Trustees from Sutton Coldfield Charitable Trust enjoyed a whistle-stop tour of dedicated community originations across the Royal Town on Friday 10 October, for their traditional Annual Visits.
Image: St James Church in Mere Green, has been able to improve accessibility and introduce new community facilities thanks to a £44,000 grant.
The Trust, which traces its origins back to Tudor times, hands out more than £1 million in grants each year to various causes.
Once a year, Trustees embark on their Annual Visits to just a handful of the many organisations and charities they have supported in the past 12 months, to see their grants in action.
SCCT Chief Executive Claire Evans explained: “The Annual Visits are an important tradition which allows our trustees – and members of the team – to see firsthand how grants are being used and how they have impacted positively on the community in Sutton Coldfield.
“This year we had a very interesting itinerary that really showed the variety of projects being supported by grants from the Trust – as well as allowing trustees to hear directly from local people about the challenges they face and the services they provide.”
The first visit of the day was to New Hall Mill to meet Jan Foster, Vice-Chairperson of the Friends of New Hall Mill. The mill is one of only two traditional water mills surviving in Birmingham, with most of the building dating back to the 18th century.
The Friends’ recent projects include the restoration of an original barge wagon, installation of new education boards and fitting new lights in the mill’s cart shed, paid for with a £10,320 grant. It’s a brilliant, living glimpse into Sutton’s past.
The next stop was to St James Church in Mere Green, a vibrant and inclusive church, to meet Rev Leanne Carr and Neil Thorogood. Thanks to a £44,000 grant, the church has been able to improve accessibility and introduce new community facilities, which the Trustees enjoyed looking at.
The Trustees then arrived at Langley Special School, where they met Headteacher Toni McCarroll – and received some lovely thank-you cards from some very grateful children!
Langley Special School provides education to 130 pupils aged 4 – 11 with a range of special educational needs, and has recently refurbished two sensory rooms with the support of a £11,500 grant.
The sensory rooms provide a quiet, soothing space where pupils can relax, process and regulate their emotions. It was clear to our Trustees that these rooms are very loved and valued by the children.
Next up was a visit to Boldmere’s beloved Communitea Café, where Age Concern Birmingham are running their Community Advice and Information service, funded by a grant of £24,000.
Trustees spoke to Chief Executive Becky Bews about the brilliant scheme, which runs weekly on Fridays. From 11am until 2pm, Age Concern’s friendly Advice and Information team are on hand to answer queries on all sorts of topics, ranging from benefits advice to saving energy.
The much-loved ReUsers store next to Sutton Coldfield ‘tip’ on Norris Way was next on the list, run by the Jericho Foundation.
The ReUsers is a charity department store that rescues and recycles second hand items, and has become a favourite among locals. The Trustees also saw the new Wood Shack, which provides quality recycled sustainable timber products.
Jericho, an award-winning Birmingham charity, have received a grant of £375,000 towards the excellent work they do in providing employability-focused support and work opportunities for Sutton Coldfield residents facing extreme challenges in getting a job.
From supporting disadvantaged young people to helping survivors of modern slavery, Jericho are changing the lives of Sutton residents – while providing affordable, sustainable bargains too! It was clear to the Trustees why the ReUsers has become such a popular and valued store among Sutton’s people.
The penultimate visit of the day was to North Birmingham Community Gymnastics to meet Head Coach Louise Combellack. Since moving to the Royal Town in 2017, this wonderful children’s gymnastics group has accrued 1,500 members of varying abilities.
NBC Gymnastics are pioneers in inclusivity, having a range of specialist equipment and sessions for children with disabilities – including their new ‘quiet gymnasium’ space, built with the support of a £35,892 grant.
The Trustee’s final visit was to Live in the Lodge, a fantastic intergenerational community music project run by MUBU Music, to meet founder and producer Sam Slater.
Since its founding in 2016, Live in the Lodge has provided free music education which is accessible to all, and currently boasts members aged between 5 and 85. Currently operating from Falcon Lodge Methodist Church, a £40,000 grant has secured the project’s future for a further two years.
Dr Francis Murray, the chair of the Trustees of Sutton Coldfield Charitable Trust, said: “The Annual Visits not only give our team an understanding of the how grants are being used, they also provide us with a fascinating insight into some of the remarkable organisations, churches and groups that make Sutton Coldfield such a community-minded place to live.
“I’d like to thank all of our team members who helped organised the day so brilliantly, and all of the people who showed us such hospitality as we made our way around the Royal Town.”
