A community grows when you give it a little space, some shade, and some love. July 8th, Reaside Forest Garden, one of many Fruit and Nut Villages in Balsall Heath, welcomed visitors to the site. With the summer sun beaming down, we spent a very pleasant morning gathered under the cool, welcoming shade of the big poplar tree right in the middle of the garden. Another beautiful day of growth, connection, and celebration, part of Balsall Heath Community Festival #BHCFest26!
We were joined by Friends of the Earth! They spent the morning filming and interviewing our visitors, volunteers and partners about the Postcode Gardener Project, which they have funded right here in Balsall Heath. It was a fantastic opportunity to showcase the hard work happening on the ground.
We also gave out a dozen grape vines! Lovingly propagated from the original vine at Apna Ghar.After a productive morning, our friends at Apna Ghar hosted 17 of us for a spectacular, delicious meal. Gathering around the table provided a much-needed moment to rest, catch up, and swap stories with both familiar faces and new friends.
“A community garden is about growing relationships.”
Shade and chat iunder the treesLearning about growingHot work keeping plants cool
Live music among the trees!
The week isn’t over yet, and we have the perfect way for you to unwind.
Celebrate the creativity, diversity and community spirit of Balsall Heath with a joyful walking procession from Balsall Heath Park to Calthorpe Park on Sunday 5 July as part of Balsall Heath Community Festival.
Expect colourful banners, Brumbeats drummers, pop-up street theatre, family activities and plenty of carnival atmosphere as we walk together across the neighbourhood, celebrating local pride, greener homes, vibrant parks and the people who make Balsall Heath such a special place. Walk the whole route or join us wherever you can. Make your own mini banner, enjoy performances, meet neighbours old and new, and help launch Retrofit Balsall Heath’s new community banner.
Everyone is welcome—bring your friends, your family and your carnival spirit!
Event details
11.00am: Meet at Balsall Heath Park
11.30am–1.30pm: Free mini flag and banner-making workshop at Seven Streets Park(activities, refreshments and carnival exhibition until 2.00pm)
12.00pm: Procession sets off
2.00pm: Retrofit street drama at George Street Park
3.30pm–5.00pm: Drumming workshop and refreshments at Calthorpe Park
Join us for the whole procession or simply drop in along the route—everyone is welcome!
It’s officially colouring competition judging time for Balsall Heath Community Festival, ready for festival start on Friday! We’ve been judging entries in windows as well as visiting local schools like Clifton Primary. To help us handle the tough job of picking the winners, we teamed up with Miss Choudhury – who happened to be a legendary two-time past winner of the competition herself.
She met us with Mr Lamprey, who has helped organise many previous Balsall Heath Carnivals, where the Colouring Competition was always a highlight. Narrowing it down was no easy feat as there are hundreds of incredible entries, but after much deliberation, we officially selected a winner, two runners-up, and four “Highly Commended” artists.
‘I won an orange skipping rope!’
Miss Choudhury explains how excited she was in 2005, and how well loved the skipping rope was. The next year judging was done from the street view, and if there were lots of artworks in the window the judges couldn’t tell whose artwork was whose – meaning Miss Choudhury and all of her siblings walked away with chocolate prizes.
Colouring poster from 2011Colouring competition from 1981Entries from 2013
We can’t wait to return to Clifton Primary School soon to hand out this year’s prizes. In the meantime, we are encouraging all pupils to proudly display their artwork in School and in their front windows. Let’s get the whole neighborhood colourful and promote our fabulous, upcoming ten-day Balsall Heath Community Festival! #BHCFest26
The first day of the festival is this Friday, and there will be an event at Pickwick Park organised by Retrofit Balsall Heath with Storytelling and Drama. If you see a fire engine on the Park, don’t worry – our friendly Fire Service have offered to support our Community Festival too!
Balsall Heath Local History Society bring the Carnival back to life in a touring exhibition, ready for Balsall Heath Community Festival! #BHCFest26. The Festival runs from 3rd to 13th July and the FREE Touring Carnival Exhibition will be at many of the venues across Balsall Heath.
A Symbol of Hope
‘The Carnival was never just a Carnival. It was a symbol of hope, an agent for change and a showcase for our rich cultural diversity. It is part of our heritage and our community identity.’
When it started in 1977, the procession wound through streets which were still pockmarked with bomb sites and derelict housing. The area was only just beginning to recover from damage inflicted over thirty years previously in the Second World War. The City Council had cleared a huge swathe of older housing but the neighbourhood as a whole was in an appalling condition: poor housing; high unemployment; dreadful health statistics.
However, it was rich with the biggest asset of all – residents who were committed to rebuilding the community. Hundreds of people created the Carnival and thousands of people took part in it. The success for nearly fifty years reflects our achievement in becoming the thriving Balsall Heath of today.
Balsall Heath Community Festival is not the same as the old Carnival but it has risen from its ashes. But the Festival is again a symbol of hope as all parts of the community have come together to celebrate and to reaffirm our identity as diverse, creative and enterprising.
Balsall Heath for Balsall Heathans
For nearly five decades the Balsall Heath Carnival has been the beating heart of our community – a glorious celebration of diversity, creativity, working together to celebrate our community. Balsall Heath Local History Society volunteers have been looking through the archives – literally thousands of photos and films, artwork and crafty creations, seeing the carnival through the people who have lived it. From the legendary floats of the 1970s and 80s to all the music, dance and glitter of more recent carnivals.
Expect fabulous and fantastic costumes, unusual sporting competitions, artwork extraordinaire and the moving, funny and proud stories of the people who have made it happen year after year.
Whether you’ve marched in the processions, cheered from the pavements or entirely new to the Carnival, this exhibition is a love letter to the resilience, unity and a bit of craziness that is Balsall Heath.
Get involved
There’ll be activities for young and old, reliving activities from the Carnival and Fair of the past, as well as opportunities to find yourself in the photos and document your own stories of the carnival.
We are sad to hear that Roy Hattersley died on June 13th 2026. He was MP for Sparkbrook from 1954 to 1997 and an active player in the regeneration of the area. The Heathan newspaper is full of details of his involvement locally. He was a guest of honour at many of our significant events: the opening of Clifton Infants School in 1979, and the opening of both the new Mosque in Clifton Road and Roshven Gardens in 1982, for example.
It was not just big events, however. He came to see for himself how the neighbourhood was faring under the Urban Renewal scheme and gave much support to Dick Atkinson’s efforts to build a better Balsall Heath. For some years he captained a cricket team for matches in Pickwick Park park as part of the year’s Carnival events.
So it is a thank you Roy from Balsall Heath. Rest in Peace.
Roy Hattersley opening Roshven Gardens August 1982Roy Hattersley with Dick reading the HeathanRoy playing Cricket in Balsall Heath 1987A cuppa with Roy 1980Reviewing Housing with Roy Hattersley 1980
Join us for family-friendly events in June and July, leading up to Balsall Heath Community Festival. Come along to share and learn about retrofit, meet others in the neighbourhood and celebrate Balsall Heath past, present and future! All events are free, and everyone is welcome.
Workshops leading up to Festival #BHCFest26!
Home Retrofit Pop-Ups
Come and see our model house and take part in the ‘retrofit street drama’, sharing ways to lower our bills and make our homes and neighbourhoods healthier and happier. Free popcorn or ice lollies, depending on the weather!
Tuesday 23rd June, 11.30am – 1.30pm St Paul’s Venture Badgemaking and colouring
Wednesday 1st July 2.30pm – 4.30pm Spark Green Park, Brunswick Rd with friends of Spark Green Park
Friday 3rd July, 12pm – 2pm Pickwick Park, St Paul’s Rd Storytelling and drama
East/ West Retrofit Walking Procession
A procession through Balsall Heath with ‘retrofit street drama’ performances, banners, flags, drums and more. Join for as much of the procession as you like, or meet us at one of the happenings along the way! Part of Balsall Heath Community Festival.
Sunday 5th July, 11am – 5pm 11am: Meet at Balsall Heath Park 12pm: Set off 11.30am – 2pm: Seven Streets Park – Activities, refreshments, carnival exhibition. Retrofit-themed mini flag and banner-making workshop 2pm: George St Park – Retrofit model house street drama 3.30pm – 5pm: Calthorpe Park – Drumming workshop and refreshments
Find out more
Retrofit Balsall Heath is delighted to be taking part in Balsall Heath Community Festival 2026.
We’re inviting local residents to join us in a walking procession from east to west across Balsall Heath linking green spaces; from Balsall Heath Park to Calthorpe Park, on Sunday 5th July.
The procession will be the first outing for our brand new Retrofit Balsall Heath banner, made by local residents with local artist Jane Thakoordin.
We also invite you to join us in carrying five further banners, celebrating the strength and resilience of Balsall Heath’s vibrant community, which were made by young people in workshops by Jane, in association with The GAP Arts project and Culture Collective.
Join us for one of our ‘retrofit street drama’ performances, and / or for all or part of the Retrofit walking procession.
We will be meeting in Balsall Heath Park from 11am with Extinction Rebellion’s Drummers ‘Brumbeats’, before we set off at 12 noon bearing our banners and flags.
Drop in to a workshop at Seven Streets Park 11.30am – 1.30pm to make your own mini banner or flag to carry!
As we walk, we will be able to spot solar panels on homes that have been retrofitted, see fruit and nut trees planted by Fruit and Nut Village and view historical information display boards recently installed by Balsall Heath Local History Society.
Our route will take us via Seven Streets Park near Balsall Heath City Farm where there will be a History Exhibition of Balsall Heath Carnival. We will then carry on to George Street Park for another pop-up performance of our model house ‘retrofit street drama’.
Finally we will walk down Edward Rd to the square on the corner of Edward Rd/Court Rd by the offices of local community organisation, MECC Trust and where cooked food will be available from Change Kitchen and other local cafes.
Further free family friendly Festival activities including a Brumbeats Beginners Drumming Workshop will continue in Calthorpe Park.
Join us!
In the lead up to the Community Festival and the East/West Retrofit Walking Procession, we are holding pop-up performances of our model house ‘retrofit street drama’ in Spark Green Park and Pickwick Park, in association with local schools and Friends of Spark Green Park, and at St Paul’s Venture, supported by Balsall Heath Family Hub.
These sessions are open to all and will be family friendly, with free activities for children, supervised by their parents or guardians. They are co-hosted by Retrofit Balsall Heath Community Connectors, who speak a range of local languages.
Balsall Heath Community Festival is a week of fun, heritage, and innovation, 3rd – 13th July. For more details about Balsall Heath Community Festival visit the Balsall Heathan website.
Find out more about Retrofit Balsall Heath on our website.
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The billboard, it’s making and the fabulous smorgesborg of FREE events across Balsall Heath from 3rd to 13th July are very much in place because local organisations are determined to pull together, show the Best of the Heath.
Our Community festival begins and ends with Balsall Heathans celebrating Balsall Heath! 3rd July is the 40th Anniversary of Anawim, a celebrated locally based charity now active across Birmingham. With over 60 active Faith Centres in Balsall Heath, anawim are starting a ‘Faith Trail’, exploring and linking faiths across Balsall Heath. More than 20 events later we end our festival on 13th July with Saheli in Calthorpe Park
Draw yourself in
Before the fun even begins, we’re running the legendary colouring competition across Balsall Heath! Anyone is welcome to join – see here for instructions:
Hard at work paintingReady for Retrofit completion – Billboard hitting the streets any day now!Nearly finished!Billboard painting at OPWBalsall Heath Nature lover from Woodcraft FolkHow the board used to look before it’s latest iterationWho lives in a happy forest?
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
The relaunch event, held during Second Saturday, was a perfect place to bridge between our past and our future. We gathered at the Mix Café inside The Old Print Works, surrounded by archive editions of The Heathan with fab food and refreshments from Change Kitchen.
For those used to modern layout software, the exhibition was a revelation – We showcased how the original zine was painstakingly assembled using typewriters, ‘cow gum’ and a massive amount of patience. While the technology has changed, the mission remains the same: for Balsall Heath and Balsall Heathans.
Catching up at Second Saturday as the Heathan relaunches
Second Saturday sees our return
We spent the day sharing memories, and chatting about what the future of Balsall Heath looks like. We will be at every Second Saturday to meet up, chat and keep grounded in Balsall Heath.
Take a look at our gallery below to see some of the faces we met on the day! Thanks Photographer Richard Albutt
Fixing the dynamo connectorToqueer, green championFinal adjustments to the bike dynamoFlicking through past editions of the Balsall Heathan on displayDuncan Ali, looking for a fairer, greener world at Second SaturdayMarcus with Fahima, artist, sculptor, does henna sometimesRachel Gillies, editor of ‘NeighbourhoodNewsOnline.com’ on hand to see the Heathan relaunchFrancesco, co-founder of PRISM, exhibiting at Second SaturdayIan & Susie on the Mix Room Cafe CouchStep back in time, remembering days playing in the concrete drainage pipesA family of cyclists at Second SaturdayDan checks the wheel pulley thing to convert bike power to electricity
What’s next?
Whether you want to share a story, promote a local project, or just stay updated on what’s happening, we want to hear from you. If you’re interested in journalism, editing or helping in any way please get in contact with us.
Painted by local artist Muhmood Tahir, gifted to Balsall heath, displayed for the first time at our relaunch!
Judith explains ‘Well, I was living in Moseley, you know, rented Housing Association Flat. At the time I couldn’t consider buying a property. I couldn’t afford to anywhere in Moseley, but what was available in those days in the newsagents, was the Heathan, which for 20p I could afford, and I’ve just found the article, [Issue 103 Dec 1987]…Seven Streets Success, which…that was what made me consider Balsall Heath.’
Balsall Heath has always been a neighbourhood with a story to tell, or rather, thousands of them. Balsall Heath is a place of creativity, character and community pride.
That’s why Balsall Heath residents and organisations are teaming up with the Balsall Heath Local History Society and the Museum of Islamic Arts and Heritage (MIAH) to relaunch the iconic community newspaper: The Balsall Heathan online!
Why Now?
For years, The Balsall Heathan served as the heartbeat of the ward, documenting everything from local activism to neighborhood celebrations. We believe there is something powerful about a publication that belongs to the people who live and work here.
A Dream Partnership
At a crucial time when so much is changing in Balsall Heath we need to share what’s happening and hear the voices of residents. Balsall Heath Local History Society and the Museum of Islamic Arts and Heritage are both members of Believe in Balsall Heath – a community arts and heritage initiative created by local organisations to celebrate the people, culture, and history of Balsall Heath. We’re also part of wider networks for wellbeing, health and planning locally – Balsall Heath Alliance is looking to update a deelopment plan which might literally change the map of Balsall Heath.
What to Expect
The revived Balsall Heathan will be a space for:
Local Legends: Spotlighting the shopkeepers, teachers, and neighbours from our past and present making a difference.
Our History: features that explore how our landmarks have changed.
Culture & Arts: Showcasing the incredible talent brewing locally
We’re picking up from ‘Neighbourhood News Online’ left off and bringing back the Heathan.
We’re looking for local stories, features and anyone interested in how you can get involved!
