Earlier this month, Solihull Council held the annual Civic Honours Awards, celebrating the local people and community groups that go above and beyond to make a real positive difference in Solihull.
From April to June this year, Solihull residents were able to nominate an individual or group for their hard work in the community.
Thirteen awards across nine categories were given out in total for individual and group community involvement as well as recognition for sport, creative arts, community environment, trustee, inspirational young person and making a difference for young people. The Mayor’s Award was also presented in recognition of an outstanding contribution to the lives of people in Solihull.
The winners of this year’s awards and their guests attended the ceremony on Thursday 10 October, with the Mayor of Solihull, Deputy Lieutenant Clive Stone and Councillor Ian Courts, Leader of Solihull Council, in attendance.
The Mayor of Solihull, Cllr Shahin Ashraf MBE, said:
“This year’s Civic Honours Awards was a fantastic, vibrant celebration of the people that make such a positive difference across the borough and encourage us all to take pride in our community. I have the privilege of meeting many people across the borough as Solihull’s first citizen and I am regularly inspired by the dedication, compassion and commitment of the people and groups that I meet. The ceremony was a perfect opportunity to show our gratitude and I want to offer my sincere congratulations and thanks to all of our winners.”
The 2024 Civic Honours Award winners in full:
Brian Allen – Individual Community Involvement, sponsored by Birmingham Airport
Brian is the volunteer manager of the Jolly Club at Kingshurst District & Labour Club. He tirelessly runs the club, booking coach trips and group holidays for the local pensioners during the summer and turkey and tinsel breaks in the winter. The Jolly Club meets every Thursday and attracts over 100 pensioners with live music, bingo and refreshments. The benefits the Jolly Club brings to the community are massive and many people have made lifelong friends by attending. He has worked incredibly hard and dedicated much of his own time and funds to make sure the club helps many pensioners in the area.
Steph Freeman – Individual Community Involvement, sponsored by Crowne Plaza Solihull
Steph gives up so much of her time to making changes in her community and will do everything to help others. She has been a director of Solihull Parent Carer Voice and a co-opted member of the Children’s Service, Education and Skills Scrutiny Board. She has recently stepped down for a break to support her family but now offers support on a 1:1 basis with families who have children with SEND. Steph has also just taken on the chair role for Lyndon Parks group to help improve her local parks. She does all this and more while caring for her four children and managing her Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. She is an inspirational, kind-hearted person and a leader in helping people in Solihull.
The Children’s Storehouse, Jubilee Church – Group Community Involvement, sponsored by John Lewis Solihull
The Children's Storehouse team work tirelessly to help others. Often working with refugees, the storehouse team provide good-quality clothing, toys and other essentials for those who literally have nothing. The team, led by Alison Davey, are always looking to go above and beyond – taking referrals from Solihull Council and other charity partners, they seek donations of new or quality second-hand children’s clothing. They are then able to meet the needs of those in the borough who are struggling, looking after those who need it most.
Parkinson’s UK Solihull Branch – Group Community Involvement, sponsored by Lucent Financial Planning Ltd
Run entirely by a volunteer committee, the Solihull Branch of Parkinson’s UK provide weekly activities such as functional fitness and boxing, a seated exercise class for the less mobile, walking football and yoga for all abilities. They also have a weekly singing class and a café for new members twice a month. The committee members have personal experience of Parkinson’s, and they proactively bring help to branch members in the form of falls nurses, pharmacists specialising in Parkinson’s drugs, speech therapy and much more, as well as sharing their own vast knowledge. The volunteers go above and beyond to make people with Parkinson’s and their carers’ lives better.
Terry Lloyd – Trustee, sponsored by JLR
Terry Lloyd has been Chairman of The Solihull Stroke Club since March 2013, after acting as a helper and serving on the Management Committee for several years previously. He has seen the club through the pandemic, taking on extra duties including providing therapeutic and enjoyable activities at the club’s weekly meetings, planning day trips for club members and organising annual Christmas lunches. All these tasks and responsibilities are taken on cheerfully by Terry, even though he has many other social commitments and hobbies and family responsibilities.
Solihull Soroptimists, Widney Manor Station Gardening Group – Community Environment, sponsored by Birmingham Business Park
Since 2006, the Solihull Soroptimists, Widney Manor Station gardening group of volunteers has planted and maintained the gardens and flower boxes at Widney Manor Station. Their work includes planting each spring, watering rotas in summer and cutting back and maintaining in autumn and winter months. They regularly engage with commuters, who have often stated appreciation for their colourful and vibrant displays. The group deserves recognition for their long-term commitment and hard work within the community and their devotion to improving the environment in a sustainable manner.
Joyce Stevens – Creative Arts, sponsored by NEC Group
Joyce has been a dance teacher since she was 14 and is still teaching at 89! A Shirley resident, Joyce runs the long-established Lynford School of Dancing. She has worked tirelessly to teach hundreds of students while also producing wonderful dance shows to raise money for worthwhile causes. Dance is her passion but so is teaching, as is made clear by all the love her current and former students show her. She also regularly conducts an armchair exercise class for those who can't dance as well and an adult tap class which many of her pupils still attend fifty years on.
David Felthouse and Roger Monkman – Creative Arts, sponsored by Resorts World Birmingham
David and Roger were two of the original volunteers who founded The Bugle, Balsall Common’s quarterly magazine, fifteen years ago. Since 2010, David and Roger have been the two Directors of the magazine, with Roger volunteering as Editor and David volunteering as Administration and Sales Lead. Their hard work has enabled the magazine to be provided for free to the residents of Balsall Common and its surrounding villages. They have helped it grow from the original 16-page edition to an 80-page glossy magazine that now reaches over 4000 households, shaping it into an integral part of local community life.
Alfie Ford – Inspirational Young Person, sponsored by Correla
Alfie is an exceptional young campaigner for autism awareness. He has taken on many fundraising challenges since his first in 2022. In 2023, he appeared on national television for his 15,000 steps a day challenge, working with Birmingham City Football Club to raise over £2,000. This year, he cycled five kilometres every day in April and raised over £1000. Alfie is incredibly well known and well liked in the community and is passionate about raising autism awareness as he is autistic himself. In 2023 he was praised in Prime Minsters Questions by Rishi Sunak and again appeared on national television in January 2024.
Jean and Ken Jones - Making a Difference for Young People, sponsored by DM & Co
Jean and Ken have been foster carers for over 40 years. During this time they have cared for many children; some have stayed for just a few nights, others for many years. Over their fostering career Jean and Ken have supported children through adoption and into adulthood, often offering a home to young people past the age of 18 and remaining part of their lives even when they have left their care. The couple have provided stability, love and compassion. Jean and Ken are due to retire early next year once the current young person they are caring for turns 18 - it is a fitting end to their fostering career for them to receive this recognition.
Ellie Walsh – Sport, sponsored by MACC Care
Ellie is a Solihull resident who dedicates her time volunteering for ACES Netball Club in Yardley Wood. She encourages everyone to play sport and helps reduce the barriers that may restrict them from getting involved, including introducing a ‘pay what you can when you can’ scheme. Ellie keeps the club engaged in local activities and co-ordinates regular fundraisers. She works tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure the club runs smoothly, recruiting new members, helping organise training sessions as well as entering the teams into leagues to get them as much playing time as possible. She is dedicated to reducing the barriers stopping local young girls and women being involved in sport.
Solihull Moors Foundation – The Mayor’s Award, sponsored by Touchwood
Over the past year, Solihull Moors FC has demonstrated a high standard of football that has energised new and old supporters, bringing the local community together to support the club’s two visits to Wembley Stadium and raising the profile of Solihull by winning a place in two different nationally televised contest finals. The club’s charity arm, Solihull Moors Foundation, has also worked to make an outstanding positive difference in local resident’s lives, working with over 25 schools, partnering with other local charities and hosting holiday clubs and junior football teams to support people of all ages across the borough.