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.
Free to attend, families and children are invited to hunt out and sketch ten hidden pumpkins from across the playing fields – each with a different carved face – which are hidden across the tree line of the playing fields.
Once all pumpkin faces have been found and sketched, those attending are invited to hand in their drawings to the organisers tent and claim their free Halloween treat.
Special prizes will also be awarded to the best costume, alongside a raffle and refreshment stall to raise money for the playing fields.
Children dressed up in halloween costume for SHFT Pumpkin Hunt / Photograph by Connor Pope
The Halloween Pumpkin hunt starts at the open gated entrance to Short Heath Playing Fields on Short Heath Road – opposite Findlay Grove.
Those coming by public transport can access the Halloween Pumpkin Hunt by catching the Number 28 bus, which has stops on either side of Short Heath Road by the entrance to the playing fields.
Attendees coming by private car or their own vehicle are asked to be respectful for residential parking and not blocking any public transport routes.
Organised by Short Heath Fields Trust (SHFT), the community group who campaigned to save Short Heath Playing Fields from being bulldozed by housing developers, the Pumpkin Hunt is now in its sixth year.
SHFT Halloween Pumpkin Hunt decoration and signage / Photograph by Connor Pope
Attracting people from across the constituency, the annual event has become a firm favourite for families from Kingstanding to Castle Vale.
SHFT Chair Steve Hughes told: “The Pumpkin Hunt is a fantastic family and community event, completely free to attend, and we absolutely love welcoming all the children in their amazing Halloween costumes. The best ones will win prizes too; it will be a real treat.
He added: “Come and celebrate Halloween with us on Short Heath Playing Fields.”
The Pumkin Hunt is free to attend and open to children of all ages.
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.
(l-r) Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Paulette Hamilton on campaign trail in Erdington for 2022 Birmngham Erdington by-election / Photograph by Claire Taylor
“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.
Signpost for Sutton Coldfield and Kingstanding / Photograph by Ed King
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.”
Traffic cones on College Road, Kingstanding / Photograph by Ed King
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.
Boundary lines of Kingstanding South East / Map taken from www.findthatpostcode.uk as directed by the office of Paulette Hamilton MP
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.”
Signpost for College Road / Photgraph by Ed King
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.
Sign at the entrance to Conker Island park and play area in Kingstanding / Photgraph by Ed King
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.”
Gary Byrne, Vice Principal at Kings Rise Academy / Photograph by Ed King
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.
(l-r) Bishop Desmond Jaddoo with Dea-John Reid’s mother, Jean Morris, at Shine-A-Light vigil on College Road, Kingstanding / Photograph by Ed King
“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.”
Paulette Hamilton MP has secured £20m for investment into Kingstanding, as part of the £5bn nationwide ‘Pride in Place’ initiative announced by Government today.
The fund will be allocated across 10 years, with Kingstanding benefitting from an annual £2m pot of money to invest in local infrastructure and projects – such as renovating derelict buildings and shops, and reopening youth centres.
The money will be governed locally, with a with a board of local stakeholders and individuals overseeing how and where it is spent – chaired by Paulette Hamilton MP and including local residents, councillors, and community leaders.
Many Kingstanding locals have been campaigning for the equipment at Conker Island to be replaced and for the public play area to be improved, which is one local regeneration project that could be supported by the ‘Pride in Place’ funding pot.
Paulette Hamilton and Yvette Cooper at Conker Island in Kingstanding, campaiging for Erdington, Birmingham by-election in 2022 / Photograph by Ed King
Other local concerns that could be addressed with the funding could include challenging crime and anti-social behaviour, preserving and maintaining green spaces, and boosting retail hubs and outlets.
The investment will also come as part of a wider plan to empower local communities to have more control over how local assets are used and the types of businesses that move into their area.
At the time of writing, the Government has not confirmed when the local Pride in Place board will be formed – or when the money will be made available to spend on regeneration and projects in Kingstanding.
The ‘Pride in Place’ programme will support the Community Right to Buy initiative – a part of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, which gives community groups a head start on building a business case for asset transfers.
The Government programme will also boost local powers to enforce Compulsory Purchase Orders on derelict shops and abandoned buildings, forcing absentee landlords to sell neglected properties so they can be brought back into public use.
Paulette Hamilton and PCC Simon Foster at Kingstanding Crime Conference / Photograph supplied by Paulette Hamilton MP
Paulette Hamilton MP, who has campaigned for the funding, said: “I promised to fight for investment in our area, and I am proud to have delivered on that promise.
“After securing nearly a million pounds for Operation Fearless in Erdington, I’ve now secured this £20 million for Kingstanding, a once-in-a-generation opportunity.
She added: “But the decisions on how it’s used must come from you, the residents of Kingstanding, who know our community best.”
In a statement from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), the ‘Pride in Place’ initiative will see 339 “overlooked areas” receive millions in funding over the next decade.
The MHCLG wants the money to help “breathe new life into neglected communities” and encourage areas to “come together, rather than be divided” and choose “renewal… over decline”.
Road sign for Kingstanding and Sutton Coldfield / Photograph by Ed King
The department further stated the fund “lets local people call the shots” and would help in “restoring local pride” and support residents who want to “reclaim their streets.”
Steve Reed MP – the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government – confirmed “£20m pounds is coming to Kingstanding, thanks to your Labour MP Paulette Hamilton.”
He added: “That’s a huge amount of money [and it’s] going to make such a difference to the area, but best of all its local[s] who will decide how it will get spent.”
Steve Reed MP – the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
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]
On your marks, get set and go go go and enjoy an Active August at Witton Lakes Eco Hub!
Our action-packed schedule of fun family-friendly activities means there something for everyone to savour, every weekday from Monday 4 to Friday 29 August.
You can unleash your creative instincts with our arts and crafts sessions and Bulls in The City workshops; get closer to local wildlife with Duckling Watch and give those green-fingers a good work out with gardening activities which include growing fruit, herbs and vegetables.
You can also learn how to build your own planter.
Family enjoying summer activities with Witton Lodge Community Assocation / Photograph supplied by WLCA
For the more adventurous of you why not share your detective skills in our scavenger hunts or put your imagination to good use with our creative sessions or in our newly opened Makers Yard!
With a range of outdoor games, workshops and a food/gardening events, every appetite is catered for – so get involved and make sure this August is your most active yet!
Most Active August activities are FREE – check the flyer for full details.
It all kicks off on Monday, 4 August from 1pm at Witton Lakes Eco Hub, off Faulkners Farm Drive, B23 7XX.
If you have any questions or need further information please call our friendly team on (0121) 227 3200.
Witton Lodge Community Association is a leading partner in the Erdington Local COMMUNITY ANCHORS programme, supporting independent local and community journalism.
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]
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.
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Ozzy Osbourne at HMV Birmingham (now closed) on Corporation Street – during Scream tour, June 2010 / Photograph by Paul Ward
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].
John Slatford, who grew up with Ozzy in Aston and then moved to work and live in Erdingotn – where he still lives today / Photograph supplied by John Slatford
“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’.”
Black Sabbath promotional picture, signed by Ozzy Osborne for John Slatford / Photograph supplied by John Slatford
