Category: ENNS

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NEWS: Northside Welcome Centre in Stockland Green celebrates 20 year anniversary of community support

Outside of Northside Welcome Centre at 176 Streetly Road, Stockland Green / Photograph supplied by Northside Welcome Centre

Words by Ed King

On Friday 14 August, Northside Welcome Centre will celebrate 20 years of community support and services.

Located at 176 Streetly Road, Stockland Green, the local community hub runs a varied programme of activities to encourage social inclusion, positive health and wellbeing, and learning new skills.

The weekly calendar hosts sessions including exercise classes, advice surgeries, walking groups, coffee mornings, arts and crafts and computer skills workshops.

Through funding from the Erdington Neighbourhood Network Scheme (ENNS), which supports many community groups and projects across the constituency, Northside Welcome Centre has also recently launched a Cooking Club – where a professional chef will lead workshops on how to prepare food that helps challenge arthritis and inflammation.

Promotional poster for Cooking Club at Northside Welcome Centre

The Cooking Club will run alongside a series of weekly session giving advice on how to manage arthritis and promoting good joint health – as well as a regular gentle movement class to encourage suppleness and mobility.

Held on Tuesdays and Thursday, the new programmes are being promoted as part of Northside’s ‘Move well, eat well, live well’ project – with all activities funded by the ENNS.

Launched in 2006 by Sikh Nari Manch UK, Northside Welcome Centre grew from the registered charity’s work supporting women in the local Sikh community.

Craft and knitting session at Northside Welcome Centre / Photograph supplied by Northside Welcome Centre

Sikh Nari Manch UK was founded in 1998 by Bibi Gurdev Kaur OBE, but built the Northside Welcome Centre so it could operate a wider network of support and services for all faiths and genders.

A spokesperson from Northside Welcome Centre told: “Since opening Northside Welcome Centre in 2006, we have been proud to provide a welcoming space for local people, offering activities, friendship, wellbeing support and opportunities to bring our community together.”

They added: “Over the past 20 years, thousands of local residents have benefited from the Centre and we are looking forward to celebrating this journey with our volunteers, Centre users, supporters, partners and funders.”

Computer and digital skills session at Northside Welcome Centre / Photograph supplied by Northside Welcome Centre

The 20-year anniversary celebration on 14 August will take a look at the centre’s two decades of support, with special recognition of Northside’s volunteers and supporters.

There will also be live Indian classical music and Tabla, as well as a special lunch for invited guests.

For more on Northside Welcome Centre visit www.northsidewelcomecentre.co.uk

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NEWS: Erdington Court Bowls Club receives grant to encourage locals to ‘Bowl for Health’

Pics supplied by Erdington Court Bowls Club

Erdington Court Bowls Club (ECBC) has been given a grant of £6,453 to offer bowls sessions to local individuals and groups as part of its ‘Bowl for Health’ programme – awarded through the Erdington Neighbourhood Network Scheme (ENNS)

Each session, held weekly, will last an hour, with participants paying only £2.50 which will also include a drink and biscuit at the clubhouse.

All equipment and training is supplied by ECBS, a registered charity, and no previous bowls experience is necessary to take part. The Erdington based bowls club are keen for ‘all ages and abilities’ to join in on the sport.

Club Marketing Officer and Trustee Ray Woods said: “The news of this grant was fantastic. It enables us to build on the experience of hosting a ‘Bowl for Health’ programme last year – and also hosting  groups of special needs school students and adults.

“Our ultimate goal is to provide 9-10 hours of fun bowls per week in our indoor arena.

“We have links with the North Birmingham Branch of Parkinson’s UK and they are already receiving their initial coaching. We also have other groups who are interested.

“We also plan to use the sessions to increase ethnic, disabled, and female involvement in bowls.

The grant has been awarded by the Erdington Neighbourhood Network Scheme and Birmingham City Council, in association with Witton Lodge Community Association.

EBCS launched their ‘Bowl for Health’ programme in 2022, using the sport to encourage both social engagement and a healthier lifestyle.

Sport is well known for helping to reduce stress and anxiety, as well as building team dynamics and a sense of community. Bowls in particular can improve eye and hand coordination, as well as offering company in a sociable setting through the Erdington based club.

Ray Woods added: “The sessions aim to address loneliness, isolation, and depression, and this complements our three Warm Welcome Space events each week.

“Already, the grant has enabled us to buy more bowls to enable us to run the sessions to larger groups.”

Erdington Court Bowls Club was founded as a youth club around 1900 by the Erdington Wesleyan Methodist Church, with tennis and cricket preceding bowls – which was introduced in 1925.

In 1976, Erdington Court Bowls Club built one of the first six rink artificial greens in the world. In addition, a full length four rink indoor arena was built, approximately 30 metres long, which hosts both flat and crown green bowlers from clubs in the area.

Erdington Court Bowls Club is part of the Erdington Recreational Trust (ERT) – a registered charity whose aims are to provide recreational and leisure facilities for the people of Erdington and the surrounding area.

Paulette Hamilton MP for Erdington said: “It’s absolutely terrific news that Erdington Neighbourhood Network Scheme has awarded Erdington Court Bowls Club £6,453 to deliver their ‘Bowl for Health’ programme.

“The club is doing some great work and during my recent visit, I learned about their amazing Warm Welcome Space events that are helping local people through the cost of living crisis this winter.”

For more on Erdington Court Bowls Club visit www.erdingtoncourtbowlsclub.org.uk or call 07967 686230