An incident has sent the rush hour traffic into chaos on and around the Chester Road by Spitfire Island and up to the M6 motorway interchange – putting hundreds of drivers in “gridlock”.
Cars and vehicles are currently locked bumper to bumper on large parts of the Chester Road, from the Tyburn Road roundabout right up to the M6.
The incident has also created equal congestion on Fort Parkway, with drivers leaving the City Centre now forced into a standstill.
Traffic coming off the Castle Vale estate is also backed up with pictures on social media showing lines of stationary cars up Farnborough Road and Tangmere Drive.
Incident causing major tailbacks and widespread gridlock on Chester Road and surrounding areas / Photograph by Tracy Fisher
Erdington/Castle Vale Local reporter Tracy Fisher was at the scene and has taken a series of photos showing just how bad the traffic jam has become.
According to her report, traffic was in complete “gridlock” and drivers were becoming “increasingly frustrated” and irate – with some “honking their horns” and shouting.
Tracy tells that police attending were talking to drivers to try and temper their frustration, but there seemed to be little movement or improvement to the standstill
She was also told by emergency services at the scene there had been an incident near the M6 interchange but there had been “no serious injuries.”
Police responding to gridlock on Chester Road and surrounding areas / Photograph by Tracy Fisher
Castle Vale Councillor Ray Goodwin told Erdington/Castle Vale Local: “I would advise everybody to stay at home and avoid both the Chester Road and the surrounding areas as there has been an incident which has now caused gridlock – on the estate and surround roads.
“Please avoid leaving the estate unless you really need to, as emergency services deal with the ongoing incident. And our thoughts are with anyone who may have been involved in the incident.”
Erdington/Castle Vale Local has reached out to all emergency services for an update.
Incident causes gridlock on Chester Road and surrounding areas / Photgraphs by Tracy Fisher
On Sunday 9 November, communities across the country will stand together in solidary to honour the men and women from Commonwealth states who lost their lives in the First World War.
Held annually on the closest Sunday to Armistice Day, on 11 November, Remembrance Sunday is “a national opportunity to remember the service and sacrifice of all those that have defended our freedoms and protected our way of life” – as described by the British Legion.
In Erdington Town Centre, a special holy communion remembrance service will be held from 10:30am at St Barnabas Church on Erdington High Street – a two hundred year old place of workshop that also houses many Commonwealth War Graves in its churchyard.
Commonwealth War Grave at St Barnabas Church in Erdington Town Centre / Photograph by Ed King
A spokesperson for St Barnabas Church told: “This Remembrance Sunday, we come together to honour those who gave their lives in service. Please join us as we remember. All are welcome.”
Over in Kingstanding, a commemorative march will begin at 9:45am from No1 Public House on the corner of College Road and Hurstwood Road.
The march will walk under a mile to St Martin’s Church on Witton Lodge Road, for a special commemorative service, before heading back to No1 Public House for Laying of the Wreaths and the Last Post – a buffet and refreshments will also be provided.
Clifton & Alex from No1 Public House explained: “We look forward to seeing many of you there for this solemn occasion as we remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for the freedom we have today.”
On Castle Vale, a Remembrance Sunday commemorative service will be held at St Cuthbert’s Church on Castle Vale High Street – with local Councillor Ray Goodwin laying a wreath at the armed service personal memorial at 11am.
On Tuesday 11 November at 11am, Cllr Goodwin will also be raising a flag in Centre Park, in between Yatesbury Avenue and Tangmere Drive, marking the official Armistice Day anniversary and further commemorating those who fell in the Great War.
The First World War, also known as the ‘Great War’, began on 28 July 1914 and continued for over four years, finally ending at the eleventh hour on the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918.
Cited as one of the deadliest conflicts in human history, the war claimed over 40million military and civilian casualties and radically changed how battles were fought in the field.
Ever since the armistice on 11 November 1918, countries and Commonwealth states across the world have marked the occasion with commemoration services and events, as well as displaying red poppies – symbolising the prominence of the flower which grew out of many of the war’s worst battlegrounds.
Remembrance Day wreaths adorn the National War Memorial steps in London / Photograph from Adobe Stock Images
In Birmingham City Centre, the main Remembrance Sunday service will be held opposite St Paul’s Cathedral on Colmore Row – with a march starting at 10:30am.
A subsequent service will begin at 10:55am – led by the Lord Mayor of Birmingham Councillor Zafar Iqbal MBE, and joined alongside the Lord Lieutenant Derrick Anderson CBE, and the Bishop of Birmingham the Rt Reverend Dr Michael Volland.
Erdington locals are invited to come and meet Pudsey Bear at a special fundraising event outside Greggs on Erdington High Street, on Saturday 8 November.
Taking place outside the popular store between 10am and 3pm, the famous BBC Children in Need mascot will be saying a big bear hig hello to children and families – as the kind hearted Erdington Greggs staff raise money for the longstanding BBC children’s charity.
As well as getting to meet the most famous bear to ever wear an eye patch, the Erdington Greggs organised event will have music, arts activities for young people, and a special Bric-a-Brac table top sale – with public donations being sold to raise funds.
There will also be a special ‘decorate your own Gingerbread Man’ table and organisers have told Erdington Local there may be a few more surprises in store.
100% of all money raised on the day will be donated to the BBC Children in Need charity.
Whist getting ready for the fundraising event on Saturday 8 November, the manager of Greggs Erdington – Kirstie McGibbon – told Erdington Local: “We’re all big supporters of Children in Need here. One of our staff members, Claire, has run fundraising events for the charity before and we wanted to get involved as well.
“We have lots of customers who would want to support Children in Need, and we have a busy shop right on Erdington High Street – so there’s a lot of footfall in and outside.
“We thought why not, let’s do something big and to support the charity and the children it helps.”
Greggs on Erdington High Street / Photograph by Ed King
Kirstie added: “We’d love to see lot of people come down and meet Pudsey on Saturday, and to help us raise money through the Bric-a-Brac table and children’s arts sessions.
“It’ll be a lot of fun and hopefully help raise some money for a really worthwhile cause.”
Erdington Business Improvement District (BID), the local organisation that manages Erdington Town Centre, welcomes the positive community action onto Erdington High Street.
A spokesperson for the Erdington BID told: “It’s fantastic that the Greggs staff want to hold this event and raise money for such a worthwhile charity – supporting young people and children across the UK.
“They already do so much for the community; people socialise at Greggs, and it’s a safe and welcoming place for many local residents and shoppers.
They added: “We’re lucky to have our Greggs on Erdington High Street; the staff that work there are truly lovely people, and the breakfast sandwiches and coffee are not a bad way to start the day either.”
Children in Need fundraising bucket outside Erdington Greggs / Photograph by Ed King
BBC Children in Need is an official charity organised by the UK broadcaster, supporting young people and disadvantaged children across the UK throughout the year.
Every November, BBC Children in Need also hosts a special telethon fundraiser on BBC One and BBC Two – with celebrities and guests presenting a range of entertainment and educational content to raise awareness and funds for youth focused outreach and support programmes.
Established in 1980, BBC Children in Need has raised over £1bn through sponsored events, fundraisers, and donations, and is the “UK’s largest independent funder of youth work” – as cited on the charity’s official website.
BBC Children in Need will hold its next annual telethon on 14 November 2025.
The next Summer Fun Day comes to Erdington High Street on Saturday 23 August, as organised by the Erdington Business Improvement District (BID).
Completely free to attend, the August Summer Fun Day runs from 12noon to 5pm on the pedestrianised area between Wilton Market and the B&M Superstore.
Hosting a range of free games and activities for children, there will be arts and crafts sessions, live music from local artists and choirs, and a bouncy castle for young people – all free to enjoy and paid for by the Erdington BID, as supported by local retailers.
Children on bouncy castle at Erdington BID’s Summer Fun Day on 26 July ’25 / Photograph by Ed King
Alongside the activities for young people, local community groups and services will be hosting tabletop displays, introducing residents to the volunteer and support activities they can access across the constituency.
Groups that have been present at the Summer Fun Days include Erdington Litter Busters, Erdington Walking Group, Short Heath Fields Trust, Erdington Lunar Society, Aquarius, Hope in Action, POMOC, Make a Change, Incredible Surplus, Arts All Over the Place, Erdington Arts Forum, Witton Lodge Community Association, and Erdington Local.
Erdington Lunar Society stall at Erdington BID’s Summer Fun Day on 26 July ’25 / Photograph by Ed King
Erdington BID will also be hosting a special pop-up kitchen, cooking up some burgers, hotdogs, and baps with fresh produce from longstanding Erdington butchers, City Meats – located in Wilton Market.
All money raised for the sale of food will be reinvested straight back into Erdington Town Centre, supporting future community events and projects on and around the High Street.
Erdington MP Paulette Hamilton will also be hosting a constituency surgery from a branded gazebo between 12noon and 2pm, inviting residents to talk to her directly about their concerns and issues affecting them on the local area.
Community groups stalls at Erdington BID’s Summer Fun Day on 26 July ’25 / Photograph by Ed King
Members of the local police team will be at the event, meeting local residents and talking to people about the work carried out by the Neighbourhood Police Team across the Town Centre and wider constituency.
West Midlands Fire Service Green Watch will also be bringing a real-life fire engine from the local station and inviting people to explore the emergency response vehicle and meet the fire fighters.
Organised over the summer months, the Summer Fun Days have run from June to August – brining hundreds of people and families to Erdington High Street, as part of a programme of community focused events from the new Town Centre Management team.
Children and families sitting on hay bales at Erdington BID’s Summer Fun Day on 26 July ’25 / Photograph by Darren Dodd
Erdington BID has organised the Summer Fun Days as part of its LOVE YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY campaign – encouraging people to celebrate the positives of Erdington Town Centre.
As the autumn and winter months come in, future events will be held that reflect the seasons – utilising the pedestrianised area and others spaces up and down the High Street for community activities and engagement.
A spokesperson from Erdington BID told: “We’re looking forward to another fantastic Summer Fun Day and hope to see families, residents, and shoppers back in the Town Centre for another free afternoon of family fun.”
LOVE YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY banner and volunteers at Erdington BID’s Summer Fun Day on 26 July ’25 / Photograph by Ed King
They added: “We’ve had a lot of fun over the summer months, and it’s been amazing to see so many people have such a good time back on Edrington High Street.
“Now we’re looking at what we can do in autumn and winter, how we can build on these first community events, how we can better celebrate our Town Centre, and how we can continue to encourage people to LOVE YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY.”
Check out some pictures from the previous Erdington BID Summer Fun Day events.
PICTURE GALLERY #1: Erdington BID’s first Summer Fun Day on 21 June / Photographs by Darren Dodd and Selina Gooden
PICTURE GALLERY #2: Erdington BID’s second Summer Fun Day on 26 July / Photographs by Darren Dodd and Ed King
For more information about the LOVE YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY campaign, or any events and activities in the Town Centre, please email Erdington BID at: [email protected]
Fire Service and working fire engine at community evemt / Photograph supplied by West Midlands Fire Service
Words by editorial team
Erdington Fire Service will be coming to the Summer Fun Day on Erdington High Street this Saturday (26 July), giving locals a chance to meet the team and explore a real-life working fire engine.
A crew from Erdington Fire Station, situated on the corner of Orphanage Road and Edwards Road, will be driving the fire engine onto the High Street for 2pm.
Parked up alongside B&M Superstore, children and families attending the Summer Fun Day event will be invited climb aboard and explore the fully kitted emergency response vehicle.
Working fire engine out on call / Photograph from Adobe Stock Images
Fire crew will also be offering helpful advice and guidance around issues including fire safety and safer driving. The team will also be offering support around water safety – as concerns over children and young people plating around open water are heightened in the summer months.
A spokesperson from Erdington Fire Station confirmed: “[Erdington Fire Service] will be attending in the afternoon from about 2pm.
“We will be showing children around the appliance (fire engine) and giving out advice around home fire safety, safer driving and water safety.”
Erdington Business Improvement District (BID) is organising it’s second Summer Fun Day event on Erdington High Street – running from 12noon until 4pm on Saturday 26 July.
The event is part of a wider year long programme of activity in the Town Centre, in line with the Erdington BID’s LOVE YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY campaign.
Completely free to attend, the Summer Fun Day will offer free games and activities for children – alongside a range of stands and stalls from local groups and services.
Face painting at Erdinigton BID’s Summer Fun Day in June / Photograph by Selina Gooden
Young people will be able to get their face painted free of charge, with free arts and crafts sessions also being run by local creative group Arts All Over the Place.
Inclusive sports charity Make A Change will also be running games that people of all physical abilities can enjoy, including wheelchair basketball and soft play archery – helping to promote inclusivity through sport and encourage physical activity.
There will also be a free bouncy castle for young people to enjoy, with event staff on hand to keep all the activities safe and make sure everyone gets a go. Very small children will be able to enjoy the front space of the bouncy castle, under supervision of a parent or carer.
Bouncu Castle at Erdington BID’s June Summer Fun Day / Photograph by Darren Dodd
The Summer Fun Day will also have a series of tabletop displays and stalls from local community groups, engaging with local people and letting them know about the community activities and services in their area.
Attending the Summer Fun Day on Saturday 26 July will be Erdington Litter Busters, Short Heath Fields Trust, Erdington Lunar Society, Erdington Local, and members of the Erdington local police force.
There will also be displays from POMOC – a local charity that represents Erdington’s Eastern European community, and Incredible Surplus – offering some free food and snacks, as part of their mission to challenge food waste.
Stalls from local community groups and services at Erdington BID’s June Summer Fun Day / Photograph by Selina Gooden
Then, once the outdoor activity has finished at 4pm, there will be a special free live music event held inside Oikos Café – as New Zealand blues rockers Lazy Fifty will be performing live, as part of the citywide Blues and Jazz Festival.
Taking inspiration from the stalwarts of 70’s British rock such as Black Sabbath and Led Zepplin, the Lazy Fifty gig will be completely free to attend – with tickets allocated at the door at Oikos on a first come first served basis.
Erdington BID is organising a yearlong programme of events and activities as part of its LOVE YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY campaign, encouraging people to celebrate the positives of the Town Centre and to and support local business on and around the High Street.
New Zealand blues rockers Lazy Fifty – performing a free live gig at Okos Cafe on Saturday 26 July
A spokesperson from Erdington BID told: “The first Summer Fun Day in June was a really lovely day, with a great atmosphere and lots of fun for local families and children.
“We’re excited to be back on the High Street for another free and family focused event on Saturday 26 July – and hope to see lots of smiling faces again. And a few painted like tigers and butterflies.”
They added: “Erdington High Street, as with High Streets across the country, has seen businesses rise and fall over recent years – with both shoppers and retailers moving online.
“But the community spirit is as strong as it has ever been, and the BID events are all about breathing life back into our Town Centre.”
The first Summer Fun Day was held in June, with another free event planned for Erdington High Street on Saturday 23 August.
Erdington BID is supported by local businesses and retailers, raising extra money for the Town Centre through from community events and fundraising.
PICTURE GALLERY: Games and activities at Erdington BID’s first Summer Fun Day / Photographs by Selina Gooden and Darren Dodd
For more information about the LOVE YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY campaign, or any events and activities in the Town Centre, please email Erdington BID at: [email protected]
New Zealand blues rockers, Lazy Fifty, are playing a free afternoon gig at Oikos Café on Saturday 26 July – coming to Erdington Town Centre as part of the citywide Blues and Jazz Festival.
Doors at the popular Erdington High Street venue will open at 4pm, with Lazy Fifty playing a headline set at around 4:30pm. All ages are welcome.
A local support act will also be performing a short warm up set, getting the Erdington crowd up and jumping – as provided by Ceol Agency and the Erdington Arts Forum.
Lazy Fifty are an established blues rock trio from New Zealand, renowned for their dynamic live performances and melodic rock – and taking inspiration from the stalwarts of 70’s British rock such as Black Sabbath and Led Zepplin.
Lazy Fifty in concert – photograph taken from the band’s solcia media.
Travelling over 10,000 miles to play their first gigs in Birmingham, Lazy Fifty are in the city for the Jazz and Blues Festival 2025 – joining hundreds of other musicians from across the world, playing at 115 venues across the West Midlands over a ten-day festival programme.
Lazy Fifty released their 10 track debut album, Petra et Volvo, to critical acclaim in 2017 – following with their sophomore album, Fifty Shades of Lazy, a year later.
After a short break form recording the band released their third album, The Broken Stone, in 2020.
A year later saw the release of Lazy Fifty’s fourth studio LP, 2021: A Lazy Odyssey, which was described by leading New Zealand music website music.nz as “an absolute blast from start to finish” and “a sheer delight… channelling Sabbath, or George Thorogood.”
Lazy Fifty’s latest release – their five track EP The Good, The Bad and The Lazy – was released in May 2025.
But the stalwarts of the international blues and rock circuit are also known for being watertight live musicians, who embrace the essence of blues, rock, and a self-declared “healthy dose of funk” through their “dynamic” on stage performances.
In a special video posted on the band’s YouTube channel, ahead of the gigs in Birmingham, Lazy Fifty dusted off a “Lazy Sunday” version of their track ‘Vigilante Blues’ – taken from the band’s debut album, Petra Et Volvo (2017).
A spokesperson for Lazy Fifty told: “To celebrate our upcoming gig at the Birmingham Jazz and Blues Festival we’ve delved into the archives to bring you this lazy Sunday version of ‘Vigilante Blues’.”
They added: “It’s seven minutes long and that’s what we love about the blues – long, mellow, lazy and chilled – just like us when we play the blues.
“Bring it on Birmingham.”
Watch Lazy Fifty perform ‘Vigilante Blues’ at Harley Owners Group National Conference in Rotorua, New Zealand
Having run for 41 years, the Jazz and Blues Festival 2025 is the brainchild of Jim Simpson, one time manager of Black Sabbath and longstanding musical figurehead in Birmingham and beyond.
The widely respected festival added Erdington back onto its programme after being invited to the area by the Erdington Business Improvement District, as supported by local retailers, and the Erdington Arts Forum.
In the Blues and Jazz Festival 2025 brochure, festival organisers describe Lazy Fifty as a “powerhouse blues-rock trio… playing a mix of toe tapping blues-rock that’ll see you bringing out your air guitar and traditional blues with emotion pouring out of the guitar.”
Playing a special free at Oikos Café, Lazy Fifty will get to perform down the road from where bands like Sabbath and Led Zeppelin cut their teeth at the pivotal music venue Mothers Club.
Erdington BID is listed as an official supporter of the Blues and Jazz Festival 2025 alongside other BIDs from Southside, Jewellery Quarter, and Sutton Coldfield – as well as larger governing bodies including the West Midlands Combined Authority, Sandwell and Dudley Council, and Wolverhampton City Council.
For more on Lazy Fifty visit www.lazyfifty.com For more on the wider Blues and Jazz Festival 2025, including a full vent programme and details on artists performing, visit www.birminghamjazzfestival.com
Promotional poster for Erdington BID’s Summer Fun Day on Saturday 26 July
Words by editorial team
Erdington Business Improvement District (BID) is organising it’s second Summer Fun Day event on Erdington High Street – running from 12noon until 4pm on Saturday 26 July.
Following the success of their first event in June, Erdington BID will be bringing back the summer fun in July – with free games and activities for children, alongside a range of stands and stalls from local groups and services.
Completely free to attend, there will be face painting, arts and crafts sessions, and a bouncy castle for young people – all paid for by the Erdington BID, as supported by local retailers.
Families and young poeple enjoying the bouncy castle at Summer Fun Day / Photograph by Darren Dodd – supplied by Erdington BID
The event will be held in the same location, on the pedestrianised area of Erdington High Street in between the entrances to Wilton Market and the new B&M Superstore.
A family friendly day out, Erdington BID is organising the Summer Fun Days as part of the LOVE YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY campaign – to bring a programme of events back to Erdington Town Centre and give local families something fun to do on the High Street that won’t cost them a penny.
Alongside the children’s games and entertainment, local community groups and service providers will have information displays and engagement activities – including Erdington Litter Busters, Erdington Lunar Society, Short Heath Fields Trust, Aquarius, and Witton Lodge Community Association.
Face painting at Summer Fun Day / Photograph by Selina Gooden – supplied by Erdington BID
West Midlands Fire Service will also be bringing a real-life fire engine from the local station, on site between 2pm and 4pm – with adults and children alike invited to get up close and personal with the emergency vehicle, to meet the fire fighters, and learn about fire safety.
Then, once the outdoor activity has finished at 4pm, there will be a special free live music event held inside Oikos Café – as part of the citywide Blues and Jazz Festival.
New Zealand blues rockers Lazy Fifty will be performing live, taking inspiration from the stalwarts of 70’s British rock such as Black Sabbath and Led Zepplin. Free to attend, tickets will be allocated at the door at Oikos on a first come first served basis.
Stalls from local community groups and services at Summer Fun Day / Photograph by Selina Gooden – supplied by Erdington BID
A spokesperson from Erdington BID told: “The first Summer Fun Day in June was a really lovely day, with a great atmosphere and lots of fun for local families and children.
“We’re excited to be back on the High Street for another free and family focused event on Saturday 26 July – and hope to see lots of smiling faces again. And a few painted like tigers and butterflies.”
They added: “Erdington High Street, as with High Streets across the country, has seen businesses rise and fall over recent years – with both shoppers and retailers moving online.
“But the community spirit is as strong as it has ever been, and the BID events are all about breathing life back into our Town Centre.”
Children’s free arts and craft sessions at Summer Fun Day / Photograph by Selina Gooden – supplied by Erdington BID
Another Summer Fun Day is being organised on Erdington High Street for Saturday 23 August.
Erdington BID is organising a yearlong programme of events and activities as part of its LOVE YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY campaign, encouraging people to celebrate the positives of the Town Centre and to and support local business on and around the High Street.
PICTURE GALLERY: Check out our photographs from Erdington BID’s first Summer Fun Day
GALLERY #1 / Photographs by Darren Dodd – supplied by Erdington BID
Gallery #2 / Photographs by Selina Gooden – supplied by Erdington BID
For more information about the LOVE YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY campaign, or any events and activities in the Town Centre, please email Erdington BID at: [email protected]
Erdington Business Improvement District (BID) will be hosting the first in a series of Summer Fun Days on Saturday 21 June, held between 12noon and 5pm on Erdington High Street by the entrance to Wilton Market.
Completely free to attend, the family friendly day will have stalls from local community groups, live music, arts and craft activities, and free children’s games and entertainment – such as animal face painting and a bouncy castle.
There will also be an ice cream van stationed at the event, making sure people have something cold to enjoy as the summer weather heat up – with seating, shade, and free water also available.
The Summer Fun Day will be situated on the pedestrianised area of Erdington High Street, near the entrances to Wilton Market and the new B&M Superstore.
A group of children playing in a bouncy castle / Photograph taken from Adobe Stock Images
All children’s games and workshops will be free of charge, with those attending asked to stay with their young people whilst they are enjoying the activities.
Being organised as part of the Erdington BID’s Love Your Local Community campaign, which is encouraging people to focus on the positives of the Town Centre – and to bring in a programme of community events and outreach activities – further Summer Fun Day events are planned for July and August.
Alongside the children’s games and entertainment, there will be a variety of stalls from local community groups and support services.
Children enjoying free arts and crafts on Erdington High Street / Photograph by Ed King
Erdington MP Paulette Hamilton will be hosting a ‘pop up’ surgery, inviting local people to have a face to face session with the local Member of Parliament – outside of her regular sessions across the constituency
Erdington Local will be inviting people to go in front of the camera at their Vox Pop stand – recording short interviews with members of the public, asking them about what they feel is good and bad in the Town Centre.
Arts All Over the Place will be running free arts and craft workshops for children and young people, getting them making and creating their own designs in supervised sessions – with all the materials provided.
Live music will be played throughout the day, from musicians and singers from the Erdington Arts Forum.
Children enjoying free arts and crafts on Erdington High Street / Photograph by Ed King
People will also get the chance to learn more about volunteer activities and support services across Erdington, with special displays and information from local groups including Erdington Litter Busters, Short Heath Fields Trust, FC Elite, Erdington Redeemed Church of God, and Aquarius.
Then at 2:30pm, all eyes will turn to the international art project Mothers Without Hands as they hold a special procession down the High Street – starting from Oikos Face and heading towards St Barnabas Church.
Led by renowned Birmingham based artist Tereza Bušková, the parade will feature a specially made headdress as it’s central theme – which has been adorned by items crafted over a series of sessions with local creative community group, Arts All Over the Place.
Mothers Without Hands procession in Walsall Town Centre – led by international artist Tereza Bušková / Photograph supplied by Mothers Without Hands
The Mothers Without Hands project – raising awareness of violence towards women and girls, through performance and art inspired by traditional Czech Republic folklore – has held previous events across Europe and the UK, coming to Erdington Town Centre on the final part of its international tour.
Following the first Sumer Fun Day on Saturday 21 June, Erdington BID have planned more events on Saturday 26 July – in conjunction with the Birmingham Blues and Jazz Festival – and again on Saturday 23 August, kicking of the Bank Holiday Weekend.
The events are being organised as part of the LOVE YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY (LYLC) campaign, which hopes to encourage people to celebrate the positives in and around the Tonw Centre – and across the Erdington constituency.
Volunteers collecting rubbish on Erdington High Street at the first LOVE YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY litter pick on Saturday 7 June / Photograph by Ed King
The LYLC campaign has already started a programme of community litter picks to help tidy up Erdington High Street, with their first ‘pick’ help on Saturday 7 June and supported by many local residents and groups.
Erdington BID is looking for more active community members to join the LYLC campaign and be part of future activities.
Erdington BID is funded by annual levies from local retailers and business in the Town Centre, and further supported by external funding, grants, and donations.
A spokesperson from the Erdington BID told: “With the support of the local shops and businesses, the Erdington BID is excited to host our Summer Fun Days across the coming months – bringing some free and family friendly events to the High Street.
“We’re also looking at more events in autumn and around Christmas, as well as more community litter picks and other outreach activities to celebrate the Town Centre.”
They added: “We’d love to see everyone come out and have some fun on Saturday 21 June, and support the shops and retail communities that are the heart of our Town Centre.”
Anyone wanting more information about the LOVE YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY campaign please email the Erdington BID at: [email protected]
Emergency services have confirmed two women have been taken to hospital after a “medical episode” resulted in a driver losing control of their vehicle and crashing through the frontage of Lloyds Bank on Erdington High Street.
Ambulance, police, and fire crews arrived quickly on the scene, after the terrifying accident was reported at around 12:45pm today (6 June).
From the road it could be seen that a vehicle had fully entered the High Street bank, having been brought to a stop by the internal ATM machines in the main lobby near the entrance.
A spokesperson from West Midlands Ambulance Service told Erdington Local: “We were called to reports of a car that had crashed into a building and collided with a woman on High Street in Erdington at 12.45pm, two ambulances, two paramedic officers and a MERIT trauma doctor, with a critical care paramedic, attended the scene.”
Police drive car out of Lloyds Bank after it crashes through frontage on Erdington High Street / Photograph by Ed King
They added: “On arrival we discovered two patients. Crews were told the driver of the car, a woman, had suffered a medical episode prior to the incident. Following assessment she was transported to Good Hope Hospital.
“The second woman was treated for potentially serious injuries before being taken to Heartlands Hospital.”
Earlier in the day, after emergency services were at first the scene and responding to the situation, a statement from West Midlands Police had also confirmed: “We were called Erdington High Street just before 12.45pm after a woman was hit by a car.
“The woman, believed to be in her 80s, was taken to hospital. The car driver, in her 70s, was also taken to hospital.”
The bank remains guarded by police as a cleanup operation is underway, with the automatic doors having been smashed beyond repair by the collision.
Car involved in crash at Lloyds Bank on Erdingotn High Street, parked on York Road before being remvoved by recovery services / Photograph by Ed King
A marble public bench, which sat on the pavement just outside the bank – in front of the ATM machine facing onto the High Street, has also been uprooted and moved from its fixed location. It was speculated that the vehicle collided with the bench before veering into the bank’s frontage.
Whilst the current status of those involved in the incident – both the driver of the car and the woman who was struck by the vehicle – remains unclear, police were seen reversing the car, a new grey Nissan Juke, out of the Lloyds Bank later in the afternoon.
Car involved in crash at Lloyds Bank on Erdingotn High Street, parked on York Road before being remvoved by recovery services / Photograph by Ed King
The car was functioning and able to be driven without assistance, before being moved to the side of York Road to be collected by a vehicle recovery service.
On closer inspection, the car was scratched and dented along the driver’s side – but little other damage could be seen.
Police have asked for anyone with information about the incident to contact them via calling 101, and quoting log 2231.
Vehicle being driven out of Lloyds Bank on Erdington High Street after crashing through frontage
Emergency services have cordoned off part of Erdington High Street today, after a car crashed through the frontage of Lloyds Bank in a dramatic incident at around 1pm on Friday 6 June.
West Midlands Police have confirmed it was an ccident and not a crime, with a driver losing control of their vehicle and careering through the frontage of the High Street Bank – injuring at least one person inside the premises.
A spokesperson from West Midlands police confirmed: “We were called Erdington High Street just before 12.45pm after a woman was hit by a car.
“The woman, believed to be in her 80s, was taken to hospital. The car driver, in her 70s, was also taken to hospital.”
They added: “Enquiries continue and anyone with information should get in touch via 101, quoting log 2231.”
Emergency services respond after car crashes through Lloyd Bank frontage on Erdington High Street / Photograph by Ed King
Members of the public who were around the scene at the time also told Erdington Local they had seen someone had “lost control” or their vehicle and ended up mounting the pavement and careering into the bank’s frontage.
From the road, a grey vehicle can be seen fully inside Lloyds Bank – having been brought to a stop by the internal cash machines near the entrance – with the automatic doors showing smashed glass and clear signs of being heavily damaged.
The marble bench positioned on the pavement just outside the front of Lloyds, in front of the ATM machine facing onto the High Street, has also been uprooted and moved from its fixed location.
Fire engines could be seen stationed around the top of Church Road and Erdington High Street, with several ambulances and police cars also positioned around the area.
Emergency services respond after car crashes through Lloyd Bank frontage on Erdington High Street / Photograph by Ed King
Blue and white police tape has been stretched out across the High Street – blocking access to Iceland Supermarket and the businesses neighbouring Lloyds Bank – with traffic being kept clear from the scene.
One delivery drive told Erdington Local he had been trapped there “for about an hour”, whilst many local residents and shoppers were being asked by police to stay away from the area.
Police at the scene were also asking curious onlookers to not film the incident with their phones, as emergency services were “working to support the victim” and were concerned for those who may have known or be related to those affected by the crash.
Erdington Local has contacted all the emergency services present for any updates and official statements.
Out thoughts are with those injured or affected by the incident.
Emergency services respond after car crashes through Lloyd Bank frontage on Erdington High Street / Photograph by Ed King
