Hands on Handsworth » High Quality of life

Whats on this Easter in Handsworth

Tracey Thorne — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 22:02:55 +0000

Looking for something to do this Easter weekend in Handsworth then here are a few suggestions:

Sunday 24th April - Vaisakhi in Handsworth Park

Processions and cultural entertainment mark the beginning of the Sikh New Year in this colourful celebration. With stalls and displays, music, sport and food. Entrance is free starts at 12.00 finishes at 6pm for more details about the event click here

Visit Soho House & Museum which re-opened in April for the summer season – see opening time by clicking here.

Monday 25th April – Full Stream Event, Easter Monday family steam fund Day at Soho House from 12 until 4pm, special free entry

Fancy a walk then there are a number of options

Sandwell Recreational Ground and longer walk that takes you into Sandwell Valley
Black Patch Park which is easy walking distance of Handsworth
Soho Canel loop can take you into Birmingham or the other way towards Wolverhampton

Or fancy a swim than joining Be Active and you can swim for free at Handsworth Leisure Centre

New local website in Handsworth for the Shri Guru Ravidass Bhawan temple on Union Row

Tracey Thorne — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 18:01:17 +0000

The Shri Guru Ravidass Bhawan temple on Union Row, near Grove Lane Handsworth has a new website. The roots of the Bhawan on Union Row, Handsworth go back to before the 1960s in Birmingham, when a group of Ravidassia immigrants from Punjab, India decided to set up their own place of worship.

You can find out more about its history and what is happening there now by visiting the site. Good to see more local sites/blogs being developed across the neighbourhood. Real potential for social media to help connect people in Handsworth.

Exploring the many faith buildings along handsworth heritage trail

Tracey Thorne — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 16:02:37 +0000

One of the key aspects of the new Handsworth Heritage trail is its connection with some of the faith buildings around Handsworth. Many of these buildings are spectacular and add immense vaule to the way the neighbourhood looks today. Some of them have pretty impressive history such as St Mary’s Church which has stones that can be dated back to 1160.

If you start the trail at Soho House it takes you through the garden at St Micheal’s Church built in 1850.

Across the road the trail takes you past the Guru Nanak Niiskam Sewak Jatha, which sits impressively at the bottom of the Soho Rd in Handsworth.

The trail then takes you up Thornhill Rd into Handsworth Park where St Mary’s Church is situated on its boundary by Hamstead Rd. I was very lucky in 2009 I got the chance to get up on the roof of the tower and look at accross Birmingham, what a few. Not for the faint hearted thou as it is quite a treck up the tower which isn’t really very easy to access so isn’t open to the public. For pictures showing outisde of St Mary’s visit the photostream for the trail on flickr

The next part of the trail takes you up to Oxhill Rd and past St Andrews Church dates back to early part of the 19th century

You can download a copy of the heritage trail from this site click on the heritage trail page

#Handsworth Carnival Could be set to return

Tracey Thorne — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 21:00:02 +0000

Story today in the Birmingham Mail speculating about the possible return of the carnival to Handsworth?

The carnival was held in Handsworth Park from 1984 until 1994 when it moved to Perry Park.

Some great images of the carnival available online; Digital Handsworth photos by Brigitte Winsor like the one below. Larrie Teirnan on flickr has some wonderful vibrant images of the carnival.

Interesting clip on You Tube from West Midlands Police video from 2009 featuring Professor Black who helps local people make the wondeful costumes. Also views from police from their perspective of policing the event.

What do people think should the carnival come back to Handsworth?

Make it Happen Thursday 24th March @ Handsworth Library

Tracey Thorne — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 10:14:22 +0000

This looks like a really great event at Handsworth Library. On Thursday 24th March 12 until 5 you will be able to watch films on the new vintage movie bus. The event is organised as part of the Flatpack Festival with lots of events happening across the city over that weekend.

For more information see the poster below

Handsworth Poster

New Handsworth Heritage Trail

Tracey Thorne — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 15:35:14 +0000

Several months ago as part of a local heritage project the idea to create a heritage trail for Handsworth emerged. What we found from talking to people was that many local people haven’t visited local heritage sites such as Soho House & Museum. Or know much about the great buildings across Handsworth.

People have also said that they are unhappy about negative images and media coverage about Handsworth. It is hoped that the trail will provide a way to positively promote Handsworth and attract some new visitors to the area.

We are also very keen to get people out walking in Handsworth and exploring their neighbourhood perhaps in a different way?

Initially a few of us got together and walk around the area taking photos of places that people might find of historic interest. See photos from this walk on Flickr

We then formed a steering group which included Pat Mills from Handsworth Historical Society, Brian Hall Rector at St Mary’s Church, Suzanne Carter from English Heritage, Annette French from Soho House, Rob Horricks local resident, Geoff Henderson trail designer from DNA and Tracey Thorne, Neighbourhood Manager.

On September 11^th we held a taster walk as part of Heritage Open Days and ran three guided walks. Over 25 people took part and overall really liked the trail that they were taken on that day. This included Soho House, St Michaels Church, Handsworth Park & St Mary’s Church.

After much discussion the steering group selected 13 places that are of historic interest and prominence within the local area. It isn’t to say other buildings aren’t important or of value but we could only include 13 and had to think carefully about devising an interesting trail.

Hopefully this can be expanded and we can build up via Hands on Handsworth Blog information about other interesting places.

Send in your – places that are special to you. Please include a brief bit of text and a photo email to: tracey.thorne@birmingham.gov.uk

Handsworth Heritage Trail Leaflet – is now available from Handsworth Fire Station and very soon across Handsworth. If you’re interested in attending the launch event it is on Friday 11^th March at 2pm email tracey.thorne@birmingham.gov.uk

Here is what the front cover looks like – pdf version will be put up on the blog very soon.

I would like to send out a BIG THANK YOU to all involved and hope people enjoy this walk. Special thanks go to Be Birmingham & Urban Living who have provided funding for the wider heritage project that has been used in part to develop this trail. The trail art work design has been done by Geoff Henderson from Digtal Native Acadmey and photos by Dee Patel outroslide – big thanks to them both!

Pannel Croft Retirement Village in Newtown

Tracey Thorne — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 15:39:10 +0000

500 People attend Newtown Retirement Village Information Day This Week

500 older people and their families from Birmingham’s Newtown viewed plans and shared views at a major community information event featuring the £22m Pannel Croft Retirement Village which began initial construction works this month. The event was hosted by The ExtraCare Charitable Trust and Birmingham City Council as part of an ongoing consultation process to help ensure the Village meets local peoples’ needs and aspirations. The event included:

      Plans of the completed Village, including details of homes and communal leisure facilities

      Opportunities for visitors to talk to City Councilors, ExtraCare support and activity staff and    residents from existing ExtraCare villages.

   Feedback areas for questions and comment

     Activity areas which include free health checks, benefits advice and entertainment

If you are over the age of 55, living in Birmingham and would like to register your interest in the Village application process please phone, 0870 777 4800

Pannel Croft Village opens in Spring 2013 and will provide 180 affordable homes for rent (80%) and part-purchase (20%). Properties will surround a community-based Village Centre with a wide range of facilities including a gym, restaurant, craft room and woodwork area. Care will be available in the Village for those who need support.

The Village will create over 50 ExtraCare jobs and an additional 36 funded-apprenticeships, on site during construction with house-builders Frank Haslam Milan. Other partners who have contributed to the scheme’s development are Urban Living (£2.4m), The Homes and Communities Agency (£6.4m) and The Department of Health (£3.2m).

Councillor John Lines, Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “I am delighted to be able to share our plans for the City’s second retirement village for our older people in Newtown, one of five planned for the City. The event will provide an opportunity for prospective residents, their families and friends to meet with ExtraCare staff and residents of other villages to see what village life can offer.

“The Village will not only provide new homes but provide much needed training and employment opportunities for local people in this difficult time”

Pannel Croft is the second of five planned villages across the City, a £200m development partnership between Birmingham City Council and The ExtraCare Charitable Trust. The first 260-home Village, New Oscott (developed with Midland Heart), opened in March 2010 and is now oversubscribed. A third 241-home village, off the Hagley Road in Harbourne, is awaiting the outcome of a planning submission.

Newtown Village Centre will provide a social hub for local older people – especially those who suffer isolation or have limited means. This Village Centre requires £2m funding through ExtraCare’s Smile Appeal – an appeal which is helping to fund five ExtraCare Village Centres, regenerating older peoples’ involvement in community life across the City. For more information about The Smile Appeal, please contact Alison Whittingham on 024 76 506011. alison.whittingham@extracare.org.uk

Excelda Works do you know it’s Story?

Tracey Thorne — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 22:51:13 +0000

On Monday I managed to have a look inside the Excelda Works on Rookery Rd which has been empty for years. As part of the neighbourhood management programme I have been working with residents and local partners to map out empty spaces/buildings and what we call “grot spots”. These are areas where we get a high number of complaints mainly due to environmental issues e.g. dumped rubbish.

Several months ago Deborah Parsons, Environmental Warden requested some help to clean up the outside of the building where litter from the street had built up and help cut back the overgrown shurbs. This work was done by are wonderful FJF trainees who left the building looking much cleaner from the front.

Excelda Works was I think built around the 1930s and has been used for various manufacturing industries since it opened? The frontage of the entrance to the building really stands out on Rookery Rd amongst what is now becoming quite a modern and busy shopping area.

The building isn’t listed currently? It is also quite hard to find any information about it’s history.

Can you Help

It would be great to hear from any one with any old photos or stories to share?

Do you know someone that worked at Excelda?

To see more of the images from our site visit follow the link to flickr by clicking here

Soho House Family Fun Days

Tracey Thorne — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:51:10 +0000

A different family craft activity every Friday throughout the summer holidays 12.30-3.30

Friday 30th July Bouncing Birds

Friday 6th August Bumblebee Pencil Toppers

Friday 13th August Painted Pebble Bugs

Friday 20th August Children’s Stroy telling. Half hour sessions 1pm, 2pm. 3pm/ Community Health Fun Day

Friday 27th August Wearable Jewellery

Groups need to pre-book. For more information contact Soho House, Soho ave, off Soho Rd, Handsworth, Birmingham, B18 5LB tel; 0121554

Simmerdown in Handsworth

Tracey Thorne — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 17:28:13 +0000

I am back after a short holiday in Italy so really need to catch up over the next few days with blogging. Italy were booted out of the world cup when I was there and now England so we need some cheering up.

Good job there are loads of wonderful things happening in Handsworth over the next few months. Lets hope that the weather stays good and local residents can get out and enjoy!

Great events to look out for here which I will upload information about in the next week are:

Saturday 10th 12-3 Community Action Day at Brunswick Gardens

Saturday 17th July from 12.00 noon the Simmerdown Reggae Festival in Handsworth Park

Friday 23rd to 24th July ArtWalk activties all over Handsworth for people to enjoy for free

I am very excited about the Simmer down Festival as it is great too see a music event for free like this happening again in Handsworth Park for the whole family to enjoy. If you’re not a big fan of reggae don’t worry there is something for everyone and lots of free activties. I will be somewhere in the information tent. Come and say hello!