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Thank you so much for Fiday. You were all brilliant such stars. I especially appreciated your flexibility in sorting out the enterainers - it sounded and looked fab. The whole night really was great and I can't thank you enough for contributing to maing the night a success. I hope there will be other opportunities to work together.
Mona Contractor - Birmingham Community Empowerment Network

A Very Merry Day In Oldbury

A very merry day in Oldbury

The finditinsandwell team is delighted that its huge Christmas Fayre & Party in the Square yesterday (Thursday 26 November) has been hailed a sterling success. From noon to 9pm, hundreds of people turned out to Oldbury's Civic Square support eat mince pies, listen to free live music and - most importantly - support Sandwell traders.

The event, which aimed to showcase Sandwell businesses in the run-up to Christmas and get people shopping for gifts locally, welcomed special guests that included the Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Sandwell, host Marverine Cole, Father Christmas, and ex-The Drifters singer Roy G Hemmings and his Dictionary of Soul band.

More than 60 stalls sold Christmassy gifts and food, including cakes, jewellery, paintings, crafts, ornaments, cheese, toys, local beers and handmade soaps. There was a miniature train ride for small children, mulled wine for the adults, and Dreemz gospel choir to send a wonderfully Christmassy shiver down the spines of everyone who heard them.

Reflecting our drive to support local businesses, finditinsandwell member LNP Sound supplied much of the live entertainment for the day - which included a steel band and several solo artists. Smethwick-based Nachural provided us with sound logistics.

Exhibitors are already telling us that they had a great day, despite the bitterly cold weather. Jacksons Catering Company made £350 from selling mulled wine, which they have kindly donated to Breast Cancer Awareness via a charity day organised by Interserve.

Pam Kaur of local business Choco-Wrap said: "We had a great time and sold 71 personalised bars which I was really very pleased with. Definitely looking forward to the next one!"

And there may well be a 'next one', because the Fayre attracted a great deal of positive attention from some of Sandwell's dignitaries, including Councillors Ann Shackleton, Steven Frear, Bob Badham and Mahboob Hussain. There are talks of organising further events throughout the year, so watch this space for more information.

We also used the day to showcase our new shopinsandwell venture - a groundbreaking green website which will allow you to order Sandwell-sourced products, delivered directly to your front door or place of work.

“Following on from the success of the finditinsandwell website, we’re keen to support local retailers and small businesses – not least in these difficult trading times,” said Councillor Ann Shackleton, cabinet member for employment, skills and partnerships. “So Sandwell Council is teaming up with local consumer businesses to launch shopinsandwell – an online shopping scheme which will showcase and sell locally produced goods and deliver them the same day through a bespoke delivery network in the borough.”

Paul Long and Colette Smith from IceBlue Marketing & Design took an exhibition stand to promote the free website to passers-by - and around 70 members of the public have already signed up. You too can register your interest to shop locally here: www.shopinsandwell.co.uk.

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