Dear Editor, Just a short letter to praise the work of two Wardens who fitted smoke detectors in my home on Monday 13 th November. Your colleagues, two gentleman, had visited me a couple of weeks previously, but at the time had just run out of detectors. Nevertheless, they had a look and assessed my needs, and left details of how they could be contacted should I be at home again on a Monday or Tuesday. On Friday 10 th November I arranged a day’s holiday (for unconnected reasons) for Monday 13 th November, and telephoned your colleagues on Saturday 11 th November, leaving a message on their answer machine. They called by twice on Monday when, unluckily, I had just gone out temporarily, but left me a note. I called them on my return, and they visited within 20 minutes and fitted two new smoke detectors for me. They were informative, helpful and polite, a credit to your service. Yours sincerely, D. Wilkinson Speedwell Road Dear Editor, For all those who missed the communal meal event in Clifton old building at the end of November. Let me tell you about it. I wouldn’t have imagined the event will attract about 300 - 400 hundred people from diverse backgrounds and in all ages. It was great! It was great to see everyone come together to enjoy the meal and the fireworks. The Forum not only lit up <strong>Balsall</strong> Heath with fireworks but they lit up the peoples faces with joy and happiness. They brought back life to our community. During the end of the event I heard comments like, “When is the next event?” So, how about. When shall we do it again? Soon, I hope. Yours sincerely, Nowrah Abdul Dear Editor, I’d like to comment about the most recent Communal Meal, entertainment and Firework display. The meal and entertainment for 400 people was excellent, well organised and very enjoyable. The fireworks lit up the sky for 1,000 people and were wonderful. But, what impressed me most was the community spirit, which everyone contributed towards. It was warm, tangible and worth its weight in gold. The Forum is to be congratulated. This was a wonderful effort. You’ve now got to do it again and again to show other neighbourhoods how to follow suit. If you can do that you will have made a major contribution to Social Cohesion! Shokhat Ali 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 & <strong>St</strong>reet Cleaning 303 1112 Pothole Reports 303 6644 <strong>St</strong>reet 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 <strong>St</strong>udent Grants 303 3648 / 3647 Sparkhill Job Centre (<strong>St</strong>oney 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 <strong>Balsall</strong> Heath Health Centre, Edward Road 446 2300 Mobarak Health Centre, Cannon Hill Road 440 4666 <strong>Community</strong> 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 <strong>Community</strong> Project 753 0068 C.A.S.A Project 440 5022 <strong>Balsall</strong> Heath Church Centre Elderly Care 440 1138 <strong>Balsall</strong> Heath Employment Training Scheme 464 8660 <strong>Balsall</strong> Heath Forum, <strong>St</strong> Pauls Road 446 6183 <strong>Balsall</strong> Heath Library 464 1962 <strong>Balsall</strong> Heath Practical Care 440 6644 Birmingham Asian Business Association, 249 Ladypool Rd. 693 3101 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 <strong>St</strong>. 440 7548 Highgate Family Support Centre, Conybere <strong>St</strong>. 440 6788 Islamic Resource Centre 440 3500 Jericho <strong>Community</strong> Project, Edward Road 446 4258 Pride of Jephthah, Unity House <strong>St</strong> Pauls Road 440 3000 Run A Muck 449 1991 South East Birmingham Credit Union 444 4114 Sparkhill Centre, 447 <strong>St</strong>ratford Road 772 2427 <strong>St</strong>. Paul’s Venture & Malvern <strong>St</strong>reet City Farm 464 1888 Wayahead 464 8739 Yemeni Advice & Cultural Centre, Joseph Chamberlain College 446 6621 Yemeni Day Centre, 106 Alcester Road 442 5027 Yemeni Centre, 244 Edward Road 249 3945 Yemeni Welfare & Training Centre, 147 Kyrwicks Lane, Sparkbrook 773 7664 Neighbourhood Offices Sparkbrook, Greencoat House, <strong>261</strong> <strong>St</strong>ratford Road, 303 7070 Sparkhill ,641 <strong>St</strong>ratford Road, 303 0722 Sports & Leisure Asian Arts & Cultural Society 440 1519 Birmingham Sports Centre, <strong>Balsall</strong> Heath Road 464 6060 Midland Arts Centre, Cannon Hill Park 440 4221 Tickets 440 3838
Joyeux Noel! Born in <strong>Balsall</strong> Heath and proud of his families links to the community, Noel Murphy recently took the step to have a tattoo stating the very same inscribed upon his arm. Noel who was born at 32 George <strong>St</strong>reet which was knocked down to make way for a vicarage a few years after his birth has lived in and around <strong>Balsall</strong> Heath all of his life. Noel said of his early years, “I was born in George <strong>St</strong>reet, the rent was a £1 a week and the mice were thrown in for free”. It took Noel a number of years to decide to have the tattoo and in August he took the big step. Noel’s association with <strong>Balsall</strong> Heath can not only be traced back to having lived the majority of his life in the area but also to his relatives who he visited as a child on Clifton Road. Now living in Edgbaston Noel misses the community of his beloved <strong>Balsall</strong> Heath, “I miss all of my friends. Where I live nobody speaks to each other. Over time you become part of the fixtures and fittings and I am part of <strong>Balsall</strong> Heath”.
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