Community

Home
News

Ward Meeting Magic in Balsall Heath

If you’ve ever been to a local ward meeting (and let’s face it, not many people have) you probably won’t be counting the days to the next one. Not so in Balsall Heath West as newly elected Councillor Duncan Ali injected some hope, enthusiasm, discussion and plans for action.

I was expecting a drafty community hall, broken plastic chairs, and hours watching a couple of dull, old men dominate the microphone, designed to exhaust and depress. I didn’t expect a packed room, fabulous food, chat with old friends and meeting people I had seen before, and now I can say hello to on Moseley Road.

Why Ward Meetings Matter

Birmingham City Council state ward meetings are a local gathering focused entirely on topics important to the people in a specific area. It’s designed to give residents a direct way to help shape their immediate community through Ward Action Plans. Our last Action Plan (Be Bold, Be Balsall Heath West) breaks down ‘Priorities’ into ‘Actions’ using a spreadsheet matrix (not completely unreadable).

It’s a semi-formal chat which should in theory give residents a say in the budgets, policies, and changes impacting our daily lives. The problem has always been how it happens.

Warm, Welcoming, Well fed

Early on there was a promise of food – a waft of curry from the next room, while a series of local organisations were given three minute slots to introduce themselves. Then it was time for food and informal chat. Tables were set out with QR codes and ‘Priority Areas’ like Youth, Housing, Bins… You were encouraged to chat with each other and to continue the chat later on the WhatsApp groups linked on the tables. For those from an ‘education’ background from 1990s, you might recognise ‘Unconference’, ‘Teachmeet’ or ‘Open space’ type structure. There were no long, agonizing slideshows or exclusive podiums. Instead, the room was broken down into smaller, breakout groups.

Everyone was made welcome, and free delicious food on offer helped a relaxed atmosphere where we could discuss important issues, not least the Balsall Heathan and Balsall Heath Community Festival.

Voices from the Floor

First of all, Duncan gave quick quote from an American President about ‘Asking what you can do for Balsall Heath’, and explained the delay in forming a BCC Administration (announcement soon!), then there were some quick intros – here’s some of them:

‘We’ve got a team of people, volunteers, passionate about what we do…any parents want to get involved, you’re more than welcome, we’re just down the road, based in Clifton…’

Nasim, Founder of Bright Future Football Association

‘We’ve got twenty odd sites across Balsall Heath East and West…We run regular volunteer sessions, three or four a week…Growing plants that provide food for nature, and for us, for you guys.’

Dan, Fruit and Nut Village

‘By creating a planting, my plan is to convince people of the value to raise money and organisation…for planting’

Sabrina, Moseley in Bloom

‘My first hat is basically I am a human being. We all share this. We are human beings that…he [Duncan] has the moral compass, wiht others of course, supporting the innocent people in Gaza.’

Dr. Ahmed Helmy, West Midlands Palestinian Solidarity

‘I’d like to quote another great American President, President Roosevelt in the Great Depression in America in the 1930s…’What on earth can we do?’ and Roosevelt would say to them, ‘Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.’

John, Zero Carbon House

‘I want to say thank you, normally when someone gets elected we cdon’t see them again until they’re knocking on our doors four years later…we need to work together to close the gap of inequality.’

Naseem Saheli Hub

For more details about what was discussed, have your say and how you can join in, contact Councillor Duncan Ali:

Contact details

Council House
Victoria Square
Birmingham
B1 1BB
Email: du********@************ov.uk

Moseley Road Baths and Library Update

This is the first of what are going to be regular updates on the progress being made with the transformation of the baths and the library (MRB and BHL for short) by Joe Holyoak. Thanks Joe!

What is happening?

An enormous investment is being put into these two landmark buildings on Moseley Road in Balsall Heath. Although the two buildings will remain in the ownership of the City Council, the transformation is the work of what we call the Coalition. This consists of six bodies: the City Council, the MRB Charitable Incorporated Organisation (MRBCIO), the National Trust, Historic England, World Monuments
Fund, and the Friends of MRB.

Design drawing showing the mezzanine floor in Balsall Heath Library

Phase 1 ongoing

Together they have raised £36.5 million. This will be spent on two phases of work: we are currently in Phase 1, with the contractors Galliford Try. For the first time, the two buildings have been connected. At the end of Phase 1 work on the library will be completed, and it will reopen in 2027, enlarged with the addition of a new mezzanine floor. The majority of the funding for Phase 1 came from the government’s Levelling-Up Fund, now called the Local Regeneration Fund.

Work is also proceeding in Phase 1 on parts of the baths, particularly the conversion of the washing baths at the front of the building. The major work will be in Phase 2, with the reopening of the Gala Pool for swimming. Pool 2, previously used for swimming, will be boarded over and become a venue for music, film, weddings, and so on. Announced in May was a £9.2 million grant from the National Heritage Lottery Fund, which completes the funding for Phase 2.

Astonishing achievement from brink of closure

Only ten years ago, Moseley Road Baths was threatened with closure. To be now proceeding towards completion of a £36.5 million transformation, including Balsall Heath Library, is an astonishing achievement. It is going to offer everyone in Balsall Heath a great range of facilities to enjoy. More information can be found on the website moseleyroadbaths.org.uk.

Future updates in The Heathan Will give more detailed news on the progress of the building contract, thanks Joe!

Visit the Baths at Balsall Heath Community Festival

To be confirmed dates and times, Moseley Road Baths and Library are offering a tour (Joe is one of the volunteer guides) as part of our Community Festival 3rd-13th July #BHCFest26.

#BHCFest26

Balsall Heath Community Festival Logo

Adding colour to our Festival with Retrofit

The energy, (and the heat) was high at The Old Print Works as we officially launched some very special additions to this year’s Balsall Heath Community Festival.

Model practice at Retrofit

Retrofit showcased their fabulous retro model house. The retro 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 “Green 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!

Colouring sheet 2026 – contact bh********************@***il.com – Rules for entry

Save the dates

We are building up to an incredible ten days of celebrating our community. Here is what you need to know right now:

Get those colouring posters filled in and displayed in your windows!
Keep an eye on updates in the Heathan, as more dates and activities are announced
Take part in our mammoth 10-day celebration of everything that makes Balsall Heath amazing.

Share your progress, your finished windows, and festival excitement using the hashtag #BHCFest26!

#BHCFest26

Reclaiming Urban Spaces in Calthorpe Park

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)

Dense Housing, bustling streets and businesses

Birmingham is one of the UK’s greenest cities with over 8,000 acres of green space and roughly 25% parks and gardens. Balsall Heath is known for it’s dense Victorian terrace housing, bustling streets and businesses. It has less green space than the rest of Birmingham, and the UK.

From ‘Environmental Justice for Birmingham’ Humera Sultan, BCC Consultant 2025

Calthorpe Park interpretation panel celebrates the work of Edward Rd Baptist Church, MECC Trust, New Perspectives, Saheli Hub, Zawia Aid and Fruit and Nut Village.

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.”

Our interpretation panel links to more information

What is “Fruit and Nut Village”?

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.

Moseley Road Baths no longer ‘at Risk’

Moseley Road Baths team has secured full funding for Phase 2 restoration with £9.27m Heritage Fund grant, and Mayor Richard Parker announcing almost £1m.

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”.

First Historical Trail Panel Unveiled at Seven Streets Pocket Park

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

Liz Berry illuminates Women of Balsall Heath

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.

Anawim is a Hebrew word from the Old Testament meaning ‘poor ones’ who remained faithful to God in times of difficulty or the ‘faithful remnant’, Anawim lift women up, offer them tools for recovery, and wrap them in a supportive community.

Anawim Birthday celebrations marks the beginning of Balsall Heath Community Festival 3rd to 13th July.

A Poetic Tribute

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.

A Tale of Two Heaths, Saheli transforming lives of Women

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.

Sahelli leading debate – British Cycling back landmark report on social justice in active travel

The Saheli Hub and beyond

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 Akhtar BEM Running, Cycling & Fitness: Saheli Hub, Balsall Heath

Naseem Akhtar BEM, taken from ‘Hometown Heros Commonwealth Games 2022‘

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.

In 2019, Naseem was awarded a British Empire Medal for her work in encouraging thousands of women to lead healthier lifestyles.

‘It’s really rare to find someone over 70 in my community‘
Health Club Management 2024 issue 8

Find out more at Saheli Hub

Home

Graduates in Business English Celebrate at Bosnia House

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.

Connecting Our Community. BHCFest 2026

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:

Heritage & Art – We’re launching the “Believe in Balsall Heath” street banners, unveiling our history interpretation boards with Balsall Heath Local History Society, hosting workshops and a local history trail.
Family & Youth – Get ready for a massive Family Day at St. Paul’s, “Second Saturday” at the Old Printworks, and youth workshops at The Gap Arts Project.
Innovation & Nature – Fruit and Nut Village is working with Friends of the Earth Postcode Gardeners, Friends of our wonderful Parks, Birmingham Open Space Forum and Balsall Heath Retrofit
Health & Wellbeing – Join us for community meals, a Faith Trail and specialized workshops with our partners at Saheli, MIAH Foundation and Anawim.

Get involved

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:

Celebrate Connection: The Tree of Life Festival Returns

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.

Event Details at a Glance

Date: Saturday, 9 May 2026
Time: 11.30am – 9.30pm
Location: Cambridge Road Methodist Church, Kings Heath, Birmingham, B13 9UE
Tickets & Info: treeoflife-events.co.uk

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!

The Big Plastic Count at Second Satuday

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.

Let us know you’re coming

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.

Read the Full Report

Tell the Government they need to do more

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.

Send an email to the Government

Find out more on our website and visit us on Second Saturday 9th May.

Two sisters to a City-Wide Mission: The 40-Year Journey of Anawim

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- — 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.

‘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.

There is a full timetable of courses on offer and a counselling service. We aim to tailor our services around where the greatest need is at any one time, so are constantly evolving – many activities, like our weekly Wellbeing in Nature, are open to all women, and we work in partnerships locally.

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.

To find out more about Anawim today visit our website Anawim – Birmingham’s Centre for
Women

How two nuns helped transform Birmingham’s most notorious red light zone,
Sister Magdelene on the right

Supporting Tenants with Outstanding Repairs

Tenants Advice is a free and independent service advocating for residents with housing issues such as outstanding repairs, reporting unresolved repairs to housing providers, and tenancy-related problems. They support private tenants, social housing tenants, and leaseholders. To find out more organisations and services locally find it.

How they help tenants:

A free helpline to help you understand your rights
A housing inspection with one of our expert housing surveyors
Legal assistance & access to specialist housing solicitors
Assistance for residents in reporting unresolved repairs
Guide you on your next steps in dealing with the outstanding repairs
Promoting healthy homes

They work with the local community to help residents better understand their housing rights and access support when they experience problems. This could include referrals, joint advice sessions, or sharing information with your community.

Tenants Advice

T: 0800 047 2017

DD: 0208 064 0614

he**@**************co.uk

Home

Languages Spoken By Their Team: Arabic, Bengali, Cantonese, Czech, English, Filipino/Tagalog, Fukien, Hindi, Igbo, Japanese, Krio, Malay, Mandarin, Mandingo, Mende, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Russian, Somali, Slovak, Spanish, Ukranian, Urdu & Yoruba

Any Questions? Local Elections Soon

7th May is local election day, you live in Balsal Heath it’ll either be Balsall Heath West (One Councillor from seven candidates) or Sparkbrook and Balsall Heath East (Two Councillors from fourteen candidates). Unless you happen to meet one of them or get a flyer through your door it can be hard to know what they look like or what they stand for, so we’ve done our best to find out what we can.

We want your questions

We’re putting together questions and will publish responses in your Heathan, so please forward by 23rd April for inclusion – we will publish all the responses from candidates we recieve by 28th April. We’ll summarise questions for candidates – if you want to ask a direct question of candidates, you’ll find links below each candidate to contact them and ask your question directly.

Send your question now

Our Questions so far

What are your views on The Balsall Heath Development Plan?
How will you support our Library, opening soon, to provide the best services?
Fly tipping and bin collection are a big problem. How are you going to address this locally?
How are you going to address traffic and transport problems locally? Will you campaign for a Balsall Heath Train Station?
How will you support the Friends’ Institute to reopen?
There are a whole range of housing concerns locally. Which of these will you prioritise and what will you do?

Our Candidates

We’d like to thank and congratulate all of the candidates for stepping forward to represent us in Balsall Heath. I’ve listed alphabetically by surname. If there are candidates out there with better photos or links to info, please send them to me and I’ll update – Who can I vote for is a great site to check details out too.