Sutton Coldfield Sutton Coldfield
Chamber of Commerce
CONTACT: Julia Gray T: 0845 603 6650
Our Place is Chamber charity of the year
Sutton Coldfield Chamber of Commerce has chosen Our Place as its charity for the coming year, after asking members to help choose who they would like to support. Our Place provides mentoring and support
services for children and families in the town, and was launched five years ago. It helps children who are being bullied, and
families who need help with parenting skills, among others. Our Place host other charities within its building, including Job Club, The Carers Untied and Cherished. Director and operations manager Kelly Round
was asked to speak about the charity at a networking event of Chamber members, along with three others seeking support: Breast Friends Sutton Coldfield, The Cancer Support Centre and The Buddy Bag Foundation. The networking event was held at the Ramada Hotel.
‘Our Place works closely with social services and schools in the area to support and help those children’
Kelly spoke in particular about one service where the charity offer support to children of primary school age who want to end their lives or are self-harming. She said: “Our Place works closely with social
services and schools in the area to support and help those children.” After a presentation by each of the charities, members were invited to vote for their choice. Sutton Chamber manager Julia Gray said:
“The idea was for each charity to address the audience and raise the awareness of their activities to local businesses, in the hope that even if they weren't chosen as Sutton Chamber's charity, businesses in the audience would be
The Chamber is backing the BID
Sutton Chamber is backing the renewal of the town’s Business Improvement District (BID), which is due to finish this month. The BID is a partnership between the public and private sectors, and has been working to invest and promote projects to improve the town centre. It is funded through a levy based on the rateable value of business premises. The Sutton Coldfield BID was established
Chosen one: Kelly Round (left) with Sharon Jezeph, general manager of the Ramada
able to learn more about the fantastic work they do and consider supporting a charity themselves. “Our Place Community Hub came out as the
charity Sutton Coldfield Chamber of Commerce members chose to support for the coming year, with an incredible 45 per cent of the votes. “On the evening, we raised £212.51 which will
go straight to Our Place Community Hub which will help deliver those important services that Sutton Coldfield residents rely on. “Our first event to raise money for Our Place
Community Hub will be a charity quiz evening at Aston Wood Golf Club.”
Rugby club aims to make a connection
Sutton Coldfield Rugby Club is borrowing an idea from its Lichfield counterparts by launching a new business breakfast event, Business Connect. The new event will be staged on the last
Friday of every month at the club’s ground, from 7-9.30. The networking event – which will feature
guest speakers from time-to-time – is being supported by Sutton Chamber.
on 1 January 2012 following a ballot of potential levy payers – it starts at Sutton College, runs back along High Street, incorporates Midland Drive and Coleshill Street, runs down Mill Street to the central retail area and carries on along Birmingham Road, finishing at The Empire Cinema at Maney Corner. The BID is run through a board made up
from BID levy payers and managed by Mike Bushell, from an office based in the Gracechurch Centre. The BID’s annual budget is around
£250,000, which it has been using to deliver a wide range of services on behalf of the business community. Among projects that the BID has promoted
is the installation of high-speed broadband, and another is last year’s ‘Big Hoot’ charity event (pictured above), which featured large statues of owls and transformed Sutton Coldfield into ‘Sutton Owlfield’. The event raised money for the Children’s Hospital. Other projects have included the
introduction of a loyalty scheme and new initiatives to develop the night time economy, ‘The Restaurant Quarter’ and ‘Sutton Nightlife’. Activities such as Christmas lights in the
town centre, floral displays and deep cleaning would have not been provided had it not have been for the BID. The BID also supported the creation of Sutton
Chamber, with whom it now shares a close working relationship, providing support for the needs of Sutton Coldfield-based businesses. Sutton Chamber manager Julia Gray said:
“During its four years, the BID has created many tangible benefits for businesses in the town centre. It has more than proved its worth, and I would urge businesses to vote for its continuation.”
June 2016 CHAMBERLINK 33
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