Category Archives: General

Food Meals Green Papaya Salad

Volunteers wanted for new Meet & Eat Lunch Club @ St Mary’s

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We are seeking open-minded, sympathetic and friendly volunteers for our new venture, The Meet & Eat Lunch Club @ St Mary’s, to be launched soon.

The project (developed by volunteer co-ordinator, Tippa Naphtali) will be delivered in collaboration with Access to Heritage Art and Culture (ATHAC), St Mary’s Church Hall and others. Volunteers would act in the role of serving, hospitality and support at the sessions.

The Service Summary:

The proposed Meet & Eat sessions are essentially an extension of Birchfield Big Local’s (BBL) Elders Programme (working collaboratively with others) but the sessions would also be open to any local residents regardless of age.

We feel that this level of integration is important for several reasons:

  • Loneliness and isolation, whilst often prevalent within older members of the community, is not exclusive to this group

  • There is something very important about opportunities for inter-generational and cross-cultural integration which can only assist community cohesion and relations

  • Building better relations across the age, culture and race spectrum is at the heart of BBL’s mission

  • The Meet & Eat initiative will help BBL and involved third parties to identify what local people feel is important to them in terms of critical service provision, whilst also providing a valuable and much-needed local service

As the project develops, some of the additional activities will include:

  • Health & wellbeing talks, workshops or external visits delivered or hosted by third party organisations or practitioners

  • Arts and creative sessions (e.g. tie dye, t-shirt printing, visits to exhibitions, museums and recreational grounds etc)

  • Healthy eating and taster sessions encouraging participants to think about what they eat and the impact on their physical health

  • Incorporating BBL annual Christmas meal and choir events as an integral part of the activities of the Elders Group

To express an interest please contact:
Andrew Simons (community development worker)
Mobile – 07421 994752
Email – andrew@birchfieldbiglocal.org

Training will be provided as part of the volunteer selection process.

Birchfield Big Local is run by local people with the goal of helping all members of the community. It is funded by the Big Lottery Fund.

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Gang member

Facing up to the challenge of violence and gangs

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source: The Guardian
published: 17 March 2019

Sally Weale shines a light on the British Red Cross initiative Life Not Knife (‘It’s about confidence’: pupils learn how to cope with attacks). While training teenagers in self-defence and first aid is to be welcomed, much more is needed, and this crisis cannot be left to charity.

In education, we need to start younger too. In some areas, there are huge pressures on children to be drawn into gangs. Many parents speak of this as a nightmare. What assistance should be given to primary school staff and parents to feel confident in opening up these conversations with 10- and 11-year-olds? Can we help children recognise the signs of grooming and build a culture of resistance to the temptations of initially “easy” money?

In 2000, the death of 10-year-old Damilola Taylor led me to research the lure of gangs for my novel Web of Lies. An 11-year-old London schoolboy later wrote to me that “the similarities between the lives of Femi [the main character] and myself left me wondering.

Wondering how two people can be so similar, wondering how you know so much what young boys are going through”. His strong identification with my Femi was troubling, yet also pointed to the potential for stories to open a “safe” space for discussion and debate. Other writers for young people have also written about the challenges of violence and gangs.

Read full article >

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Passport to Employment

Are you ready for the world of work?

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Birmingham Adult Education Services (BAES) wants to help all its learners to achieve their potential in life, in work and as active citizens. Their new careers programme Passport to Employment will help you to do just that!

As part of our Learner Gateway commitment BAES have developed a series of one hour workshops that will help you to be successful in your journey into work. The workshops are designed to complement your current study programme and develop your skills so you will be better equipped to achieve your long-term goals and aspirations.

The Passport to Employment programme is FREE and you can come along to any of the workshops and attend one, two or all three of them. Dates and times of workshops at each centre are available here:

Alternatively look out for posters in your local centre telling you when workshops are running. To book your place please speak to centre staff.

Your journey to success in the world of work starts here!

Article Image Credit : Birmingham Adult Education Services www.learnbaes.ac.uk

Silhouette Back View Of Woman

Children’s Centre : Invite to an International Women’s Day event

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Please join The Children’s Centre (delivered by Spurgeons Children’s Charity) to celebrate the achievements and success of women from all walks of life. Women have come a long way, yet there’s still more to be achieved.

Taking place on Thursday 7 March 2019, 10.00am to 2.00pm
at Laurel Road Community Sports Centre, Laurel Road, B21 9PB

Please Note: This event is open to women only.

Light refreshments (served between 12.00pm and 1.00pm).

Guests & Activities Include:

  • The Lord Mayor of Birmingham

  • Woman’s Health

  • #BalanceforBetter

  • Inspirational Speakers

  • Cake Stall

  • Beauty Treatments

  • Raffle

and much more …

For more information contact: Sharon Clarke on 07974 255 900

Spurgeons Children’s Charity supports vulnerable and disadvantaged children and families.

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vulnerable sad woman

Young Lives Matter – Intergenerational health and wellbeing conference

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The West Midlands is a diverse region, serving a culturally and socially diverse population, Birmingham alone is estimated to have a population of 1,137,100. In conjunction with other relevant policies, procedures and strategies, the West Midlands is keen to see health and wellbeing inequalities significantly reduced.

The conference takes place on 30 March 2019, 09.30am to 4.00pm
Location: Birmingham City University, C192, Curzon Building, 4 Cardigan Street, Birmingham B4 7BD

The West Midlands takes its obligations under Equality Legislation seriously and aims to provide fair and equitable treatment to population it serves. Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities continue to experience inequalities within the UK mental health system despite major government policy initiatives.

The promotion of equality and achieving the elimination of unlawful discrimination within the West Midlands is paramount. The recent mental act review highlights and addresses racial inequalities amongst communities from BAME backgrounds particularly in the areas of mental health.

People from minority communities are often diagnosed with severe mental health problems up to eight times more compared with the wider population. Moreover, these communities experience more restrictive measures within the health system, including being subjected to forensic services and locked wards.

More Information & Book your FREE place here >

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TEMP - Equality Delivery System Event flyer

Equality Delivery System (EDS2) Event

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Equality Delivery System (EDS2) Event 22nd March 2019

Taking place on Friday 22 March 2019, 9:30am to 4:30pm
Location: Highbury Hall, 4 Yew Tree Road, Birmingham, B13 8QG

Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (BSMHFT) would like to invite you to be a guest at their Equality Delivery System (EDS2) Event on the 22nd March 2019 to help grade the service provided to its communities and patients.

The main purpose of the Equality Delivery System (EDS) grading event is to help BSMHFT, review and improve their performance by listening to the views of patients, carers, local communities and those who work in the NHS.

The EDS is used to support the Trust to deliver better outcomes for patients and communities and better working environments for staff, which are personal, fair and diverse. The EDS is all about making positive differences to healthy living and working lives for everyone.

At the heart of the EDS2 is a set of 18 outcomes grouped into 4 goals. These outcomes focus on the issues of most concern to patients, carers, communities, NHS staff and boards. It is against these outcomes that performance is analysed, graded and action determined.

More Information & Book your FREE place here >

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People for Public Services Forum: 7th March 2019

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Citizens having a voice about adult social care services in Birmingham.

This event is taking place on 7 March 2019 from 10:30am to 12:30pm
Location: The H Suite, 100 Icknield Port Road, Birmingham, B16 0AA

About this Event:

The People for Public Services is the new monthly forum which will focus and discuss adult social care issues with citizens, members and staff.

The monthly forum will provide opportunities for engagement and co-production with citizens in all areas of adult social care as well as give citizens the opportunity to ask questions and have a say on key areas of service delivery which will affect services in the future.

The approach to citizen engagement has been designed by citizens as part of a planning group with the Citizen Involvement Team.

The meetings are co-chaired by citizens, discussions are led by citizens and the forum receives agenda items from citizens and staff alike.

Book your FREE place here >

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