About Us

Who are we? Other Side of Solihull is a not-for-profit, non-partisan blog covering news and events in North Solihull (Castle Bromwich, Chelmsley Wood, Smith's Wood, Kingshurst & Fordbridge and Marston Green). The site was set up in 2014 to provide a trusted source of journalism in the area. A year later we launched a regular digital newspaper to complement our blog posts. It's our aim to give residents a voice, speak up for the community and provide clear, accurate information about what is happening where you live.

Our pledges:
1. No clickbait: We are a local news site and proud of it. With this in mind we focus solely on North Solihull, rather than recycling national news or generic features.

2. Balanced coverage: The site strives to remain fair and impartial at all times, including in its coverage of political matters. We believe it is the job of journalists to report the facts, present both sides of the argument and let our readers decide.
3. Light and shade: North Solihull is a community full of good people, where a lot of good work is done. We will challenge the negative perceptions of the area and promote success stories. That said, we believe it is important not to gloss over bad news or ignore problems such as crime when they arise. Only by covering a broad range of events and incidents can people be kept properly informed about what's happening on their doorstep.
4. Council coverage: We will hold those in power to account and are worried that councils and other public bodies are no longer scrutinised as they once were. Yet their decisions - be it allowing building on part of Babbs Mill or cutting funding to an Adventure Playground - affect thousands of residents. Our editor has been reporting on Solihull Council for over ten years and we take pride in providing regular updates on meetings and how decisions will affect you.

Meet the Team: 

David (Editor) - I am a fully-qualified journalist with over seven years' experience writing for weekly newspapers. My proudest moments as a journalist have included breaking a story about seagull attacks at the Rover works and interviewing the man who drives the Daleks in Doctor Who. I have recently returned to full-time reporting, but will continue to update this page in my spare time.

Justine (Chief Sub-Editor) - Justine lays out all the pages for our digital newspaper. She was previously Weeklies Production Editor at Trinity Mirror Midlands and now works as a freelance page designer. As well as being the fastest sub in the West (Midlands) she has an encyclopedic knowledge of the 1986 sci fi classic Aliens.


Get Involved: We are always keen to hear from local residents. If you have a story, complaint or just a suggestion of the sort of thing you'd like to see on this site then please get in touch. Obviously we're only a small operation so please bear with us in terms of responses. We are also open to comment pieces or features relevant to the local area if people want to contact us with their submissions. For younger people who want to pursue a career in journalism or writing generally it could be a good opportunity to put some pieces together for your portfolio.