Following discussions about the future of the annual Kings Heath Street Festival, the organisers have announced that the 2017 Festival has been cancelled. A statement has been published that explains that, ‘the measures now required to be put in place make it impossible to reproduce the events that we have previously held’.
The full statement can be seen here.
Sergeant O’Keeffe of the Moseley and Kings Heath neighbourhood Police team has provided an invaluable list of grants that may be of help to local organisations and groups.
Support for Schools to Set Up Breakfast Clubs
Magic breakfast is a registered charity (number: 1102510) that aims to ensure that no child is too hungry to learn by providing healthy breakfast food and expert support to qualifying schools. The charity supports schools with 35% or more pupils eligible for free school meals, or with 50% of pupils who have been registered for free school meals at any point in the last six years (known as Ever 6 FSM).
More information here.
Grants to Support the Development of a Just Society (UK)
The Polden-Puckham Charitable Foundation provides grants to registered charities and other groups in the UK for projects that contribute to the development of a just society based on a commitment to nonviolence and environmental sustainability.
More information here.
Charities Leadership Programme (UK)
The Cascading Leadership programme is designed to give support to two groups of people leading voluntary and community sector (VCS) organisations focussed on health and wellbeing. The first group is made up of experienced leaders who want to develop their skills by supporting another organisation. The second is people who would benefit from the experience of others who can help them to reflect and learn and to develop their organisation.
More information here.
British Ecological Society Outreach Grants (UK)
The British Ecological Society offers grants to individuals and organisations such as schools, museums, libraries and community groups that are promoting ecological science to a wide audience.
More information here.
Co-op Local Community Fund (UK)
The Co-op Local Community Fund distributes money raised from own brand products and carrier bag sales to local good causes chosen by its members. To apply to be a Co-op cause you must have a project or event in mind that takes place in the UK or Isle of Man, doesn’t have religious or political aims (although you can still apply if you’re a religious organisation), meets the Co-op’s values, takes place or will still be running after October 2018 and benefits your local community
More information here.
Local School Nature Grants Scheme (England, Scotland and Wales)
The scheme offers schools the opportunity to apply for up to £500 worth of equipment to help them to undertake environmental improvements. The scheme is open to schools with pupils aged 5 and upwards.
The deadline for the next round of funding is 15 September 2017.
More information here.
Greggs Foundation – Local Communities Projects Fund (England, Scotland & Wales)
The Greggs Local Community Projects Fund makes grants to organisations supporting people in need. Any not for profit organisation can apply. However, larger organisations with a turnover in excess of £300,000 are unlikely to be successful.
The deadline for applications for the next round of funding is 18 August 2017.
More information here.
Greggs Environmental Grant (England, Scotland & Wales)
The grants are intended to support projects that improve the physical environment in a way that will improve people’s lives. This can include purchase of equipment, sessional salary costs, purchase of trees/plants, small capital projects and learning activities. The grants are also given for new approaches and innovative ideas as well as sustainable approaches to supporting your local environment.
The deadline for applications for the next round of funding is 29 September 2017.
More information here.
Veolia Environmental Trust Grants (UK)
Not-for-profit groups close to a qualifying Veolia site (Kings Heath appears to meet the criteria) can apply for grants of between £10,000 and £75,000 towards community buildings, parks and paths, play and recreational facilities, nature reserves and biodiversity projects. To qualify for funding, projects must have a total cost of under £250,000 (including VAT and professional costs).
The deadline for applications for the next round of funding is 31 August 2017.
More information here.
BBC Children in Need – Small Grants Programme (UK)
Not for profit organisations such as schools, registered charities, voluntary organisations, churches, and community interest groups can apply for grants of up to £10,000 for projects that help children and young people experiencing illness, distress, abuse or neglect, disability, behavioural or psychological difficulties or deprivation.
The deadline for applications for the next round of funding is 1 September 2017.
More information here.
School Grants to Promote Physics (UK)
The Institute of Physics (IOP) provides grants of up to £600 for projects or events linked to the teaching or promotion of physics and engineering in schools and colleges based in the UK, catering for students in the age range five to 19.
The deadline for applications for the next round of funding is 1 November 2017.
More information here.
The organisers of the annual Kings Heath Street Festival announced on 10 July 2017 that it is to move from York Road to the the Parade car park in front of the old Kingsway cinema. A statement issued by the organisers explained that the move is necessary because ‘all events that take place on council land must conform to a set of new anti-terror safety guidelines’.
These guidelines are reported to require:
The result, according to the statement, would be that ‘any activity on York Road would have to take place inside a ‘caged event space’ on the carriageway only. The pavements would have to remain outside of the security fencing to allow right of way to residents and business owners’. The statement went on to explain that the organisers had decided that this would be impractical.
There was a strong and sustained reaction against the plans on social media but the chair of the organising group, Kings Heath Business Improvement District (BID) board, said, ‘We understand that the decision to move the event has proved unpopular with some members of the public, however our number one priority is public safety’.
On 13 July 2017, the organisers issued a new statement. This said that the decision had been put on hold for 7 days ‘to allow plans for Kings Heath Street Festival to return its traditional home on York Road’. While some people on social media have taken this to mean that the Festival is definitely going to take place in York Road, the statement also says there is to be a ‘period of grace [to] re-address the possibility of a Festival on York Road’.
It appears, therefore, that the location has not yet been confirmed as York Road. A further announcement is expected soon.
UPDATED 3 August 2017. A statement issued by the organisers on 2 August announced that the 2017 Festival has been cancelled. The full statement can be read here.
Peacock Road, Kings Heath, held its annual Big Lunch on Sunday 18th June. The party commemorated the lives of Jo Cox MP and Peacock Road resident George Singh who sadly died earlier this year.
The organiser of the event wrote: ‘The children had a great time playing in the road which was closed off for the afternoon. Parents could relax too, knowing their children could scoot around in a car-free area. The glorious weather helped us all to have a lovely party, sharing food and conversation with our neighbours.’
Did you hold a Big Lunch party? Let us know about your parties and spread the word. The Big Lunch and the Great Get Together help people to get to know their neighbours and bring communities together.
The organiser of the Peacock Road Big Lunch thanked Amey for supplying the road barriers this year and for the last two years for their party.
There has been a long history of traffic problems on School Road, mainly caused by inconsiderate, often dangerous, drivers. It now looks as if some relief may be on the way for local residents.
In November 2016, local people set up a Facebook page to begin gathering evidence to present to Birmingham City Council (BCC). The aim was to get action to protect local residents, particularly pedestrians.
The area of greatest concern is the stretch from the roundabout near Kings Heath Primary School down School Road itself. There are frequent reports of cars mounting the pavement to pass other cars, even forcing pedestrians to get out of the way. In some cases, residents report that drivers ignore the presence of small children, so keen are they to get past as fast as they can.
Comments on the group’s Facebook page detailed incidents in which
With the support of Councillor Claire Spencer and Councillor Lisa Trickett, the group has been putting pressure on BCC to find a long-term solution to the problems. In January 2017, residents were told that BCC was going to undertake a formal traffic survey on School Road. In addition, money had been set aside to try to come up with a solution to the problems. This was followed in March 2017 with news that a budget of up to £40,000 had been allocated.
Now a set of proposals is being put out for consultation. They will be sent to residents of School Road while anybody else who wishes to comment will be able to do so. It is understood that, at present, the proposal is to make School Road one-way from the roundabout near Kings Heath Primary School to Blenheim Road.
Councillor Spencer will be in the area of School Road on Sunday 25 June 2017 gathering information.
The School Road Traffic Issues Facebook page can be found here
The Design Out Crime team from WM Police is emphasising the need to take care of belongings during the hot weather.
Their point is that thieves will grab any opportunity. In hot weather, they can get into a house through an open window when the owner is away or in the back garden. And if we’re enjoying a barbecue in the back garden, we probably won’t realise that somebody has got in through an open front window.
Unfortunately, they might not even need to get in. If laptops, phones, car keys and so on are left within reach of an open window or door, they can be stolen very quickly.
So the message from the Police is to make sure that our doors and windows are shut and locked if we’re not in the house. It may mean that the house is hotter than we’d like when we get back but better to be too hot than to lose valuables.
It’s also worth remembering that garden sheds often contain all the tools a thief needs to break in. Steps, ladders, spades that can be used as crowbars – the possibilities mean that sheds must be locked. If ladders have to be left outside, they need to be chained to a fixed point.
There’s more information here
When it comes to cars, always check that the doors really are locked after using the remote locking fob. And always lock the car, even if it’s only being left for a few minutes. For example, when paying for fuel, lock the car before going to pay. Finally, as always, lock items such as satnavs, handbags, laptop bags and so on out of sight.
There’s more advice here.
One point worth remembering is that this isn’t a campaign by the Police to make us all worried about theft. It’s more about taking care as we do in most areas of life. When we’re crossing the road, for example, we check to make sure we’re not going to get hit by a car. Now we’re being asked to be just as careful about our houses and cars.
Kings Heath Neighbourhoods Forum 