Retrofit Balsall Heath showcased their fabulous retro model house. Their team ran interactive activities and chatted with residents about how to insulate Balsall Heath’s beautiful (but sometimes drafty!) older housing stock to help cut down energy bills. The model house itself has travelled a fair bit already to local schools, and will be taking to the pavement again for Balsall Heath Community Festival. You’ll get another chance to see the model house in action, taking pride of place in our “East West Retrofit Procession” on Sunday, 5th July, the third day of our mammoth ten-day community celebration!
Retrofit Model House in action in The Old Print Works Cafe
Colouring competition returns
Long-time residents will fondly remember the iconic colouring competitions from the old Balsall Heath Carnival days (1977–2016). Back then, local schools and local organisations would distribute posters, and families would proudly display the finished masterpieces in their front windows for the judges to spot while walking the streets, with fabulous prizes up for grabs!
We loved that tradition so much that we are bringing it back for 2026!
Share your progress, your finished windows, and festival excitement using the hashtag #BHCFest26!
Carnival 2010Carnival CertificateWelcoming all! Retofit invite everyone for free snacks and activities at the Old Print WorksRetrofitting our cityColouring in competition 2009Keywords: Poster;2008;CarnivalCarnival 2010Sharing ideas at the Old Print WorksSharing the Carnival vibe and Greening Balsall Heath
For two and a half weeks I have been working as the Green Party councillor for Balsall Heath West and I am pleased to have the opportunity to share some first impressions with you here in the Heathan magazine.
Having gradually ramped up our election campaign running up to May 7th a short rest period might have been expected but we seem to have only accelerated faster since then with our own internal elections from amongst the 19 new green councillors- proud to announce an experienced and effective leader- Julien Pritchard and also very proud to announce that we elected Kamel Hawwash (our very own Palestinian Brummie) as deputy leader. As well as internal elections we have been engaged with coalition talks and negotiations involving many late night meetings. Due to Labour refusals to work with us we are looking at putting together a minority administration with the Lib Dems and some of the more principled independents. Soon come!
Casework has been piling in and I am working out a systematic process to deal with each situation fairly and robustly – I am also still very busy working as SENDCo in a large primary school so I am appealing for patience from ward members – after September I will be able to reduce my hours significantly and some more things will be sorted out them.
Community Action Meeting
Sunday 31st May 5:30-8pm, Balsall Heath Church Centre, 100 Mary Street
Join us for an evening of collaboration and change, with lcal organisations, neighbours and share ideas and take action on issues that matter to our community with Councillor Duncan Ali. Together we can make a difference!
Calthorpe Park, Birmingham’s first Public Park, was opened in 1857 for the ‘public health’ of people in Balsall Heath. We’re celebrating the achievements of Balsall Heathans living locally making a positive impact (first panel at Seven Streets Pocket Park)
Dan Burwood from Fruit and Nut Village helped locate and install Calthorpe Park Panel:
“I’m really happy to see the history of these places. It links with what we’re doing now, to engage people with being in green spaces differently. Trying to grow perennial food, share skills around that kind of thing [links] with what was here before. I think that helps us to imagine what might be here in the future.”
Dan Burwood with the new interpretation board on the corner between Cheddar and Edward Roads
“It’s heartening to see how these things shift because we’re growing edible perennial. Food, lots of fruit trees, nut trees in these Parks now. And people were doing that before. I think the way things are isn’t the way things have to continue to be.”
Traditional allotments (some previously nearby on Edward Road) are ‘allocated’ for individual use. Fruit & Nut Village designs and plants forest gardens, community orchards, and edible hedges that belong to everyone. They focus on perennial food crops, meaning plants, bushes, and trees that live for many years. They support communities to be more self-sufficient and work in local spaces to provide freely abundant food.
Growing Together in Calthorpe Park
Fruit and Nut Village and Friends of the Earth Postcode Gardeners work together supporting many sites near existing Parks and in more urban spaces, including:
The Calthorpe Interfaith Community Orchard, located in Calthorpe Park is a true testament to Balsall Heath’s diverse community. It regularly hosts interfaith tree-plantings and celebrations. It will be a part of our Balsall Heath Community Festival, bringing people of all backgrounds and faiths together to share food under the shade of fruit trees.
Partnering with Anawim (Birmingham’s Centre for Women), Fruit & Nut Village hosts regular site planning and care sessions on Mary Street. They creat safe, therapeutic, and educational spaces where women can connect with nature and learn sustainable growing skills. Find out more on 3rd July event, the launch of Balsall Heath Community Festival.
Seven Streets Pocket Park, also a part of our Commuity Festival as part of our ‘Green Trail’ on 5th July.
Get Involved at Calthorpe Park
The beauty of a forest garden is that it thrives on collective care. Whether you have a green thumb or have never touched a trowel in your life, there’s always a space for you. You can join a relaxed weekday care session, drop into a weekend workshop, or simply stop by to enjoy the peace and quiet of the orchards.
Keep an eye on their social channels or local noticeboards for upcoming Balsall Heath sessions—and next time you’re walking through the neighborhood, look up! You might just find your next healthy snack growing right above your head.
The Heritage Fund grant comes on top of £5.1m from Birmingham City Council. This is part of a £10 million total commitment to the project. Other large contributions: £350,000 Garfield Weston Foundation, £250,000 Architectural Heritage Fund, £50,000 Edward Cadbury Trust. and £12,000 Saintbury Trust.
The funding means additional air heat pumps will keep energy costs down on top of existing Phase 2 commitments:
Full restoration of the iconic Gala Pool, including a restored mezzanine gallery and a new accessible ground-floor public viewing area
Conversion of Pool 2 into a flexible event space
Transformation of the Women’s Slipper Baths into a community health & wellbeing hub
Reimagining of the Men’s Second Class Slipper Baths as a community gym
Development of the boiler room into a flexible studio space
Due to open in 2028, there will be employment and training opportunities for local people, new accessibility features. Changing Places facilities (poolside and dryside), pool hoist and pod, lift and ramp access, and wheelchair-accessible changing and viewing areas. Moseley Road Baths will be, for the first time in its history, truly welcoming to all. Phase two will “effectively remove Moseley Road Bath’s at risk status”.
Get ready to celebrate Balsall Heath this Summer. If you’ve taken a stroll through Seven Streets Pocket Park today, you might have noticed a fantastic new addition. The very first of our community history interpretation boards has officially been installed!
Hywell from the Friends of Seven Streets Park was on hand, watering redcurrant bushes and sunflowers planted below and shared his excitement:
“I think it looks great, fits in well, and it’s good for people to see a bit more about the area.”
This beautiful new panel is just the beginning. It is the first of eight historical interpretation panels popping up across Balsall Heath this year as we gear up for a massive summer of celebration.
Walking Through Time and Balsall Heath
Trails are at the absolute heart of our 2026 celebrations – our Balsall Heath Community Festival includes a Green Trail, a Heritage Trail and a Faith Trail taking place between 3rd and 13th July. There is no better way to experience Balsall Heath than by walking through, and perhaps with local organisations and volunteers so proud of where they live.
For months, the Balsall Heath Local History Society has been deep in the archives, dusting off old photographs and uncovering the fascinating, untold stories of Balsall Heath and the incredible people who have shaped it. Working alongside brilliant local partners, these discoveries have been brought to life in a series of interpretation panels.
They mix community memories, rare achival photos and each board links via QR code to yet more online resources, photography audio, film and more. It is a part of our living history and we intend to maintain and update the signs and the resources as Balsall Heath grows and changes.
Get Ready for a Summer of Celebration!
The trail launch is part of a much bigger wave of excitement. Balsall Heath is getting ready for a spectacular summer as Believe in Balsall Heath launches an unforgettable series of events.
Mark your calendars for July 3rd to 13th! The Balsall Heath Community Festival, celebrating our community with FREE activities and opportunity to share the joy of Balsall Heath!
We Need Your Stories!
History is about our lives and our memories. We want to make sure every voice is heard. Is there a local story, a neighborhood legend, or a piece of history we’ve missed? Let us know or drop us a message. Help us keep the rich story of Balsall Heath growing!
Keep your eyes peeled for the next seven panels appearing in your neighborhood soon. Happy exploring!
Hywell From Friends of Seven Streets with Marcus, Balsall Heath Local History Society
This year marks an incredible, historic milestone for Anawim, an organization that has served as a sanctuary, a lifeline, and a beacon of hope for women in Balsall Heath, is celebrating its 40th anniversary.
Liz Berry captures the spirit of Anawim’s mission, honouring the unsung, resilient women of Balsall Heath and Birmingham:
Psalm (after Allen Ginsberg’s ‘Psalm III’)
Illuminate all women. Beginning with Balsall Heath, at dawn. With the ghost of Sister Maisie bringing tea to the sex workers; with the women in red aprons laying out jigsaws in the nursery; the cleaners coming home from Corporation Street on the 50, eyes flickering shut in the heater’s warmth. Illuminate the nurses leaving for the early shift, windscreen wipers on, radio crooning; the mothers cutting toast into triangles, stepping toddlers from their wet pyjamas; the girl making love, eyes closed, still half-asleep, feeling water rise through her like the cut being thawed. Illuminate the insomniacs in their kitchens in the fading dark, night nearly behind them; the college girls and their sisters, asleep in shared box rooms, phones in hand, always waiting for his message. Inshallah. The woman who begs for money at the Middleway junction, scabs on her wrists and round her mouth like poppies; the one who dozes in a tent in the bushes, the one so thin with a little star tattooed on her cheek and her eyebrows painted black. Illuminate the women praying; the women doing yoga foreheads to the floor in child’s pose; the old women who lie stiff with arthritis, remembering, as girls, how frost furred the inside of the windows, wondering how early they can ring their daughters; daughters boiling kettles and stripping bedsheets, turning on the radio to Kath, in her windowless studio: “Good morning, Birmingham, I’m with you all the way until 6 …” Illuminate them all. Let the buried Rea be a blast of light.
LIZ BERRY
Liz Berry’s collections of poems include Black Country, 2014, The Republic of Motherhood, 2018, and The Home Child, 2023.
Parenting is a beautiful, rewarding, and sometimes incredibly overwhelming journey. No matter what stage you are in, having a supportive community can make all the difference. We’re delighted to share that Approachable Parenting, based in Balsall Heath, is launching a range of supportive programmes and workshops designed to empower, guide, and connect parents. Whether you are looking for practical advice, health insights, or just a safe space to chat, we have something for you.
Here is everything coming up and how you can get involved!
Chit, Chat & Chai Workshops
Grab a cuppa and join us for relaxed, informative sessions focused on wellbeing and community solidarity.
The early years are crucial for your child’s development—and your own confidence as a parent. Our tailored 0–3 programmes offer practical tools and expert guidance. Spaces fill up fast, so please secure your place early!
0–3 Parenting Programme (Online)
Starting: 13th May
Perfect for: Busy schedules or parenting from the comfort of home.
Are you part of a school or community organisation supporting families with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)? We want to partner with you! We are now offering tailored workshops and drop-in sessions specifically designed for your groups. Get in touch with our team to find out how we can support your community.
How to Refer a Family
If you are a professional or a friend looking to support a family who would benefit from our services, you can refer them directly to us using our quick online form:
Don’t miss out on future updates, parenting tips, and upcoming workshop announcements. Join our community mailing list to stay in the loop (or opt out at any time).
If you have any questions or would like to collaborate, please feel free to reach out. We’d absolutely love to hear from you!
Warmest regards,
The Approachable Parenting Team
Approachable Parenting CIC is an award-winning non-profit organisation offering families culturally sensitive parenting programmes and services that integrate psychological principles and techniques from the Muslim faith.
Naseem Akhtar BEM looks back on the challenges growing up and growing strong in Balsall Heath. She has spent over 20 years inspiring and encouraging thousands of women in Birmingham and, with the Saheli Hub team, transformed lives through activity.
Naseem has lived in Balsall Heath nearly all her life. Growing up in Balsall Heath in the 70s and 80s, Naseem recalls hiding where she came from when at school in nearby Selly Park:
I genuinely used to hide that I was from Balsall Heath…I used to say, ‘just by Cannon Hill Park’, or ‘by the Edgbaston Cricket Ground’.
For a young girl in a traditional Muslim household with five brothers, the streets were off-limits. ‘I thought I wasn’t allowed out because I was an Asian girl. Looking back, I wouldn’t let my sons out now, knowing what was happening on those corners.’ Balsall Heath was then known for street prostitution and drug dealling.
‘It’s only when I became a teenager it kind of almost started to become like that 24-hour service. So, you’d see women on the streets in the morning, noon and night and growing up in a kind of traditional Muslim household, no one ever discussed what these women were doing or what it was about…I think that the day that I was really kind of horrified was when I stopped at my doctor surgery, who’s still my doctor, amazing doctor on Cheddar Road, and I remember one day walking past and a woman was sitting in a bikini. I thought what’s that about? But nobody talked about it.’
The Thread of Activism
Naseem’s journey into advocacy started in a local sewing factory at 19 when she realized she was being paid a third of what she thought she should. She went to the ‘low pay unit’ with her brother and photocopied leaflets, distributing them to every woman in the building.
‘…it was on piece work. And some people got the best pieces and some people didn’t, and I didn’t like it. But what I loved in the factory was that it was a lot of Asian girls. As an adult having left school with no real qualifications – I wasn’t allowed to go to College or Uni because Margaret Thatcher had come along and she’d shut all the colleges, unless you went to mix college. And in my generation, many girls weren’t allowed…because of the fact that they’re mixed.’
It was a hard lesson in leadership. “I was ostracized by half the factory,” she admits:
‘I learnt you can’t be an unelected leader by yourself. You have to bring people with you. I stayed for six months to prove a point, then got a job that paid the full £150. I went back to the old factory and showed them my wage slip. I wanted them to know you can get paid properly if you find the right employer.’
Saheli – a Vision Born of Rejection
By the early 2000s, Balsall Heath was changing. The community – churches, mosques, and residents – had reclaimed the streets from the sex trade. But for Asian women, “social exclusion” remained. Naseem joined the Balsall Heath Forum:
‘They could see I was really committed and so they offered me the job. Initially I was too scared to take it – my brother had completed the application for me and I got the interview…I got the job and started from there. So the Forum then employed me to see what women wanted and we secured funding for a feasability study.’
What they wanted was a health and fitness facility run by women, for women:
‘They wanted to do a swimming exercise, Fitness and Sport, and when we asked them why aren’t you using the biggest Sports Centre on the edge of your neighbourhood, they said because they felt nobody understood their culture. The women-only times were very limited by the time you got in and changed you needed to change back…it wasn’t suitable, so they just didn’t go.’
Responses to the feasibility study were dismissive – NHS services said ‘We don’t do leisure, we do health’, and City Council Leisure staff said, ‘That’s never going to happen’.
Naseem partnered with South and City College, starting in ‘The Learning Library’ one day a week. Soon, women were flooding in. Women who came for the gym ended up staying for ESOL classes and vocational training offered by the college too:
‘We changed in one of the side offices. And the numbers just started to go through the roof. So we started in April, I always remember that, and by September we had a meeting they said just have that bit of the site, just have it. And so we ended up using the site Monday to Friday.’
A big break came from a moment of raw honesty at a high-level regeneration conference. Naseem was given seven minutes to speak. She told a room full of suits that despite £6 million being spent on “regeneration” in her area, nothing had changed for women and girls. That honesty caught the ear of a funder from Sport England. He asked for a one-page vision. Naseem sent him a photo of local girls in hijabs and helmets, splashed with mud, beaming after a day of mountain biking in a ravine.
Today, the Saheli Hub stands as a testament to what happens when you stop telling a community what they need and start listening to what they want.
Naseem’s ‘radical’ ideas – that women from all backgrounds deserve to take up space, ride bikes, and prioritize their health – have helped build a bridge to a healthier future for women and men.
From a girl who was once ‘walked to her friend’s house by her brothers for safety,’ Naseem has been walking, running and biking with an entire community in Balsall Heath and across Birmingham.
Naseem is the project manager at Saheli Hub, a charity in Balsall Heath run by women for women, which aims to improve health and wellbeing and encourage participation in exercise and sport. The hub is based in Calthorpe Park and operates out of three wellbeing centres and two GP practices.
Since starting the charity in 1998, Naseem set up The Young Sahelis, a youth club for girls aged 14-25; The Saheli Running Club, which has seen over 75 women run half marathons and seven women complete full marathons; and The Saheli Cycling Club which has taught over 2,000 women to ride a bike.
Naseem has always been passionate about breaking down barriers to exercise for women in her community. She’s channelled this passion into creating opportunities for local women of all abilities to gain confidence to take part.
Saheli Hub welcomes around 1,600 women a year, 80% of which are from diverse ethnic backgrounds, who have now started their physical activity journey with Naseem and the Saheli Hub, regularly taking part in walking, jogging, cycling, chair-based exercises, yoga, pilates and body conditioning.
Yesterday, the students of the Bosnia UK Network Business English Course celebrated their graduation – a special moment filled with pride, gratitude, and inspiration. Over the past eight weeks, these incredible students have shown remarkable courage, dedication, and growth. Many joined the course feeling shy and uncertain about speaking English, but step by step, they gained confidence, strengthened their communication skills, and prepared themselves for future job opportunities.
A heartfelt thank you goes to their wonderful teacher, Beverly, for creating such a practical, supportive, and motivating learning environment. Beverly shared how proud she is of every single student and reflected on the amazing transformation she witnessed throughout the course.
And the success is already beginning — most of the students attended job interviews this very week! They spoke with gratitude about how much the course helped them feel confident and prepared for real conversations with potential employers. We are deeply inspired by every student’s hard work, progress, and determination.
We wish each of them the very best for the future and hope they find careers where they can truly shine.
Bosnia UK Network
The Bosnia & Herzegovina UK Network empowers communities affected by war and displacement through support, education, youth empowerment and opportunity, while strengthening the long-term capacity of the voluntary sector – they provide advice 1:1 and organise activities from courses to culture, dancing to dinners.
From July 3rd to 13th, 2026, let’s celebrate Balsall Heath! For Balsall Heath Community Festival we are shifting from a single one-day event to a community led week of wonder! We’re working with local organisations – schools, charities, faith centres, everyone and everyone to celebrate everything Balsall Heath and everyone Balsall Heathan.
What’s happening?
We’re coordinating over a week of fun, heritage, and innovation. While the full schedule is brewing, here is a sneak peek at what’s in the works:
Health & Wellbeing – Join us for community meals, a Faith Trail and specialized workshops with our partners at Saheli, MIAH Foundation and Anawim. Anawim are coordinating the Faith Trail, happening at different locations across Balsall Heath – see dates and times below.
Whether you’re an individual or a local organisation in Balsall Heath get involved – it’s a great platform to:
Find out more about fellow Balsall Heathans and Raise Your Profile – Benefit from collective publicity and the relaunch of the Heathan to reach hundreds of local residents.
Meet People and build Partnerships – Meet your neighbours, connect directly with schools, faith centres, and other local organizations
Shape the Future – We want to know what you think about Balsall Heath and we need your help to show the best of Balsall Heath and prove why Balsall Heath deserves continued investment
Many activities are already funded by individual groups, but if we pool our ideas maybe we can unlock even more small-scale funding together. We’re also hoping to feed into the updated Balsall Heath Development Plan with Balsall Heath Alliance so our new Council and Councillors can work with us.
Ready to jump in? Contact Marcus at ma****@********************co.uk to find out more. Let’s show Birmingham what Balsall Heath can do when we work together!
Here’s some images from Balsall Heath Carnival over the years, from which the Community Festival has been inspired:
Are you looking for a day to hit the “reset” button? If you’re about this weekend, there is a beautiful gathering. The Tree of Life Festival is set to transform the Cambridge Road Methodist Church in Kings Heath into a hub of wellness, wisdom, and community on Saturday, 9 May 2026. From 11.30am until 9.30pm, this event offers a sanctuary for anyone looking to deepen their connection to themselves and the world around them.
A Day of Transformation
The festival is thoughtfully split into two main spaces—the Sanctuary (Downstairs) and the Heart (Upstairs)—ensuring a balanced flow of intellectual inspiration and physical practice.
Programme Includes:
Opening & Closing Ceremonies: Start your day with intention at 11.30am and seal the experience at 5.00pm with Madeleine Seraphina, Izbela Turnowska-Lawska, and Dionne Roberts.
Inspirational Talks: Dive deep into topics like The Dark Mother with Maggy Whitehouse, or explore the Sacred Intelligence of the Gut with Cara Wheatley-McGrain.
Movement & Breath: Re-energize with Kundalini Yoga led by Satpal Singh or experience a Soma Breath Journey with Krishna Ruparelia.
Nervous System Care: Learn practical tools for a Simple 3 Phase Nervous System Reset with Paula & Craig Trafford.
Nourishment for Body and Soul
What’s a festival without incredible food? Change Kitchen will be on-site from 2.00pm – 3.00pm (and throughout the day) serving up delicious, plant-based meals and drinks. As the sun begins to set, the energy shifts:
Jam Drumming Session: Join Jahzerah Sharman at 5.30pm for an uplifting communal beat.
The Evening Finale: From 7.00pm, the festival concludes with an immersive Awakening Medicine Dance & Cacao Ceremony guided by Markéta Bola and Hana Borrowman.
Whether you’re coming for a specific speaker, the drumming, or simply to soak in the “peace, love, and light,” the Tree of Life Festival promises to be a day of beautiful moments and genuine connection. Check out future workshops events at Tree of Life Magazine or check out local health and wellbeing activities.
Will we see you there? Grab your tickets and prepare to bloom!
We’re thrilled to invite you to an upcoming ‘The Big Plastic Count’ event in Birmingham! Our local Birmingham Advisory Group are hosting a free drop-in event sharing the results and what they mean for the local area.
Saturday 9 May 12-4pm Art meets action at this Birmingham drop-in. A community event sharing the results, discover local waste insights, take part in creative activities, and share your thoughts in an open discussion spaces and workplaces across the UK counted their waste for one week as part of the UK’s biggest people-powered investigation into plastic waste.
Now, we’ve crunched the numbers and processed the data, and our results reveal the shocking scale of the UK’s big plastic problem…
Over 68,000 people across the UK took part – The results reveal that households in the UK throw away an estimated 82 billion pieces of plastic packaging every year! Over half (59%) of our household plastic waste is being burnt here in the UK. Only 16% actually ends up being recycled. Another 16% is exported and 9% is buried in landfill.
Help put pressure on the Government to support our policy recommendations as a first step to doing more to tackle the UK’s big plastic problem. Click the button below to send a pre-written email to the ministers responsible for plastic waste in the UK.
Anawim is celebrating forty years – check out their 40th Anniversary Day – Joy Doal MBE, CEO, tell us their story:
Anawim was founded by two pioneering nuns, Sister Magdalene Matthews and Sister Maisie Nevin, who belonged to the Sisters of Our Lady of Charity. Sister Magdelene had been working with alcoholics in Balsall Heath and Maisie with young people, but both were searching for something more.
They met women doing street ministry, joined them and immediately felt a calling to work with the women they saw on the streets nearby. The pair opened their home on Mary Street as a drop-in centre to women in Balsall Heath who were involved in sex work and vulnerable to exploitation.
Anawim 40th Celebration Save the Date 3rd July!
The Sisters’ Safe Space
Mary Street was then part of the traditional “red light” area of the city with sex workers on the streets and in around 25 houses used as brothels. The Sisters were struck by the difference it made for women to have a safe space, a warm drink and a listening ear. A place they could go without fear of judgement, to meet other women who cared deeply about their wellbeing. In a matter of two years their contact with women had increased so much – through hospitality at their house in Mary Street and outreach – they decided the time had come to devote all of their time to this Mission.
Looking for Life Transformation
During the day, the Sisters would attend court with the women or accompany them to Social Services conferences, visit them in their homes, hostels or prison. Health and Probation soon became aware of the Sisters, and the local churches were very supportive. The first two women to regularly come to the Mary Street house had stopped sex work and were soon followed by others. Their children were cared for in the front room and in the back room the women were offered literacy training, budgeting, crafts and parenting skills. This was the beginning of the ‘Women’s Development Centre’.
Around this time the Balsall Heath Forum started Streetwatch, the campaign to discourage both those working on the streets, and the kerb crawlers. Women were harassed and sometimes hit with sticks – this had a dramatic effect – it drove them out of sight and made them more vulnerable to attacks. The Sisters, together with volunteers, had to search them out in surrounding areas – where vigilante groups also sprang up.
Maisie, Balsall Heath 1989
Sister Maisie, 1986, 166 Mary Street – a safe space for all women
‘Safe House’ to ‘Development Centre’
In 1994 a Safe House was opened after requests from the women who had left, and lay staff were employed with the help of a lottery grant and funding from the Anglican Church Urban Fund. When the need for larger premises to house the ‘Women’s Development Centre’, became apparent this was closed.
To provide the space required, the present centre in Mary Street was rented from St John and St Martin church and opened in January 1999. By 2002 it was under threat of closure. This was due to lack of funds, the ‘client group’ of sex workers being moved on, the project struggling to meet new women, changes in the political climate and legislation such as ASBOs.
At this time Sister Lizanne was visiting Brockhill Prison and meeting lots of women there, but they were very different to the ones back in Balsall Heath. An integration came when they employed Joy Doal as manager in 2003. Through fundraising to employ staff, co-ordinating volunteers, entering into partnership with the SAFE project to co-locate their methadone programme and development of alternatives to custody with Probation, ANAWIM began to grow.
One-stop centre for all
Anawim became a pioneering one-stop centre for women who were either in the sex industry, at risk of being there, or were involved in offending. Outreach workers went out at night to reach the sex workers who had been dispersed across the city and in-reach took place at HMP Eastwood Park and HMP Brockhill, where Birmingham women were often sent, offering support while there and a place to come on release.
Many women have banded together, over 40 years, to grow Anawim into the charity it is today – an organisation that remains true to our founding ethos and now works with thousands of women every year. Anawim has an open access drop-in and specialist services to meet the needs of women from all parts of the city.
At the charity we believe anyone can find themselves in difficulty or experience trauma – whether that’s living in an abusive relationship, battling addiction, involved in crime or sex work – or simply struggling with life. Our staff can make a huge difference in helping women to try to change their lives – step by step.
Working with Women whatever their situation
We work with women at every stage of the criminal justice system, from first offence to prison. Our open access drop-in is available for any woman who needs it for any reason, and our main room remains a space where people can come for a cup of tea and a chat.
While funding will always be an ongoing challenge, we’ll do everything we can to keep Anawim’s doors open for women and be part of the fabric of Balsall Heath. For support, for friendship, for a safe space.
The monthly newsletter published by the Balsall Heath Local History Society (BHLHS) in Birmingham, UK. It serves as both a community bulletin and a historical record for the area.
What’s Inside the Gazette?
The publication typically includes a mix of current news and historical research:
Historical Articles: Local stories and accounts of local landmarks – the social history of the Balsall Heath and Highgate areas.
Photographic Archives: Rare images of the neighbourhood from various eras.
Society Updates: Information on upcoming monthly meetings, guest speakers, and local heritage events.
It is published monthly and has been a staple of the society for years with digital archives dating back to at least 2010. Distributed to members, recent and archived editions are also made available as PDF downloads on the official BHLHS website and on the Heathan.
One of the first neighbourhood plans drawn up by local people. Many good ideas were put forward and achieved popular support – now being supported by the Balsall Heath Alliance. One idea that has been put forward is to achieve the first zero carbon neighbourhood. The new housing development Belgrave Village was an idea from the plan – we think these are superb ideas. The neighbourhood plan recommends one train station for Balsall Heath we are strongly in favour of opening a station in Balsall Heath and will do all we can to achieve that aim.
How will you support our Library, opening soon, to provide the best services?
Ensure that it is well stocked with excellent books especially for young readers, also have daily newspapers available – community language texts available – include IT and computers available for public use, hold monthly surgeries in the library to discuss residents concerns, – Secure funding to enable the library to remain open as much as possible – aiming for 7 days a week.
Fly tipping and bin collection are a big problem. How are you going to address this locally?
Zero tolerance of fly tipping – where addresses are found insist that there is follow up. Install cameras in grotspots, teach residents to use fix my street – bin workers strike to be ended by agreement with UNITE
How are you going to address traffic and transport problems locally? Will you campaign for a Balsall Heath Train Station?
Free bus travel for under 16 – £1 day saver Traffic lights on Edward Rd at junction with Lincoln St. possible one way – Willows Rd and Cannon hill Rd . Fix potholes! Big YES to a station.
How will you support the Friends’ Institute to reopen?
Explore change of use eg. supported accommodation, SEND school provision and/or youth club combined with Cafe – expansion of local restaurants – effective recycling/second hand shop.
We want to use it to bring people from the community together. It’s been held in trust as a gift and allowed to rot. Community use or Co-housing possibilities eg Stirchley
There are a whole range of housing concerns locally. Which of these will you prioritise and what will you do?
Retrofit to make existing homes warm and save money. HMO’s need models of good practice, Max of one HMO per street. Establish a working group including representatives from local religious houses, builders and tradespeople, along side homeless people to renovate derelict properties then the homeless will live there.
Duncan Ali is the Green Party candidate. Find out more about their policies in the Green Party manifesto.
Much of the plan chimes with priorities the Local Conservatives have set out, improving the street scene, protecting historic assets and seeking to invest in the Balti Triangle to secure its future viability. Clearly as the plan nears the end of its 15 year life it is important that working with residents it is refreshed to ensure it remains fit for purpose for the next decade.
How will you support our Library, opening soon, to provide the best services?
Local Conservatives are committed to all the cities libraries. In Birmingham we face a huge literacy challenge. 50% of the wards in Birmingham are in the top 10% nationally for literacy need. Nearly 40% of pupils in deprived neighbourhoods fail to reach their expected standards. 1 in 10 children aged 5 – 18 lack their own book at home. While 22% of people in the West Midlands are classified as ‘non users’ with no home internet access.
Therefore Local Conservatives will invest in the library service to ensure that additional services such as job clubs and homework clubs are rolled out as well as seeking to increase the opening hours of libraries across the city.
Fly tipping and bin collection are a big problem. How are you going to address this locally
Only Local Conservatives have a plan to clean up the city. Our plans include we would save weekly bin collections, which the Labour Council are scrapping later this year, introduce dedicated clean up crews for each neighbourhood to get the streets clean and use cctv/anpr cameras to increase enforcement and catch people throwing rubbish out of cars. We would also install 3000 new and replacement bins across the city in the next 4 years.
How are you going to address traffic and transport problems locally? Will you campaign for a Balsall Heath Train Station?
Local Conservatives support the opening of a train line at Balsall Heath Station and I believe are the only party to have put that support in their manifesto. We would also provide each ward with a £150,000 highways budget to deliver road safety schemes that are the priority of the local area. City wide we are pushing for an expansion of the rail and metro networks in the city.
How will you support the Friends’ Institute to reopen?
The Local Conservatives are committed to protecting our heritage and culture. This includes buildings like the Friends Institute. If elected I would of course be happy to meet with local interested parties and the senior officers and Councillors to discuss what can be done to help.
I support the 2015 Development plan, and any plan or people who take action for services and people living here. I’m not attached to any parties, organisations or alliances so I will act in the interests of Balsall Heath. Please see my leaflets.
How will you support our Library, opening soon, to provide the best services?
I will support the Library in any help that is required, I have already stated in one of my leaflets the need to Protecting Local services, Library, Swimming Baths and Schools are included in that. I will send you a copy of the leaflets to you, please read them.
Fly tipping and bin collection are a big problem. How are you going to address this locally?
Fly tipping is an issue that needs to be resolved by having cameras installed and reported to the Police. Also educating individuals of proper disposal methods. Fly tipping is not always a problem caused by the local community. People outside of the area fly tip.
Regarding the bin collections, the first and most important thing to do is to get the strike issue resolved as I believe once that is done the majority of the problems will be easier to resolve.
How are you going to address traffic and transport problems locally? Will you campaign for a Balsall Heath Train Station?
I have already made my feelings clear on the issue of having a train station for Balsall Heath, please see my leaflet. I believe that the residents of Balsall Heath have been let down badly by being excluded from the original plan which included the train station for Balsall Heath. I will be pushing for a Balsall Heath Station. On the traffic issues I have mentioned in my leaflet the need to put in traffic calming measures. I will fully campaign for this.
How will you support the Friends’ Institute to reopen?
I was shocked to learn the closure of the Friends Institute, in my view (wrongly) I assumed that the matter had been resolved. As someone who was an employee of Birmingham City Council I visited the Friends Institute back in 2010 and 2 issues were raised, one was the roof and the other one was the heating system. I then changed to a different area and assumed everything had been resolved. I will help in any way possible, meeting potential interested parties, even though the Institute is not in my Ward but is used by residents of my ward.
There are a whole range of housing concerns locally. Which of these will you prioritise and what will you do?
One of the biggest concerns is HMOs, which I will address at the planning stages and be supportive to the residents effected. As a candidate councillor for Balsall Heath West, I understand that housing is the foundation of our community’s wellbeing. If elected, my top priority will be tackling the over-concentration and mismanagement of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) and Exempt Accommodation, as these have the most direct impact on our residents’ safety and quality of life.
My Priorities and Action Plan
To address these critical housing concerns, will focus on the following key areas:
* Tackling HMO and Exempt Accommodation Over-concentration
* Strict Planning Enforcement: I will push for more robust use of planning powers to prevent further conversions of family homes into HMOs where the concentration is already too high.
* Mandatory Licensing & Inspections: I will advocate for regular, proactive inspections of all HMOs to ensure they meet strict safety criteria, including room measurements, fire doors, and smoke alarms.
* Increased Enforcement Officers: I will demand more funding for council enforcement officers to carry out these essential checks and hold rogue landlords accountable.
* Cleaning Up Our Streets and Reducing Anti-Social Behaviour
* Targeting Fly-Tipping: I will prioritise the removal of dumped rubbish and used syringes, which are often concentrated around poorly managed HMOs, by demanding more frequent street cleaning and security gating in affected alleys.
* Reducing ASB: I will work closely with the police and local residents’ groups to tackle drug-related activity and anti-social behaviour linked to specific properties, ensuring these issues are not ignored.
* Protecting Family Housing and Increasing Affordability
* Preserving Family Homes: Balsall Heath has a high demand for larger, 3+ bedroom houses. I will work to protect our existing Victorian housing stock from being fragmented into small units.
* Improving Living Standards through Retrofitting
* Cutting Energy Bills: I will champion passive housing retrofitting programs to improve insulation in our older properties, helping residents lower their heating costs and live in healthier, warmer homes.
I believe Balsall Heath is very lucky to have such a comprehensive Development Plan. I attended some of the meetings when it was being put together by a broad and inclusive representation of local residents. It is both practical and visionary
How will you support our Library, opening soon, to provide the best services?
I am delighted work on the Library is now underway. It is sorely missed and can’t reopen soon enough. The main thing when it reopens is that it stays open, that it is well staffed and has generous opening times. As well as books and digital resources I support it being a local information hub, hosting a toy library and perhaps a new home for the ‘library of things’.
Fly tipping and bin collection are a big problem. How are you going to address this locally?
Obviously I will work with other councillors to resolve the bin strike and reinstate our recycling collection. In addition I intend to launch a “Keep Balsall Heath Clean & Tidy” campaign linked with rebuilding pride and belief in our community. Part of this will be supporting people to reduce their rubbish, separate their rubbish and support our local composting schemes. We can work together to identify and prevent the flytippers and coordinate regular bulky waste collection. Balsall Heathans have a proud history of doing things for ourselves. We can do this.
How are you going to address traffic and transport problems locally? Will you campaign for a Balsall Heath Train Station?
I think it is scandalous that Balsall Heath has missed out on having a local rail station and will campaign strongly for this to be amended. Alongside protection for Blue Badge disabled drivers and passengers a parking levy needs to be introduced to penalise households with more than 2 vehicles and we need to reclaim pavements for pedestrians by enforcing penalties on pavement parking.
How will you support the Friends’ Institute to reopen?
I am already actively involved in supporting an emergent group to help save the Friends Institute building from further neglect which could lead to demolition! Richard Cadbury gave it as a gift to the Community. As such the community should be fully involved with the process of its restoration and deciding on its future use.
There are a whole range of housing concerns locally. Which of these will you prioritise and what will you do?
I support local housing organisations such as Birmingham Fair Housing Campaign and Retrofit Balsall Heath working to address Birmingham’s housing crisis. I will prioritise support for local people suffering from damp, cold and mould as a result of poor housing and people at risk of being made homeless through eviction. A one-stop-shop housing crisis action line is needed to stop people falling through the net.
Jo Hindley is a Green Party candidate. Find out more about their policies in the Green Party manifesto.
