 Good morning!
 In our fast-paced lives, it's easy to become consumed by the daily grind, but taking a moment to appreciate the good things around us can have a profound impact on well-being. It's essential to prioritise mental and emotional health, and recognising the positive affect we have on each other and on the people we serve is a significant step in that direction.
This morning, perhaps make a conscious effort to embrace the positivity within and around, and reflect on the good news being shared by colleagues below.
You are the ultimate field guide to your own service area, the one with the inside track on everything that’s happening and why it matters. So, why not become one of our Good News Champions?
We're acutely aware of incredible work being done to transform the council through the Shropshire Plan and we want to broadcast it far and wide, but alas - only so many hours in a day. That's where you come in. Spread your stories horizontally across the council and vertically up and down all levels of the organisation by being a Good News Champion. Be seen!
As the vital link between your service area and the Office of the Chief Executive, you'll share tales and testaments of change. No need to pen a complete narrative (although don’t let us stop you!), simply jot down some key points and loop us in. Send us videos (under 1 min), photos and stories - bombard us with your accomplishments! Show us how your service area is delivering the Shropshire Plan each and every day.
Curiosity piqued? Reach out to goodnews@shropshire.gov.uk and tell us you're interested. We're ready to roll out the welcome mat for our new champions!
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 The teams at Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery (SM&AG), Theatre Severn and Shropshire Libraries have been promoting inclusivity and visibility as part of June's Pride Month celebrations.
The Museum and Theatre Severn hosted workshops for LGBTQ+ families, and showcased films and displays that brought to life historical and contemporary LGBTQ+ narratives. One inspiring exhibition was The Wave Project, co-produced with Safer Ageing No Discrimination (SAND), which featured stunning photographic portraits of older LGBTQ+ members waving to the camera to raise awareness of the unique experiences and challenges they face.
 Photo courtesy of SAND – The Wave Exhibition.
Meanwhile, Shropshire Libraries confirmed plans to build on their stock, which already includes LGBTQ+ interest reading materials, to better represent gender and sexuality issues. They also undertook community outreach and ran Human Library workshops featuring 'human books' from the LGBTQ+ community in dialogue sessions that challenged prejudices.
Clare Featherstone, head of Culture, Leisure & Tourism (CLT), is exploring ways to make our cultural venues welcoming to everyone and ensure equality of access for all:
“During Pride month, it’s been wonderful to talk with the CLT teams about the projects they run with different communities. I’ve been so proud to learn more about the amazing activities that they deliver and I am keen that we share this best practice with others."
By showcasing diverse voices and experiences in our institutions, the spirit of Pride Month can echo on throughout the year.
Breaking news! June's Pride celebrations may have come to a close, but a new Shrewsbury Pride Festival is to take place in September. Stay tuned.
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 This year's Shropshire Chamber Business Awards ceremony saw awards go to 12 local businesses, but we wanted to acknowledge that our very own Business Growth & Investment Team provided support in recent years to all of the dozen winners, whether through Invest in Shropshire or the Marches Growth Hub Shropshire.
 Matt Potts, business growth and investment services manager, said:
“It was really gratifying to see that we have engaged with all the award winners in some form at this year’s awards ceremony and provides us with a real sense of achievement to have played a small part in each of the business’s journeys."
The Business Growth & Investment Team is responsible for providing business support, actively promoting and encouraging inward investment into the county by showcasing it as an attractive destination to live, work and invest.
 Shropshire Council recently participated in Bayston Hill Green Week, supporting the community's environmental initiatives, by leading a guided walk around Lyth Hill.
 Ed Andrews, country parks manager, who led the well-attended walk and talk, highlighted the excellent work being done to manage habitats and ensure public access on Lyth Hill, much of which is made possible by generous financial contributions from Bayston Hill and Longden Parish Councils.
 A new look mobile library is taking to Shropshire’s highways.
 Rawden Parslow, principal library operations and development manager, said:
"We're delighted to unveil our new custom-fitted mobile library vehicle, which brings the transformative power of library services directly to rural areas and ensures that every resident can benefit from the library's resources. It demonstrates our commitment to inclusivity and equal access, and we can't wait to further connect and serve our rural communities with this wonderful addition."
The new Iveco van has been ‘wrapped’ to give it a distinctive look and make it recognisable as it covers routes serving Shropshire Council’s mobile library users the length and breadth of the county. It is stocked with 3,500 books and carries a selection of titles across all genres and for all age groups.
The Muddy Boots Club was back in action in June in Market Drayton.
Funded by the Veolia Envirogrant scheme and jointly organised by Market Drayton Library and its Friends group, this free series of hour-long outdoor activities aims to encourage pre-school children to get out and about in nature, playing, creating and discovering. Each week, the location changes, offering a new and exciting adventure.
This series of sessions included a trip to Longlands Primary School which has its own petting zoo, providing the children with the unforgettable experience of interacting with guinea pigs, rabbits and even goats. Participating children also engaged in other eco-friendly activities, such as making bird feeders, doing leaf rubbings, bug spotting and planting seeds. The club always concludes with a story, tying the session together perfectly.
Thanks to the Muddy Boots Club, many children and their parents have discovered new areas of the town, met new people, enhanced their well-being and developed new skills.
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A mystery celebrity visited the Shropshire Archives when they played host to a Channel 4 film crew last month.
The personality spent two days at the Archives examining old newspapers relating to crime and punishment. The film crew were particularly keen on the household name using the retro microfilm readers and filming in the document storeroom to create atmospheric shots amongst old records and maps.
Archives staff remarked on the astonishing amount of equipment and effort that went into filming for what was only likely to be a small amount of on-screen time. They say the celeb's secret identity will be revealed in autumn when the programme is advertised, but until then they're keeping schtum!
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 Susan Vuli, operations manager at Shire Services, has informed us of a tasting event at a school in Dudley Mount Pleasant on 6 July, and the positive response they received from the pupils.
 The event saw participation from many eager young students, who were kind enough to provide their insightful feedback. Some of their comments can be seen here, and based on their enthusiastic responses, it's safe to say the event was a resounding success!
 A 'tasting' is an event where a catering service provider offers samples of their food to students, staff and other stakeholders to showcase the quality and variety they offer. Attendees sample the meals and provide feedback on the taste, presentation and their overall satisfaction. It serves as an opportunity for the catering service to introduce themselves, build relationships and promote their services to potential customers.
The Public Health team has increased referrals to its jointly-funded Healthy Start programme by almost a third through a revamped marketing campaign. The programme provides help for low-income families to buy milk, fruit and vegetables and to access free vitamins during pregnancy up until a child turns four.
To boost referrals, the Public Health team reviewed its approach to promoting Healthy Start last year. The team worked with the Shropshire Food Poverty Alliance and Trussell Trust on the new campaign, consulting stakeholders and professionals.
The new marketing campaign, launched in July 2022, included a new leaflet, stickers, posters and a QR code linking to information online. It garnered great feedback and attracted new partner organisations.
Since the revamp, Healthy Start referrals have jumped significantly, making good use of council funds and helping ensure children in low-income families have a healthy start in life.
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The annual Armed Forces Day brought together serving personnel, veterans and family members for a day of celebration and recognition.
This year's event took place on 24 June at Shrewsbury Castle, drawing crowds to honour the Armed Forces community. Attendees enjoyed lively musical performances, interactive activities and exhibits of vintage military vehicles that allowed for photo opportunities.
 The wide range of family-friendly activities reflected the diverse organisations involved in planning and supporting the event. From the Royal British Legion to the local fire service, many groups came together to provide an engaging experience for all ages. Popular attractions included weapon displays and Smart Water marking for military medals.
The coordination required was extensive, but organisers agreed the recognition was worth the effort. Sean McCarthy, Armed Forces Covenant lead, praised the event, saying, "It was rewarding to see the community come together to celebrate these deserving individuals."
Though specifics differ yearly, Shropshire's Armed Forces Day always provides an opportunity to honour the past and present sacrifices of the local military community. The strong turnout proved that public appreciation continues year on year.
The Shropshire Council CCTV team has been awarded a certificate from West Mercia Police for its outstanding contribution to reducing anti-social behaviour in the area. The award was presented as part of Anti-Social Behaviour Awareness Week, which ran from 3-9 July across Herefordshire, Shropshire and Worcestershire.
The week aimed to encourage communities to tackle anti-social behaviour and highlight actions that can be taken. West Mercia Police joined the national campaign, carrying out events and activities to showcase the work done year-round to keep communities safe.
Certificates were given to individuals and organisations that have helped reduce anti-social behaviour and its impacts. The Shropshire Council CCTV team was recognised for playing a key role in this effort.
Chris Westwood, customer services, service delivery and improvement manager, was glad to see this little-known council team recognised and said, "All appreciation from the police is really well received and deserved."
It's hard to imagine right now, but winter isn't far off, and once again Shropshire Council will collaborate with a range of agencies to provide a Winter Support Service to help residents avoid hospital stays and return home sooner. The service offers wellbeing checks, home help, transportation, and connecting people to community resources.
Last winter, the service helped 250 Shropshire residents. One woman who hates being cold said the service helped pay for heating oil which made her "feel so much better" as winter approached. Another isolated senior now attends weekly social groups. A third is receiving help with transport to medical appointments.
The service is run by the Wellbeing & Independence Partnership Shropshire and provides a range of support, from getting people home from hospital to assessing them for assistive technology. The goal is to ease pressure on hospitals and social care services during the busy winter months.
Feedback from service users shows how it improves quality of life, such as going to a weekly social group offering "something to look forward to." By supporting vulnerable residents, the Winter Support Service helps the whole community.
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We need you (yes, you colleague!) to provide us with good news stories showing how your service is delivering the Shropshire Plan. If you've got a photo and some words to go with it then use our simple form:
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