Kate Pritchard

Lichfield city centre will be buzzing this May when the Spring Food & Drink Festival returns for residents and visitors to enjoy.

Taking place on Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 May, the festival will bring together more than 100 traders from across the region, offering a vibrant mix of street food, artisan produce, drinks and handmade goods, helping to create a lively and welcoming atmosphere across the city centre.

Alongside the food and drink offer, this year’s festival will also highlight the success of the council’s Community Grant Programme, which was introduced to support local organisations to take part in and enhance major events.

Through the programme, local organisations have been supported to deliver activities that add even more to the festival experience. Ripple Music Group will bring a programme of live performances from local artists, creating a vibrant soundtrack across the city, while Lichfield Arts will add to the atmosphere with roaming entertainment on the Saturday.

Families can enjoy children’s craft and reading activities hosted by The Bookery, supporting the National Year of Reading, and The Cake Spa will deliver sustainable cake decorating workshops, raising funds for local charity Kids’ Village and adding a creative, hands-on element to the weekend.

As part of the council’s wider commitment to supporting local businesses and encouraging enterprise, five free start-up stalls have also been awarded to new traders. This provides emerging businesses with the opportunity to showcase their products, reach new customers and be part of one of the city’s largest events.

Councillor Phil Whitehouse, Cabinet Member for Operational Services, Parks and Waste, said: “Lichfield‘s Spring Food & Drink Festival is a fantastic event for the city and a great example of how we can bring together food, community and local business in a way that benefits everyone.
“As well as welcoming more than 100 traders to the city, it’s brilliant to see local organisations playing such an important role in the festival programme, and to support new businesses through our free start-up stalls. It all helps create a weekend that is vibrant, inclusive and full of reasons for people to visit and enjoy Lichfield.”

Cloudy Galvez of Ripple Music Group which is receiving a Community Grant said: “It’s a great opportunity to be involved with the Spring Food Festival through the community grants program. As a local music promoter, I’m always on the look-out for new ways to do my bit and help to provide platforms for Lichfield’s brilliant music scene.

“So, to be awarded funding to run a live music stage right in the middle of the city during a busy food festival is so exciting. We’ve been able to offer live performance slots to 8 local artists across the weekend, and I can’t wait to see such a talented range of musicians do their thing on May 16 and 17.”
Laura Sutton, owner of The Cake Spa, said: “I am over the moon to have received a community grant in order to put on some fun and free activities for the kids to join in with during the Spring Food Festival. I’m looking forward to collaborating with another local business, The Happy Human Collective to offer a few craft activities for the children to enjoy while attending the family zone during both days of the festival.

“We will also be taking donations to help raise funds for Kids’ Village, a local children’s charity which is building a countryside holiday village for sick children and their families to enjoy. It’s sure to be lots of fun and a great opportunity for the children to enjoy some time to get creative!”
The Spring Food & Drink Festival is free to attend, with activities taking place across the city centre throughout the weekend.
Visitors are encouraged to explore the city, support local traders and enjoy everything the festival has to offer.

For more information about the event including travel suggestions when attending please visit Lichfield Food & Drink Festival Spring – Visit Lichfield

Local organisations across Lichfield District are being encouraged to apply for funding to help deliver projects that improve everyday life for residents.
The council is inviting applications through the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) — a fund used to support the development of new or improved community facilities and infrastructure.

This year, funding will focus on projects that address key local needs, including healthcare, transport, sports facilities and education. Projects must align with these priorities to be considered as part of this funding round.

Alongside this, smaller, community-led initiatives may still be eligible for Neighbourhood CIL funding, which is managed by local parish and town councils.
Previous projects supported through CIL funding include improvements to the Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA) in Alrewas, a new 3G football pitch at Chasetown Football Club, and the 3G pitch at Lichfield Leisure Centre in Stychbrook Park — all helping to enhance local facilities for residents.

Councillor Alex Farrell, Lichfield District Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing & Local Plan, said: “The Community Infrastructure Levy funds capital projects benefiting residents across Lichfield District. We would encourage any organisation with a project that meets these priorities to come forward and speak to us about their ideas.”

Organisations interested in applying should email cil@lichfielddc.gov.uk to discuss their proposal and confirm eligibility. Once confirmed, applicants will be invited to complete an online application form.

The deadline for completed applications is 5pm on Friday 8 May 2026.

Applications will be reviewed by the council’s Strategic Infrastructure Group, with final funding decisions made by Cabinet in summer 2026.

A car suspected of being used in illegal fly-tipping has been seized by Lichfield District Council as part of ongoing work to tackle environmental crime.
On Sunday 8 March fly-tipped waste was discovered on land opposite the junction of Eastern Avenue and Curborough Road in Lichfield.
Using evidence recovered from the waste, Environmental Protection Officers reviewed CCTV footage and identified items that matched those seen being loaded into the vehicle.
Following this review, officers believed the vehicle had been used to commit waste offences under Sections 33 and 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
As a result, they seized a grey Nissan Note from the car park at Streethay Local Shopping Centre, Yoxall Way, Lichfield, at approximately 5.50pm on Friday 27 March.
Councillor Richard Cox, Cabinet Member for Community and Public Protection, said: “Fly-tipping is a serious crime that will not be tolerated in Lichfield District.
“Our officers seized this vehicle last Friday suspecting it had been used to dump waste in the city.
“They will continue their investigations and look to prosecute those responsible.”
Anyone with any information about this offence is asked to contact Lichfield District Council’s Environmental Protection Team at pollution@lichfielddc.gov.uk or on 01543 308000.

Helping Hands provide expert home care in Tamworth & Lichfield and the nearby areas. Our wonderful carers can provide various home care services such as live-in, elderly, respite and expert dementia care. We can provide live-in care in 24 hours.

Here are our details:

Helping Hands Home Care Tamworth & Lichfield
Business Address: 37 George St, Tamworth B79 7LJ

Lichfield District Council has been declared UK Council of the Year at a prestigious national awards ceremony celebrating outstanding work within local government.

The iESE Public Sector Transformation Awards 2026 highlights the people and projects driving positive change for residents across the country in a host of areas from digital innovation, partnership and collaboration and customer service to health and social care, emergency service and the environment.
Lichfield District Council has been transforming its services delivering real improvements for residents through innovation and strong leadership guided by our strategic plan LD2050.

The council is now agile, commercially minded and resident-led benefitting the district through enhanced customer services, planning services, benefits services, housing services, environment and community protection services, leisure services, regeneration projects and social value.
At a special ceremony at Church House in Westminster, London, on Wednesday (4 March) finalists gathered for this year’s iESE Awards for which there were 218 nominations from 88 public sector organisations.

The evening culminated in Lichfield District Council being presented with the most prestigious award – UK Council of the Year 2026 – having ‘demonstrated exceptional leadership, innovation, and impact’ and ‘transformed services, strengthened communities, and delivered measurable improvements for residents, setting the benchmark for excellence in local government’.
The Leader of Lichfield District Council, Councillor Doug Pullen said: “I am very proud that LDC has been named UK Council of the Year at this year’s iESE Awards.

“It is a testament to the hard work of officers and councillors who care deeply about Lichfield District and strive every day to improve services for its residents.”

Ukrainian people living in Lichfield District held a special ceremony today to mark the fourth anniversary of the Russian invasion of their homeland.
Gathering in the garden at District Council House in Frog Lane, they were joined by councillors, council staff and supporters to raise the Ukrainian flag and observe a period of reflection and remembrance for those who have lost their lives.

The invasion in February 2022 forced millions of Ukrainian people to flee to safety across Europe and beyond. Since then, Lichfield District has welcomed 296 people displaced by the conflict and continues to provide sanctuary for 53 residents.

Among them is Iryna Lytvynenko who said: “Ukraine is fighting for peace in the whole independent world. These four years show us that we can be strong, respectful and tight-knit. Being in Lichfield gives us a strong sense of belonging to community. We feel welcomed and supported.”
Karina Katsiuba added: “For four years the Ukrainian nation has demonstrated its resilience and strength, and with God’s help we will be able to achieve justice.”

Councillor Doug Pullen, the Leader of Lichfield District Council, said: “Four years on from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, this anniversary is a deeply bittersweet moment. I still remember standing at the Polish border and seeing families arrive with little more than a suitcase, exhausted and uncertain about what lay ahead.

“In the months that followed, many of those same women and children came to Lichfield. Our community opened its doors, and they in turn have given so much back. They are now our colleagues, our volunteers, our business owners and our friends. They have strengthened the fabric of our city in steady and determined ways.

“While I know that many hope to return home in the future, I also hope they know this: they will always have a home here in Lichfield.”

A range of fantastic free activities are on offer to young people during half term organised by Lichfield District Council.

From Monday 16 February to Friday 20 February, Active Lichfield Communities is hosting a series of sessions from basketball, street dance and soft archery to kickboxing, dodgeball and football.

Activities, aimed at 7 to 19 year-olds, are taking place at Burntwood Leisure Centre, Lichfield Leisure Centre, Fusion Studio and Curborough Community Centre in Lichfield.

Part of the council’s Getin2it programme and led by qualified coaches they are a great way to be active over the school break.

Councillor Andy Smith, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Leisure and Major Projects, said: “Our team has arranged an exciting programme of free activities for young people to enjoy over the half term break. They support our aim of people in Lichfield District being more active, more often and for longer.

“Come along and join in the fun over half term.”

There are also a range of swimming sessions available at Lichfield Leisure Centre.

To view the full programme of activities, including locations, dates and session times, visit: Holiday fun – Active Lichfield District.