Millennium Point has announced Angel Sofolabo as the winner of its 2026 Trust Scholarship, a fully funded undergraduate degree run in partnership with Birmingham City University (BCU). Angel, a sixth form student at Caludon Castle School in Coventry, will study BSc Computer Science with Artificial Intelligence at BCU’s School of Architecture, Built Environment, Computing and Engineering, with three years of tuition fees covered in full.
The scholarship is run each year by the Millennium Point Charitable Trust, which exists to support the next generation of talent across STEM. Applicants go through a two-stage process, culminating in an assessment day where finalists take part in interviews and a developmental workshop focused on presentation and professional skills, regardless of whether they win.
Angel’s application stood out for a clear focus on cybersecurity and building trustworthy technology. Alongside sixth form study, Angel has already achieved a Level 4 Cybersecurity qualification and completed project management work experience with Turner & Townsend, gaining early exposure to how professional teams plan, communicate and solve problems. Angel plans to pursue a career in software engineering or artificial intelligence after graduating, with a particular interest in building systems that are secure, fair and trustworthy.
Abbie Vlahakis, CEO of Millennium Point, said: “Every year we see applicants who are already thinking seriously about the future of technology, and Angel is a brilliant example of that. This scholarship exists because we want talented young people across the West Midlands to be able to pursue a STEM career without cost being the thing that holds them back. We can’t wait to see what Angel goes on to achieve.”
Angel Sofolabo said: “This scholarship is a reminder that hard work, faith, and perseverance truly pay off. I’m incredibly grateful for this opportunity. ”
The Millennium Point Trust Scholarship covers full tuition fees for an undergraduate degree at BCU’s School of Architecture, Built Environment, Computing and Engineering, across subject areas including engineering, architecture, and computing. Applications for the 2027 scholarship will open in January, with more information available at millenniumpoint.org.uk/trust/scholarship.
Millennium Point welcomed students from local schools to SciSPACE, a day-long event exploring careers and further education in space, aerospace and aviation.
Delivered by Elevation X, SciSPACE is the latest in Millennium Point’s SciSERIES, a programme designed to spark interest among young people in STEM subjects and the careers they can eventually lead to. This year’s edition put space right at the centre, while keeping the door open to other STEM pathways.
Students were engaged with live shows, hands-on workshops, exhibitor stands and visits to Thinktank, Birmingham’s science museum, housed within Millennium Point. The venue’s Atrium hosted 21 exhibitors in total, with the Air League Trust, Birmingham Open Media, Birmingham City University, Aston University’s Women in STEM initiative, STEM Learning and Digital Innovators all among them.
Across the building, students built and launched paper planes and rockets, took part in a Moon Camp workshop, trained like astronauts in a Mission X exercise session, and competed in a Space Quizdom challenge. Elevation X also ran a Comet Speed Cage and Space Robot activity using Sphero robotics.
Abbie Vlahakis, CEO of Millennium Point, said: “Days like SciSPACE are exactly what we’re all about at Millennium Point. Seeing so many young people walk through our doors and leave thinking differently about what a career in space or aviation could look like is what we set out to have when we started the SciSERIES. Birmingham has a real role to play in the future of these industries, and it starts with days like this.”
SciSPACE follows SciENGINEERING in 2025, SciTECH in 2024 and SciMED in 2023, each free to attend and built around the same goal: giving young people direct, hands-on exposure to industries they might not otherwise experience at school.
Science in the City: How CSR Scientific Training is helping build the workforce Birmingham needs
Walk into the ground floor laboratory at Millennium Point on any given day and you will find people working through practical sessions on state-of-the-art equipment, an AI humanoid called Ada assisting with teaching and support, and a team committed to the idea that science careers should be accessible to anyone with the drive to pursue one.
This is CSR Scientific Training, and for 15 years it has been doing something the rest of the sector has been slow to catch up with. The company works with employers, large and small, to find talent and train people for careers in science and healthcare science. Not to employ apprentices directly, as many assume, but to act as the bridge between ambitious individuals and the organisations that need them. It is a distinction that matters, and one the team finds itself making often. Simon Jukes is the co-founder and director:
“If a local science employer has no prior knowledge of us before we talk to them, I hope they see that we are about building up people and businesses, not about a hard sell or a transaction.”
That ethos is woven into the fabric of the organisation, from the way it approaches new relationships to the graduation ceremony it holds each year at Millennium Point, where apprentices, their families and their workplace mentors gather to mark the completion of programmes that, in rigour and commitment, sit comfortably alongside a traditional degree.
The science and apprenticeship sectors are full of misconceptions, and CSR has made a habit of dismantling them. The idea that apprenticeships attract people who are less academically capable is, as the team puts it plainly, “as far from the truth as it is possible to get.” Their programmes are filled with people aged 18 to 60, many of them highly qualified, all of them united by a desire to move forward.
“The thing they all share is a desire to work and learn, to move their careers forward or make a change and do something new.”
The numbers behind the sector tell their own story. Life science contributes more than £90 billion annually to the UK economy, yet fewer than 2,000 new apprenticeships begin in the sector each year. In engineering, which has long embraced the model, that figure is around 50,000. The gap is significant, and closing it is part of what drives CSR’s ambitions for the years ahead.
Those ambitions are well placed. Birmingham is at the centre of a period of serious investment in life science infrastructure. BioCity, the city centre’s new life sciences hub, completes its build next year. The UK government’s £100 million AI Life Sciences Accelerator Mission positions the West Midlands as a recipient of meaningful funding and private sector interest. AI-enhanced drug discovery is expected to become a defining theme for the region’s economy, and the workforce will need to be ready.
“The skills we need in Birmingham for the decade ahead are going to be digital literacy, especially around AI, combined with flexible scientific research knowledge and skills.”
CSR’s response to that challenge is already taking shape. A new Science Bootcamp strand focuses on healthcare and life science, designed to give the regional workforce the short, intensive training it needs to support rapid growth. The teaching itself has moved well beyond what most people picture when they think of science education. Online platforms, cutting-edge laboratory equipment and Ada, the AI humanoid, place CSR at a point where the pace of its development matches the pace of the sector it serves.
Underpinning all of it is a location that the company has long considered central to its plans. Millennium Point, positioned at the gateway to Birmingham’s Knowledge Quarter, offers a combination of profile, infrastructure and institutional support that the team describes as “exceptional.” The arrival of HS2, when it comes, will extend the reach further still.
“Millennium Point made it clear early on that scientific laboratory space is a big part of their future offer. There is no better location for us to make maximum impact.”
For anyone who has wondered whether science is for them, or whether they have left it too late, CSR’s message is direct: get in touch. There are programmes at different levels, designed for people from a wide range of backgrounds. The science sector, they are keen to point out, thrives on a neurodiverse workforce. Everyone can find their place in it.
The logo, designed fifteen years ago by a school friend of the founder, is made up of four complementary DNA base pairs. Sciencey, yes, but also quite cool. It is a small detail, but it captures something true about the organisation: rigorous in substance, human in spirit, and quietly proud of what it has built.
At Millennium Point, every event is shaped by the people behind it. From caterers and technical partners to creative suppliers, our trusted partners play a vital role in delivering memorable experiences. In this blog series we’ll be shining a spotlight on the suppliers we work closely with, sharing their stories, values and what drives them to do what they do. Meet Hollywood Monster, our branding partner, to learn more about the team, their work, and what makes their work such a key part of events at Millennium Point.
Tell us about Hollywood Monster, and tell us about the people involved.
I’m Andy McKenzie, one of the Directors at Hollywood Monster. We’re a Birmingham-based large-format print, signage and digital specialist, operating from a 45,000 sq ft facility in Tyseley, and we’ve been doing this for over 30 years.
What that means in practice is we produce the visual work that puts brands in front of people: print, signage and digital displays across building wraps, retail rollouts, exhibition stands, event branding, large-format graphics and architectural installations. We do it for some of the biggest names out there, including McDonald’s, Westfield, Adidas and Birmingham City Football Club, and for a long list of regional businesses and creative agencies who need work delivered properly and on time.
And the team behind it?
Behind the business is a really experienced group of people covering design, print, signage, digital, fabrication, installation and project management, many of whom have been with us for well over a decade. That stability matters, because it means the experience our clients get on year 10 of working with us is the same experience they got on day one.
What do you think people like about what you do, and how you do it?
It comes down to four things: quality, speed, scale and experience. And then there’s a fifth thing, which is that we bring print, signage and digital together under one roof.
Quality is non-negotiable in our world. If a national retailer is rolling out new graphics to 400 stores, every panel has to match. If a developer is wrapping a city centre building, the install has to be flawless. We’ve invested in world-class kit, including the SwissQprint Kudu, the EFI VUTEk M3h and the Hasler Magna five-metre cutter, precisely because that level of consistency demands it.
Speed matters because most of our clients don’t have the luxury of long lead times. They’ve got an opening date, a campaign launch, an event that’s happening whether the print, signage or digital is ready or not. We’ve built our production process around hitting those dates without compromising quality.
Scale is where a lot of competitors fall away. We can handle one high-impact piece for a single venue, or we can deliver a 500-site national rollout across print, signage and digital. Same business, same standards.
And experience is what ties it together. Thirty years of doing this means we’ve seen the things that can go wrong on a project, which means we know how to stop them happening to our clients.
When people talk about why they work with us, they talk about value: value in the work itself, value in the way we approach it, and value cost-wise too. We’re competitive on price, but more importantly we’re competitive on the total cost of getting a project right first time.
Tell us about your connection with Millennium Point…
Millennium Point is one of Birmingham’s most important venues, and the brands and events that choose to be there deserve to be showcased properly. That’s what this partnership is really about for us. Every conference, awards ceremony, exhibition and activation that comes through Millennium Point is an opportunity to do justice to whoever’s hosting it, and to make sure their audience walks in and feels the quality of what’s been put together across print, signage and digital.
Why do partnerships like this one matter to you?
As a Birmingham business, we believe in supporting the institutions that make this city what it is. Millennium Point sits at the heart of Eastside and plays a genuine role in education, innovation and bringing people together. When a venue like that backs the next generation of engineers, scientists and creatives, the right thing for businesses like ours to do is back the venue.
Partnerships like this also matter because they let us put our best work in front of audiences who might otherwise never have come across us. Every event is a showcase for the host brand first, but it’s also quietly a showcase for the craft that goes into making that event look the way it does. We’re proud to be part of that, and proud that Millennium Point trusted us with the job.
Millennium Point is inviting businesses across the West Midlands to book their Christmas celebrations early, with a new range of corporate and group party packages now available for 2026.
The packages are made for corporate bookers, event organisers and PAs, covering a wide range of group sizes and formats from team nights out to company wide parties. Professionally delivered catering, well-equipped and managed event spaces, and full AV infrastructure for entertainment, branding and production, means parties at the venue are fully covered.
For businesses that confirm a booking by 31 July 2026, Millennium Point is offering a complimentary prosecco upgrade: guests will receive a bottle of prosecco for every 5 guests booked. Also, as a charitably operated venue, Millennium Point is able to offer something beyond the event itself, with its trust work supporting projects all around Birmingham and the region beyond. Its location also means it’s one of the most accessible spaces in the city.
Rebecca Delmore, Commercial Director at Millennium Point, said: “We want businesses to feel good about where they’re celebrating, and not just because the spaces are great. Every booking at Millennium Point helps fund our charitable work across the region, from STEM education to community projects, so there’s a real sense that the celebration means something beyond the night itself. And with the new Metro stop right on our doorstep, getting everyone together for Christmas has never been easier.”
Millennium Point is located in Birmingham’s Eastside, with the new Metro stop and strong transport links from across the region making access straightforward and easy.
At Millennium Point, every event is shaped by the people behind it. From caterers and technical partners to creative suppliers, our trusted partners play a vital role in delivering memorable experiences. In this new blog series, we’ll be shining a spotlight on the suppliers we work closely with, sharing their stories, values and what drives them to do what they do. We’re starting with AC Event Catering, our long‑standing catering partner, to learn more about the team, their work, and what makes their food such a key part of events at Millennium Point.
Can you tell us a bit about AC Event Catering and what drives the business?
AC Event Catering is a Midlands-based catering business built around a simple promise: good food, pure and simple. We focus on fresh ingredients, thoughtful presentation, and friendly service, and we’ve been doing it for fourteen years.
We work across a wide range of events, from private parties and weddings through to corporate functions, sports events, and community gatherings. But it’s never really just about feeding guests. It’s about creating a relaxed, enjoyable experience where the food feels generous, well-prepared, and memorable.
What makes AC Event Catering different from other catering businesses?
We don’t overcomplicate things. We focus on doing the important things well: fresh, locally sourced ingredients, well-planned menus, punctual delivery, and clean presentation. Honest food done properly will always stand out.
The team matters too. Everyone here came through major event venues before joining the business, so there’s a depth of experience and a genuine care for the work that you can’t fake. We’re professional without being impersonal, and friendly without losing focus on standards.
What do you think people love most about working with you?
Beyond the food itself, clients tell us they appreciate how approachable and easy we are to work with. We listen, we communicate clearly, and we try to take as much stress out of the process as possible. People want to feel looked after, not just like another booking in a diary.
Consistency matters too. They know we’ll turn up prepared and ready to deliver. It’s often the smaller touches, in presentation, timing, and the warmth of the service, that leave the biggest impression.
Your partnership with Millennium Point goes back a long way. Can you tell us about that?
It does, in quite a personal way. I first applied for a coffee shop manager role there in 2005, having moved up from London, and twenty years later we’ve come full circle, providing all events catering through AC Event Catering. Working at Millennium Point is something we’re extremely proud of.
It’s also a brilliant fit. The venue brings together business, education, innovation, and community events, which means we get to work across a huge variety of occasions. Every event is different, and that variety allows us to show what we can really do.
Why do partnerships like this one matter to you?
Because catering doesn’t happen in isolation. When a venue and a catering team work closely together, the whole event runs more smoothly and feels more cohesive for guests. It’s built on reliability and trust, on both sides knowing that the other will consistently deliver.
There’s also a shared reputation to consider. When you partner with a respected venue like Millennium Point, you’re representing them as much as yourself. That’s a responsibility we take seriously, and it motivates us to maintain the highest standards every time.
What would you say to someone considering AC Event Catering for their next event at Millennium Point?
That every booking matters to us, whether it’s a small internal gathering or a large formal occasion. We know the venue well, we know how to make events run smoothly, and we genuinely care about the experience we help create. That combination of familiarity, quality, and a personal approach is what people keep coming back for.
Millennium Point has announced a new programme of film screenings, taking place throughout 2026 in its landmark Birmingham Auditorium, home to the largest screen in the region.
Films for all audiences
The series begins on 15 May with a screening of Christopher Nolan’s Inception, the 2010 sci-fi thriller that has kept audiences debating its ending ever since its initial release. Further screenings include The Dark Knight Trilogy on 8 August, Labyrinth on 30 October, and a festive double bill of The Polar Express with a Santa visit on 13 December.
Relive that moment from 2008 watching The Dark Knight at Millennium Point
The Batman Trilogy screening carries particular significance for Millennium Point. In 2008, the venue hosted one of Birmingham’s most talked-about cinema events when The Dark Knight screened on its IMAX, drawing audiences who still talk about it to this day! The August event is a chance to relive that, and to introduce it to a new generation of fans.
All screenings take place in the Millennium Point auditorium, which has all the scale and atmosphere of a serious cinema venue along with the flexibility to host something a little different.
JP Haslam, AV Technical Co-ordinator at Millennium Point, said: “The auditorium was built to make an impact. The screen size and the sound setup genuinely change how you experience a film, and that’s what these events are designed around. These are films that deserve that treatment.”
Abbie Vlahakis, CEO of Millennium Point, said: “This is about giving people in Birmingham a reason to come together around film. We have one of the best screens in the region and we want people to use it. Whether you’re a lifelong film fan or just looking for a great night out, there’s something in this programme for you.”
Tickets for Inception on 15 May are £12, or £10 for students. The bar opens at 6:45pm and the film begins at 7:30pm with no adverts.
A major new creative campaign is calling on people across Birmingham to imagine what the city could look like in 2050, and it kicks off this month with a chance for the public to start submitting ideas straight away via an easy-to-use digital platform at birmingham2050.co.uk.
Birmingham 2050 launches as a city-wide call-to-action aimed at artists, designers, musicians, poets, schools, community groups, businesses and residents. The campaign invites submissions in any creative form, from traditional artwork and models to writing, music, digital design and video. It just needs to be something that can be uploaded to the digital portal.
On 24 and 25 March, a public booth will be set up at Millennium Point where residents can drop in to share their ideas about what they want Birmingham to be like in 2050. The two-day installation is designed to capture what people across the city are thinking and hoping for, with contributions feeding into the wider campaign.
The initiative arrives at a pivotal moment for Birmingham. With major infrastructure projects underway, significant cultural momentum building and long-term development reshaping the city’s landscape, organisers say the campaign is designed to channel that energy into public imagination, particularly among young people who will inherit the city being built today.
Entries will remain open until just before schools break for summer holidays. And a curated selection of submissions will be showcased in a public exhibition and live event at Millennium Point in September, featuring music performances, a live mural artist and creative visions gathered from across the region.
Abbie Vlahakis, CEO of Millennium Point, said:
“Birmingham has always been a city of makers and thinkers. Right now, it is also a city on the rise. Birmingham 2050 is about giving people permission to imagine what comes next and to share that openly. We want young people in particular to feel that their ideas matter and that the future of this city belongs to them as much as anyone. That is at the heart of what we do at Millennium Point.”
She added: “People need hope and direction. This campaign is about optimism, creativity and community. It’s an open invitation to help picture the Birmingham we want to build together.”
The campaign is backed by Millennium Point, with submissions open now at birmingham2050.co.uk.
Millennium Point Trust has opened applications for a 2026 scholarship, inviting ambitious West Midlands students to apply for a fully funded undergraduate degree at Birmingham City University.
Delivered through the Millennium Point Charitable Trust, the scholarship removes tuition fees for one successful applicant, enabling them to focus fully on their studies and future career without the burden of student debt.
Now in its 12th year, the programme reflects a sustained partnership between Millennium Point Trust and Birmingham City University, designed to support students whose ideas, drive, and potential can make a lasting difference to the West Midlands.
The scholarship has previously supported students across disciplines including computer science, real estate, and engineering, with recipients going on to apply their learning to some of the region’s most pressing challenges, from digital skills gaps to housing and regeneration.
Abbie Vlahakis, CEO of Millennium Point, said:
“Each year, the scholarship reminds us just how much talent exists across the West Midlands. Our role is to remove barriers where we can, so that potential is not limited by circumstance. This programme is about backing people early and giving them the space to develop skills that will shape the region’s future.”
All commercial activity at Millennium Point feeds directly back into its charitable work, helping to fund scholarships, education initiatives, and support for organisations across the region. Over the last decade, this approach has helped direct more than £45 million back into the West Midlands through financial support, discounted rents, and long-term investment in learning and opportunity.
Applications for the 2026 Millennium Point Trust Scholarship are now open. Full eligibility criteria and application details can be found at: www.millenniumpoint.org.uk/scholarship
Millennium Point brought together 200 of Birmingham’s business leaders, previous scholarship winners, journalists and influencers on Thursday 6 November for a Christmas tree lighting party. Rock legend Dave Hill from Slade led the countdown and hit the button to light up the 39ft Christmas tree, one of Birmingham’s tallest, which features 23,000 energy saving LED lights.
He was joined by Abbie Vlahakis, the venue’s CEO, with His Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant Derrick Anderson CBE and the Lord Mayor of Birmingham among the guests.
The evening showcased Millennium Point’s new onsite kitchen, with AC Catering designing a specially crafted festive menu for attendees, while also raising awareness for Help Harry Help Others (HHHO), a charity supporting children and young people facing adversity.
Entertainment came from Mr & Mrs Grey, who performed Ozzy Osbourne’s ‘Mama, I’m Coming Home’, and Black Sabbath’s ‘Changes’, with both songs paying tribute to Ozzy following his recent passing and as a nod to his enduring legacy to Birmingham’s musical heritage. They also performed Slade’s ‘Cum on Feel the Noize’, while Dave Hill watched on.
The celebration capped off a full day at the venue, which had earlier hosted a STEM roundtable. Featuring leaders across STEM industries, primary and secondary education, further education, higher education and not-for-profits in the STEM Sectors, the event underlines Millennium Point’s commitment to advancing science, technology, engineering and mathematics education alongside its public event programming.
Rebecca Delmore, Commercial Director at Millennium Point, said: “This evening perfectly encapsulated what Millennium Point represents, a space where Birmingham’s past, present and future come together. From hosting crucial STEM conversations during the day to bringing our community together for celebration in the evening, we’re proud to be a venue that works as hard as the city itself.
“Seeing Dave Hill light up our Christmas tree, welcoming community leaders, supporting charities like HHHO, and showcasing what our new kitchen can deliver, reminds me why this venue matters. We’re not just hosting events, we’re creating moments that connect people across every sector of Birmingham life. That’s what drives us every single day.”
