March 2012 Heathan - St. Paul's Community Trust

The Balsall
No. 310
March 2012
FREE
Heathan
Your Community Newspaper

Double
Celebration
Christmas came early for staff at the Balsall Heath Children’s
Centre recently when they achieved an ‘Outstanding’
classification following a full Ofsted inspection. The
awarding of Ofsted’s highest accolade came as a fantastic
beginning to this year’s celebrations of the 10th anniversary
for the purpose built Sure Start Centre.
Based upon 17 separate measures of quality, the
‘Outstanding’ classification was achieved through the Ofsted
inspectorate examining how the Centre is able to work with
families to such a high level of success, in spite of being
situated in a neighbourhood
rated as amongst the 10%
most deprived in the country.
Working with families from
a broad range of ethnic, faith
and social circumstances the
Inspectors were shown how
the centre through a well
established reputation is able
attract
Based upon 17 separate
measures of quality, the
‘Outstanding’ classification
was achieved through
the Ofsted inspectorate
examining how the centre
works with families and
achieves such a high level
of success in spite of being
situated in a neighbourhood
rated as among the 10%
most deprived in the country.
Working with families from
a broad range of ethnic, faith
and social circumstances the
Inspectors were shown how
the centre has developed a
well established reputation for
making real differences to people’s lives and is able to attract
new families on a regular basis.
The Centre was praised for its strong and effective
partnerships and outstanding capacity to improve. The
sharp focus on performance ensures families with the
highest needs receive high quality support.
The Centre’s lead and accountable body, St. Paul’s
Community Development Trust – a charity with almost
40 years of service to the neighbourhood was highlighted
by Ofsted for providing excellent leadership and good
governance. Their operational management’s ‘can-do’ spirit
was shown to underpin much of the Centre’s success. Dr
Anita Halliday, the Chief Executive of the Trust, said,
“Our mission is to work with the community to create
opportunities and achievements – this appreciation of
success is wonderful”.
The diversity of the community the Centre serves was
recognised within the report with
Inspectors noting that many parents and carers, new to
the area, value the help they receive in understanding how
to access the full range of health and education services
available to them.
The delivery of the Centre’s Early Years Services, through
their two Nurseries and Stay & Play services, received high
praise for preparing children for school. Acknowledgement
by Ofsted was made of how the Centre helps children
make outstanding progress in developing skills which will
help them in the future.
Outreach work is very
well organised and there is
valuable work undertaken
to support families in their
own homes, particularly
families with a new baby
who are provided with
fully comprehensive details
of the services offered.
The Health Promotion &
Family Support Team was
recognised as being very
effective at identifying and
engaging families in need
of support and found to be
extremely well regarded by
those who use the Centre.
The report also said,
“Families benefit from the
Centre’s outstanding range
of very well integrated
services and parents who
felt isolated within the
community thrive there”.
Parents who talked to Ofsted
during the inspection spoke
highly of the Centre and what it has meant to them. One
father said “This Centre has helped me cope with my
child’s disability. It keeps me going when I get desperate
and gives me hope”.
Having been singled out for her role at the Centre by
Ofsted, Alison Moore, Head of Children’s Services at
the Centre, said, “To be acknowledged in the report as a
determined and inspirational leader is a fantastic personal
achievement for me, having been Head of the Centre since
2002. I’d like to thank all of the staff, partners, parents
and the Trust for their whole-hearted support, which has
contributed to achieving an Outstanding Centre”.

Friends of Balsall
Heath Library
by Lucy Lorenc and Alys Duggan
Balsall Heath Library has been an integral part of our
community for over a century, so why has the decision
been taken to reduce the hours by a whopping 35%? And
what can we do about it?
Having grown up in Balsall Heath, the library has always
been important to us. We spent many happy hours as
younger children reading in the library and now, as
teenagers, its location and friendly staff have been a great
help in keeping us reading. Every time we visit the library
it is very busy and we know how much it is loved by so
many people in Balsall Heath and the surrounding area.
We can’t bear the idea of its hours being reduced.
The proposal to cut our library’s opening hours to only 26
hours per week was made on the 20th October 2011 but,
as far as we are aware, no local residents were informed
of the planned cuts. The reduction was then accepted at
a cabinet meeting on the 5th March 2012. At the same
meeting, the council decided that the three other libraries
in our constituency will be open for forty hours a week.
This seems grossly unfair but the council refuses to release
the information on how they have come to the decision
that our library is less important.
When we eventually heard of the changes, a petition
was distributed around Balsall Heath. The popularity of
Newsdesk 0121 464 4376
Editor
Peter Cole.
Reporters Peter Cole.
Contributors Lucy Lorenc, Alys Duggan, Abdullah Rehman, Chris
Poolmanm, Chris Sutton, John Newson, Joe Holyoak
& Dick Atkinson.
Director Anita Halliday.
Photography Peter Cole & Ian Edwards.
Distributors St. Paul’s Community Development Trust staff, The
West Midlands Probation Service, The Balsall Heath
Forum & Ann Molloy.
Graphic Design Peter Cole.
Design/Layout Peter Cole.
Printed
by Clarkeprint Ltd.
St. Paul’s Community
Development Trust
The Balsall Heathan is published by St. Paul’s Community Development Trust.
St. Paul’s Community Development Trust is a charity (number 508943)
and company limited by guarantee. The Heathan is not run for profit and is
financed by sponsorship, advertising and the assistance of charitable trusts.
The Balsall Heathan is distributed free to 6000 homes in the area.
The Editorial Board welcomes contributions from all who live in, work in or
are concerned for the welfare of the area. They are delighted to have
the help of volunteers with any aspect of running the paper. Please call us
on 0121-464 4376
Please send your news and views to The Editor, St. Paul’s Centre, Hertford
Street, Balsall Heath, Birmingham, B12 8NJ. Tel: 0121-464 4376. Fax:
0121-464 2555
Email balsall.heathan@stpaulstrust.org.uk
the library was evident as we managed to collect a huge
number of signatures over one weekend – more than 400
signatures! Fans of the library also gathered together for
a ‘Read-In’ demonstration on the 6th March at 11am to
show their support.
Despite these efforts to have our concerns voiced, it is
evident that the needs of this community have not been
taken into account. Now is the time for action! It is
down to us as residents of Balsall Heath to demonstrate
how opposed we are to these cuts and how popular our
library is. You can speak to our local Councillor, Victoria
Quinn, at the library on the first and the fourth Thursdays
of the month. You can sign a petition at Tindal School,
the Moseley Road Mosque or in ORT cafe (opposite
the Mosque) or you can download a petition from our
Facebook page (details below) and help us raise support.
Get updates, download a petition and show your support
via Facebook: search ‘Friends of Balsall Heath Library’
The Balsall
Heathan
Your Community Newspaper

Oscar winning
documentary
highlights the work
of Islamic Help
Islamic Help’s work with survivors of acid violence is the subject of
Oscar Award winning documentary Saving Face. The momentous
win came during the 84th annual Academy Awards in Los Angeles
and will do much to raise awareness of the worldwide phenomenon
of acid attacks.
Mr Pratt, in the living
room, with a pen!
by Chris Sutton
Anthony Pratt, who invented the game Cluedo, was born in
Balsall Heath. Pratt was born at 13 Brighton Road on 10th
August 1903. His local school is unknown but he certainly
went on to St Philips in Edgbaston where he excelled at
chemistry and music. He made an early career playing
piano on cruise ships and in country hotels.
Directed by Daniel Junge and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, Saving
Face profiles two survivors of acid violence in Pakistan. The film
follows them as they try to come to terms with their attacks,
rebuild their lives and bring the perpetrators to justice. The
documentary goes on highlight the work of Dr Muhammad Ali
Jawad, pioneering British Pakistani plastic surgeon who worked
for Islamic Help to treat the two survivors that are the subject of
the film.
Since 2005
Islamic
H e l p
has been
working
w i t h
victims
of acid
violence.
Acid scars,
maims and
disfigures
causing
abject
misery to
survivors who then struggle to come to terms with it on a physical,
emotional and psychological level. Islamic Help has worked
with a number of partners to provide corrective treatment and
rehabilitative support to survivors of acid violence. On a recent
visit to a surgical camp in Islamabad, Pakistan, Islamic Help’s
Director of International Development, Kamran Fazil, remarked
“This is a really horrendous form of violence - the impact acid has
on a victim is beyond comprehension and a very tough challenge
to deal with. We have been working to provide surgery to survivors
since 2005 and the Oscar nominated documentary Saving Face
is testament to the work we are doing and will go a long way in
raising awareness of the issue”.
Saving Face is a timely and fitting tribute to the courage of the
victims themselves and those that work tirelessly with them.
Islamic Help is continuing its work on this front under the banner
of its Smiles Better Campaign and will be joining forces with
partners to deliver treatment and to support acid attack survivors
in Nepal, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Uganda.
Saving Face will be airing on Channel 4 in March 2012 and will
also have two screenings at the Human Rights Watch Film Festival
in London.
For more information on Saving Face and on the Smiles Better
Campaign please visit www.islamichelp.org.uk or call 0121 446
5682.
Photograph by Marcia Davies
By the Second World War he was working on a drilling
machine in an engineering factory in Birmingham,
manufacturing parts for tanks. With time to think while
working, he started forming the ideas for Cluedo. He
was inspired to design a game by a conversation with his
neighbour, Geoffrey Bull, who had invented an earlier
Waddington’s game called Buccaneer. Pratt’s love of
detective fiction, especially Agatha Christie, set the theme of
his game which he originally called “Murder” with artwork
designed by his wife Elva.
The couple were living in Stanley Road, Kings Heath
(pictured in garden) at the time he patented the game. First
on sale in1949, it has since sold more than 150 million
copies in over 40 countries, and there have been several
revised editions along the way. The game also inspired a film,
TV series, books and computer games. Although Cluedo
made Pratt considerable money, he would have made more
if he hadn’t sold the overseas rights in 1953 to Waddingtons
for £5,000. Pratt passed away in 1994 and was buried in
Bromsgrove Cemetery
Read the
Balsall Heathan
online at
www.stpaulstrust.org.uk

alsall
heath
in bloom
By Pat Wing
Last year we did really well, attaining a silver gilt medal in the
Urban Communities category and gained more marks than
the year before, which means that we are not very far away
from that GOLD medal!!
This year’s planning has already begun, with Nelson Mandela
School offering to host the judges when they come in the middle
of July. The planning group have been discussing where to
concentrate on this year and have decided to try and recognise
the entrances into Balsall Heath with ‘welcome’ signs and a
floral display. We are currently seeking sponsors, so if anybody
reading this article is interested in advertising their company
or organisation
then please get in
touch with the Tree
Nursery on 446
6183.
All the local primary
schools will join in
the competition,
growing vegetables,
which they will then
show to the judges
and also use some of
them in preparing
a lunch for the
judges and guests.
This really is the
highlight of the day!
The Woodland Trust
has donated a large
number of sapling trees and we are looking for locations to
plant these. If you have any thoughts then please let us know.
We have also purchased a number of water butts and
composters and if any school or voluntary organisation would
like either of these, again call us at the Tree Nursery.
Gardening Competition
This year there will once again be the neighbourhood gardening
competition so please get your entries in early. Last year we had
over 80 residents challenging for the prizes and the standard is
going up each year, so make your plans now and let’s really
brighten up the neighbourhood. This year we are using the
Olympic ring colours of Red, Black, Green, Yellow and Blue
in the planters and shrub beds. You may want to follow the
theme or go for a ‘royal’ colour scheme for the Queen’s jubilee.
It’s FREE to enter and application forms can be obtained from
the Balsall Heath Forum at the Tree Nursery, 82-89 St Paul’s
Road, Balsall Heath. B12 8LS (by the junction with (Ladypool
Road).
A GOOD READ
The Robe of skulls
by Vivian French
This is the first title in a series called ‘Tales from the Five
Kingdoms’. Robe of skulls, does it make you think of dark,
evil deeds? Do you imagine a scary looking dress which might
clack a little from all that bone knocking together? You might
be right, but the only way to find out is to give it a try.
The story begins with Lady Lamorna, well known sorceress,
ordering a dress from
the Ancient Crones.
She discovers that her
money chest is empty.
How will she pay for her
dress, thereby avoiding
a terrible fate when
the crones discover she
cannot reward them
for all their hard work
making her robe of
skulls? She comes up
with the idea of turning
all the local princes into
frogs and then charging
the kings and queens to
turn them back again. In
order to achieve this, she
travels the land in disguise, accompanied by Gubble, a troll
like creature who is also her reluctant servant.
Does her evil scheme succeed? Does she meet other evil-doers
along the way? Does she reckon without the endeavours of
Gracie Gillypot and Marlon (a bat)?
Do read this very entertaining , funny story.
Enjoy
J.READER
PS There are three more stories in the series, with probably
more to come
Balsall Heath Carnival 2012
Balsall Heath Olympics
Saturday 7th July
This year carnival theme will be a celebration of
sport and those that take part. If you are interested
in booking a stall, performing on stage, taking part
in the procession or volunteering your time to help
on the day then contact the Carnival Co-ordinator,
Clive Phillips on 464 4376 or email him at clive.
phillips@stpaulstrust.org.uk

Cheddar Road Communal
Garden Clean-up and
Consultation
In January residents
interested in
the future of a
community garden
that sits between
Court and Cheddar
Roads provided
a plethora of
suggestions for
how the space
should be used.
The clean-up and
consultation session
saw representatives
from Calthorpe
Park Play Centre,
TYGA Youth
Forum, Edward
Road Baptist
Church, The Old
Print Works (Moseley Road), the Balsall Heath Forum and local
volunteers gather to provide not only a helping hand for a small
tidy-up but also ideas for the possible future direction of the green
space.
Previous Court and Cheddar Roads Residents’ group meetings
had highlighted how all the hard work would benefit from a long
term solution to the unused piece of land. As a consequence the
special consultation session was arranged and a gazebo set up with
a planning map for all to add their ideas and thoughts of how they
saw the garden developing.
While there were many suggestions provided by residents of all
ages, organisers noted that it was the children who came up with
some of the most creative ideas, which ranged from having a play
area, barbecue, vegetable garden, to a chilli garden.
Chris Poolman and Liz Rowe from Superspace commented on how
people really got on with each other as they worked on the garden
and were pleased so many people from different backgrounds just
got stuck in and seemed to have a really good time. Chris said “This
has encouraged us to start up a Chilli Garden Project in which
people can come along and grow herbs and vegetables alongside
the chillies, and this would become a huge asset to the community
rather than a burden.” Liz commented on the initiative by saying
how nice it was to meet so many people who didn’t know of the
garden who had expressed an interest in getting involved with any
project that would increase a sense of community in their area.
The TYGA Youth Forum were also on hand to do a spot of face
painting for the children who took part. Foster Derby from
Calthorpe Park Play Centre was excited about the prospect of
children from the Playcentre starting a vegetable patch and said
it would give the children an opportunity to grow their own food
which they may not otherwise have.
PC Thomas Dale,
Balsall Heath Dedicated
Neighbourhood Officer
said of the project; “We
were delighted to attend
this event. It is heartwarming
to see local
people caring passionately
about their community
and also about their
environment. Local
children will have their
say concerning how the
improved open space will
be used, which can only
bode well for the future.”
Community Capacity
Builder at the Balsall Heath Forum, Abdullah Rehman said “It was
a nice day which brought people together and it was especially nice
to see so many of the younger members taking a keen interest as
they will be our future.” Abdullah especially thanked the Chair of
Court and Cheddar Roads Residents Association, Stephen Blower,
for giving up his time and getting the local Harbury Road Baptist
Church involved.
As has become a common feature of these events everybody who
attended was treated to a special celebratory lunch to finish off the
session. If you would like further information on the Superspace
project then visit www.balsallheathchillifarm.com.
For more information or to get involved in the communal garden
project contact Abdullah on 446 6183.
The Balsall
Heathan
Your Community Newspaper
The deadline for the next edition is March 30th
Please send your news and views to The Editor, St. Paul’s
Centre, Hertford Street, Balsall Heath, Birmingham, B12
8NJ. Tel: 0121-464 4376. Fax: 0121-464 2555
Email balsall.heathan@stpaulstrust.org.uk

This Old
House
by John Newson
Do you live in an old and
hard-to-heat house? One with
high gas and electric bills? Many people know they are
losing a lot of heat through the windows, roof and walls,
also the heating system may need an upgrade, but they
don’t have the money or confidence to get all the energy
saving improvements done. It is not easy to find someone
reliable to assess what needs doing and to do the work.
Balsall Heath Is our
Planet now has some
resources to help
and advise home
owners, tenants and
landlords about the
new ‘Green Deal’
schemes, which are
designed to address
these problems. The
type of schemes that
we are working with
would retain all the
benefit locally.
You can ask for a free
energy assessment
on your home. This
will identify which
measures will give
Keeping
Birmingham’s
children smiling
Hundreds more children are accessing dental service in
Birmingham thanks to the joint efforts of Birmingham
Community Healthcare NHS Trust (BCHC) and local dentists.
Recent statistics show that 800 more children up to five-yearsold
have attended dentists in central areas of Birmingham
including Ladywood, Nechells, Handsworth and Aston.
To achieve this increase, BCHC’s FoodNet service and its
under-fives teams have run workshops for parents in nurseries
and children’s centres, trained nursery and children’s centre staff
and introduced a direct referral system for families attending
children’s centres who wish to visit a local dentist.
Keeping a child’s ‘milk teeth’ healthy is important for
what level of savings. You pay back the cost over some years,
through a standing charge. Only if the energy savings are
predicted to outweigh the costs can the work go ahead. The
quality of the work is guaranteed.
If you are interested in learning more please register with
me John Newson at bhiop@jericho.org.uk Balsall Heath
Is Our Planet, Jericho Building, 196-198 Edward Rd B12
9LX - 0121 440 7919
We are holding a public meeting to further explain how this
works on Tuesday 27th March at the Balsall Heath Church
Centre (see advert in this edition of the Heathan).
Stay Warm, Stay Well
If you know anyone on a low income, perhaps elderly,
disabled or a
vulnerable family,
who is struggling
to keep warm and
pay the bills, then
immediate advice
and help is available,
Birmingham City
Council has a ‘Stay
Warm, Stay Well’
campaign which
can send a trained
advisor to call at the
house. You can ring
on your own, or
with someone you
know to discover if
you are eligible 0800
033 7967 (service
ends 31st March).
developing healthy adult teeth, successful speech development
and healthy weaning onto solid foods. It is also linked to
children’s self esteem, confidence and school achievement and
is crucial in avoiding distressing and painful visits to the dentist,
the memories of which can continue into adulthood.
Sarah Farmer, BCHC’s oral health programme manager, said:
“It’s important that young children visit the dentist early in
their lives so they are more likely to continue to go as they get
older. Ideally, children should be registered with a dentist as
soon as they get their first milk tooth.
“Regular visits to the dentist mean that any problems can be
identified and treated early, therefore avoiding unnecessary pain
and distress at a crucial time for learning and development.”
By encouraging more under-fives to visit the dentist and raising
awareness of oral health, it is hoped that dental decay will
continue to fall across Birmingham giving children across the
city plenty of reason to smile.
To contact the under-fives team or for more information about
the healthy smiles courses for parents of children under fiveyears-old
call 0121 255 0138.

Balsall Heath Neighbourhood Plan
by Joe Holyoak and Simone Taylor
Balsall Heath Forum
From September to December, we were mainly doing what we
call “writing the shopping list” for the Neighbourhood Plan.
That is, we were asking as many local people as possible what
they wanted to see included in the Plan. We have ended up
with a long list of ingredients; some of them big, expensive and
long-term, like a new railway station for Balsall Heath, and the
redevelopment of the old Joseph Chamberlain College site, and
some of them things that could be achieved relatively quickly,
like tidying up some leftover or neglected spaces, or filling in
a dangerous subway under the ring road. Our task now is to
assemble these ideas into some actual policies and proposals, in
a form which can direct and influence what happens in Balsall
Heath in the future.
In December we took an important step in this direction, when
we organised, in collaboration with the Prince’s Foundation
for the Built Environment, a two-day Community Planning
Workshop. We invited about forty local people to take part,
and in discussions they produced many ideas; some which we
already had on our list, but some new ones as well. On the
second day, the Foundation team turned these into drawings,
and we are publishing two of them here. We are also exhibiting
the drawings in some public locations in Balsall Heath – the
library, St Paul’s Trust, the Church Centre, Jericho, the Ort
café, and you can go and see them there.
These two drawings both illustrate the question – Where is
the centre of Balsall Heath? We have asked lots of people this
question, and we get lots of different answers. It is not simple.
There are at least three local centres in Balsall Heath – Moseley
Road, Ladypool Road and Edward Road – and some residents
regard Gooch Street in Highgate as their local centre. The
plan drawing shows that although Balsall Heath is quite a big
place, most residents live within five minutes’ walk of at least
one of these centres. It also starts to suggest where there are
opportunities for new development – of housing, employment,
or community facilities.
The other drawing suggests that Moseley Road could be a much
stronger centre of Balsall Heath than it presently is. Currently,
it could be seen to divide Balsall Heath into two halves; it
could be improved, to become the place that joins it together.
One way this could be made to happen is with the creation
of a Town Square, as has recently happened down the road in
Kings Heath. The drawing shows this square at the junction of
Moseley Road and Haden Way, with the roads rerouted so as to
make the square a place where people could gather. In addition
to the square, we would like to see Moseley Road become a
much more attractive place, the major buildings restored and
fully in use, pavements resurfaced to a high quality, street
clutter removed and new trees planted. A similar scheme, very
successful, has recently been done in Kensington High Street
in London – Google it to see some pictures. At present Moseley
A plan which identifies the several local centres in and around Balsall Heath, and also places where new development
might take place.

Road is not a place we can be proud of - but it can be, and that
is what it should become.
These drawings are not the end of the process – far from it.
But they are a basis for what the Neighbourhood Plan might
contain, which we can develop further. We would like to know
what you think of the proposals. Are there suggestions which
you would support? Anything you disagree with? Anything
that is missing from the drawings which you think should be
there? Please let us know.
A drawing showing a suggested replanning of the junction of Moseley Road and Haden Way, to make a new Town
Square which could become the centre of Balsall Heath.

A Balsall Heath
Biennale?
Superspace, a Balsall Heath based arts organisation, are
looking to organise a contemporary arts festival in 2013 called
the Balsall Heath Biennale. In the art-world, a biennale is a
large arts festival that occurs every two years. Venice, Berlin
and Liverpool have biennales, so why shouldn’t Balsall Heath?
Superspace has received funding from Arts
Council England, the national development
agency for the arts in England, to run a
consultancy project with local people, asking
them what shape a Balsall Heath Biennale
should take. Ideas from people living in Balsall
Heath will shape the direction of the festival
next year. If you’re someone creative who lives
in the local area and would like to get involved,
please get in touch with Superspace at the
email address below.
Between March and May this year, Superspace
will be talking to residents’ groups, faith
organisations and community groups, as well
as popping up around the local area with an
information stall.
All the information about the Balsall Heath
Biennale is available on the Project website. It also
Prof Carl Chinn MBE signs
up to help shape community
healthcare in the West Midlands
Renowned historian Prof Carl Chinn MBE has signed up to help
shape healthcare in the West Midlands – by becoming England’s
largest provider of community healthcare services’ first public
member.
Prof Chinn, aged 55, has signed up to have his say as part of a
new drive by Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Trust to
recruit members from across the region.
The Trust wants its membership to have a significant influence
over the way many of the healthcare services delivered in people’s
homes, health centres, clinics and inpatient sites are developed to
respond to the needs of local communities.
has an area for submitting your own ideas. You may have a
suggestion for an exhibition, or fancy doing a drawing of a
public sculpture you would like to see in the local area. Or you
might want to suggest an improvement to street lighting. The
findings, and local people’s ideas, will be presented at The Old
Printworks in July 2012.
Given that Balsall Heath has recently been selected as one of
the first places across the country to develop a neighbourhood
plan under the recently introduced Localism Act, the Project
has been designed to act as a parallel line of enquiry to this
process. Counterpointing issues of housing
and building, the consultation process is about
finding out, to what local issues an arts festival
should respond.
Project co-ordinators Chris Poolman and
Elizabeth Rowe, would like to hear from as many
local people as possible. Speaking from their
office on Eastwood Road, they said: “Whatever
your thoughts on art in Balsall Heath, or Balsall
Heath more generally, please get in contact. If
we receive enough ideas and suggestions, then
we’ll be able to organise a fantastic arts festival in
Balsall Heath in 2013”.
www.balsallheathbiennale.com
email: balsallheathbiennale@gmail.com
www.superspace.org.uk
www.artscouncil.org.uk
All NHS organisations are required to become a Foundation Trust
– or part of an existing one - by April 2014. All Birmingham and
West Midlands residents over the age of 16 are eligible to become
a member of Birmingham Community Healthcare.
You can become a member of BCHC in one of the following ways:
visit
https://secure.membra.co.uk/
BirminghamCommunityApplicationForm/
or call the membership hotline on 0121 466 7023
or email the membership team at FT@bhamcommunity.nhs.uk
For more information visit www.bhamcommunity.nhs.uk
Prof Chinn said: “Our family has always believed in the principles
of the NHS and values the dedicated and caring professionals who
work so hard to help individuals, families and communities.
“I would urge everybody with an interest in the future of local
health services in our city to join me and become a member of
Birmingham Community Healthcare. These are essential services
for our families today and for our children and grandchildren in
the future and we should all take hold of this opportunity to have
our say.”
BCHC Chairman Tom Storrow said: “I am very pleased to
welcome Carl as our first public member”.
In addition to recruiting thousands of members, BCHC will hold
elections for a newly constituted board of governors as part of
plans to become an NHS Foundation Trust by the end of the year.
Chief Executive Tracy Taylor, Prof Carl Chinn
and Chairman Tom Storrow.

Opening the
Door at Clifton
In January Clifton Primary School opened the door to
the future when they officially opened their new building.
Recent building work at the has resulted in a boost of 12 new
classrooms, 3 of which replace old modular buildings that
were in very poor condition. Funding for 7 of the new classes
was provided by the local authority to accommodate an extra
class for the next 7 years because of an increasing birth rate
locally and a further 2 classrooms were paid for by the school
at a cost of £200,000.
The “Door to the Future” was officially opened by Mrs Sylvia
Fry, the Chair of Governors at the school, Hassen Dia Eldein,
the youngest child in the school and Hekmah Mohammed the
oldest child in the school. As part of the celebration all three
helped to cut the ribbon into the new building.
The official opening ceremony for the completion of the new
build project will be later in the summer.
Every child in attendance was provided with a balloon to release
and after the ribbon was cut they let go of their balloons and
watched them float into the air. The furthest reported sighting
of one of the balloons has so far been the middle of France.
A Helping Hand
The Prince’s Trust is set to benefit from the fundraising efforts
of students from the University of Birmingham. Aided and
supported by the staff, parents and pupils of Clifton Primary
School the fundraisers, of whom one is a former pupil of the
school, managed to raise £1092.19. Of this sum £263.27 was
raised by the school in December through a non-uniform day.
Fundraiser, law student and former pupil of Clifton Junior
School Misbah
Rahman said,
“We are so very
pleased to have
received such
generous support
from everybody
at Clifton Junior
School and
would like to say
a big thank you
to everyone”.
Head teacher Christine Mitchell said, “It is wonderful to see
all of our children in fantastic accommodation at long last; it
makes such a difference to have space for the children to learn
in. We are looking forward to welcoming our new children
each year. We now aim to refurbish the old buildings on
site in order that the whole Clifton Campus reflects the high
standards that we continually aim for.”
Clifton Nursery
Open Day!
Thursday 22nd March
Morning: 9.30 – 11am
Afternoon: 1 – 3pm
Open to all parents or carers whose children will be of
Nursery age in September this year. Clifton Nursery
will be offering free Nursery places to all children aged 3
by August 31st 2012.
Activities on offer include:
Face Painting Insect man
Cake making Mendi
Please call Clifton Primary School on 4642993 for
more details. Ask for Mr Lamprey or Miss Vaughan.

Balsall Heath Forum Focus
The Neighbourhood Plan
Joe Holyoak is continuing to ask people: “How can we improve
the physical and economic condition of Balsall Heath?”
Suggestions are pouring in. They include:
• Add a passenger service to the railway line which leads
into the centre of town. It will ease congestion on Moseley
Road.
• Repair and restore the Baths.
• Put housing on the old College site.
• Etc
Interested? Turn to Joe’s two pages in this edition of the
Heathan. They give more information and will help you to
think of other suggestions. Joe aims to have completed the plan
by March/April. So, do get your suggestions in now.
The Neighbourhood
Budget
What’s the point of a Plan if we don’t have a budget to implement
it and fund things which residents define as being important?
The Forum is conducting a budgeting study alongside the
planning one. It is asking all residents and local agencies this
Hampers for the Elderly
Schools and youth groups in the area collected enough food
at Christmas time to make 320 hampers. They were then
delivered in the days leading up to Christmas. Those who
received hampers were delighted, not just by the hamper, but
because someone cared.
One elderly lady told the bearers of her hamper to wait. She
fetched two visiting relatives from her kitchen and told them:
“See! You needn’t worry about me. Here’s my other family.
They look after me.” There were hugs and tears all round.
question: “If we can persuade our Statutory Partners to pool a
tiny fraction of their budgets and create a neighbourhood pot
of, say, £1m then what would we spend it on?” Comments are
coming thick and fast. They include:
• A play leader and play hut for Balsall Heath Park.
• Extra support for elderly people.
• Helping unemployed people into work.
• Implementing parts of the plan.
The Forum asks residents: “What are your ideas?” Let the
Wardens and Abdullah know. Voice them at your residents’
meetings. It will take a month or two before an agreed set of
suggestions emerges. So do get thinking now.
A First
The Forum and Balsall Heath are one of only ten Government
Neighbourhood Budgeting Pilots in the country. It is twinned
with Castle Vale and Shard End which are also piloting the idea.
But, it is the only neighbourhood in the country which is both
a Budgeting and Planning Pilot. That’s a real tribute to all the
hard work which has gone into building up the neighbourhood
over the years. It’s also a challenge. For we must now succeed,
make planning and budgeting work, produce real results and
show other neighbourhoods how they too can benefit by
working in this way.
So, the givers also got a boost. They could see how much joy
was conjured by their action.
But, one youngster said to Abdullah at the end of the exercise:
“I feel bad. They were all so pleased. But, we are not due to visit
again until Easter and Eid. They need someone to call every
week and check they are Ok.”
Fruit Trees for your
garden or allotment
This is a good time to plant trees!
The Tree Nursery in St Paul’s Road has just had a delivery
of really good quality bare root fruit trees. A range of apple,
pear, cherry, plum, nectarine, apricot and peach trees,
all well established and available at very competitive prices.
How true. So, local agencies helping elderly people and
youngsters are trying to work out how to create a more regular
visiting service. All ideas are welcome. Just pass them to the
Balsall Heath Forum, or Apna Ghar or the Balsall Heath
Church Centre.
These have been purchased from the
leading tree grower in the Midlands
and will give you a good crop
of fruit. Please come along
to the Tree Nursery on St
Pauls Road between 8.30
and 4.30pm on weekdays to
make your purchase! Don’t
leave it too long, get in early
while you have a good choice of
the different varieties.

Please send your letters to: The Editor, The Balsall Heathan, c/o
St. Paul’s Community Development Trust, Hertford Street, Balsall Heath, B12 8NJ
Dear Editor,
A very big thank you.
To Balsall Health Forum, Islamic Help, Saheli women’s group,
Balsall Heath Churches Together and Clifton and Nelson
Mandela Schools, I would like to say that it was very refreshing
to see our younger generation giving up their time to come
out and bring food hampers for the tenants on the sheltered
housing scheme. When I informed the tenants at their meeting
they also thought it was a very nice gesture and they would
like to welcome you all back in the future. We cannot thank
you enough for your donations because it helps people who are
having difficulty financially.
from all the tenants at Belgrave Middleway Sheltered Housing
scheme. We will always hold you dear in our hearts.
It’s a Knock out Competition
Saturday 23rd June 12.00pm start
at
St, Paul’s Venture
Can you form a team of 6 intrepid, brave, foolhardy and courageous
individuals aged between 16 – 120 years of age? This competition will
challenge a range of different skills and will be £10 per team.
Do you have the stamina to take on a physical challenge?
Are you good at puzzles?
Are you quick off the mark?
Do you have a good sense of balance?
Do you like dressing up?
Is yours the best team?
Howard Britton
Support Officer
Dear Editor,
I watched aghast as every working lamppost in Billesley Lane,
Wake Green Road and Salisbury Road were replaced by a new
one. If 100 new posts were put in and if each one cost £5k, this
equals £500,000, half a million.
If we had half a million is that really what we’d spend it on in
these scarce times? Worse, I’ve just heard that Ladypool Road
is to be re-surfaced. Look at it. Does it need to be re-surfaced?
Not a bit of it. What will it cost? I don’t know, but guess at least
one if not two hundred thousand.
What is the Council doing with our money? What would
you spend a half and a tenth of a million on? Youth projects,
support for the elderly? Is it crazy? Or, am I?
Yours,
Mr Khan
Outraged of Ombersely Road
Dear Editor,
If the answer to most of the above is yes then why not see if your team
has what it takes to be the 2012 ‘It’s a Knockout’ champions.
For more information contact the ‘It’s a Knock out Competition’
Co-ordinator Clive Phillips on 0121 464 4376.
I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to Zhor
Malik at Calthorpe Pavilion and Councillor Shokat Ali for all
their efforts in getting benches placed within Calthorpe Park.
These new benches will make a big difference to some of our
residents who could not benefit from using the park due to the
lack of places to rest. Well done.
Yours sincerely
Brian Bollard and Edna Shaw

Dear Editor,
I think the Forum’s idea about having a Neighbourhood Budget
is great. About time. I pay £4k a year in rent, plus the best part
of £5k in taxes, plus more because of the tax on petrol and other
goods – over £10k! If just 8,000 of us residents pay the same, this
is £80 million a year.
Where does it all go? What do we get for it? Dirty streets, a Council
you can’t see, police you never meet. That’s not good enough. So,
yes, I want to see our budget and decide how its spent.
Abdullah asked me what I’d spend it on. How about this for
starters – clean streets, visible police who call at your house, jobs
for the unemployed?
If you are setting up a budgeting group, can I be on it?
Yours sincerely,
Mr Khan
Alexandra Estate
Dear Editor,
I got a nasty shock the other day. Two of our Councillors had a
very public row in my residents meeting. I spend half my time
getting my neighbours to be nice and not back-bite. So, this came
across as setting a really bad example. Can our Councillors please
get on and support us?
The Forum always has a page in the Heathan, tell us what it’s
doing and holds lots of meetings and meals which bring us
together. Would it help, therefore, if you invited the 3 Councillors
to get together and produce a joint Heathan column. Then we can
also see what they’re doing? Go on. Please.
Yours ever,
Anonymous
Kinver Croft
Dear Editor,
Is it just me? Or, is the litter as bad as ever on Ladypool and
Edward Roads? Can someone please do something about it? I told
off one young man for dropping his take-way carton. He told me
I was an “interfering busy-body.”
We need to fine people. We need a campaign. We need to give
prizes to the cleanest street. I’m counting on you. I’m not a busybody.
I just want streets I can be proud of.
Yours sincerely,
Mrs Pickering
Runcorn Road
Editor’s comment
The Balsall Heath Forum is starting a year long ‘beat the
blight’ campaign. Plus, there will soon be a ‘Respect our
Neighbourhood’ (RON) system for reporting and removing
eye-sores. Would you like to be a ‘RON reporter’? If so, contact
the Balsall Heath Forum.
The views expressed do not necessarily represent those of the
editor or the publishers. Letters may be edited for publication.
Letters will only be considered for publication if accompanied by a
name and address. These can be withheld if requested. The Balsall
Heathan will not publish anything it deems to be unlawful, libellous,
defamatory or obscene.
Council Services
Housing Department
Repairs 24 hours 0800 0733 333
Applications/Transfers 303 4005
Council House Purchases 303 7926
Private Rented Services 303 5070
Rent Arrears 303 3324
Empty Properties 303 5070
Unkempt Gardens 303 5070
Environmental Services
Environmental Health 303 6007
Pest Control (Rats) 303 9900
Antisocial behaviour 303 1111
Noise & Nuisance Team 303 6007
Refuse Collection & Street Cleaning 303 1112
Pothole Reports 303 6644
Street Lighting 303 6000
Social Services
Social Services Department 303 7070
Social Security (Poplar Rd. & Coventry Rd.) 722 7000
Social Security (Moseley Rd. & Northfield) 766 4300
Housing Benefit & Council Tax Benefit 464 7000
Council Tax (Billing & Account enquiries) 303 1113
Education and Employment
Education Department (General enquiries) 303 2590 / 2872
Student Grants 303 3648 / 3647
Sparkhill Job Centre (Stoney Lane) 480 3500
T.U.C. Centre for the Unemployed 771 0871
Gas, Water, Electricity
British Gas (Transco) 0845 609 1122
Gas Escapes 0800 111 999
Gas Repairs (Council Tenants only) 333 7433
npower Electricity Emergency 0800 328 1111
Severn Trent Water 0800 783 4444
Police
Main Switchboard 0345 113 5000
Balsall Heath Station 626 1738
Health
Balsall Heath Health Centre, Edward Road 446 2300
Mobarak Health Centre, Cannon Hill Road 440 4666
Community and Advice Services
Access for All Disability Resource Centre, Bierton Rd, Yardley 789 7365
Apna Ghar Asian Elders Centre, 21 Clevedon Rd. 440 2266
Assemblies of the First Born Heritage Community Project 753 0068
C.A.S.A 622 1715
Cats, 110 Edward Road 440 1007
Balsall Heath Church Centre Elderly Care 440 1138
Balsall Heath Forum, St Pauls Road 446 6183
Balsall Heath Children’s Centre 464 6349
Balsall Heath Library 464 1962
Birmingham Asian Business Association, 249 Ladypool Rd. 693 3101
Birmingham Drugline 632 6363
Birmingham Enterprise, 249 Ladypool Road 446 4444
Birmingham Ethnic Education and Advisory Service 359 3339
Birmingham Independent Living Project, 249 Ladypool Rd. 693 9050
British Yemeni Forum, 102 Edward Road 446 5330
Calthorpe Park Playcentre, Edward Rd./Cheddar Rd. 446 4047
Friends Institute, 220 Moseley Rd. 440 4873
Empty Homes Project (to report empty houses) 303 5341
Good Neighbour Centre, George St. 440 7548
Highgate Family Support Centre, Conybere St. 440 6788
Islamic Resource Centre 440 3500
Jericho Community Project, Edward Road 446 4258
Jericho Foundation, Edward Road 440 7919
Kings Christian Centre 440 4447
Pathways For People 446 5122
Pride of Jephthah, Unity House St Pauls Road 440 3000
Run A Muck 449 1991
South East Birmingham Credit Union 444 4114
Sparkhill Centre, 447 Stratford Road 772 2427
St. Paul’s Venture & Malvern Street City Farm 464 1888
Wayahead 464 8739
Yemeni Day Centre, 15 George Street 440 1044
Neighbourhood Offices
Sparkbrook, Greencoat House, 261 Stratford Road, 303 9110
Sparkhill ,641 Stratford Road, 303 0722
Sports & Leisure
Moseley Road Baths, Moseley Road 464 0150

Park Hill School
Cuts Red Tape
In early January a new building at Park Hill Primary School
was officially opened by Sonia Lannaman MBE. Sonia, a
former Olympic and commonwealth medal winning sprinter
and former pupil of the
school (she grew up on St
Albans Road), took time
out of her busy schedule
to take part in the special
event.
During her visit, Sonia
took part in a whole
school assembly during
which she reminisced
about her time at the
school and went on to
talk about her career. The
pupils were later given a
chance to see her medals
and along with the staff
take part in a question
SPORTS 4 ALL
PROJECT
Bright Future Association launched a small football league
for young people aged between 6-12 years old. The Launch
of the new league took place at the Joseph Chamberlain
Sports Hall recently and saw upwards of 100 budding
footballers enter their teams.
Free to enter, the competition provides not only free kit
for each player
in the colours
of their choice
but also three
months’ worth
of coaching in
the run up to the
full competition.
The coaching
sessions will
take place
on Saturday
afternoons at
the council’s
sports facility
at the Joseph
Chamberlain
and answer session. Sonia presented the school with a framed
photo, signed autographs, took a tour of the building and!
She cut a ribbon to mark the opening of the new classrooms
and the whole school enjoyed specially baked cakes to mark
the occasion!
Park Hill School which has recently introduced a house
reward system, which is divided into four houses. Each one
of the four houses in turn is named after prominent and
successful people with a local connection (JRR Tolkien, Joseph
Chamberlain, Kabir Ali
and Sonia Lannaman).
The reward system allows
the children to earn
house points and tokens
for good behaviour, great
work and showing a
positive attitude.
College site. In attendance and
providing professional level
football coaching along with a
team of volunteer coaches will
be Gary Stevens from Aston
Villa Football Club.
In commenting on the
inclusion of her name in
the reward system Sonia
said, “I am very proud
and honoured to have a
house at Park Hill named
after me and I am pleased
to be an inspiration to
the pupils.”
This initiative which is funded
by a joint venture between
Birmingham City Council
and Bright Future Association forms the first of this year’s
sporting activities with plans in the pipeline for a bigger
football based competition scheduled for the summer. While
team places have
been filled to
capacity for this
program there
are still chances
to be a volunteer.
For further
information
contact Nassim
Saif, Project Coordinator
on
07896531624
or visit www.
brightfuture1.
com

• Professional, friendly staff team providing a safe and nurturing environment.
• believe in the importance of your child’s happiness, learning and development.
• We Plan within the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum, providing free play opportunities
and focused activities to encourage each child’s learning and development.
• Ofsted registered and eligible for the Nursery Education Fund.
• We are currently working towards the ‘Quality Together’ scheme.
St Paul’s Nursery now has 3 sites:
St Paul’s Nursery at Balsall Heath Children’s Centre site, Malvern Street, Balsall Heath 0121 464
1886
A 58 place Nursery providing full and sessional care and learning for children aged 3 months to 5
years. Our chef provides a balanced diet which meets the needs of all dietary requirements, with
all meals and snacks prepared on site using fresh ingredients. Open from 8am to 6pm. We have
vacancies for September 2012
St Paul’s Nursery at St Barnabas site, St. Barnabas Church Hall, Ladypool Road, Balsall Heath 0121
675 3467
A 24 place Nursery providing free sessional care for children aged 2 - 5 years following school term
time only. Sessions are from 9am - 12pm and 1pm to 4pm. Healthy drinks and snacks are provided.
We have vacancies for September 2012
St Paul’s Nursery at Tindal Site , Tindal Primary School, Side Entrance (Cromer Road)Balsall Heath
07952869623
A 24 place Nursery providing free sessional care for children aged 2-5 years during school term time
only. Sessions are from 9am -12pm. Health drinks and snacks are provided. We have vacancies for
September 2012.