Words by Josh Neicho
Self-professed patriotic campaigners from Kingstanding have started an online petition to see a commemorative statue of King Charles I officially erected at Kingstanding Circle, as a replacement for the unauthorised flag displays.
Legend has it Charles I reviewed his troops while standing on a neolithic barrow north of present-day Kingstanding Circle, in the run up to the first major clash of the Civil War, the Battle of Edgehill.
Keatley says that growing up locally, he often wondered why there was no monument to King Charles, given the name of the area, and argues Kingstanding deserves the equivalent of Brownhills’ 40 foot Tin Man or Spitfire Island in Castle Vale. His vision is of a statue similar of Charles I on horseback in scale and style to the one in the centre of London, at the top of Whitehall.
Now he is looking to amass support for the statue and has told media if approval is given to the monument the sea of St George’s Cross and Union flags on the Circle could “come down permanently”. Raise the Colours’ Chris Davis adds that “having something a lot more permanent would be a lot more fulfilling”.
For several months, the Kingstanding ‘flaggers’ have played cat and mouse with Council workers and anti-flagging activists over the display around Kingstanding Circle – with local residents debating if the campaign represents patriotism or jingoistic aggression.
Some even call the campaign racist in its intent, echoing the historic concerns over cultural division in Kingstanding – where the British National Party candidate Sharon Ebanks was nearly elected as local councillor in 2006.
But Keatley insists things have moved on in the last twenty years and believes “we should be able to celebrate our history and our culture.”
“If we aren’t doing anything to celebrate it, it’s being taken away,” he adds.
Raise the Colours Kingstanding is optimistic about the statue, after receiving support from several candidates in the recent local elections. They now hope to progress the idea with the ward’s new Reform councillors, including the Birmingham group’s newly appointed leader, Jex Parkin.
Reform UK Deputy Leader, Richard Tice, who visited during the local elections campaign, “is in full support of our movement and what we stand for”, Keatley adds, and he’s waiting to see if Tice “will help us make it happen”.
Keatley suggests funding could come from the £20 million awarded to Kingstanding under the Government’s Pride in Place scheme.
Announced by the Erdington MP Paulette Hamilton in September last year, after funds were released by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), Pride in Place will see £20m come into Kingstanding over the next decade – with £2m allocated for projects annually.
Following an open application process, Birmingham Settlement boss Martin Holcombe has been appointed Chair of the Pride in Place Board that will oversee spending – with additional members being made up from local stakeholders and residents.
Hamilton says she is proud to have secured the funding and decisions on spending must be community-led. “This funding should reflect the priorities of local residents, whether that is investing in youth services, safe and welcoming spaces for older people, improving parks and public spaces, or indeed proposals such as a statue of King Charles I,” she confirmed.
But historians warn that claims about Charles I’s presence at Kingstanding should be treated with due scepticism.
Professor Andrew Hopper, a Civil War specialist who grew up in Solihull, says he knew the story years ago, “but only from ‘tradition’ and oral sources”. Professor Hopper adds that enthusiasm for a Charles I statue is ironic, given Birmingham’s noted Parliamentarian sympathies in the Civil War and the sack of the city by Prince Rupert – an incident recalled by several Erdington Local readers.
After reading about Keatley’s petition on Erdington Local’s social media, James Wells from Erdington Lunar Society posted: “Let’s commemorate someone who attempted to take our democratic rights away, caused a civil war that divided the country and whose son viciously attacked Birmingham who supported the parliamentary side. I don’t think so.”
Doyen of Birmingham history Carl Chinn says a more prosaic explanation is that the name comes from a ‘standing’ – a hunter’s station – which Chinn thinks is plausible given the area’s proximity to Sutton, a royal chase.
Meanwhile researcher Ronald E. Crook once documented the word ‘king’ was common in the names of local fields before the Civil War and that there are stories linked to the Kingstanding barrow about a medieval Danish king’s exploits too.
To see the online petition visit www.change.org/p/install-a-statue-of-king-charles-i-on-kingstanding-circle
LOCAL POLITICS INTERVIEW: Sam Richards – standing as an independent candidate in Stockland Green
Words by Nicola Murray
In the UK, a political shift is underway. The tacit two party system has been eroded, with those who were once seen as outside the race now potentially taking pole position.
Many pundits cite the electorate’s growing lack of faith in Westminster’s traditional leading forces, with large numbers of red or blue rosettes being cast aside in favour for more populist politics.
This loss in trust has also given rise to a swarth of independent candidates – campaigning in local elections for their communities without the clamour of a national party falling from grace.
And they’re gaining seats as well as ground – following the 2024 local elections, the Local Government Association Independent Group declared the “ascent of Independents… in the recent local elections is nothing short of breathtaking.”
Sam Richards, a local campaigner with no formal political background, is standing as an independent candidate for the Stockland Green ward in the upcoming Council elections – where the full 101 local councillor seats will be contested across Birmingham.
Richards, who lives in Stockland Green, has worked with hundreds of families and young people through her community organisation D1C1 – actively campaigning for youth provision in the area and better family support.
Now she is throwing her hat into the ring against two candidates from every major party, one from the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition, and the two sitting councillors – Jane Jones and Amar Khan – who left the Labour Party after being deselected by the National Executive Committee and are, themselves, now standing as independents.
But Richards is resolute, and argues “people, not politics” should shape decision-making at a local level.
“When the elections came about, I was already in a position of community advocacy and leadership,” she tells, adding that running for local office felt like a “natural extension” to the work she was already doing.
As with D1C2, it was the deprivation in the Stockland Green community that spurred Richards into politics.
“Some of the issues we face in Stockland Green are drug and alcohol abuse,” she tells, “children living below the poverty line, youth crime, unemployment challenges, and general neglect of our area.”
And the key is to get to the heart of the problem early, with Richards “looking at early intervention, and how we can bring more resources, support, and opportunities directly into the community.”
Many argue that being part of a political party would give someone such as Sam Richards a more powerful voice in the Council chamber, as well as a great chance of getting the chance to sit there.
But Richards is clear that her decision to stand as an independent was intentional.
“The only option was to stand as an independent to ensure that politics don’t become a distraction for my core values,” she explains, adding that “not coming in with a set political perspective will help me prioritise the voice of the community.
“When I look at politics from the outside I have seen how policies and political agendas can get in the way.”
The sentiment is rooted in a broader frustration with the current political climate, with many independent candidates standing one a firm and single issue – such as support for Gaza or a subject more directly closer to home.
There’s also the growing disillusionment in the political status quo, and Richards believes that national politics has filtered down to local politics: “I am also finding that there is a lot of distrust at the moment surrounding political parties because there is so much going on at the government level which has left a lot of people very confused and unsure of what to do.”
For Richards, this confusion risks overshadowing urgent local issues.
“We have things to be resolved in our community regardless of the political party in power,” she adds. “That needs to be the priority, not the political agendas.”
This is reflected on the doorstep, with Richards encountering a consistent theme of people switching off from politics altogether.
“I am finding that the political landscape at the moment has deterred a lot of people from wanting to vote,” she tells, whilst encouraging people to believe “there is power in your vote… people need to do their own research into individuals outside of their party affiliations.”
But despite the shift, in both the corridors of power and the minds of those who vote to send people there, standing outside the mainstream party system does come with some practical challenges. Independents lack the built-in support structures and networks that are available to party-backed candidates.
Richards is realistic about this and has plans for how she will navigate those lonely waters if elected.
“With two seats available in Stockland Green, I would work with whoever is elected alongside me,” she explains. “I have no alliances, so I can work with anyone to ensure that the voice of the community is heard.”
But whilst Sam Richards is “happy to work with members of political parties”, and is even “advocating for that partnership”, she draws a clear line when it comes to any formal alignment in the case of a Council led by coalition.
“It wouldn’t work for me,” she said, “I am not looking to be affiliated with a party.”
For more on Sam Richards, click here.
Birmingham voters will head to the polling stations on Thursday 7 May to elect local councillors in all the 69 wards throughout the city.
To find out more about all the candidates standing in Stockland Green, visit: www.erdingtonlocal.com/local-politics-meet-the-candidates-in-stockland-green
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT: Oikos Café and Church celebrate 10 and 15 year anniversaries – with Community Fun Day on Saturday 28 February
On Saturday 28 February, between 11 am and 3pm, Oikos Church and Café will be hosting a free Community Fun Day outside their venue on Erdington High Street – with stalls, games, live music, family friendly fun, and a special Community Meal.
The special event is to celebrate the 10 and 15 year anniversaries of the Church and Café respectively, and the many years that Oikos has been a vibrant and cherished part of the Erdington community.
Ahead of the anniversary Fun Day celebrations, Nicola Murray shone our COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT at this long standing and well loved local stakeholder.
Words by Nicola Murray
A decade of coffee and community is being celebrated on Erdington High Street as Oikos Café marks its 10 year anniversary, as well as 15 years of Oikos Church serving the area.
Since opening its doors in 2006, Oikos café has grown into far more than a place to eat and drink, it has become a vital “third space” – a place between home and work where connections are formed and cemented.
Pastor Dan Mandley, who has been part of Oikos since its origin, says the vision was always people focused. He explains the church “started the café because we love the Erdington community, we see that there is a great need for a space where people can come and just be, and be known.”
To mark the milestone, Oikos will be hosting a free Community Fun Day on Erdington High Street, outside the café, to “celebrate all of the amazing people of Erdington.”
This event will bring people together through food, activities and family entertainment. The celebration is designed as a thank you to the community that has supported Oikos Café over the last 10 years – and the people they have reached through their church over the last 15 years.
Community focus is what makes Oikos shine, with many customers remarking it is what sets the café apart. Loyal customers often call it “one of the best things about Erdington,” reiterating the café’s reputation as a social anchor on the High Street.
It has become a real community hub where people feel known, and a part of something bigger.
Over the years, the café has opened its doors to a variety of groups and events. “It has been so great to see so many different groups using the space, from the Women’s Institute to schools and music groups,” said Mandley.
Oikos Café plays a significant role as a flexible venue where different parts of Erdington life intersect and are celebrated.
One of the main highlights of the decade has been its regular and free Community Meal, held on the last Thursday of each month.
“It is an evening where we feed over 100 people from all walks of life and backgrounds,” adds Mandley. “The diverse community of Erdington is represented on these evenings and people get to know each other; many friendships have been made off the back of those events.”
The success of Oikos Café would not be possible without their volunteers, who have been central to making the vision of Oikos a reality.
Oikos Café reflects the church’s long-term commitment to Erdington. In a time when many public social spaces are disappearing, Oikos has left its mark on the community.
There are over 30 volunteers every week that make the café function. Over the past decade, more than 250 volunteers have offered their time, supporting everything from events to daily hospitality.
The café has helped offer paid work, and the ability to develop skills.
And as the 10 and 15 year celebrations begin, the focus is not only on the past but the future, “We have loved doing it over the last 10 years and we are looking forward to the next 10 years” Mandley remarked.
The Oikos anniversary Community Fun Day will be held on Saturday 28 February, between 11am and 3pm – outside Oikos Church and Café on Erdington High Street.
The event is partnering with the Erdington BID as part of LOVE YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY campaign and funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund – with support from Birmingham City Council, the West Midlands Combined Authority, and the Mayor’s Market Fund.
For more on Oikos Café and Church visit www.oikoscafe.co.uk
FEATURE: Birmingham Bulls – one of UK’s oldest American Football teams makes Erdington it’s new home
Words by Sebastian Muscroft
Birmingham Bulls are one of the oldest American Football teams in the UK, having been founded in 1983, as well being as the longest standing squads not merging or changing their name.
The club has had a successful past, winning four National Championships and multiple European campaigns – including winning a bronze medal along the way. To add to this, they have also had (and still) have GB athletes within their members.
The club used to train near Kings Norton, in South Birmingham, before moving to Spring Lane Playing Fields – run by Spring Lane CIO – at the start of the 2025 season.
The move was due to their Kings Norton training group being too far out of the city, with poor transport links, and the problems this posed to recruiting new players and staff – as well as the difficulties some squad members had accessing the grounds.
But why Spring Lane Playing Fields, why Erdington? And why now? LOCAL AMBASSADORS spoke to Birmingham Bulls’ Head Coach Doug Cotterell to find out more.
“Erdington have been an absolute God send,” told Doug, “[Spring Lane CIO have] been very accommodating and can’t do enough for us.
“Where they are and what they’re offering us, it makes sense to move all the Birmingham Bulls set up – the academy, everything.’’
Birmingham Bulls’ move coincides with Spring Lane CIO’s recent plans to re-develop the playing fields and include a multipurpose 4G pitch, a new café, and a new club house – which Coach Cotterall also explained played a crucial role in the club’s decision to move grounds.
He added: “The space they’ve got is massive, as well as the new stuff that’s coming on board… everything going on is attractive for us and they’ve offered the world – they can’t do enough for us – so that’s the main reason we moved’’.
Andy Trueman sits on the Board of Trustees at Spring Lane CIO, the recently registered charity committed to establishing Spring Lane Playing Fields ‘as a resource for Sport, Education and Wellbeing for the community of Erdington and its surrounding areas’ as stated on their website.
Spring Lane Playing Fields has already been used for community events, and host regular training sessions and fixtures for sports teams including Erdington Rugby Football Club, Erdington Cricket Club, Walmley Cricket Club, and Colron Football Club. Now they welcome Birmingham Bulls to their grounds.
Andy explained: “Most of the sites in Erdington are football so we wanted to include some minority sports or slightly different sports and that was a good fit when the Bulls approached us, as it gave us variety.
“With the Bulls coming to the site it also means we have an alternative contact sport for both summer and winter, which is particularly important as one of the key concepts for the site is about trying to get kids out of knife crime and into sport.’’
He added: “It makes sense for the Bulls; it allows them to consolidate both the men’s and junior sections onto one site. At Spring Lane, they have pitch of their own which will be fully licenced to them in the next couple weeks.’’
Birmingham Bulls are set to stay at Spring Lane Playing Fields for the foreseeable future, hoping the move will grow the club and participation. The club also states anyone is welcome to come and get involved, both on the pitch and off.
Birmingham Bulls play their next game at Spring Lane Playing Fields on Sunday 19 April, against the visiting Wakefield District Raiders.
PICTURE GALLERY: Birmingham Bulls during their 2025 season
For more on Birmingham Bulls visit www.birminghambulls.co.uk
To find out more about joining our LOCAL AMBASSADORS programme and editorial team, supporting community journalism and grassroots content creation, email: [email protected]
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT: “The heart of this community” – beloved Slade Road shopkeepers retire after near 50 years of serving Stockland Green
Words by Nicola Murray
For nearly five decades, Ashok Supermarket on Slade Road in Stockland Green has been more than a shop, it has been “the heart of this community”- as told by one longstanding customer.
As the established owners and operators Ashok and Rajinder Kumar retire this autumn, after 47 years of dedicated service, the neighbourhood reflects on the impact the beloved couple have had far beyond the checkout counter.
Since opening their independent supermarket and greengrocers, the Kumars have stood as cornerstones of the Stockland Green community, building relationships that stretch across families.
“My parents have seen generations come and go in the shop,” their daughter Rena reflected. “They have loved being a part of the community and seeing their customers have children and grandchildren… they find it very endearing that the children call them ‘Auntie’ and ‘Uncle’.”
Throughout their near 50 year tenure, the Kumars often donated both their time and resources to many causes over the years – the couple were highly active in the community, supporting local initiatives and offering both their time and resources wherever needed.
When Stockland Green needed support, as well as groceries, they always found a way to lend a helping hand – including preparing meals for local soup kitchens, donating to Macmillan Coffee Mornings at the local Methodist Church, supplying food and drinks for community events, and many more acts of support and charity.
Situated across the road from Stockland Green School, the couple supported teachers who went on strike by providing them with drinks on the picket line. During the Covid pandemic, the kept their shop operating for housebound customers who were reliant on regular grocery deliveries – providing a literal lifeline for those in isolation during the lockdowns.
Their active outreach work cemented them as a firm fixture in the local area, building them a family of friends as well as customers across the wider Stockland Green community. Former residents of Stockland Green would often come back to Slade Road, not just to shop but to visit Ashok and Rajinder.
After the announcement of their retirement, many friends and customers alike rallied round to wish the couple well – and to say how their absence will be felt in the community.
“They will be sorely missed,” told one long term customer ahead of the Kumar’s retirement celebration, “they’ve been the heart of this neighbourhood.”
Another expressed how they were “sad we will not be seeing your lovely smile” and how they’re “going to miss you guys.”
An official retirement party was held for Ashok and Rajinder Kumar in Stockland Green on Wednesday 1 October, where many in the community gathered to celebrate the retirement of the couple – and see them hand over the keys the next generation, who will be keeping Ashok Supermarket open for business on Slade Road.
Ashok and Rajinder received widespread well wishes from local residents, friends, and family members, which is a testament to their impact, and extended their sincere thanks to all explaining, “It’s been an honour to serve this community.”
Rajinder herself added, “It’s never just been a business. It’s been a way to serve, connect, and grow with the people around us.”
Ashok Supermarket is located at 517 Slade Road, Stockland Green.
Watch out for more COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT features from Erdington Local, online and in our monthly newspaper.
If you are from a community group, or an active volunteer or local resident anywhere in the Erdington constituency, then we want to hear from you. Please email our Community News desk at: [email protected]
FEATURE: Police and partners join forces for and All Out Day on Erdington High Street
Words by Ed King
(**Ed’s note… this feature was first published on Friday 17 October in the Erdington Local print edition.)
On Friday 30 September, Erdington High Street welcomed another All Out Day – where local police, security, and partners came together to deliver a full day of enforcement and support services across the Town Centre.
Organised by Birmingham City Council’s (BCC) Community Safety Team, the day began with local services reaching out across the High Street – with agents from agencies such as Change Grow Live and Trident Housing offering advice and guidance over drug and alcohol misuse, rough sleeping, homelessness, mental health support, and other concerns.
The afternoon saw a more strong-arm approach from local enforcement agencies, directly tackling street crime and anti-social behaviour on Erdington High Street.
Officers from the Erdington Neighbourhood Police Team (NPT), Transport Safety, Birmingham City Council Safety Team, and the Erdington Business Improvement District (BID) Street Wardens all joined forces to address criminal behaviour and ‘hotspots’ across the Town Centre.
PCSOs from the local police team were also present at the Community Hub outside the new B&M Superstore, engaging with members of the public face to face to address non-emergency concerns and more general police enquiries.
Birmingham City Council also brought out a strong show of force from enforcement officers to challenge issues such as shops encroaching onto the pavement, the build up of rubbish and waste, and illegal and inconsiderate parking.
Natalie Kibble, Community Hub Manager at St Barnabas Church, told Erdington Local: “The All Out Days are a great opportunity for St Barnabas to offer support to those that need it most. It’s a chance to collaborate and partner with local charities, agencies and services in a collective way.”
She added: “The All Out Days are beneficial for St Barnabas for us to work closely with other services so that we can continue our signposting and encourage people to accept much needed support.”
Simon Anderson, North Hub Services Manager for Change Grow Live (CGL), also told: “At CGL, we support adults who want to make positive changes in their lives due to issues and difficulties with drugs or alcohol… While completing outreach work in Erdington, CGL staff came across a member of the public who was homeless.
“Staff supported the individual to access warmth and safety at St Barnabas, where colleagues from Trident were able to engage with them and help secure temporary accommodation.”
He added: “The benefits of All Out Days for individuals are truly priceless. We hope these days continue to grow, with even more partners joining us so we can reach more people and spread the message that help and support are available to anyone who needs it.”
Erdington High Street and Town Centre have seen significant changes in the levels of street crime and anti-social behaviour in recent months, thanks in a large part to the impact made by Operation Fearless – a special police initiative to stamp out criminality in hotspots across the city.
Launched in Erdington Town Centre, and now operating in Birmingham Southside, Operation Fearless was brought to B23 through the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner – following extensive lobbying from Erdington’s elected representatives, including Paulette Hamilton MP.
Showing support for the action of local police and partners at the All Out Day on 30 September, Paulette Hamilton MP told Erdington Local: “This is a turning point for Erdington High Street. While our challenges are no secret, our recent All Out Day proved the power of partnership.
“With the police, the council, the Erdington BID and community groups standing shoulder to shoulder, we sent a clear message that our High Street matters.”
She added: “Operation Fearless was just the start. These All Out Days prove that Erdington is not forgotten. When we all pull together, residents, traders and elected representatives, we can secure the safety, growth and investment our High Street deserves.”
PICTURE GALLERY: Police and partners in Erdington Town Centre for All Out Day / Photography by Ed King)
For more on the police and crime in Erdington visit www.westmidlands.police.uk/area/your-area/west-midlands/birmingham/erdington/
You can also follow the Erdington police team on Twitter www.x.com/ErdingtonWMP
FEATURE: Spend, spend, spend… Kingstanding to get £2m per year in ‘Pride in Place’ initiative
Words by Ed King
On 25 September, the Labour Government announced it was allocating £5bn to “long overlooked communities” across the country – supporting the locally led regeneration of “high streets, parks and public spaces”, as part of their ‘Pride in Place’ initiative.
In total, 339 neighbourhoods were in line to receive the widespread and welcomed funding – with the investment pot in each area governed by a team of local people and partner organisations.
Kingstanding was one of them. And now the residents and businesses of B44 will see £2m invested into their local community – each year, for ten years.
As the dust settles on this game changing announcement, Erdington/Kingstanding Local look at where the money came from, and – more importantly for most – where it could go.
“I promised to fight for investment in our area, and I am proud to have delivered on that promise.”
A press release from Erdington MP Paulette Hamilton lands on the Erdington Local and Kingstanding Local news desk, under embargo, from an excited Parliamentary team with a big announcement. We are sworn to secrecy for 24 hours. But the message is clear – and one full of ambition, hyperbole, and the occasional restrained battle cry.
Kingstanding is about to get some serious cash.
£2m per year, for ten years to be exact, coming to B44 as part of the Labour Government’s ‘Pride in Place’ initiative – which will see £5bn spread across 339 town centres and suburbs “to restore pride in their neighbourhoods”, as defined by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Steve Reed.
To use Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s own words, “it’s a huge investment”. And it’s not just the money, although £20m is a big enough win to shout about on its own. Especially in a ward with over 20,000 people that ranks at 12 out of 67 on the city’s list of most deprived areas – according to the last analysis in 2019.
According to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), the arm of Government in charge of allocating the fund, the grant carries “unprecedented new powers” over issues such as community asset transfers and compulsory purchase orders. It also gives the Local Authority more room to block potentially unwelcome business such as gambling outlets, barbers, and “dodgy vape shops.”
But ultimately, the decision was made across the country by needs testing.
“This £20 million investment was secured for Kingstanding because it meets the specific criteria for high deprivation and weak social infrastructure,” explains Paulette Hamilton MP, explaining how her office secured the money from central Government.
“For too long, the people of Kingstanding have felt overlooked, but now, with a Labour MP and a Labour government on their side, they are finally getting the investment they deserve.”
In today’s increasingly cynical world much good news gets heard as bad. Especially online. And even £20m it seems is not enough to silence the world wide wolves.
Quickly after Erdington Local publishes its initial article online, as the Prime Minister is telling the other 338 recipients how decline in their area “ends now”, reader responses come flooding in. Some good, some supportive; some slinging all too familiar mud.
The overriding challenge is why the investment is not coming to Erdington, as in the political ward that includes Erdington High Street – an area, as with High Streets across the country, that is perfectly positioned within the ‘Pride of Place’ rhetoric.
When the MHCLG press release mentions “boarded-up shops… nuisance businesses” and their support for local partners to “buy beloved local assets before they close”, it’s hard not to think of Erdington Town Centre.
Plus, the boundary line for where the £2m per annum can be invested cuts Kingstanding Circle in half – pushing half of Kings Road and Kingstanding Road out of the picture – and turns left onto Hawthorn Road, further excluding many businesses and buildings around the Dyas Road interchange.
But Kingstanding Ward is 26 places higher up the ‘Index of Deprivation’ than Erdington Ward. And the B23 Town Centre has recently received £880,000 worth of extra policing support in Operation Fearless – a high impact initiative to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour in the area.
A spokesperson for the new Erdington Business Improvement District team added: “Erdington Town Centre has seen drastic improvement [after Operation Fearless] and is in the process of securing its own funding for cultural events and markets.
“Crime is much lower and our community events are coming back; we’re heading back in the right direction.”
They added: “Erdington High Street could always use investment and previously missed out on both the Future High Street and Levelling Up funds. But the [Pride in Place] money is understandably going to Kingstanding; it’s a fully appropriate allocation.”
Other responses circling the initial announcement ranged from directly personal attacks at the Erdington MP – including an odd challenge about Paulette Hamilton’s winter wardrobe – to more widespread concerns over how the money will be managed. Or mismanaged.
“Don’t let the MPs or councillors anywhere near it,” states one comment on the Erdington Local Facebook page. “They’ve already bankrupt the city.”
Now this is harder to counter, on a local level at least. As Birmingham City Council continues to crawl out from its financial hole – with services drastically cut, assets ruthlessly sold, a perpetual bin strike, and an unprecedented rise in Council Tax (effectively handing a chunk of the city’s bill onto its residents) – you could see how £2m year could come in handy.
But the ‘Pride in Place’ funding comes with clear stipulations from the MHCLG that “local people will decide how funding is spent”, with a Board of local Kingstanding residents and stakeholders, chaired by the Erdington MP, ultimately holding the purse strings.
A sentiment of local solidarity backed by the Prime Minister, who states: “what matters most is who decides how [the funding] spent: the neighbours, volunteers and parents who know their communities best – the people with real skin in the game.”
Furthermore, the MHCLG “will only approve spending if Pride in Place Boards have genuinely engaged their communities”, although how this will be monitored is yet to be clarified.
Sitting Kingstanding Councillor Clifton Welch (Conservatives) takes a pragmatic approach, seeing the money as “a golden opportunity” – despite his ongoing concerns over the “incompetent Labour Council”.
“I hope the money will be invested to improve the areas like Hawthorn Road, Kingstanding Circle and Conker Island,” adds Cllr Welch, hoping such civic improvements could “attract additional private investment.”
He’s also keen to see the ward’s green spaces such in Burford Park, Finsbury Park and Conker Island “protected” and better serve the children and families on Kingstanding for “decades to come. I want to see this money used for legacy projects.”
Gary Byrne, Vice Principal at Kings Rise Academy, sees the investment as both “fantastic” and “long overdue”, hoping the annual seven figure amounts “honours the legacy of Kingstanding’s proud history” whilst also supporting “its growing and diverse demographic so that a unity of community purpose can be found.”
A fiercely loyal educator and Kingstanding resident, Gary Byrne has long been a champion of B44’s young people – nurturing ambition and a sense of pride in the pupils at Kings Rise Academy through world record breaking challenges and an acute celebration of the suburb’s history, both inside and outside the classroom.
And despite not turning a blind eye to the criminality and aggression that plagues some of Kingstanding’s streets “the desire [for positive change] is there,” adds Gary. “Hopefully the will of the [Pride in Place] board can match these aspirations.”
Andy Leeming, Headteacher at Kingsthorne Primary School, also hopes young people are a central consideration in the coming investment.
After the announcement, Leeming tells Erdington Local “it would be great” for local educators to benefit from the bursary (including Kingsthorne’s own “community building which has unfortunately fallen into disrepair”) but adds “anything that brings finances into the area and can improve local facilities has to be a positive.”
Outside of education, Bishop Desmond Jaddoo MBE also welcomes the funding “as an opportunity to make a genuine difference in our community.”
Chair of Birmingham Empowerment Forum, Bishop Jaddoo has been longstanding resident of Kingstanding and acts as a “community advocate” for the area in good times and bad – campaigning for local unity, challenging youth violence, and bringing the first bleed kits to the area.
When 14year old Dea-John Reed was stabbed and killed by another youngster in broad daylight on College Road, amidst widespread allegations of racial aggression, Bishop Jadoo lead the local community through a peaceful vigil and kept the streets calm. He knows first hand the knife edge a local community can rest upon.
“For this funding to achieve lasting and meaningful impact,” explains Bishop Jaddoo, “it must be directed toward sustainable, locally led initiatives that reflect the true needs, aspirations, and diversity of Kingstanding’s residents.”
Simply pouring money over poverty has a chequered perfect track record, not only in local government. The 1961 Littlewoods Football Pools winner Viv Nicholson once said, after winning a modern equivalent of around £4.3m, she was going to “spend, spend, spend” before becoming a bankrupt alcoholic.
“We must invest in people – in understanding, unity, and the creation of a shared sense of belonging,” adds Bishop Jaddoo, hoping any bricks and mortar investment will also rebuild some of the community’s more emotional walls.
“Every pound invested should deliver visible benefit,” he concludes, “improving lives, opportunities, and trust within Kingstanding.”
FEATURE: “It’s just brilliant to be here,” over a twelve hundred locals and visitors attend Castle Vale Community Festival
Words by Tracy Fisher
On Saturday 30 August, Castle Vale Community Festival returned to Farnborough fields – as organised by The Pioneer Group and Compass Support.
Despite the wind and rain, The Pioneer Group reported over 1,200 Castle Vale locals and visitors attended throughout the event – enjoying a free fun-filled afternoon exploring a variety stalls, activities, and entertainment.
Laura Grigg, Compass Support Community Hubs Manager, told Castle Vale Local: “This is a great opportunity for the whole community to come together, and we have got quite a few of our partners here today… it’s an opportunity for people to highlight what they do in the community.”
The festival also offered local businesses the chance to showcase their work. Rachel Beard, who runs Raquel’s Decoupage and Crafting, told: “I’m based on Castle Vale [and] I just love coming out and meeting the community.”
She added: “It’s about meeting people, making connections and just having a good vibe on the day; it’s just brilliant to be here”.
Activities and attractions included the Animal Man, aka Nature’s Burrows, who proved popular with young and old alike.
Paget Rangers FC offered youngsters free football coaching sessions, and there was live music from Birmingham Irish Pipes and Drums, alongside face painting, soft play and bouncy castles for children.
Luke McClean, from YoungStars Community Hub, said: “We’ve been going around speaking to all the community, meeting some of our obviously regulars who come to youth club [and] advertising a little bit about what we do.”
McClean also praised the YoungStars dance acts who demonstrated their talents in the main arena to the sounds from festival hosts, Switch Radio.
Mid-afternoon, crowds suddenly dispersed and made a dash for the start of the annual Colour Run.
Castle Vale resident Tiffany, who brought along her family to the event and took part in the Colour Run, summed up what the festival means for locals.
She explained: “It’s brilliant they brought the festival back to Castle Vale; it’s a great turnout, lots to do and the colour run was good fun.”
PICTURE GALLERY #1: Castle Vale Community Festival / Photographs by Tracy Fisher
PICTURE GALLERY #2: Castle Vale Community Festival / Photographs by Darren Dodd
For more on The Pioneer Group visit www.pioneergroup.org.uk and for more on Compass Support visit www.compass-support.org.uk
The Pioneer Group and Compass Support are key partners in the Erdington Local COMMUNITY ANCHORS programme – supporting independent local and community journalism.
FEATURE: Evening of Creativity celebrates 100 consecutive shows – Friday 19 September at Oikos Café
Words by Ed King
Erdington’s long running arts and music showcase, the Evening of Creativity, was launched back in May 2017 by the Erdington Arts Forum. The idea was simple, to bring art and music into a public setting, and deliver a creative live programme led by the artists themselves.
But what started as a passion project soon became an internationally recognised platform for Erdington’s homegrown creative talent artists – giving them the chance to perform alongside a variety of acts from across the world.
Having never missed a month – not even during the COVID-19 pandemic and widespread lockdowns – the Evening of Creativity is now one of the longest running live events in Birmingham and another bright feather in the cap of Erdington’s proud creative heritage.
“It came from frustration really,” explains Jobe Baker Sullivan, Erdington multi-instrumentalist and co-founder of the Evening of Creativity (EoC) events. “It came from a place saying we can have this, but you need to put the groundwork in. You need to work for it.”
A talented Erdington musician, who struggled finding supportive venues on the “quite fallow ground” of his home turf, Jobe came up with the idea for a regular arts and music showcase event whilst attending a jazz festival at the Midlands Arts Centre (MAC).
“We can have this,” he told his longstanding creative collaborator, Claire Marshall, was the MAC’S Creative and Partnership Director at the time. And three weeks later the pair had programme their first ever Evening of Creativity, to be held at Okios Café on Erdington High Street.
“I didn’t want it to be just another consultancy, or a dry meeting,” explains Jobe, “where people who don’t practice the arts tell you how to run arts – because they’re sitting on a fund. I wanted it to be arts in action, very directly, where everyone can access it.”
He adds: “It was my way of rebelling against what I refer to as the ‘lanyard wearers’, who are the people who tell us how to do arts between 9-5pm. Then go home and don’t think about it anymore.”
May 2017 saw their opening night at Oikos Cafe, presenting a varied line up of music, poetry, and arts that would become the EoC trademark.
Jobe and Claire looked at venues across the Erdington constituency they could host further EoC events in, but it seemed the first cut was the deepest. On 19 September Oikos Café will open its door for the hundredth consecutive EoC event, with all taking place at the Erdington High Street café apart from the series of socially distanced live streams that got them through the Covid pandemic.
“We tried [running EoC events] in various places,” tells Jobe, “but we realised that it was Oikos who were going to continue to provide the care and in-kind support we really needed. Oikos just got it.”
In the past eight years, the Evening of Creativity has brought artists from across the works to join local musicians form in and around Erdington. And whilst Jobe feels “it’s too early to tell the impact the Evening of Creativity will have” on the performers cutting their teeth at the events, the list of luminaries they have had on their stage is impressive.
It’s also too long to list here, but let’s just say it includes a BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year and four Birmingham Poet Laureates.
But one of the proudest achievements for the team behind the Evening of Creativity events, aside from its uninterrupted tenure, are the opportunities it creates – both on stage, and off.
“The fact that there’s a team… that we’ve grown from just a grass roots live presentation,” explains Jobe, “and now there’s a live stream, sound recording, lights… and there are so many ways for people to get involved. This is something really special.
“It is unlike any other open mic night; it brings all this opportunity,” he adds, “and this is a great achievement. It is truly a community event.”
Evening of Creativity hundredth show – Friday 19 September
The Evening of Creativity (EoC) celebrates its hundredth show on Friday 19 September 2025.
On this very special anniversary, the long running arts and culture showcase will be welcoming back some old faces and introducing you to some new ones, performing live at the EoC’s regular home turf venue on Erdington High Street.
Birmingham’s alt-folk fourpiece, Kings of Spain will be playing a unique headline live set with blues and soul influences. Current lineup features John McElwee (aka Mac) as lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist, Deryck Wilson on bass, Stephen Thorne on percussion, with harmonies and backing vocals from Melonie Paige-Gibbins.
International performance artist and visual creative Tereza Bušková will be coming back to Erdington, soon after her Mothers Without Hands project, to showcase a special film at the Evening of Creativity’s hundredth show.
Moseley born and bred gospel singer Sandra Daniels, and one of the first ever artists to perform at an Evening of Creativity, will be bringing her powerful vocals to the EoC stage – singing live with an ensemble of local musicians and multi-instrumentalists.
Come and join the local artists, musicians, and audience members as the EoC ushers in its hundredth consecutive event since its launch back in 2017.
Date: Friday 19 September
Times: Doors open from 6pm, with performances and music running until 9pm
Ages: All ages are welcome
Venue: Oikos Café, 58 High St, Erdington, Birmingham, B23 6RH
Tickets: £5 / Bought in advance through Eventbrite – or pay on the door. Donations also welcome
____________
PICTURE GALLERY: Evening of Creativity from 2017 to 2025
The Evening of Creativity hundredth show will be held at Oikos Café on Erdington High Street, on Friday 19 September – as promoted by the Erdington Arts Forum.
For more information visit www.facebook.com/ErdingtonArts
For more information on Oikos Café visit www.oikoscafe.co.uk
FEATURE: When Sheila met John, who once met… Ozzy Osbourne
Ed’s note… this feature was recently published on the LOCAL AMBASSADORS pages in the July/August Erdington Local newspaper/.
But in light of the news that Ozzy Osborne has passed away we are publishing it online today – it paints a poignant picture of the man behind the rock star, whilst celebrating his lineage and links with North Birmingham.
R.I.P. Ozzy – a prince (of darkness) amongst men, who stayed grounded and respectful to his roots whilst becoming one of the most recognised rock icons in history. Our thoughts and condolences to his friends, family, and loved ones.
_________
You may have heard, a local band done good recently played their farewell gig at Villa Park…
To celebrate Erdington’s links with Black Sabbath, LOCAL AMBASSADOR Sheila Pennell dug out an article she first published in The Oldie Magazine – telling the story how Erdington local John Slatford knew Ozzy Osbourne before he became the founding frontman for Heavy Metal, an international superstar, and self-proclaimed Prince of Darkness.
Words by Sheila Pennell – written on behalf of John Slatford
“A boom-baby, born before the NHS, I grew up in the slums of Aston in Brum – as did John ‘Ozzy’ Osbourne. And in the late 1960s/early 70s, I’d drink beer and play snooker with Ozzy, his dad Jack and uncle Jim – also known as Ozzy – along with my own dad Frank at the Brookvale Park Social Working Men’s Club.
“My dad had been friends with the Osbourne family for years, and before the war lodged with Jim and Violet Osbourne, along with a woman known as ‘Old Lady Osbourne’ in Turfpits Lane, Erdington.
“I’d go listen to Ozzy’s band in their earlier incarnation as the Rock/Blues band ‘Earth’ at Henry’s Blues House on a Saturday night at the Crown Pub in Brum’s city centre.
“Later, Ozzy invited me to the first ever Black Sabbath concert at Birmingham Town Hall. Others invited included his mother Lily and father Jack, who had paid for the venue, Uncle Jim and Aunt Violet, my mom and dad, my wife Kath, plus my Uncle Joe. John had organised that we’d have the Dress Circle to ourselves and all the men were dressed in suits and ties.
“The paying public were few in number, and initially sat in the ‘cheap seats’ on the steps of the organ behind the stage. And this wasn’t surprising as only those of us who’d known the earlier band would have heard of them.
“Once Sabbath started their act and the audience realised that the more expensive seats on the ground floor were empty, there was a mad rush as they climbed over the dividing barriers to occupy them.
“Some of the invited family ‘guests’ complained that ‘the music was a bit loud’, never having heard a band like Sabbath before.
“Part of the band’s image was a result of Ozzy’s father Jack, an engineer by trade, making their original large crosses out of aluminium sheet. Amazing he could do that, as he never even repaired his own spectacles, which were held together with an Elastoplast. He claimed this allowed him to adjust the frame when playing snooker – something he was very good at – unlike [Ozzy].
“One bizarre happening in the early days was when Freddie Harris, the Concert Secretary of the working men’s club, asked Ozzy’s Dad if he could ‘book the band for one of the Saturday night dances’. As the couples attending expected Waltzes, Quick Steps and Tangos it was no big surprise that Black Sabbath was never booked again.
“I always found Ozzy a laid-back easy-going guy, and believe him when he says the nearest he ever came to Black Magic was a box of chocolates! John was just a regular young man with a wicked sense of humour who liked a pint with ‘just an interest’ in heavy rock. I’d say nothing like the man he became. It seems the years of drugs and alcohol abuse have taken their toll.
“At the launch of the band as Black Sabbath, [Ozzy] gave me the first ‘off the press’ publicity photo. He signed it and gave me a copy of their first album, which I have to this day. I took it home, played it, and thought that the first track was a micky-take. It had church bells, torrential rain, along with thunder and lightning.
“When I told [Ozzy], he was far from impressed. He told me quite firmly, ‘it was supposed to be serious’.”
