A fire that ransacked three bungalows on Tangmere Drive in Castle Vale yesterday has put two local residents in hospital.
Both initially attended to at the scene by ambulance crews a man was treated for a “medical incident” whilst a woman was also treated for “potentially serious injuries”, before being dispatched for hospital care.
No further casualties were reported, and it is believed the two people conveyed for hospital care are in a stable condition.
At around 1:15pm on Thursday 13 August, fire was seen coming out of the front of a bungalow on Tangmere Drive, before quickly spreading to the two neighbouring premises.
Local residents called the emergency services, who attended the scene and quickly controlled the blaze before it spread further.
Fire at Tangmere Drive bungalows / Images supplied by local residents
The properties are owned and managed by The Pioneer Group, Castle Vale’s largest social landlord with over 2500 residential homes in its portfolio.
In a public statement issued at 5:25pm on the day of the fire, The Pioneer Group stated their “staff have been on site supporting those affected” and asked for “members of the public to avoid the area if possible.”
A spokesperson for West Midlands Ambulance Service told Castle Vale Local: “We were called to a fire on Tangmere Drive in Castle Vale, Birmingham at 1.24pm and sent two ambulances, two paramedic officers and a critical care paramedic to the scene.
“On arrival, crews found a man who was treated for a medical incident and conveyed to hospital. A woman was also treated for potentially serious injuries and was also conveyed to hospital.”
Fire Service responsing to blaze at Tangmere Drive bungalows / Images supplied by local residents
A spokesperson for West Midlands Fire Service added: “Shortly after 1.20pm on Thursday (13 August), we responded to Bond Drive, Castle Vale, Birmingham.
“Five fire engines and two brigade response vehicles attended, arriving to find a house fire in a single-storey terraced bungalow. The fire had spread to two neighbouring properties.
“Two casualties were treated by paramedics at the scene. Police colleagues attend to assist with traffic management.
“Firefighters worked to extinguish the fire and at present, one fire engine remains in attendance damping down hotspots.”
Damaged roof at one of the bungalows on Tangmere Drive / Photograph supplied by local resident
Occurring on one of the hottest days on record, the fire at the residential properties came only a few weeks before a suspected arson attack saw a large part of Castle Vale Meadows destroyed – with police believing the dried out nature reserve was deliberately set alight.
The cause of the fire at the Tangmere Drive properties has yet to be confirmed.
Castel Vale landlords, The Pioneer Group, further asked for “people to avoid speculation” whilst the incident is investigated by the responsible authorities
Fire destroys bungalows on Tangmere Drive, Castle Vale – footage supplied by local residents
Outdoor activities with Urban Devotion Birmingham (UDB) / Photograph supplied by UDB
Words by Urban Devotion Birmingham (UDB)
The football World Cup was an exciting time, and all the way from England’s dramatic victory over the Democratic Republic of Congo to their sad farewell from the tournament after losing to Argentina – people shared the experience together.
And whilst it wasn’t always an easy watch, the celebrations or commiserations at the final whistle showed just how much sport can make us feel. Joy, disappointment, excitement and hope can all come in the space of 90 minutes.
The tournament also reminds us that summer has arrived. And not long after the World Cup was over, children and young people finished school and have six weeks stretching out ahead of them.
While a slower pace can be welcome, it’s also a great opportunity to get outdoors.
Scan the QR Code above to find out more on Urban Devotion Birmingham
Playing outside, being active and spending time with friends does far more than fill the hours. It builds confidence, strengthens friendships, encourages creativity, and supports good mental wellbeing.
Whether it’s football in the park, games, or simply exploring, outdoor play helps children and young people grow in healthy ways.
At Urban Devotion Birmingham, we’ll be running activities across Erdington throughout the summer holidays, creating safe spaces where children and young people can have fun, make friends and try something new.
Artwork and QR code for The Case of the Lost Legacy Keys
Words by Chivenor Primary School
Chivenor School pupils have officially launched a brand-new, interactive digital treasure hunt app designed to turn their area’s rich local heritage into an engaging summer holiday activity for local families.
The app features a specially mapped one-hour walking route that allows users to learn about the neighbourhood’s rich history.
To create this unique trail, children from the Pupil Parliament embarked on a community walk to pinpoint key historical locations. They then devised a clever series of interactive questions and trivia challenges that participants must successfully answer as they complete the outdoor hunt.
School reception and entrace to Chivenor Primary School / Image supplied by Chivenor Primary School
This innovative digital trail marks the exciting culmination of a deep heritage project. Enthusiastic students spent months thoroughly researching the vibrant evolution of Castle Vale, successfully tracing its ancient roots all the way back to Saxon times.
The young researchers also conducted several insightful interviews with long-term community members, capturing valuable and vivid personal stories from the past about the estate’s dramatic regeneration period during the 1990s.
Organisers shared that the project aims to give residents an entertaining and highly educational way to explore their surroundings over the school break.
While the initiative directly stems from the school’s ongoing anniversary celebrations, the primary focus always remains on providing a lasting, free resource for everyone to enjoy.
Local people can easily join the adventure by scanning a simple QR code, which instantly launches the application.
School leaders noted that the dedicated pupils are incredibly proud to see local families discover the wonderful hidden stories of beautiful Castle Vale today.
Chivenor Primary School is part of Griffin Schools Trust, for more information visit www.griffinschoolstrust.org
Chivenor Primary School is part of the Erdington Local BACK TO SCHOOL programme, working together to celebrate school life from staffroom to classroom.
If your school would like to know more about going BACK TO SCHOOL with Erdington Local, please email: edking@erdingtonlocal.com
Chivenor Primary School 60 year anniversary event / Photograph supplied by Chivenor Primary School
Ed’s note… This article was first published in the Erdington Local monthly newspaper, out on shelf from 18 June.
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Words by Chivenor Primary School
Chivenor School officially marked its 60th anniversary year with a vibrant Heritage Evening, bringing together generations of students, staff, and community leaders to honour six decades of local education.
Co-Heads of School Mrs Cox and Mrs Werrett opened the evening by reflecting on Chivenor’s unique beginnings in 1965. Originally designated as ‘School Number 1’ under founding headteacher Mrs Wise, the institution famously had no pupils when it opened. However, growth was rapid; by 1967, enrolment soared past 1,000 children, prompting the opening of a second school on the Vale.
The celebration seamlessly blended past and present, highlighting the revival of beloved traditions like balancing a sweet tin on children’s heads for their birthday.
Recognition was a central theme, with certificates awarded to the Head Boys and Girls, Pupil Parliament members, and dedicated ‘Heritage Heroes’ who championed the history project.
Attendees, including current and former staff, alumni, and community representatives, enjoyed uplifting performances from the school choir and the St. John’s Ambulance Brass Band who had the children dancing in the aisles.
Mrs Cox and Mrs Werrett shared that the event aimed to honour Mrs Wise’s 1965 vision for Chivenor. A newspaper article stated that she wanted Chivenor to be “A place of happiness where children grow in body, mind, and spirit”.
Sixty years later, the joint heads noted that these core values remain alive through the school’s modern pillars of High Achievement, Wide Horizons, and Proud Traditions and they hoped these values would remain strong in 60 years time.
PICTURE GALLERY: Chivenor Primary School’s 60 year anniversary event / Photographs by Tracy Fisher
Chivenor Primary School is part of Griffin Schools Trust, for more information visit www.griffinschoolstrust.org
Chivenor Primary School is part of the Erdington Local BACK TO SCHOOL programme, working together to celebrate school life from staffroom to classroom.
If your school would like to know more about going BACK TO SCHOOL with Erdington Local, please email: edking@erdingtonlocal.com
Urban Devotion Birmingham (UDB) group photo, outside Hope House in Perry Common / Supplied by UDB
Words by Amy Heyes, Urban Devotion Birmingham
Here at UDB, we believe that every child and young person in Erdington is important, unique and worth our time. This is rooted in our Christian faith and overflows into our care for and support of everyone, regardless of their religion or background.
We know that life has its ups and downs, challenges and celebrations, and we want to be there for children, young people and their families through it all.
That’s why you can find us in local schools throughout the week, as well as running free clubs and activities for families, children and young people.
It’s why young people drop in to chat with us at Hope House on Witton Lodge Road. It’s also why you might see our team in blue UDB hoodies alongside the Mobile Youth Van, parked roadside or out walking the streets.
If you’ve not joined us before — or haven’t been along for a while — we would love to see you.
Self-professed patriotic campaigners from Kingstanding have started an online petition to see a commemorative statue of King Charles I officially erected at Kingstanding Circle, as a replacement for the unauthorised flag displays.
Legend has it Charles I reviewed his troops while standing on a neolithic barrow north of present-day Kingstanding Circle, in the run up to the first major clash of the Civil War, the Battle of Edgehill.
Artist’s impression of King Charles I commanding his forces at the Battle of Naseby in 1645 / Image taken from Adobe Stock ImagesSean Keatley of Raise the Colours Kingstanding, who have been responsible for the proliferation of Union Flags and St George’s Cross flags around the ward, says the story of the troop review “adds character to our community” and “connects us to our country’s rich historical tapestry”.
Charles I statue and Nelson’s Column in Trafalgar Square / Photohraph taken from Adobe Stock Images
Keatley says that growing up locally, he often wondered why there was no monument to King Charles, given the name of the area, and argues Kingstanding deserves the equivalent of Brownhills’ 40 foot Tin Man or Spitfire Island in Castle Vale. His vision is of a statue similar of Charles I on horseback in scale and style to the one in the centre of London, at the top of Whitehall.
Now he is looking to amass support for the statue and has told media if approval is given to the monument the sea of St George’s Cross and Union flags on the Circle could “come down permanently”. Raise the Colours’ Chris Davis adds that “having something a lot more permanent would be a lot more fulfilling”.
For several months, the Kingstanding ‘flaggers’ have played cat and mouse with Council workers and anti-flagging activists over the display around Kingstanding Circle – with local residents debating if the campaign represents patriotism or jingoistic aggression.
Some even call the campaign racist in its intent, echoing the historic concerns over cultural division in Kingstanding – where the British National Party candidate Sharon Ebanks was nearly elected as local councillor in 2006.
(L-R) Sean Keatley, Chris Davis from Raise the Colours Kingstanding by Kingstanding Circle / Image supplied by Sean Keatley
But Keatley insists things have moved on in the last twenty years and believes “we should be able to celebrate our history and our culture.”
“If we aren’t doing anything to celebrate it, it’s being taken away,” he adds.
Raise the Colours Kingstanding is optimistic about the statue, after receiving support from several candidates in the recent local elections. They now hope to progress the idea with the ward’s new Reform councillors, including the Birmingham group’s newly appointed leader, Jex Parkin.
Reform UK Deputy Leader, Richard Tice, who visited during the local elections campaign, “is in full support of our movement and what we stand for”, Keatley adds, and he’s waiting to see if Tice “will help us make it happen”.
Keatley suggests funding could come from the £20 million awarded to Kingstanding under the Government’s Pride in Place scheme.
Announced by the Erdington MP Paulette Hamilton in September last year, after funds were released by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), Pride in Place will see £20m come into Kingstanding over the next decade – with £2m allocated for projects annually.
Following an open application process, Birmingham Settlement boss Martin Holcombe has been appointed Chair of the Pride in Place Board that will oversee spending – with additional members being made up from local stakeholders and residents.
Hamilton says she is proud to have secured the funding and decisions on spending must be community-led. “This funding should reflect the priorities of local residents, whether that is investing in youth services, safe and welcoming spaces for older people, improving parks and public spaces, or indeed proposals such as a statue of King Charles I,” she confirmed.
Charles I (1600-1649) on engraving from the 1800s – as published in London by L.Tallis / Image taken from Adobe Stock Images
But historians warn that claims about Charles I’s presence at Kingstanding should be treated with due scepticism.
Professor Andrew Hopper, a Civil War specialist who grew up in Solihull, says he knew the story years ago, “but only from ‘tradition’ and oral sources”. Professor Hopper adds that enthusiasm for a Charles I statue is ironic, given Birmingham’s noted Parliamentarian sympathies in the Civil War and the sack of the city by Prince Rupert – an incident recalled by several Erdington Local readers.
After reading about Keatley’s petition on Erdington Local’s social media, James Wells from Erdington Lunar Society posted: “Let’s commemorate someone who attempted to take our democratic rights away, caused a civil war that divided the country and whose son viciously attacked Birmingham who supported the parliamentary side. I don’t think so.”
Artist’s impression of King Charles I commanding his forces at the Battle of Naseby in 1645 / Image taken from Adobe Stock Images
Doyen of Birmingham history Carl Chinn says a more prosaic explanation is that the name comes from a ‘standing’ – a hunter’s station – which Chinn thinks is plausible given the area’s proximity to Sutton, a royal chase.
Meanwhile researcher Ronald E. Crook once documented the word ‘king’ was common in the names of local fields before the Civil War and that there are stories linked to the Kingstanding barrow about a medieval Danish king’s exploits too.
Claire Almond, Teaching Assistant at Chivenor Primary School, at the Rob Burrows Leeds Marathon 2026 / Photograph supplied by Chivenor Primary School
Words and photograph supplied by Chivenor Primary School
Usually found guiding the youngest learners at Chivenor Primary School, teaching assistant Claire Almond demonstrated a powerful lesson in perseverance by completing a half marathon on Sunday, 10 May.
Almond tackled the gruelling 21-kilometre Leeds Marathon course to raise vital funds for Motor Neurone Disease (MND) research, a cause close to her heart.
The challenging route began and ended at Headingley Stadium, the hallowed home ground of the late rugby league legend Rob Burrow. For Almond, a dedicated women’s rugby player, Burrow’s courageous battle with the neurodegenerative condition served as a profound inspiration.
Runners running in the Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon 2023 / Photograph from Adobe Stock Images
After witnessing the impact of the disease on the sporting community, she felt compelled to trade her rugby cleats for running shoes to make a difference.
Almond’s journey to the finish line, which she completed in an impressive two hours and twenty minutes, is particularly remarkable given her recent start in the sport.
Having only begun running last summer through the NHS ‘Couch to 5K’ program, the transition to a half marathon represented a monumental leap in distance and endurance. “I never even thought I’d be able to run 5 kilometres, let alone 21K,” Almond shared, reflecting on her rapid progression from novice jogger to long-distance fundraiser.
Her grit and determination have resonated throughout her community.
The children and staff at Chivenor Primary School are incredibly proud of Claire’s fantastic achievement.
By pushing her physical limits, she has not only raised essential funds for MND research but also provided an inspiring example of dedication for her students.
Chivenor Primary School is part of Griffin Schools Trust, for more information visit www.griffinschoolstrust.org
Chivenor Primary School is part of the Erdington Local BACK TO SCHOOL programme, working together to celebrate school life from staffroom to classroom. If your school would like to know more about going BACK TO SCHOOL with Erdington Local, please email: edking@erdingtonlocal.com
Urban Devotion Birmingham (UDB) on residential with young people / Photograph supplied by UDB
Words by Steph Porter, Urban Devotion Birmingham (UDB)
Let me take you back to your first school residential… mounting nerves about a night away from your mom, brewing excitement about the quantity of Haribo you’re going to eat at 11pm and the all-nighter with your dorm room buddies, anticipation of the ‘leap of faith’ which your older brother told you is a death wish, all whilst wondering if you have as much pocket money as your friend, Michael, for the gift shop, where you hope to buy a massive pencil with the camp logo on.
I’ve been running residentials for the last four years and I must tell you, they haven’t changed much! At UDB, it is a crucial part of our work in the community to give our children and young people the opportunity to go away.
As a youth worker, I love connecting with young people outside of their normal contexts because they often let their guards down in a different way to a normal drop-in or mentoring session.
Giving them a spare toothbrush when they forget theirs (frequent), needing a pep-talk pre-kayaking, finding them something different to eat when they don’t like the dinner (also frequent) are all relational luxuries when you’re away together.
We love doing life with the people we work with, and residentials are a wonderful display of this.
Chivenor Primary School main entrance / Photograph supplied by Chivenor Primary School
Words and photograph supplied by Chivenor Primary School
The Chivenor school community is celebrating a major milestone following official confirmation that the Department for Education (DfE) has approved funding for a brand-new, on-site nursery facility.
The announcement, which reached parents and staff via email this week, marks the culmination of months of dedicated “behind the scenes” advocacy and strategic planning. School leadership expressed immense pride in the achievement, noting that the successful bid represents a significant investment in the area’s early years provision.
This new addition will allow the school to support its “mini Griffins” from the very start of their educational journey.
“This achievement is the result of months of hard work,” shared Lisa Guest, Executive Head, who extended gratitude to the staff and partners involved in the complex application process.
While the funding is now secured, the work is far from over and the school is now entering a rigorous phase of preparation to ensure the environment is ready for its first cohort. The project will involve several months of detailed planning and infrastructure development to meet the specific needs of the youngest learners, with the nursery doors opening in September 2026.
Local families have welcomed the news, with many places already being snapped up.
As the school community looks toward the future, this initiative stands as a testament to Chivenor’s commitment to providing comprehensive, high-quality local education for the next generation.
If you would like more information or to request an application pack, please contact the school office or email nursery@chivenor-gst.org
Chivenor Primary School is part of Griffin Schools Trust, for more information visit www.griffinschoolstrust.org
Chivenor Primary School is part of the Erdington Local BACK TO SCHOOL programme, working together to celebrate school life from staffroom to classroom.
If your school would like to know more about going BACK TO SCHOOL with Erdington Local, please email: edking@erdingtonlocal.com
Generic image of young people working in a classroom / Photograph taken from Adobe Stock Images
Words by Emma Winmill, Urban Devotion Birmingham (UDB)
If you’ve got teenagers revising at the moment, you may recognise the pattern: procrastination, followed by long hours trying to catch up, and suddenly the whole house feels tense.
It might feel like the answer is to just work longer, but research suggests something different. Most of us concentrate best in short bursts of around 25 to 40 minutes, followed by a proper break.
This approach helps the brain process and retain information more effectively. By contrast, revising for hours without stopping often leads to overload, where much of what’s learned is quickly forgotten.
Breaks are not wasted time. Getting outside, moving around, or doing something enjoyable helps reset focus and reduce stress.
At Urban Devotion Birmingham, we see every young person as more than how they do at school. Exams matter, but they do not define who someone is or what they can become. Every young person has their own strengths, and part of our role is helping them recognise that.
So this exam season, aim for balance. Encourage steady revision, proper rest, and time to recharge. We will be there every weekday, providing spaces for young people to rest and reset. Visit www.urbandevotion.org/activities for details.
And remember, success is not just about results. It is also about being well, growing in confidence, and holding onto hope for what comes next.
