As we’ve moved into winter, devastating housing inequalities across the UK have been exposed. In November, we learned of the tragic death of Awaab Ishak in Rotherham, a two-year-old who died as a result of prolonged exposure to mould in his home. Sadly, all too often I hear about families living in similar conditions in our own community.
Just recently I was contacted by a family in Erdington who have been living in temporary accommodation for years.
The mould in their property was so bad that mushrooms were found growing in their bathroom.
I heard from another local family of five sharing a one-bedroom property, where all four children have been prescribed inhalers due to the terrible mould in their home.
After a decade of Conservative mismanagement, £38 million is already being spent every year on treating homes with mould but this simply isn’t enough.
With energy bills going up and a cold winter ahead, we can expect a spike in damp and mould problems. As much as the Tories would like to pretend, this issue isn’t going away.
I spoke in Parliament about how this tragedy – and the shocking cases in our constituency – shine a light on our broken housing market. I urged the Government to bring forward legally enforceable minimum standards for private accommodation and to give local councils stronger powers to tackle rogue landlords.
2022 has been such a hard year for many people in Erdington and across the UK. The cost-of-living crisis is hitting our most deprived neighbourhoods the hardest and energy prices are soaring. Chaos in Downing Street has left working people paying for Tory negligence.
But on a more positive note, it was an absolute joy to attend the Erdington Christmas light switch-on this year, which was a brilliant community event on the High Street and my first time attending as the local MP. It really put me in the festive spirit!
This is my last column of the year, and I want to wish everyone in Erdington, Kingstanding and Castle Vale a very happy Christmas!
After just 45 days, Liz Truss resigned as Prime Minister, with her chaotic and disastrous leadership crashing our economy and leaving the reputation of our country in tatters. Her kamikaze ‘mini’ budget spooked the markets and forced lenders to withdraw hundreds of mortgage deals overnight, leading to working people in our community facing an average mortgage increase of £413 a month.
The Tories have also U-turned on the energy price cap, potentially leaving households with average annual energy bills of more than £4,000 from April next year.
The mess that the Tories find themselves in is of their own making. At this critical time when the country needs stability, the chaos they have created has put millions of working people in financial uncertainty.
After ousting Liz Truss and making her the shortest serving Prime Minister in UK history, Tory MPs have recently appointed Rishi Sunak as our new PM without him saying a single word to the public about how he would fix the problems we’re facing. Instead, he has boasted of taking money from deprived communities like ours and handing it to the richest areas.
The impact of Tory infighting has had a devastating effect on our economy and areas like ours have been the hardest hit. I’ve been speaking to local people at foodbanks in Erdington, Kingstanding and Castle Vale to hear about how the cost-of-living crisis is affecting them.
At Bethany Community Foodbank, I met people who are sadly having to choose between heating and eating every day. The foodbank started with helping 90 users every month 6 years ago, but now helps a staggering 1,200 users each month. I heard heart-breaking stories from families, with young children who are struggling with the rising cost of bills as their income remained the same.
The amazing volunteers at Castle Vale Foodbank told me that they are seeing nurses and police officers accessing their discreet service because they can’t make ends meet.
And at Erdington Foodbank, several local people spoke to me about unfair sanctions being applied to their Universal Credit claims, coupled with low wages that were forcing them to turn to the foodbank.
People in our community are crying out for help as they struggle with rising costs. We need economic stability and a government that puts the interests of our country first. To end this chaos, we need a general election to let the people decide.
123 new homes have been officially launched on Castle Vale this week, at an event honouring the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) women and girls that supported the WWII war effort at Castle Bromwich Aerodrome.
The Point, a new housing estate built on the old Greenwood Academy site, has been delivered through a partnership with Birmingham City Council, The Pioneer Group, and commercial property developers Lovell Homes.
Selected roads on the new estate have been named after the ATA women and girls who bravely flew the Spitfires, bombers, and fighter planes from Castle Brom during the Second World War – often learning to fly each new plane from basic training and pilot notes handed to them on the way to the aircraft.
Those honoured include Mary Ellis – one of the last surviving British women pilots from the Second World War, who flew over 1,000 planes of 76 different types, including Harvards, Hurricanes, Spitfires, and Wellington bombers.
Eleanor Wadsworth – one of the RAF’s ‘Spitfire women’, who became a member of ATA at 25 and flew 22 different types of aircraft, including the Hawker Hurricane and Spitfire, amassing 590 flying hours, 430 of which were solo.
Also remembered was Joy Lofthouse – who flew Spitfires and bombers for the Air Transport Auxiliary and learnt to fly 38 different types of aircraft after joining ATA in December 1943.
In honour of these brave women, whose long unrecognised role in the WWII war effort changed the face of the UK’s modern military, roads on The Point estate have been named: Ellis Crescent, Wadsworth Knoll, and Lofthouse Vale.
The late Robin Corbett, Baron Corbett of Castle Vale, was also remembered with Corbett Boulevard named in his honour.
Friends and families attended a special event at The Point’s marketing office, on School Close, off Farnborough Road, Castle Vale – joined by Squadron Leader Chris Wilson (RAF Cosford), and representatives of the Air Cadets, Royal Airforce Association, and the partnership organisations responsible for delivering the development.
Opening the launch event, Birmingham Municipal Housing Trust Principal Housing Officer Gill Beveridge was joined by Castle Vale Cllr Ray Goodwin (Lab) – handing flowers to the first BCC and Pioneer Group residents, Antoinette Thompson and Aston Russell, and celebrating the “heroes” of WWII and “what they did to bring peace to this world.”
Speaking on behalf of Mary Ellis, who “started to learn to fly whilst she was still a schoolgirl”, her family further recalled how: “The Spitfire was Mary’s favourite plane, it was beautiful for her to fly and she had wonderful memories.
“She used river and roads for navigation, and it’s wonderful that we’ve used roads (named after the ATA women and girls) to come here and see this development.”
In a message from Joy Lofthouse’s daughter, read by a family friend and representative of the Fly to Help charity, people at the launch event heard how the 18 year old Lofthouse answered a call out for female pilots despite having “never been near an aeroplane in her life.”
Her daughter’s message continued: “Joy was an inspiration to me; her motto was ‘I can, I must, I will’ – and into her mid 90’s she did just that.
“I hope that if a young gild sees the street name, she might be curious as to who Joy Lofthouse was, and when she reads the story she might look up into the skies, see an aeroplane, and think – I can do that.”
Squadron Leader Chris Wilson, whose base at RAF Cosford would have fitted many of the planes coming off the Castle Bromwich Aerodrome, told the crowd:
“During the Battle of Britain we were always short of pilots, so what we needed to do is find other people who could fly the aircraft but who maybe couldn’t fight on the front line.
“So, the Air Transport Auxiliary came into being… and these amazing women would get in these aircrafts and fly them wherever they were told to fly them.
“They would walk to that aircraft with the pilots notes for that aircraft type – telling them things like stall speed, handling characteristics, what did it tended to like to do on take off. How would it bite you… and potentially kill you.
“So, to be here today and to know that you are taking the steps to keep recognising these people, is really, really, really good and I’m glad to be a part of it.”
The Point is a partnership development of 123 new homes on Castle Vale, with over 50% of the houses allocated to address the city’s growing social housing crisis.
Out of the 123 new homes at The Point, 64 will be made available for social housing – addressing the waiting lists held by both Birmingham City Council (BCC) and The Pioneer Group. The remaining 59 will be sold on the commercial market.
The Pioneer Group Chief Executive Officer, Simon Wilson, told Erdington Local: “We all know social housing is in huge demand – Birmingham City Council’s waiting list is mirrored by our own – so to provide beautiful new build homes in the heart of Castle Vale feels fantastic.
“We’ve got an allocation policy which does prioritise local people; we recognise people on Castle Vale want to stay on Castle Vale.
“But equally we know there’s a huge demand and need, and we’re really happy to get this development over the line.”
Squadron Leader Chris Wilson at launch of The Point, Castle Vale
People across Castle Vale and Erdington are being invited to spread their wings at a free origami workshop today, making special commemorative butterflies as part of the ongoing Festival of Flying project.
Held at Greenwood Academy on Sunday 4 September, running from 10am to 4pm, the origami workshop will be a fun and family friendly activity – exploring the ancient Japanese tradition of paper folding.
Hundreds of beautiful butterflies will be made to help decorate the event in Castle Vale on Saturday 10 September – as part of the culmination of the Festival of Flying project, which will showcase stories and the talent of the Vale.
There will also be a special performance of Taking Flight – a new theatre show from the world renowned High Sprung Performance company, featuring professional and community cast.
Open to people of all ages, the Festival of Flying origami workshop is completely free to attend with no art and craft experience necessary – simply come to Greenwood Academy between 10am and 4pm on Sunday 4 September. There are also pop-up workshops across the week with full details on the website.
Castle Vale and Erdington locals can also make their own butterflies at home, to be featured in the Festival of Flying on Castle Vale on 10 September – just follow the step-by-step instructions featured in the article, or on the Active Arts website.
The ‘butterfly’ is a central theme in the Festival of Flying, being used as a symbol of inspiration and showing people the impact small actions – such as a butterfly beating its wings – can have across a wider community and even the world.
Following on from The Butterfly Effect in 2015, which spurned a series of local arts and community projects across Castle Vale, the butterfly origami workshop and Festival of Flying are a unique blend of art and engineering experiences – celebrating the ingenuity and history of the North Birmingham estate and showing local residents the sky is literally the limit for their ambitions.
Led by Active Arts, Festival of Flying Project Director, Claire Marshall, told Erdington Local: “We hope as many people as possible can join us at Greenwood Academy on Sunday 4 September – helping us to make the hundreds of butterflies we need for the finale event.
“Castle Vale is full of creative, talented, and ambitious people, and the Festival of Flying is a chance for us to show the world what is possible from people on the estate – with the butterfly representing the chance for people to spread their wings and fly.
“In an area famous for the Spitfire plane, we want to spark new creative ideas and engineering ambition from people on Castle Vale – and show both them and the wider world the difference their dreams can make.
“The origami workshop will be a lot of fun, and something both individuals and families can get involved in and enjoy – helping us decorate a day packed with performance as the Festival of Flying celebrates its final day.
“We hope to see as many people as possible join us for both the origami workshop at Greenwood Academy on Sunday 4 September – and the big public event on Saturday, 10 September.”
The Festival of Flying is also looking for local artists, performers, and volunteers to take part in the Castle Park event on Saturday 10 September – anyone interested in knowing more should contact Active Arts via the email below.
The Festival of Flying is led by Active Arts and presented as part of the Birmingham 2022 Festival.
To get involved in The Festival of Flying, email Active Arts Project Director Claire Marshall on activeartscv@gmail.com
Castle Vale residents in the Redrow development are facing a rise of around 60% in their yearly service charge, adding potentially hundreds of pounds onto their monthly bill.
Managed by HLM Property Management, the drastic increase has been attributed to utilities costs, but some residents are now facing monthly fees even bigger than their mortgages – to be paid directly to HLM.
In a letter issued to residents around Yatesbury Avenue and Merlin Way/Walk, HLM told: ‘We understand this is going to be a difficult time for leaseholders, however in order to ensure that services at the property continue we would ask that prompt payment is made.’
The letter also included a note explaining the national property management company had budgeted ‘a contribution from the reserves to reduce the impact of the utilities cost increase’ totalling £75000.’
Over 100 residents received the letter, issued at the end of last month, leaving many feeling “devastated” and worried about “being homeless” if they can’t make ends meet.
Paul White, Merlin Walk, told Erdington Local: “I have just bought my first property and within a month it (service charge) has gone from £300 to £460 a month, way above mortgage and inflation level with wages not being increased.
“I am worried that even though I own my property I could be faced with being homeless.”
Another resident, Amber Batt, said: “I’m a 23-year-old, first time buyer. Initially I was advised the service charge would be around £300 and of recent I have been told it is going to be upwards of £450.
“I am not able to go out and live the normal life of a 23 year old as I have the impending responsibility of paying over £400 a month to be able have a functioning house in addition to my mortgage and council tax.
“It feels there is no choice in the matter and no consideration is being given to people’s individual circumstances.”
Christine Pascoe said: “I moved in to my flat in February of this year and got my first service charge bill, whilst buying the property.
“I was told the service charge would be £250 approximately per month, but it’s come out at £412 per month. I live alone and a pensioner.”
Sarah Garfield, who has lived on Castle Vale since the houses were built in 2006, added: “My service charge has risen by £160 a month which I find absolutely criminal. I live alone so therefore only have my wage to live on and this rise will have a massive impact on my day-to-day living.
“It’s time HLM were confronted and provide us with a decent management service instead of the abysmal one we’ve had to put up with for the past 16 years.”
One resident, Matthew Bowler, saw his monthly service charge jump from £195 to £318.5 due to increased energy costs, despite living alone in a studio apartment.
He explained: “I’m paying more for my energy than many families in three bedroom houses. It’s just shocking.
“These flats are well insulated; I don’t have the heating on that much – even in winter. There’s no way that the energy I’m using correlates with the price I’m paying for it.”
After individually trying to challenge the home wrecking increase with HLM, a group of residents have now banded together to fight the hiked-up service charge – which is scheduled to begin being paid to the company on 1 July.
At the time of writing, over 40 people had joined a special WhatsApp group to challenge the utility costs and get a “fair deal” from the property management company.
Matthew Bowler continued: “(We want) a fair deal in proportion to inflation because this is way above inflation.
“It’s reached a tension point now where things have got to be addressed and we’ve got to sit down with them (HLM) and say ‘look we’re really unhappy and this price that you’re trying to put on us is going to be devastating. You need to work with us to get a solution.’
“If they don’t act, people could lose livelihoods; there’s families that live here, there’s pensioners, and we won’t be able to cope. There’s going to be people made homeless by it – they’re not going to be able to pay the mortgage and the service charge.
“If HLM aren’t prepared to do anything then we’ve got to bring into question their reputation as a company – it’s completely not acceptable.”
After being contacted by residents looking for help, newly elected Castle Vale Councillor Ray Goodwin (Lab) began organising a public meeting to hear concerns directly and seeking legal advice from colleagues at Birmingham City Council.
Cllr Goodwin told Erdington Local: “Having been approached by residents living in the Redrow development on Merlin Way/Walk and the surrounding roads, I’m deeply concerned by the disproportionate increase in relation to utility costs. In some incidents this appears as high as a 300% increase.
“I will be supporting the concerned residents – who are angry, worried, and very stressed by this – to find a way forward which ensures they pay fair utilities costs.
“It simply unacceptable to estimate such figures, especially during the ongoing cost of living crisis.”
HLM Property Management were approached for comment which they replied would be issued “in due course.”
If you have been affected by a rise in service charges, imposed utility bills, or landlord/lettings agent fees, we want to hear from you – email in confidence: edking@erdingtonlocal.com
Words by Ed King / Pics and video supplied by Yvonne Hughes
CCTV has caught two lads stealing decorative flags and ripping down banners from a children’s play park on Castle Vale, hours before the country woke up to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
Paid for by local resident Yvonne Hughes, who lives on Castle Vale, the flags had been put up around the Children’s Play Park by Spitfire Way a week before – in preparation for the following weekend of jubilee celebrations.
But at around 1am on Thursday 2 June, two young men entered the children’s play area and began ripping down the decorations – captured on CCTV walking up to the park and plucking the flags from the railings.
Later one of the young men was seen pulling off one of jubilee the banners, also attached to the park’s railings.
Local residents were quick to challenge act of vandalism, with Gillian Graham asking: “Why do people always spoil other people’s pleasure,” and hoping the young men responsible “have a conscience and take them back.”
Other residents had seen the decorated park “yesterday and thought how nice it looks” whilst several gave reports of how they’d been worried about their own decorations getting vandalised or stolen.
Yvonne Hughes herself was angry at the attack, wanting to see Castle Vale “pull together” to tackle crime on the estate. But in the true blue stiff upper lip spirit of community, she added: “It’s not the flags, I can replace them.
“It’s just why, all they had to do is come and ask if I’ve got anymore – not come at 1 am in the morning (and steal the flags) … but never mind it won’t spoil tomorrow.”
Other residents were quick to offer support, rallying round to find new decorations for the Spitfire Way Children’s Play Area.
Recently elected Castle Vale Councillor Ray Goodwin asked for any evidence or CCTV footage of the crime so he could help “forward it to the right people”, whilst also joining others to help locate extra jubilee decorations to replace what had been stolen.
Cllr Goodwin told Erdington Local: “I am very saddened and disappointed to see the hard work and the pride residents have taken to celebrate the Queen’s jubilee ruined by mindless individuals.
“I will be supporting residents to report the vandalism to CVCH (Castle Vale Community Housing) and the police.”
From Friday 3 to Sunday 5 June, the UK will be celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee – marking the 70 years Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has ruled over the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth countries, making her the longest ruling monarch in British history.
Born 21 April 1926, the young Elizabeth ascended to the throne in 1951 after the death of her father King George VI – retaining the name Windsor for the royal household, as it has been since 1917.
Vandals damage jubilee flags and banner – Spitfire Way Children’s Play Park
Castle Vale will host the first in a series of Commonwealth Games Neighbourhood Festival Sites, as organisers set up suburban satellite events across the city to allow those who can’t attend the main events to enjoy the Games.
On 28-29 July, Farnborough Fields will host the very first Neighbourhood Festival Site event, coinciding with the official opening ceremony for the Commonwealth Games 2022.
Further Festival Sites will be set up in Victoria Square and Smithfield – the current site of Birmingham’s Wholesale Market.
The Neighbourhood Festival Sites will celebrate the sport and culture of the Games, whilst providing food, drink, and entertainment – allowing a citywide audience to access and enjoy some of the key sporting moments on a big screen, alongside a programme of live performances from artists and community groups.
Organised by Birmingham based ‘female-led, multidisciplinary arts and events producing house’ OPUS (Outdoor Places Unusual Spaces) each Neighbourhood Festival Site is being produced by professionals who either live or have strong links to the location.
Festival producer for the Castle Vale Neighbourhood Festival Site, Lateesha Johnson, told Erdington Local: “We really want to see the Festival Sites reflect the spirit and culture of the neighbourhood they are located in.
“We’re encouraging all local residents to come and participate with workshops, celebrate a variety of art and culture and enjoy some fantastic cultural cuisine. All sites will act as a welcoming space to enjoy the Games and give local people an opportunity to embrace and celebrate this historic event.”
As Farnborough Fields is the first location in a series of seven Neighbourhood Festival Sites, and running alongside the official opening ceremony for the Games, the theme for the Castle Vale event is ‘The Warm Up’.
The Farnborough Fields festivities will be a local starting point for people to ‘discover a new interest, skill or local artist and spend two days immersed in the excitement of the Games’.
Recently elected Caste Vale Councillor Ray Goodwin, and CEO of Spitfire Services, said: “the Commonwealth Games mean a lot for the people of Birmingham, not just because it is bringing in a lot of new career opportunities and revenue streams but because sport is extremely important for our people.
“I am looking forward to Castle Vale becoming the first Festival Site wherein people will be able to play, enjoy music, meet each other, all in the friendly name of international sports”.
Castle Vale resident Tracey Barrington added: “I love seeing exciting things on the Vale, and a big thing like a Festival Site is just what we need after the difficult time of Covid. Praying for good weather to see Castle Vale come alive.”
The Commonwealth Games, or the ‘friendly games’, were first held in 1930, and take place every four years.
Birmingham will host the main 2022 event at Alexander Stadium, Perry Barr, which like much of the city has undergone extensive renovation, predicted to have cost around £72 million.
As well as other large outdoor spaces and indoor sports venues in Birmingham, the Commonwealth Games will also use venues in Solihull, Coventry, Cannock, Leamington Spa, Warwick, and Wolverhampton, with the furthest venue being at Lee Valley VeloPark in London.
Louise Martin CBE, Commonwealth Games Federation President, adds: “Birmingham is truly the Commonwealth’s city, and we look forward to showcasing its humanity and pride over the coming months and years.”
More details about the Castle Vale Neighbourhood Festival Site are to be announced, for updates direct from the Commonwealth Games visit www.birmingham2022.com
Words by Ed King / Production pics by Andy Moore – Highly Sprung
On Friday, 20 May, Greenwood Academy will host the launch of The Festival of Flying – an ongoing project with local residents, Active Arts, and Highly Sprung Physical Theatre.
Free to attend, members of the public should get to Greenwood Academy on Farnborough Road for 4pm – to see a special performance of CastAway, Highly Sprung’s renowned outdoor aerial theatre show.
Suitable for people of all ages, the event will finish by 5pm.
A spectacular outdoor production, using a specially designed ‘gyroscopic flying machine’, CastAway explores the impact of today’s throwaway society on our waterway – in an innovative and fresh approach to aerial theatre with parts of the performance happening 26ft above the audience.
CastAway’s all female cast takes you through an underwater world where performers dive, twist, and float, in a narrative inspired by the Great Pacific Garbage Patch – a floating island of everlasting plastic that has now grown to 6½ times the size of the UK.
The free performance of CastAway,to be held at Greenwood Academy at 4pm on Friday, 20 May, will mark the official launch The Festival of Flying,
Organisers hope to ‘inspire the next generation of innovative engineers’ through special workshops and the outdoor ariel theatre show.
For more on CastAway check out the trailer from Highly Sprung Physical Theatre below.
Exploring the industrial, regeneration and green future of Castle Vale, The Festival of Flying will work with Castel Vale residents and the local community to produce a week long fusion of music, aerial, and mass performance this September.
Led by Active Arts, The Festival of Flying will champion ‘the creativity, energy, and passion of communities in Castle Vale,’ with organisers of the programme working with local communities over the coming months to ‘produce a unique event, celebrating local history, heritage, and innovation’.
Presented as part of the Birmingham 2022 Festival, The Festival of Flying is a Creative City Project generously supported by Birmingham City Council.
Artistic Director, Sarah Worth, said: “The Festival of Flying will be working with young people to inspire them to find new ways to express untold stories. We are proud to realise it in Castle Vale and to be part of the Birmingham 2022 Festival.”
Castle Vale could see over a hundred new homes being built on the old Greenwood Academy site, after a deal has been struck between Lovell Partnerships, The Pioneer Group, and Birmingham Municipal Housing Trust (BMHT) – Birmingham City Council’s housebuilding arm.
The new housing development, to be called The Point, will see 123 new homes on the Vale, with over 50% being earmarked for social housing and subsidised rentals.
Lovell Partnership will be looking to build 59 two, three, and four bed homes for sale on the open market.
40 homes will be rental properties for Birmingham City Council, whilst the remaining 24 will be rental properties for Vale based The Pioneer Group, managed under its Castle Vale Community Housing (CVCH) social housing brand.
Tenants in The Pioneer Group properties will benefit from affordable rents, with rates set at 20% below current market rent levels.
The Pioneer Group’s homes will include ten 1-bedroom apartments, eight 2-bedroom houses and six 3-bedroom houses. These properties will be allocated to CVCH applicants from its waiting list.
Greenwood Academy (previously Castle Vale School) opened the doors of its new school building on Farnborough Road on 13 March 2018, with an official ceremony attended by the late MP for Erdington Jack Dromey.
The previous building was sanctioned for demolition, with a tender put out by Birmingham City Council stating the ‘estimated value of the works is in the region of £400,000 to £600,000’.
The work tendered included ‘safe demolition and site clearance’, but the site itself has stayed undeveloped for over four years – with previous concerns over infrastructure and access.
With a deal now agreed between Lovell Partnerships, BMHT, and The Pioneer Group, Castle Vale could soon be welcoming over a hundred new families on to the North Birmingham estate.
Simon Wilson, CEO The Pioneer Group said:
“This exciting new development at Farnborough Road supports our strategic aim to close the gap in the shortage of high quality and affordable housing in a high-demand area.
“The homes will be on the old Greenwood School site and the whole development will provide a range of rented and home ownership opportunities for local residents. This is a great example of working together with the City Council and Lovells to deliver opportunities in the Vale.”
With a population of over 20,000, Castle Vale has been a hotbed of housing and regeneration since becoming one of the UK’s first Housing Action Trusts in April 1993.
Lovell Partnerships have previously delivered over 230 new build homes on a site adjacent to Farnborough Road.
Stuart Penn, regional managing director at Lovell Partnerships, added:
“We have a strong history of work in Castle Vale and the wider Birmingham area which spans more than a decade and look forward to developing this former school site into much-needed, homes, both for the open market and affordable tenures.
“This development is yet another example of our expertise in bringing brownfield sites back into use.
“This particular location has a really interesting history, and the development will pay homage to the past while also looking to the future.”
Working in housing for 50 years, Judy Tullett is currently the Community Support Officer for Spitfire Services, Castle Vale.
Known for her work with the social enterprise Upcycle Birmingham and the profitable asset management transfer of Castle Pool, Judy has managed a portfolio of successful endeavours.
Erdington Local caught up with the prominent project manager to find out what inspired her community focus.
Judy was born in the historic town of Bodmin, Cornwall, and graduated from Swansea University with a degree in economics and social sciences.
In 1973, she moved to Birmingham for a course with Birmingham City Council in Housing Management Training.
“It wasn’t as common in those days for a woman to go to University,” remarked Judy. “I worked in environmental health, at a depo, all various different divisions of the housing department. It was a really good grounding.”
After working for Birmingham City Council, Judy did a stint at Tamworth Borough Council’s housing department but soon became “quite frustrated with the local authority set up” – moving to a job with the housing association Trident Group. There she worked on many projects, establishing the first ‘youth foyer’ in Birmingham, a type of housing for people aged 16-25.
“I always think if I didn’t work for Trident I wouldn’t get to work on so many exciting projects,” told Judy. “In your working life – and I’ve been working 50 years – you come across inspirational people.
“I had a role model in an inspiration chief exec at Trident called Nick Morton. I learned so much from him about risk and project management, how to develop something from nothing. He used to say to me ‘if you talk about something long enough, often enough, it will happen’”.
Judy’s role in housing led her to work alongside the Home Office on a special project to support Birmingham’s older Chinese community: “The home office had established there were loads of older Chinese people who could no longer live with their families, that now needed to have supportive elderly accommodation.
“I met amazing people, had to do all sorts of research, getting involved with Chinese networks in Birmingham.”
Working across cultures was something Judy developed a knack for, finding herself in a pivotal role supporting Japanese Toyota engineers who moved to the UK in the mid-90s.
“Japanese people have a completely different culture to the Chinese,” remembered Judy. “We had to learn things that would make the development successful and create an environment of trust. They would call me ‘Judy-san’.”
Judy herself is a swimming instructor and she has travelled to competitions in Cyprus, Dubai, France, Tenerife, Spain, and Malta. Judy became a grandmother in March and is looking forward to “teaching our Sienna to swim when she is old enough.”
About to reach the age of 70, Judy explains she has no intention of stopping: “I did try retirement when I was about 65. It wasn’t for me. I found it a difficult challenge. I empathise with people who retire and then think ‘oh, what happens next?’”
In her work for Spitfire Services a lot of Judy’s tasks revolve around Upcycle Birmingham – a charitable initiative set up “to solve the conundrum of people who wanted to get rid of household goods and furniture, and to help poorer families who had just moved to the Vale who didn’t have those things.”
Having been based at Castle Vale Business Park from inception, Upcycle has since moved to St Gerard’s old social club building.
One of the downsides of working at an Upcycle is supressing the inner hoarder. “It is a danger at working in these sort of projects that you take things home you don’t need,” Judy admits.
“We received a Georgian-style side table, painted by one of our volunteers. I thought I’ve got to have that; it would fit nicely in the hall with a few family photos. Although I am under strict instructions from my husband who says: ‘don’t start bringing any more stuff home.’”
Lockdown was difficult for Upcycle as they couldn’t take a lot of donations, having to sanitise and quarantine those that they did.
But as restrictions ease and places start to open again Judy has two words to get the business back up and running: ‘sales’ and ‘donations.’ And never one to rest for too long, Judy’s next mission is to set up a community café from Upcycle which is looking to open in July this year.
“We get regular customers that come in every day,” told Judy. “I can’t wait until they can have a mooch, and then have a brew.”
Just recently I was contacted by a family in Erdington who have been living in temporary accommodation for years.
After a decade of Conservative mismanagement, £38 million is already being spent every year on treating homes with mould but this simply isn’t enough.
2022 has been such a hard year for many people in Erdington and across the UK. The cost-of-living crisis is hitting our most deprived neighbourhoods the hardest and energy prices are soaring. Chaos in Downing Street has left working people paying for Tory negligence.
