Youth Covid Challenge
Covid guidance can be confusing and hard to understand… Youth Covid Challenge is a group of young people retelling the rules!
News
Ort Gallery Wellbeing Messages
Wellbeing Messages written by local primary school children are being sent to the elderly in the Balsall Heath and Sparkbrook community spreading festive joy and support during the ongoing hardships caused by the pandemic.
Ort Gallery worked with artist Sabba Khan, whose work is an exploration of first world city life as a second generation Azad Kashmiri Muslim migrant. She explores themes of belonging, memory and identity underpinned by philosophical and psychotherapy concepts that explore the nature of self within and outside of the collective.
Sabba created 6 postcards in co-design with local women that are being shared with our community as part of the recovery period mid/post-lockdown. The idea is to spread a positive message and remind people that they are not alone. Moreover they also encourage people to look after their mental health.
The elderly in the community are receiving the messages through foodbank parcels and through the delivery service of hot means by the Muath Trust who reach up to 90 elderly people each week.
Pupils from two local primary schools – Ark Tindal Academy and Nelson Mandela Primary wrote personalised messages to the elderly in the community to spread festive joy this December and to send hope and solidarity to those in the community cut off from family and friends. The project will support the elderly to write back to their young penpals.
The Wellbeing Messages project was supported by The Community Fund.
Old Print Works ONLINE Christmas Markets
The Old Print Works would like to invite you to our Christmas Market on Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th September 2020, from 11am-4pm. The event showcases the artists, makers and entrepreneurs that are based in the Old Print Works, many of whom will have items for sale!
Training courses with The Muath Trust
The following courses are available at The Muath Trust. Upskill yourself for the New Year!
Sparkbrook and Balsall Heath East Virtual Ward Forum meeting now online
During Covid-19 lockdowns, Ward Forum meetings have gone online. They are now available to view through YouTube. Ward Forums are an opportunity to hear from local Councillors and other key local partners about issues affecting your area.
The “Kindness Project”, for those in need of bereavement support – Volunteer recruitment
The Bahu Trust are launching ‘The Kindness Project’, an interfaith project to support people in need of bereavement support. They are currently recruiting volunteers who can commit to the four training sessions in January.
Balsall Heath Fairy Doors
Arts organisation ‘General Public’ are running a competition for children to design a ‘Balsall Heath Fairy Door’ – magical doors to other worlds.
Balsall Health Local History Society – Gazette November 2020
Balsall Heath Local History Society’s monthly gazette is now available to download. A man searches for his mother, we learn about a local wrestler and Heath Mount Primary celebrates its 50th Anniversary.
Click the image to read the full newsletter.
Digital Skills Surveys
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the inequalities that exist when it comes to digital skills and access to digital equipment. To better understand the digital needs of both residents of Hall Green constituency and community groups that provide activities and services, the Hall Green Neighbourhood Network Scheme team have devised two rolling surveys.
The first survey is intended to be completed by residents of Hall Green constituency, which includes the wards of Balsall Heath West, Brandwood & Kings Heath, Hall Green North, Hall Green South, Moseley, Sparkbrook & Balsall Heath East, and Sparkhill.
The second survey is intended to be completed by community groups, other community assets in Hall Green constituency to understand the digital skills of organisations. The Hall Green NNS team have a pot of money to undertake capacity building which includes improving the digital skills of organisations in Hall Green. The information that the team gather from this survey will help to shape the training and support we provide.
Hall Green Neighbourhood Networks Scheme will be gathering the data from these surveys over the coming months. If you have any questions about the survey or would like to know more about the Hall Green Communities digital skills work please e-mail Na***************@*************rg.uk.
Thrive Together Birmingham Christmas Toy Appeal
With the COVID-19 pandemic hitting families hard financially many parents and guardians may be worrying about gifting toys to children. To help support families in need Thrive Together Birmingham have set up the Toy 4 Birmingham initiative, calling for donations of toys for families in need.
Call out for NHS Responders in Balsall Heath
NHS Responders are looking for local volunteers who can support people unable to leave the house by doing some shopping for them.
Big Chat – Balsall Heath Together
Balsall Heath Neighbourhood News Online is partnering with Active Communities to explore how we can promote and celebrate what is happening in Balsall Heath.
We would like to invite you to join us for a one hour video call on Monday 7th December at 1pm to discuss how we can work together. This is also a great opportunity to meet residents and organisations active in our community.
Wanted: Photographer-videographer
GUSH Theatre are a Birmingham-based theatre company who make original work and host regular Theatre Mix events to platform local artists. We are seeking a freelance photographer-videographer with their own equipment to work with us on three Theatre Mix events and an R&D for our show GUSH!
Free training for community groups
The Hall Green Neighbourhood Network Scheme is running a programme of free training for Hall Green based community groups and organisations. The aim is to support groups, organisations and individual’ who provide activities or services that improve the health and wellbeing of the over 50s.
Park Hill Primary pupils’ brush with an Art Superstar!
Year 4 and 5 at Park Hill Primary School have been working on some cityscape pop art recently, inspired by the amazing Charles Fazzino…