Lichfield & Tamworth Lichfield & Tamworth Chamber Patrons
Contact: Chris Brewerton T: 0845 6036650
Chamber welcomes committee members
Lichfield and Tamworth Chamber appointed four new committee members at last month’s annual general meeting – and made long-time president James Blackman the organisation’s honorary chairman. Mr Blackman, of Lichfield-based digital
marketing agency Cocoonfxmedia, had been president of the Chamber for five years, until handing over to Jason Challoner of Valyou Recruitment at the AGM. During his time as president, Mr Blackman
campaigned to end the scandal of late payments, something which is particularly damaging to smaller businesses. New president Mr Challoner said his
particular focus would be on skills and job creation. He said: “Going forward, I plan to use my
tenure as president of the Lichfield and Tamworth Chamber of Commerce to continue to work closely with educators, training providers and business to assist in the recovery of the Covid-19 pandemic, develop skills and employment opportunities for the people of Lichfield & Tamworth.” The four new committee members are:
Clare Lubrano, of Raphael Design; Daniel Aston, of Access Bookings; Sarah
Findlay-Cobb, of Landau Forte Academy; and Elinor Eustace of St Giles Hospice. The Chamber’s new vice-president is Julie
Poppleton, from the Stephen Sutton Multi- Academy Trust. During the AGM, the Chamber also
announced the date of its 2021 Sutton Coldfield, Lichfield, Tamworth and Cannock Chase annual awards. This will take place on 28 January, and for
the first time will include Cannock Chase Chamber of Commerce. Three divisional awards categories, ‘Small
Business of the Year’, ‘Large Business of the Year’ and ‘Young Professional of the Year’ will be up for grabs during the event.
Scaled down: Lichfield Garrick’s pantomimes, such as ‘Sleeping Beauty’ from 2016, are being reduced in scale this year
Lichfield’s Garrick theatre has been given a lifeline grant from the Government’s £1.57bn Culture Recovery Fund, to help it survive the Covid-19 crisis. The funding was announced by Culture
Secretary Oliver Dowden. Lichfield Garrick is one of 1,385 cultural and creative organisations across the country the get the urgently needed support, which is being administered by Arts Council England. The Garrick - a modern, purpose-built theatre -
has been awarded £279,446. The theatre plays host to a wide range of musical theatre, drama, comedy, music and family entertainment. The Government grant will ensure the theatre
can re-open for the winter season using social distancing for audiences, a move which will reduce the loss of income. Lichfield Garrick’s chief executive, Karen Foster,
said: “This is the best news we could have had at this time. As a small, independent arts charity which has been closed for live shows since March, this award will help to sustain us whilst social distancing measures are necessary, protecting our staff, audience and performers. “Christmas came early to the Lichfield Garrick with this wonderful news enabling us to look
forward to the real Christmas with ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’, ‘Freddy the Teddy’s Christmas Feast’ and our Santa’s Grotto all benefitting from the financial sustainability which this grant brings. “My heartfelt thanks to the Arts Council
England for this award and to the Chancellor for supporting the arts ecology which brings so much joy and economic benefit to our country.” Arts Council England chairman Sir Nicholas
Serota said: “This life-changing funding will save thousands of cultural spaces loved by local communities and international audiences. Further funding is still to be announced and we are working hard to support our sector during these challenging times.” Lichfield Garrick was originally intending to
host a ‘Peter Pan’ pantomime over Christmas, but this was postponed and replaced by ‘Jack and Beanstalk’, which is a ‘bite-sized panto’. A bite-sized panto is a shorter run pantomime
with fewer performers on stage, which meets Government safety requirements. Karen Foster said: “At the Lichfield Garrick we
are determined to adapt and bring high quality entertainment to our audiences this Christmas season because we know what panto means to so many people, young and old.”
College in partnership to train apprentices
South Staffordshire College is linking up with the Automatic Door Suppliers Association (ADSA), to train its apprentices. The college has worked with ADSA to create a
bespoke level 2 apprenticeship to provide the relevant health and safety, electrical and mechanical training the organisation’s member companies’ apprentices need. The apprenticeship will give all of ADSA’s
members a formal learning platform that will be combined with their own ‘on the job’ work experience. ADSA was founded in 1985, to
36 CHAMBERLINK November 2020
improve the quality of training and education available to the powered pedestrian door industry. ADSA managing director Ken Price said: “We
are delighted to be working with South Staffordshire College. Their knowledge of the construction and technical sectors is what has led us into this partnership. “The team have demonstrated that they can
link these core disciplines to our powered pedestrian door industry specific learning requirements to produce apprentices of the highest quality.
“This is long overdue for our industry. Meeting
the individual needs of our learners is important to us and South Staffordshire College will put these needs to the top of their list of priorities.” College deputy CEO Kirk Hookham said: “We
are very pleased to be working with ADSA in providing this national training centre, based in Tamworth in the heart of the Midlands. Working with ADSA in order to provide fantastic opportunities in this area demonstrates our ongoing commitment to innovative partnerships and providing high quality education and training.”
Lifeline for theatre
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