As the chair of Westside BID i'll be heading to prison – but the good news is that it’s all in a good cause!

I'm taking part in ‘Jail or Bail’ a fundraiser organised by charity Changes UK, which supports people with addiction and homelessness.

After a ‘sham’ trial, which guarantees to find me ‘guilty’, I will be taken to the cells inside the former Steelhouse Lane police station.

But instead of ‘serving my time’, all i have to do is raise a minimum of £999 and I will be released.

I have supported Changes UK for almost 10 years due to friends and family members having struggled with addiction.

Changes provides a great service in helping people deal with addiction, it’s surprising how many people are struggling with it and you don’t know.

Having had friends and members of my family who have struggled with addiction I am always glad to support them. There are three people I know who have used Changes’ services whose lives have been turned around.

I'm looking forward to the event, spending time in the cells at what is now the West Midlands Police Museum in Steelhouse Lane on 16 October.

I hope that people will give the necessary funds for me to be released, but I think some will prefer to pay me to stay in there 🤔

Changes UK is hoping to raise at least £25,000 from the Jail or Bail event after challenging local business leaders to become ‘jailbirds’ for the day.