to the NEC from Thursday 18 to Sunday 21 June, with live cooking demos, food producers, shopping, tastings and plenty of summer kitchen inspiration. A lovely day out if you like discovering new flavours, picking up treats and pretending you won’t come home with a bag full of snacks. Tickets from £32.50.

👉 Good Food Show Summer

One for the green-fingered, or anyone whose garden needs a little summer inspiration. BBC Gardeners’ World Live is at the NEC from Thursday 18 to Sunday 21 June, with show gardens, expert advice, plants, shopping and ideas for making the most of your outdoor space. Tickets from £32.50 for an adult day ticket.

👉 BBC Gardeners’ World Live

• 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.

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

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