Tag: Community Orchard

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COMMUNITY ANCHORS: Volunteer opportunities for 18-25 years old with the Erdington Neighbourhood Network Scheme

ENNS meeting with local community groups at Perry Common Hall / Photograph supplied by WLCA

Words by Witton Lodge Community Association

Erdington Neighbourhood Network Scheme (ENNS) is looking for young people (18-25) who would like to volunteer with the constituency wide organisation and join their official funding panel.

Launched in 2019, ENNS funds and supports community groups and charities across Erdington – helping them to deliver a wide range of activities and services, from Castle Vale to Kingstanding.

From walking groups and mental health support to arts and craft sessions and coffee mornings, the ENNS has so far invested over £750,000 into local projects for people across Erdington – overseen by Witton Lodge Community Association (WLCA).

The ENNS is now looking for young adults to join their team of volunteers and sit on their funding panel, giving them valuable experience and a chance to get more involved in their community.

ENNS are particularly looking for people who are interested in supporting their local community by attending Funding Panel and Steering Group meetings every quarter. No previous experience is needed, just your willingness to get involved.

If you are aged 18-25 and ready to volunteer with the ENNS, or want to learn more about, then contact WLCA by emailing: [email protected]

What can the ENNS offer volunteers?

To make sure volunteers feel confident and supported in their role, ENNS will provide:

  • Full training and guidance on reading applications and making fair, informed decisions.
  • Reimbursement for any out of pocket expenses, including travel mileage and bus fares.
  • Invitations to community events, where you can connect with others and see the impact of your contribution,
  • Volunteer lunch in ENNS meetings, as a thank you for your time, energy, and commitment.

Why join the ENNS volunteer team?

Volunteering with ENNS means being part of a welcoming, inclusive community where your insights matter. You’ll help shape services that directly improve people’s lives, and you’ll meet great people along the way.

Overarching role and responsibilities of ENNS funding panel members

As a member of the ENNS funding panel your role is to support the investment of resources into and within the Erdington constituency, primarily for disabled adults and older adults.

Outside of Perry Common Hall / Photograph by Ed King

ENNS funding panel activities

Panel members meet four times a year (every three months) for up to three hours at Perry Common Community Hall. The funding panel will:

  • Receive and discuss reports on where investments have been made and where investments are needed (also referred to as mapping gaps)
  • Receive and discuss applications and where appropriate award micro and small grants up to £20,000
  • Support community organisations and groups in the delivery of services to disabled adults and older people (also referred to as community development and infrastructure need)

Who are the volunteers ENNS are looking for?

ENNS are particularly looking for people who are interested in supporting their local community. No previous experience is necessary as ENNS will:

  • Provide training and support in reading applications and making decisions about them.
  • Reimburse any out-of-pocket expenses (travel mileage, bus tickets)
  • Invite you to various community events and welcome you to our volunteer’s lunch.

Launched in 2019, the Erdington Neighbourhood Network Scheme (ENNS) is a portfolio of local community groups and activities – supporting over 50’s and adults living with disabilities.

To become and ENNS volunteer or lean more about the organisation email: ENNS [email protected]

For more on Witton Lodge Community Association, visit www.wittonlodge.org.uk

Witton Lodge Community Association is a leading partner in the Erdington Local COMMUNITY ANCHORS programme, supporting independent local and community journalism.

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COMMUNITY ANCHORS: Workshops to help influence local healthcare with Witton Lodge Community Association

Words by Witton Lodge Community Association

Are you an Erdington or Sutton Coldfield resident with an active interest in the health and wellbeing of your community?

If the answer is yes, then Witton Lodge Community Association is giving you the opportunity to influence the future of local healthcare provision.

We are hosting two North Locality Health Progress Workshops later this month and would love as many residents as possible from across our communities to participate.

The North Locality Health Plan is designed to actively tackle health inequalities across North Birmingham.

To make this plan genuinely effective, it needs to be rooted in the lived experience of the people it’s for – our residents.

Be part of the conversation

  • Tuesday, December 16th from 11am to 2pm at The Trinity Centre Church Hill, Sutton Coldfield – To book onto the SUTTON COLDFIELD event, please click here.
  • Wednesday, December 17th from 10.30am to 12noon at Perry Common Community Hall at 87 Witton Lodge Road, Erdington – To book onto the ERDINGTON event, please click here.

Witton Lodge Community Association is working closely with key health providers and other community groups to deliver this project.

Jo Townsend, our Communications and Community Engagement Manager, stresses: “We really encourage all residents from across Erdington and Sutton Coldfield to join us at these events and share their insights on their own experiences and insights to create practical solutions that improve health for everyone.”

The future of community healthcare

The workshops will allow residents to hear the latest updates on the plan and find out exactly what’s being proposed for their neighbourhoods.

“They are a dynamic platform for community collaboration,” added Jo, “It’s a chance for residents from across North Birmingham to ensure the health plan genuinely considers people’s views.

“We’re looking forward to welcoming all residents to take an active role in creating a healthier, stronger future for themselves and our local communities.”

To ensure we can accommodate everyone, please book your place as soon as possible by emailing [email protected] or scanning the QR code in the relevant graphic above.

For more on Witton Lodge Community Association, visit www.wittonlodge.org.uk

Witton Lodge Community Association is a leading partner in the Erdington Local COMMUNITY ANCHORS programme, supporting independent local and community journalism.

 

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COMMUNITY ANCHORS: Volunteers on the Ground for Eco Hub Works

Groundwork West Midlands Corporate Volunteers working at Witton Lakes Eco Hub / Photograph supplied by WLCA

Words by Witton Lodge Community Association

A partnership project with Groundwork West Midlands saw a team of Corporate Volunteers pour into Witton Lakes Eco Hub to carry out landscape improvements.

Volunteers from HS2 were on site to help to demolish the Community Orchards existing raised beds, relocate Compost Bins and repaint several metal benches.

Supported by volunteers from the Friends of Witton Lakes (FOWL), they also completed preservation treatment works on the Eco Hub’s fencing and wooden play equipment.

Chair of Witton Lodge Community Association, Linda Hines MBE, who has the same position with FOWL, praised the collaboration effort.

“Several years ago, Groundwork West Midlands got in touch with us to inform us that they organise groups of Corporate Volunteers to help with community projects.

“Over the next three years we had volunteers from different organisations come to help us twice a year. Today’s visit has been fabulous!! The volunteers worked solidly all day long and have transformed the grounds. We are really proud of what they have done and they are rightly proud of themselves too.”

Groundwork West Midlands Corporate Volunteers working at Witton Lakes Eco Hub / Photograph supplied by WLCA

Rachel Riley, Healthy Lifestyles Project Officer at Groundwork West Midlands, helped to coordinate the work.

She said: “We brought 21 volunteers to Witton Lakes Eco Hub. The site is beautiful and very well run by the staff and volunteers.

“We were made to feel very welcome by the team at Witton Lodge Community Association, so I just want to say, on behalf of all of us, a big thank you.”

For more on Witton Lodge Community Association, visit www.wittonlodge.org.uk

For more on Groundwork West Midlands visit www.groundwork.org.uk/westmidlands

Witton Lodge Community Association is a leading partner in the Erdington Local COMMUNITY ANCHORS programme, supporting independent local and community journalism.

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COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT: Community Environmental Trust – empowering residents and enhancing green spaces

Words by Hema Chumber

Local families working at the Community Garden / Image supplied by CET

The Community Environmental Trust (CET) was set up in the early 1990s as part of the wider Castle Vale regeneration project, which aimed to improve housing and create job opportunities for local people.

CET’s role was to focus on environmental issues and make sure they were addressed alongside other developments.

Today, CET remains active in Castle Vale, running a range of environmental programmes that get local residents involved in looking after green spaces and making the area more sustainable.

The Trust provides volunteering opportunities, education, and outdoor activities, helping people get more connected to their community.

Tending to vegetable planters at the Community Garden / Image supplied by CET

One of CET’s key projects is the Community Garden at the Castle Vale Allotments. The garden offers local residents a chance to learn about gardening and food-growing, while providing space for people to grow their own food and meet others.

CET also manages the Community Orchard in partnership with Castle Vale Allotments, Fruit and Nut Village, and Slow Food. The orchard has 29 fruit trees, including apples, pears, and plums, providing fresh produce for the community.

Alongside the gardening programmes, the charity hosts water sports sessions at a nearby canal, offering kayaking and bell-boating. Special sessions will be held over the February half term (18 – 21 February), with free kayaking at 12pm and bell-boating at 10am each day. These activities are designed to be accessible and enjoyable for people of all ages.

Young people taking part in bell boat lesson / Photography credit to Tracy Fisher

Stuart Connolly, Paddle Sport Instructor at CET, said: “We think it’s really important to encourage people in the community, of all ages, to spend some time outside, away from screens, and really connect with the nature around them.”

He adds: “The water sport activities we run here offer that helping hand to people, by getting them out in the fresh air, and connecting with their neighbours and friends in the area – it’s also good to to meet new people, and build new friendships.”

A service user, who participates in CET’s water sports sessions, further told: “Due to lower body issues, I thought I could never get in and out of a boat. But now I’m absolutely enchanted, along with physical support from the staff at CET.”

Young people taking part in bell boat lesson / Photography credit to Tracy Fisher

They add: “The bell-boats cannot tip over or sink, and you really can’t fall out unless you’re doing something completely unadvisable, so it’s absolutely safe for everybody. On the boat, we just paddle and have a laugh.

“We also do litter picking. These are very community-minded activities, and I can’t recommend them enough. It’s good for the body, the soul, the spirit, and the environment.”

Through its work, CET continues to have an impact on both the local environment and the community. By offering opportunities for volunteering, outdoor activities, and environmental care, CET plays a role in building a stronger, more connected community in Castle Vale.

For those interested in getting involved, further information can be found at www.environmentaltrust.org.uk or on CET’s Facebook page @CETBrum

For more on the CET water sports activities contact Stuart Connolly at [email protected]

For all other CET enquiries contact Alicia Grande at [email protected]

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 anywhere in the Erdington constituency then we want to hear for you. Please email our Community Reporter Hema Chumber at: [email protected]