The Balsall Heathan - St. Paul's Community Trust

The Balsall
No. 278
September 2008
FREE
Heathan
Your Community Newspaper
Local News & Features

Friends Institute
Future In Jeopardy
Tenants, users and the local community were given shocking
news recently when Council Officers informed that their
building, the Friends Institute would have to be closed. This
surprising news followed an inspection of the building’s
boiler by a city council engineer that resulted in it being
turned off. The cost to replace it was then estimated to be in
the region of around £25,000, which according to the Hall
Green Constituency Committee was too costly. Due to a
lack of heating and hot water a decision by the committee
was taken to close the building.
Not so Expensive
With the Friends Institute being home to over 40 arts and
community organisations, the news was a dreadful blow. As
a result a campaign was started to save the over 100-year-old
building. Shortly after a further inspection by a different
engineer revealed that the true cost to reinstate the boiler
would in fact be considerably less at just below £3,000.
Fiasco
A recent meeting by supporters of the centre put pressure
on Council Senior Officer for Hall Green Constituency,
Peter Hobbs to provide heaters for the building while the
boiler was out of action. The next day portable coolers were
sent to the building by bungling council workers.
Decision
At the same meeting Council Officer Mr Hobbs when
pressed about the decision to close the building revealed that
the decision regardless of the boiler had been made in July
by members of the Hall Green Constituency Committee.
With yearly losses of around £40,000 the closure of the
building would help to limit the constituencies over spend
which for last year was at £254,000.
More Work
A further twist to the story was recently revealed when a
request to resurface the buildings car park was given the
go ahead at a cost of £8,000 despite the constituencies’
financial difficulties.
Petition
A petition to save the building from closure was presented at
the council house by Councillor Yaqoob at a recent council
meeting. In support users from the Matchbox Café and
friends of the Friends Institute applauded. When quizzed
about the future of the building by Councillor Yaqoob at
the same council meeting Councillor Cox reiterated the
importance of the £40,000 overspend but did not show any
support for the future of the building.
When asked about the situation Councillor Yaqoob said,
“The fact is that because the building was donated by
the Quakers the Council don’t have to pay any rent. The
tenants pay the council rent, which should then be used for
the maintenance of the building. So if they can’t manage the
building under these favourable circumstances then what
can they manage?”
Matchbox
Clients of the Matchbox Café have been particularly
affected by the upsetting news. A cooperative run for adults
with learning difficulties, the closure of the centre would
be a powerful blow. The clients’ involvement in the dayto-day
running of the café provides a means of meeting
people, building confidence and earning money. However
the proposed closure would be a devastating blow to the
group who have been regularly used by the city council as a
prime example of a successful cooperative.

The Balsall
Heathan
Your Community Newspaper
Stop The Rot
Chinese
Balsall Heathans
Celebrate Olympics
Chinese elderly residents at Connaught Gardens and Cherish
House celebrated the opening of the Olympics this summer
with a series of fun events. The events, which included a special
egg and spoon race and ping-pong competitions formed a joint
celebration for the two centres. As well as games and activities
residents and guests were treated to a celebratory meal prior to
a cinema style broadcast of the opening ceremony.
A decision to close the Friends Institute has left many Heathans shocked
and wondering what will they want to close next. The decision, which has
met strong resistance from tenants, users and members of the community,
has raised further questions about the plight of some of Birmingham’s
most under maintained historic buildings.
The Future
Calls are now being made to preserve what little heritage is left in the
second city before valuable assets are lost to future generations. With
many historic buildings along the Moseley Road being poorly maintained
for decades some have suggested a preservation and development plan for
all of the key buildings along the Moseley Road.
Britain In Bloom
With the judging having taken place during the summer, the announcement
of the results were eagerly awaited with many hoping that at long last
Balsall Heath would win gold but alas it was not to be. The hard work
of volunteers, school pupils, school staff and local organisations earned a
much-deserved silver classification. Once again the national competition
that promotes community involvement reaped benefits in Balsall Heath.
Well done everybody.
During the morning’s activities residents from Connaught
Gardens walked to the Cherish House site in Digbeth with
the assistance of Balsall Heath Community Wardens who
were invited to take part in the celebrations.
Newsdesk 0121 464 4376
Editor
Peter Cole.
Reporters Peter Cole.
Contributors Dick Atkinson & Chris Sutton.
Director Anita Halliday.
Photography Peter Cole.
Distributors St. Paul’s Community Trust staff, The West Midlands
Probation Service, The BalsallHeath Forum, May Pearson
& Ann Molloy.
Graphic Design Peter Cole.
Design/Layout Peter Cole.
Printed
by Clarkeprint Ltd.
Connaught Gardens and Cherish House cater for Chinese
elderly people through services that are aimed to be culturally
appropriate. With the majority of the residents having been
born in mainland China and Hong Kong they are encouraged
to explore their shared heritage.
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
Read the Balsall Heathan online at
www.stpaulstrust.org.uk

LOCAL OFFICERS
KITTED OUT WITH
COPPER CARDS
Since July officers from Belgrave Road police station have had an
addition to their toolkit designed to develop a positive relationship
with local schoolchildren…the Copper Card.
Over the 12 weeks of the schemes, police officers and police
community support officers (PCSOs) from neighbourhood teams
will, upon request, hand over a total of 24 limited edition cards
to collect. Each card has a photo depicting local policing over the
years and a crime prevention message aimed at 7–11 year olds.
Messages on the cards include advice and information about
bullying and road safety as well as information about how to contact
Cultural festival in
Sparkhill
Sparkhill Park on the Stratford Road in Sparkhill, Birmingham,
will proudly host the Sparkhill Cultural Festival that will celebrate
the diversity of cultures in the West Midlands.
The event, which has been organised by Midland Education and
Caring Services, will take place on 4th & 5th October 2008,
11am to 6pm and will be officially opened by the Lord Mayor
of Birmingham Chauhdry Abdul Rashid. Midland Education and
Caring Services has been a registered charity since 2002 (charity
no. 1095015) and was setup to provide support and guidance in
the fields of health, education and alleviating poverty. Recently
MECS have been active in preventing anti-social behaviour and
reducing knife and gun crime.
the police. Two different copper cards
are available to collect from any police
officer or PCSO each week.
Commenting on the launch of the
copper card collection, Superintendent
Mick Gillick said: “We think the
launch of copper cards is a great way
of increasing engagement between our
neighbourhood team officers and local
children.
If you have any further questions
relating to the copper cards, please
contact Tom Lees, Communications and Reassurance Officer, at
Belgrave Road police station on 0845 113 5000 ext. 7821 6831.
As well as a wonderful opportunity for local businesses to showcase
their products and services with stalls and marquees, this fun event
will be packed with entertainment in various forms including:
music, fashion shows, competitions, auctions, children’s fun rides,
and a boxing display by Jason Lowe.
The main aim of the event is to bring peace, happiness and pride
back to the community and all profits will fund the employment
of a full-time professional to provide support to prevent street
crime, violence and abuse within the area. There will also be an
opportunity in the future for residents to air their views and find
solutions to enhance their future.
Would you or you business like to be involved in the multi-cultural
community event? Then book a stall, sponsor the event, donate
items for the auction or simply attend the event.
For further information please contact: Rafik Bhatti on 07716
017943.
young people have the desire to do something extra with their
lives and help others in the process. These are qualities employers
are looking for on a CV and show more about a person than their
qualifications alone”.
DRAGONS’ DEN TYCOON ADVISES HOW TO
GET A WORLD AHEAD AT WORK
One way to stand out from the crowd and get the competitive edge
on your CV when looking for a job is through gaining valuable
work experience by volunteering.
Platform2 is a free global volunteering scheme funded by the
Department for International Development (DFID) and run by
Christian Aid, BUNAC and Islamic Relief. Open to 18-25 year
olds who wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to volunteer
abroad, it offers the chance to spend 10 weeks living and working
in a poor community in countries like Ghana, South Africa, Peru
or India.
The scheme gives volunteers the chance to learn about development
issues as part of a diverse team, experience new cultures and
improve their practical, communication and organisational skills.
Duncan Bannatyne, entrepreneur and Dragons’ Den tycoon,
said, “When I employ someone I look for initiative and drive;
someone who is a self starter and can work well as part of a team.
Volunteering for a programme like Platform2 demonstrates these
On their return to the UK, participants attend a three-day
workshop where they devise interesting
and exciting ways of communicating what they have learnt about
global issues with friends, family and their local community. They
will continue to build on their life and employment skills by
making videos, writing blogs and songs, organising talks, putting
on exhibitions and getting local press coverage.
Zina Lewis, a Platform2 volunteer from London who has just
returned from Ghana, said “It’s a life-changing experience…It will
be very helpful when it comes to getting jobs because it was quite
character-building and show a lot about you: that you’ve donated
your time and gone to live with a group of people that you don’t
know, Big Brother-style; that you’re a team player who can work
with others and that you have social skills”.
Mark Vyner, Platform2 Head of Programme, said, “Employers
have told us that volunteering on a CV looks good - it shows
someone has initiative, drive and will have a level of maturity
above those coming straight from education. Platform2 offers all
participants a great experience and will help them stand out from
the crowd in the job market”.
For more information on how to apply for Platform2 visit www.
myplatform2.com

Birmingham’s
bright 2026 future
In September, the BBC’s Nikki Tapper and youngsters from the
Youth Parliament and Young Enterprise will launch Birmingham’s
new sustainable community strategy, Birmingham 2026: Our
vision for the future. The vision will set out the long-term ambitions
the city hopes to aspire to and achieve in the next 18 years.
Dilveena Sokhi, 17, Anjenna Balasingam, 17, Luke Smith, 16 and
Ziana Kotadia, 14, are representative of Birmingham’s young people
who will inherit the future which the Birmingham 2026 vision
will create. Therefore it is vital that they are part of the process
which aims to ensure economic success and an increased quality of
life for all, whilst living within our environmental limits.
Be Birmingham, the city’s local strategic partnership which
is responsible for the vision, aims to ultimately create the
opportunities which will allow current and future generations to
fulfil their potential and ambitions.
Birmingham 2026 is based
upon a public consultation
in which 1,300 people had
their say on what they felt
the city’s priorities should
be in the coming years.
Their views have formed
the basis of this vision.
However, creating the
vision is only the first
step to delivering positive
change in Birmingham.
Now all of Be Birmingham’s
partners must ensure that
the vision gives our citizens
the opportunity to:
FIREWORK SAFETY
ARTICLE
‘Don’t fool with fireworks’ is the message from West Midlands Fire
Service as the firework season approaches.
Fireworks are not toys, they are explosives and can cause serious
harm if care is not taken when handling and using them.
Chief Fire Officer Frank Sheehan said: “We want people to enjoy
fireworks safely, and that means being careful and following the
Fireworks Code.
“Anyone messing around with fireworks, or even just being careless
with them, is putting themselves and other people at serious risk.
“In the Fire Service, we see the consequences first hand and they
can be devastating.”
The Fireworks Code sets out the key guidelines to follow when
dealing with the devices:
· Never put fireworks in your pocket or throw them
· Only buy fireworks marked BS 7114, the British Safety
· Succeed economically
· Feel and stay safe in a clean and green city
· Be healthy
· Enjoy a high quality of life
· Make a contribution to the society they live in
Be Birmingham (www.bebirmingham.org.uk) brings together
organisations from the business, community, voluntary, faith
and public sectors. Each partner has a duty and responsibility to
deliver certain aspects of Birmingham 2026 which collectively
will ensure the vision is achieved.
These responsibilities are set out in
the vision’s delivery plan, the Local
Area Agreement (LAA) which will
be reviewed every three years until
2026.
Cllr Paul Tilsley, chair of Be
Birmingham, said: “Birmingham
2026 is about the citizens within our
communities working together with us to deliver economic success,
providing social wellbeing whilst living within our environmental
limits. Birmingham is renowned for its innovative and creative
past. We need to harness this spirit to ensure we deliver that kind
of success but in a new
age of cultural diversity,
digital communication,
technological advancement
and environmental
sustainability.”
Birmingham 2026 will be
launched at Be Birmingham’s
inaugural summit on 17th
September at the Town
Hall. For more information
please contact natascha.
b owett@birmingham.
gov.uk or visit www.
bebirmingham.org.uk.
Standard.
· Don’t drink alcohol if setting off fireworks.
· Keep fireworks in a closed box.
· Follow the instructions on each firework.
· Light at arm’s length, using a taper.
· Stand well back.
· Never go near a firework that has been lit. Even if it
hasn’t gone off, it could still explode.
· Always supervise children around fireworks.
· Light sparklers one at a time and wear gloves.
· Never give sparklers to a child under five.
· Keep your pets indoors.
West Midlands Fire Service works hard to prevent any fire related
incident through education. In 2006 they created a DVD aimed
at young people, “Messing with Fireworks, Messing with Lives”,
complete with guidance notes. The DVD consists of two short
films:
· ‘Out with Izzy’ - aimed at 5-9 year olds, a 3-minute
animation showing the main do’s and don’ts with fireworks.
· ‘The Gift’ – aimed at 9-15 year olds, a 6-minute film,
highlighting the dangers and consequences of messing around
with fireworks.
This is available to schools and youth groups. If your organisation
would like a copy please email education.team@wmfs.net or
phone 0121 380 6074, including the address and contact name
for posting it to.

Titanic
Balsall
Heath
by Chris Sutton
The sinking of the ocean liner Titanic on the night of 14th April
1912 still spawns great interest to this day. One of those who lost
his life that night was a former Balsall Heath resident, George
Gumery.
George Gumery was born on 20th December 1887 at 23 Princess
Road which is near, and runs parallel to, the Pershore Road. His
father was also named George and he worked in the confectionary
business as a Sugar Boiler Worker. His mother was Harriet,
known as “Hetty” Gumery (nee Sherry). By 1893 at the latest
the Gumery family had moved to 13 St John’s Road, renamed in
1898 to Runcorn Road.
The
Phoenix
Women’s
Group
Do you have a young baby or toddler at home and feel
that things are not as easy or enjoyable as you would
have hoped. Do you find it hard to get out and perhaps
feel tearful or stressed?
1 in 10 women experience some form of Post natal
depression or anxiety following the birth of their baby.
Symptoms may include lack of motivation, tearfulness,
anxiety, guilt, irritability, feeling lonely, unsupported, anger,
panic attacks or not feeling love for your baby.
The aim of the group is to break isolation for women
who may be at home on their own with their baby and
feeling lonely. The group will help women to build up a
support network with the other mums, which will help
them to improve their depression and motivation.
Sometimes mums may not feel that they have post natal
depression, perhaps just feeling a little low, if this is you,
you are still welcome to come along and join us.
Wednesday 12.30pm – 2.30pm
Starting 17th September 2008
St Barnabas Church Hall,
corner of Ladypool Road, Clifton Road
Creche bookings ring Karen 464 6349
George appears to have been an only child, which was unusual
for that era.
This could possibly be due to his mother’s ill health; tragically she
died in 1899. His father never re-married but his wife’s unmarried
sister, Elizabeth, lived with them and presumably took over the
role of the lady of the house.
Young George went to Tindall Street Boys School (no records
survive) and was a leading light in the formation of the Old
Boys’ Association, becoming their first secretary. He also attended
Sunday School at Moseley Road Congregational Church and
was involved in local amateur dramatic productions. The next
tragedy came with the equally early death of his father in 1909.
It seems likely he stopped in the Balsall Heath area for a time
afterwards, given his involvement in local groups. He remained
single and he next turns up in 1912 lodging at 24 Canute Road
in Southampton.
Gumery signed on as a Steward with the St Louis. At this point
fate took a another awful turn. A coal strike had caused major
shortages and to ensure Titanic sailed as scheduled on April
10th coal was transferred from other ships, including St Louis.
Also transferring, due to crew shortages, were several Stewards,
including George Gumery who signed on to join the ship on 9th
April. He started work the following morning at 6am on wages of
£3 15 0 per month. Gumery was one of four Mess Stewards in the
Engineers’ Mess on Deck E. All were probably off duty when the
collision occurred and only one survived the disaster.
News of the disaster and the ensuing inquests ran in the press
for weeks afterwards. Many memorial services were held across
the country, one such being at Moseley Road Congregational
Church on Sunday 21st April, especially poignant as they had lost
a former member of the congregation. At the morning service
the choir sang “No Shadows Yonder” and the hymn “Nearer My
God to Thee”. The latter had famously also been played by the
band on board Titanic as she slipped beneath the waves. There is
a Titanic Stewards’ Memorial Fountain in the ruins of Holyrood
Church, Southampton.
The wreck of Titanic was finally discovered on 1st September
1985. Today only one of those rescued remains alive, Miss
Elizabeth Gladys Dean. Better known as Millvina, she was born
on 2nd February 1912 and lives in Southampton.

Control Your
Gas Bill
Big price rises for gas have been announced, but one householder
in Balsall Heath won’t
be worrying, as John
Newson explained
recently. He opened
up to the public
as part of Heritage
Open Weekend.
Although built in
1884, his terraced
house has reduced its
gas consumption by
up to 70%, through a
combination of energy
saving measures.
John says anyone can
have an energy weekend,
where you visit the local DIY shop and get ready for winter. If
you have done this already, why not offer to help a neighbour
who has difficulties?
Here are John’s Top Ten Tips for the Heathan.
1. Fit draught excluders to the front and back doors, and
the doors to your main living room (don’t forget the
letter box).
2. Add to the thickness of your loft insulation, if it was
done more than 10 years ago.
3. Put reflective panels behind any radiators, especially
those fixed to outer walls.
4. Add a second pane to any single pane windows. Clear
plastic or cling film are cheap, but still worth doing.
5. Remove anything that stops winter sunshine getting
through, and remember to close the curtains as soon
as the sun goes down.
6. Replace internal doors if they have been removed,
including the one at the bottom of the stairs if
possible. Then remember to keep them shut!
7. Make sure you understand your central heating
controls. Try turning them down - and putting on a
sweater.
8. Add radiator valves, so you can maintain lower
temperatures in rooms where you don’t sit much.
9. Consider buying a modern condensing boiler.
10. Install insulating board on any solid wall that faces
the outside.
The last three measures will cost you, but they will add to the
value of your house, as well as giving impressive energy savings,
so it could be worth borrowing to achieve. Solar water heating
hasn’t been mentioned, as the great majority of your gas goes
on space heating. If you find last winter’s bills and read your
consumption on the same days this year, you will see just how
much gas you have saved. A supplier like Equigas will only bill
you in proportion to what you use. For more energy saving
ideas, contact the Energy Savings’ Trust on 0800 512 012.
AQUANATAL
SESSIONS
Pregnant women welcome
Women Only
AT MOSELEY ROAD BATHS
Meet at
Moseley Road Baths 3.15pm
Finishing at
4.30pm
Every Monday
A fixed price of
£2.20 a session
Please book your place early to avoid
disappointment!
Contact Health Promotion and Family
Support on
0121 464 6349 or call into
Balsall Heath Children’s Centre,
10 Malvern Street, off Clifton Road
The Big Picture
Local school children from Heath Mount Primary School benefited
from the opening of the new Tesco Express store on Alcester Road
South in Birmingham in July.
Garry Etherton from
Falcon Construction,
who are responsible for
building the new store,
was guest of honour at
Heath Mount Primary
when they presented the
school with a new 40-inch
widescreen LCD TV for
their new entrance hall.
As well as the TV, the
opening of the new Tesco
Express store on 17th July
in Kings Heath benefited
the Birmingham Crisis
Centre through a £1000
donation.
Deputy Head Teacher, Andrew Clewer said of the donation,
“We are very grateful to Tesco and Falcon Construction for the
LCD television. We are having a new entrance built to the school
and this television will enable us to show visitors to the school
photographs which capture the ethos of our school”.

Balsall Heath Forum Focus
The new Health Centre
The discussions continue about what facilities should be put in
the new Health Centre in Edward Road. Readers are reminded
that the old centre will be demolished and a brand new one built
in a year or two.
But, what would you like to see included in it in addition to
Doctor’s surgeries? Should there be advice about diet, a mother
and toddler’s group, support for the elderly or disabled, keep fit
facilities, fire and safety advice and/or community meeting space
– or all of these?
A large meeting has been organised for Monday, October 6th, at
6:30pm in the hall of Clifton Junior old building (Clifton Road)
Come and listen and have your say. All residents are invited to
attend.
Brighton Road Post
Office
Residents protested
outside Brighton Road
Post office against
its proposed closure.
But, to no avail. After
many decades of
faithful service to the
community, this Post
Office will be sadly
missed.
Residents and
Councillor Yaqoob call
for the Post Office to
stay open.
Spot the difference
A group of Christian volunteers from the Riverside Church teamed
up over summer with the Forum’s Muslim Wardens to tackle a
row of Council House gardens, which had come to resemble a
wilderness.
It took 5 days of
combined effort to
win the battle with the
weeds and brambles.
But, as the before,
during and after
photos illustrate, they
finally succeeded.
Readers are invited
to identify a garden
or group of gardens,
which need similar
treatment. Readers
are also invited to
volunteer to help.
Would you like to
join our green team,
tackle the impossible
and win? Contact the Balsall Heath Forum on 0121 446 6182.
Traffic Calming
Residents in Mary Street are very concerned about the speed of
motorists. There have been a number of accidents in Mary Street,
Edward Road and at various junctions with them.
So, Gwen, Edna and other residents have asked the police to
supply them with speed monitors and flashing ‘slow down’ signs.
If these are provided, the residents say they will voluntarily monitor
traffic on these roads for key parts of each day and week.
Residents and police have successfully combined in other parts of
the country to slow traffic in this way and save lives. It is hoped,
therefore, that the residents of Mary Street can do likewise.
Balsall Heath Wins
Silver
This years Britain In Bloom competition saw Balsall Heath win a
prestigious silver award. Once again the hard work of volunteers,
local organisations,
schools and pupils
helped to create a
celebration of vibrant
colour for everyone
to enjoy.
Litter Picking
The hard work to
keep Balsall Heath’s parks clear of rubbish by our Park Warden
Bob Deering was supported by the pupils of Clifton, Anderton
Park and Tindal Primary schools. The initiative, which began
earlier this year helped to maintain the local parks and provided
an insight into the amount of rubbish that can build up in a very
short space of time through the careless actions of a mindless few.
Gardening in Schools
Schemes at Nelson Mandella, Anderton Park, Clifton and Tindal
Primary schools were shown to the judges on their visit to Balsall
Heath and
helped to
provide them
with an insight
into how local
pupils are
learning about
plants and the
environment.
The variety
of initiatives
demonstrated
the creativity of the pupils, staff and volunteers to overcome
limited space and resources.
Thank You
Britain In Bloom Coordinator for Balsall Heath, Pat Wing said of
this year’s entry, “I would like to give a big thank you to everyone
that has contributed to Balsall Heath winning this silver award. I
would especially like to thank all of the pupils, staff and volunteers
at our local schools for their outstanding efforts”.

National
Play Day
Children from all over Balsall Heath flocked to St. Paul’s Trust
during the summer to help celebrate National Play Day. This year
the event, which aims to encourage children to play, was themed
‘Give us a go!’ and
called for children
to be allowed
challenging and
adventurous play
o p p o r t u n i t i e s
with the aim of
shaking off the
‘cotton wool’
culture that can
limit play.
Are you 25 or
under and have
a child under the
age of 5?
If you have answered YES and would like to
talk to other Young Parents then attend our
Young Parents Group
Loud Mouth Workshop
(Attitudes & Expectations of Employment)
17th October 2008
1:00 pm – 4:30pm
Child Development Session
7th November 2008
1:00 pm – 4:30pm
Christmas Party
19th December 2008
1:00 pm – 4:30pm
Light refreshments will be provided.
For further information please call Angela
on 0121 464 6349
Children that attended the event held at St. Paul’s were given the
chance to build dens, play a gladiator style duel with soft padded
pugil sticks, have their faces painted, make their own board game
and play on an inflatable assault course.
The fun and games finished with everyone taking part in a mass
water fight.
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,
As many of your readers know, this is the centenary year of the
Moseley Road Baths. We, the Friends of Moseley Road Baths,
are keen to see the baths’ history celebrated so we are working
on recording memories and collecting items for a Baths Archive.
We are inviting people to share their memories – from learning to
swim and using the individual private baths, to swimming clubs,
galas, parties, dances and more!
Memories or messages can be sent to us at 17 Whitby Road, B12
8QA or by e-mail to FofMRB@googlemail.com. We would love
to hear from people of all ages.
Thank you for letting your readers know.
Phil Webster
(Friend of Moseley Road Baths)
Dear Editor,
I am emailing you regarding one for the Balsall Heath Forum’s
volunteers, Abdul Hamid. A few months ago my mum and myself
broke down in our car in Birmingham, and we weren’t sure how
to change our flat tyre. If we had called the RAC, they would have
taken a while to get to us, however luckily for us Mr. Hamid saw
us in the car park in the area we broke down in and he came to
help us. We were extremely grateful for his help, as he went out of
his way to drive and get us a new spare tyre from a local garage, as
well as fitting it himself. He didn’t complain once and was very
kind in his actions. To this day we are thankful he was there, and
would like to bring his act of kindness to your attention. He was
indeed helping the local community, and that day that included us
even though we are from Coventry originally.
Please pass my thanks onto Mr.Hamid, and I hope you congratulate
him on a truly selfless act.
Best wishes,
Amrit Khara (a student at University of Birmingham)

Dear Editor,
We Wardens are on the look out for elderly folk living on their own who
could do with a visit or two. We knocked on one door and the lady said,
“You are an angel. Thank you!” It goes to show that people respond to
kindness.
Do any Heathan readers know of someone who could do with a friendly
visit? If so, just phone the Forum on 0121 - 446 - 6183 and ask for the
Wardens.
Yours sincerely,
Muhammad and Abdullah
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.
Competition
Do you have what it takes to be a Young Apprentice?
Do you have the entrepreneurial and business skills
needed to win some money?
Can you put together a team that will have the
creativity, imagination and business flair to win?
Entering is simple; just fill in an application form with
a business idea that could win your team a place in
the competition.
The Judges are looking for entries in the following
categories:
under 11s
11 - 16
17 - 19
17 - 25 (for people with special needs)
The winning groups will win a share of
£1,000
Closing date Friday October 3rd
For an application form and further details contact
St. Paul’s Community Development Trust
on
ring 0121 464 4376
or email: competition@stpaulstrust.org.uk
Council Services
Housing Department
Repairs 24 hours 0800 0733 333
Applications/Transfers 303 4005
Council House Purchases 303 7926
Private Tenancy Officers 303 5070
Rent Arrears 303 3324
Empty Properties 303 5070
Unkempt Gardens 303 5070
Environmental Services
Environmental Health 303 6007
Pest Control (Rats) 303 9800
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 0845 113 5000
Edward Road 626 4467
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 Project 440 5022
Balsall Heath Church Centre Elderly Care 440 1138
Balsall Heath Employment Training Scheme 464 8660
Balsall Heath Forum, St Pauls Road 446 6183
Balsall Heath Children’s Centre 464 6349
Balsall Heath Library 464 1962
Balsall Heath Practical Care 440 6644
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
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
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 Advice & Cultural Centre, Joseph Chamberlain College 446 6621
Yemeni Day Centre, 15 George Street 440 1044
Yemeni Centre, 244 Edward Road 249 3945
Yemeni Welfare & Training Centre, 147 Kyrwicks Lane, Sparkbrook 773 7664
Neighbourhood Offices
Sparkbrook, Greencoat House, 261 Stratford Road, 303 9110
Sparkhill ,641 Stratford Road, 303 0722
Sports & Leisure
Asian Arts & Cultural Society 440 1519
Birmingham Sports Centre, Balsall Heath Road 464 6060
Moseley Road Baths, Moseley Road 464 0150
Tickets 440 3838

The Save Moseley
Road Baths
Campaign Gets Boost
Director of the Victorian Society, Architectural historian Dr Ian
Dungavell took a dip in the Moseley Road Baths during the
summer to help highlight their importance and need for continued
support.
The visit, which formed part of a swimathon around Britain, saw
Dr Dungavell swimming in 14 public pools. With each visit he
swam a lap for every year the building has been in existence. In
total Dr Dungavell swam a total 1543 lengths covering a distance
of over 22 miles.
As part of the swimathon Dr Dungavell swam 100 lengths at the
Moseley Road Baths helping to celebrate the buildings centenary.
On commenting upon one of Balsall Heath’s most prestigious
building Dr Dungavell said, “Moseley Road Baths is the best
working Edwardian pool we have left in Britain and should be
a real source of pride. I hope that highlighting it in this way will
encourage more people to use and enjoy it so that it can stay in
public use for many years to come”.
“ W i t h
well over
50 listed
Victorian
a n d
Edwardian
p o o l
buildings
d o t t e d
a r o u n d
England, it
is shocking
that only
14 remain
in use and
open to
the public,
w h i l s t
many of
the others
have been
closed and
left to rot. Pool buildings are notoriously hard to find new uses
for. All too often, a decision to close them is effectively a decision
to write these nationally significant buildings off. We must work
hard to ensure that adequate funding and expertise is available to
keep our remaining historic pools open to everybody for many
years to come.”
Moseley Wesleyan Holiness Church
by Cassius Francis
• Do you remember moving into Balsall heath in the
1960s?
• Did you move to Balsall heath from another country?
• Are you willing to share your stories and photographs
about what Balsall heath was like?
If so, it would be great to hear from you so that you could
contribute to our black history month exhibition in October
2008.
Moseley Wesleyan Holiness Church (MWHC) is part of an
international body of Wesleyan churches across the world. Moseley’s
principle mission is “serving God and serving the community.”
The title ‘Moseley Church’ has come from the church’s beginnings
in an attic room in England in a house on Sandford Road in
Moseley, even though its postal address has always been in Cromer
Road, Balsall Heath. Moseley WHC is always affectionately
referred to as “the Mother church” for all the Wesleyan churches
in the UK. The first six members of the church were from the
Caribbean islands of Saint Kitts, Antigua and Nevis.
Before the church building was erected in 1970 members frequently
held services on the streets in Birmingham, as seen in this picture
taken at the Bull Ring in 1958.
At other times before the church was built members met at Tindal
Street School as shown in the picture below taken around 1960.
Black History Month
Exhibition at Balsall
Heath Library
During Black History
Month 2008, the
Moseley Wesleyan
Holiness Church will
be exhibiting a series
of donated historical
and contemporary
p h o t o g r a p h s
commissioned to
celebrate its 40th
Anniversary in 2009.
These photographs will form part of a commemorative calendar.
If you have any enquiries about the project please contact Cassius
Francis at the church on 0121 440 5710 (answering machine) or
email cassius@acec.org.uk
Project supported by ACEC Ltd

Sweet
Freedom
Last chance to see this
amazing play!
Did you know that Birmingham was the main
manufacturing base for chains and manacles for
the slave trade as well as playing a strong role in the
Abolition movement?
Our play, Sweet Freedom, explores this conflict as
well as casting interesting sidelights on the struggle
against slavery as a whole, with modern references. It
was devised and written by Balsall Heath Local History
Society, with original songs by Peter Churchill.
The play was originally put on earlier this year but is
now being repeated as part of black history month.
You can see it at:
St Paul’s Centre, Hertford St on Sat Oct 4th at 7.30
and
The Library Theatre, Chamberlain Square, Birmingham
on Friday, Oct 10th at 7.30
Tickets: £5 & £3 (concessions) available from St
Paul’s Community Development Trust.
Phone: 464 1890 or 464 8664
St. Paul’s Nursery
Malvern Street, Balsall Heath, 0121 464 1886
We provide a safe and nurturing environment
and believe in the importance of your child’s
happiness, learning and development.
A professional and friendly staff team, who are
dedicated and experienced in childcare and
development, provide full and sessional care
and learning for children aged 3 months to 5
years.
We are extremely fortunate to have weekly
visits from a music teacher and gardener, who
support the learning opportunities already
provided.
Ofsted registered and eligible for the Nursery
Education Grant, we have achieved the silver
quality framework award and are currently
working towards the gold award.
Planning within the birth to three framework
and foundation stage curriculum, we provide
free play opportunities and focused activities
to encourage each child’s learning and
development.
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 8 am - 6 pm,
you are welcome to visit us at any time