Tag: Spitfire House

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NEWS: Free workshop to help people find opportunities in journalism or creative industries – Saturday 10 August

On Saturday 10 August, a free to access workshop will be helping people find opportunities within journalism or the creative industries.

Held at Spitfire House, on Castle Vale High Street, the GET WRITING GET WORKING workshop will be a relaxed introduction on how to get ‘work ready’ and build a creative portfolio – that could lead to professional work and experience in media.

It will also teach participants the basic tools of the creative industry trade, such as how to pitch a story or project idea, how to build an industry network, and how to approach editors or potential employers.

Completely free to attend, and with no previous experience required, places are still available to people from across Castle Vale and the wider Erdington constituency.

Places are limited and allocated on a first come first served basis – to secure your place at the GET WRITING GET WORKING workshop on Saturday 10 August email: [email protected]

N.B. Travel support can be provided for people with mobility issues, coming from within the Erdington constituency – please contact organisers for further details.

The workshop will also include a Q&A session with creative industry professionals – covering topics such as digital publishing, online platforms for professional creatives, and how to both access and navigate arts funding.

There will also be a chance to meet and ask questions to Express and Star Senior Reporter Adam Smith – who has an extensive career in national and regional journalism, reporting on stories from the Barack Obama presidential campaign to the Covid pandemic.

Those who progress with the GET WRITING GET WORKING project will also be given a professional brief through Erdington Local, such as writing a news story for publication or helping design part of the newspaper or website.

Professional mentors can also be allocated to those engaged with the GET WRITING GET WORKING project, given more one to one professional support and guidance.

Project Lead, Ed King, told: “GET WRITING GET WORKING is a great opportunity for anyone wanting to take professional steps into the world or journalism, or to explore opportunities in the wider creative industries.

“It will give participants the basic skills and approaches needed to ‘break in’, such as how to pitch an idea or build a portfolio – valuable lessons, but simple enough for anyone to understand. Then there will be ongoing mentor and one to one support.”

He added: “So often people think they can’t, when in fact they very much can – and it’s just a simple nudge I the right direction that they need to get started.

“The GET WRIITNG GET WORKING project is a relaxed and friendly environment, which will help build people’s confidence as well as open doors for them in the creative industries.”

Having held previous workshops in Erdington Town Centre and online, the GET WRITING GET WORKING project has already helped people across Erdington take their first steps into journalism and the creative industries.

Further workshops and online activity will be organised , with people asked to email [email protected] for more information.

GET WRITING GET WORKING is a project designed and delivered by LOCAL AMBASSADORS, with support from partners including Birmingham City Council, the UK Government, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, the West Midlands Combined Authority, and Witton Lodge Community Association.

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NEWS: Castle Vale opens ‘warm welcome spaces’ to support people across winter

Words by Ed King / Pics by Bianca Parvuceanu

As the cost-of-living crisis makes the coming cold months even harder for people, Spitfire House and Castle Vale Library have become part of the city’s official ‘warm welcome spaces’ – providing free to access heated facilities across winter.

Open between 9am to 9pm on weekdays, and 10am to 4pm on Saturdays, the indoor ‘warm banks’ not only offer a heated place for families to come to, but also work stations, computer access, hot drinks, baby changing areas, and ‘children’s play equipment’.

One of 26 current official outlets across Birmingham, the citywide initiative has commandeered libraries, community hubs, and sports centres, to provide a warm support network over winter – spearheaded by Cllr John Cotton, Cabinet Member for Social Justice, Community Safety and Equalities.

As energy prices reach record highs, and people across the country are forced to decide between basic essentials – often represented by the choice between ‘food or heat’ – the Council led support programme has committed to providing ‘places you can use and visit during the winter period and beyond.’

Spitfire House and Castle Vale Library are run by Spitfire Advice and Support Service (SASS), whose Chief Officer, Ray Goodwin, is also the elected Labour Party Councillor for Castle Vale.

SASS have always had publicly accessible ‘warm spaces’ at both Spitfire House and Castle Vale Library, alongside their other community support programmes – such as food distribution and financial advice services.

Now part of the citywide initiative, Cllr Goodwin hopes to reach more people across the Vale and offer a more robust support service – whist ensuring the growing post-Covid problems and those caused by the cost of living crisis are not ‘normalised’.

Cllr Goodwin told Erdington Local: “The ‘welcome warm spaces’ initiative is probably one of the most important initiatives in this city.

“It’s not only going to provide a space for people to stay warm, and make sure they can meet their friends and socially interact – and combat social isolation, but quite frankly it’s going to stop people dying.

“For us this is a really important step to help during the cost of living crisis, which will protect both people and communities.”

Spearheaded by Cllr John Cotton (Glebe Farm and Tile Cross, Labour), Birmingham’s ‘warm welcome spaces’ initiative is a Council led answer to the nationwide dangers many will face during the cold months.

In a recent article in the Guardian, announcing the introduction of the scheme and published the day after Liz Truss took over as Prime Minister, Cllr Cotton was quick to put the onus of responsibility squarely on the steps of No10.

In the final paragraph, Cllr Cotton warns the erstwhile PM: “unless you tackle this crisis with the same urgency and focus that we approached the pandemic, you will see people dying in their own homes this winter. The choice, Prime Minister, is yours. For all our sakes, make the right one.”

Now Rishi Sunak is Prime Minister, Cllr Cotton has an equally unflinching message for the country’s new Conservative Leader and top politician.

He told Erdington Local: “Mr Sunak and his party have been in power for 12 years.  The fact that we are now having to build a network of ‘warm welcome spaces’ to keep Brummies warm and safe this winter is a damning indictment of their decade of economic failure and mismanagement.

“People in our city need help now with meeting the rocketing costs of heating their homes, putting food on the table and keeping a roof over their head.  What they don’t need are more cuts to public services, or a refusal to ensure their pensions and benefits keep up with spiralling inflation.

“Birmingham’s Labour Council will do everything in its power to keep people warm and safe this winter.  But the Government needs to act – and act fast – to avoid their cost of living crisis turning into a disaster for many people in our city.”

At the time of writing, Birmingham has 26 ‘warm welcome spaces’ recognised by the Council, growing from an initial eight when launched – with more businesses and organisations being invited to join the scheme.

St Mark’s Community Hub, Brandywood Crescent, Kingstanding, is also part of the Council’s official ‘warm welcome spaces’ – although it is only open to over 50’s on Thursdays between 1:30pm to 4pm.

St Martin’s Social Care Project at St Martin’s Church are also part of the initiative, but again only open to over 50’s on Tuesdays between 10am to 1pm.

The new community hub from Foundations 4 the Future, opening in Central Square later this month, has also pledged to offer a warm open space for local families, alongside the outreach work they do to support young people and challenge youth violence.

For more on the ‘warm welcome space’ at Spitfire House and Castle Vale Library visit www.birmingham.gov.uk/directory_record/418843/spitfire_advice_and_support_service

For more on Spitfire Advice and Support Services visit www.spitfireservices.org.uk