Join in the Bike Train Day from Acocks Green – Thursday 22nd September

Posted on September 14, 2011 by Kit Barlow

On the 22nd September 2011, Birmingham Friends of the Earth in conjunction with PushBikes and Sustrans will be holding 5 “Bike Train” events. This is an opportunity for people to get out on their bikes for the commute to work.

It is the annual Car Free Day, so they want people to leave their cars at home and join a “Bike Train” to work.

A bike train is essentially a group of people cycling together to get to their destination. It is a mass-ride that is a SAFE, FUN, and SIMPLE way to:
– get fit
– get to know your colleagues and meet new people
– help the environment by reducing air pollution and CO2 emissions
– discover Birmingham and see it from a completely different perspective
Birmingham Bike Trains will be running along 5 routes into the city centre (Victoria Square) in time for people to get to work.
There will be a breakfast at the end.

For a map of the routes, as well as to register, please follow the link below!

Map and Registration

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Volunteer Walk Leaders with Health Exchange

Posted on September 2, 2011 by Kit Barlow

Health Exchange are looking for volunteers to lead Health Walks in our local community. If you are able and willing to volunteer a couple of hours of your time each week, then they would like to hear from you! They will provide Volunteer Walk Leader training and on going help and support. You will also become part of the Health Exchange team and they will support and encourage you to take an interest in health and wellbeing that can be passed on to the walkers. They currently have a space for a volunteer on the Cottesbrooke Walking Group, a 1 hour gentle walk that leaves from Cottesbrooke Junior School every Wednesday at 9am and explores the local area.

If you would like to apply for this opportunity, or for walks in other areas of Birmingham, please contact Catherine Fletcher on 07792275127 or Catherine.fletcher@healthexchange.org.uk.  New walkers are always welcome too. Phone Catherine or just turn up on Wednesday.

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Eat Seasonably Event – Saturday 3rd September in the Village

Posted on August 22, 2011 by Kit Barlow

The Neighbourhood Forum has recently been contacted by the Eat Seasonably Campaign. Its aim is to help us enjoy fruit and veg when they are naturally at their best – better taste, better value and better for the environment. Visit http://www.eatseasonably.co.uk to find out how to make the most of what’s best this month or click on the video below.

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A special event to promote Eat Seasonably will take place outside Acocks Green library, and next door at the Inn on the Green on 3rd Sept from 12pm in the form of an outdoor street party. The aim to get the local community involved in learning about eating healthily, and more importantly, locally grown produce, harvested in its best season. Also, they will be serving three courses of free food for the public, cooked using the freshest and locally sourced produce in season.

As Eat Seasonably is a non-profit organisation, this event is entirely free.  They are serving free food to set up awareness for healthy eating and offering what they promise to be a fantastic fun filled day on with a chance to sample free and tasty food, and also get the children involved in fun activities. See below for all details:

The organisers of the event are also looking for volunteers and children’s entertainers for the day too.
Details about the campaign are on http://www.eatseasonably.co.uk, and for more info on the event day, visit their Facebook Event Page ‘Eat Seasonably’.

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A little history of our village

Posted on August 15, 2011 by Kit Barlow

Thanks to Neighbourhood Forum chairman and local historian David Treadwell,  for a little insight into the history of our area. If you click on the maps you can see more detail.  It is interesting to see how the area has evolved and the lay of the land.  Some of the old names are still in use today.  The 1790 plan shows the remnants of our earlier open field system, started by the Anglo Saxons, running down from a ‘Ridge Way’.  The strips are bisected by the canal and would have run down towards ‘Westley Brook’

If you compare this with the 1860 map you can still see the consolidation of the strips into parcels of land, which are now reflected in the street systems.

The ‘Ridge way’, which is now Yardley Road, divided the fields.  On the Eastern prospect was the field known as Acocks Green Field, previously ‘Nether Hynefield’ and on the Western prospect it was called ‘Over Hynefield’ in 1619.

Map of Acocks Green around 1790 - click on map for closer look

The strips were invariably leased and were maintained by a heavy plough pulled by oxen to cut a deep furrow.  These furrows divided the strips with a raised ridge marking the individual strips.

It may be worth noting that the three settlements were Westley Brook, Flint Green and Fox Green, with Acocks Green located at the junction of Warwick Road and Woodcock Lane, which was the site of Acocks Green House, built around 1649 (demolished around 50 years ago).

Map of Acocks Green dated 1850- click on map for closer look

Pinfold House,  which still stands on Mansfield Road and is now being renovated, is shown on the 1850 map.  The historic core of the property is probably from the 17th Century, as is the Barn which was thought to have been a threshing barn.

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Girls – Saturday Morning is for Dancing!

Posted on August 10, 2011 by Kit Barlow

Stockfield Street Dance is a free girls dance class organised by Sports 4 Life each Saturday morning at Cottesbrooke Junior School.  All girls aged 7 to 16 are welcome. (Recently the class has started taking girls aged 7 too). The younger age group (7 to 11 yrs) runs from 10am to 11am, the older girls (12-16) runs from 11am til 12pm. Parental permission is required, see the poster below for all the details.

The girls recently performed in the sunshine for the local people at Stockfield Funday.

Did you attend Stockfield Funday at the beginning of July? The Stockfield Association would like to know what you thought about the day and if you have ideas of how the Funday could be developed or any suggestions for other communtiy events? Let us know and we can pass your thoughts onto them.

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Swansong Evening at Acocks Green Library

Posted on August 5, 2011 by Kit Barlow

At the July Swansong the audience of over 75 people had the the pleasure of listening to  The Harmonics, a 12 member chamber ensemble, which was formed 8 years ago, as part of the main Warley Male Voice Choir and conducted by their musical director Stephen Allen.


The Harmonics  were joined on this double bill, by a Birmingham based mixed choir the Enchant, formed 5 years ago from a group of friends, having a broad repertoire from church music, madrigals and popular songs, who were led and conducted by John Barber. They can be booked for weddings and other functions: contact www.enchant.org.uk or e-mail hello@enchant.org.uk.

Both choirs were very enthusiastic and professional and well received by the audience who enjoyed their varied repertoire of different styles from sacred music to barber shop and popular songs. All together they produced and performed an inspirational experience.

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A Credit Union in Acocks Green – *****update*****now Monday is new collection day

Posted on August 1, 2011 by Kit Barlow

Looking for a great way to save or an easy way to borrow?  Want to start saving up for Christmas or for a big holiday?  Or do you need a low interest loan from 1% a month? –  then Communisave – a  South Birmingham’s Credit Union, is just up your street.    It is a not-for-profit organisation owned and run by members with accessible local collection points.

We are glad to see the return of the credit union on

Monday betweeen 1pm-2pm
at Acocks Green Library
come along at this time to find out more or join the scheme

You can also contact them on: 0121 486 2035

email:  admin@communisave.co.uk

or visit their website:  www.communisave.co.uk


Credit Unions are a great way for everyone to budget.  Your savings are also your shares, a constant reminder that you own your financial, community co-operative together with all the other regular savers ensuring money is invested locally with any profits going back to the members by way of a dividend.  Just £1.40 to join (renewable annually) with no hidden charges, no penalties for small savers and a fixed interest rate of just 1% per month (12.68% APR) on the reducing balance, regardless of the amount you borrow!

Volunteers to help run the scheme are always welcome.

Supported by Birmingham City Council.

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Be Active Day 27th July 2011

Posted on July 21, 2011 by Kit Barlow

With Olympic preparations moving into top gear, the team behind the award winning public health project – Be active – is challenging Birmingham to shake off its reputation as an unfit city.

On Wednesday July 27th – exactly a year before the London 2012 opening ceremony – people across the city are being urged to tell the world exactly what they do to stay fit and active.

Organisers hope to highlight the wide range of physical activities taking place in Birmingham every day and participants will be asked to email or tweet their activities, which will  be recorded on the Birmingham Be active Day blog: http://beactiveday.posterous.com/

From walking the dog, cycling to work, running in the park, going to the gym, swimming or having a game of cricket or tennis, all the activity counts and needs to be recorded to prove that Birmingham really is fighting fit.

To start the ball rolling why not come along to the Wednesday Cottesbrooke Walking Group.  They meet each Wednesday at 9am at Cedars Avenue, by the gates of the school. The walk has been extended to school holidays. The group walk in the local area for around an hour. They are supported by the Health Exchange.  For more information click here:  Cottesbrooke Walking Group

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Acocks Green – A Business Improvement District

Posted on July 4, 2011 by Kit Barlow

At our recent Public Meeting Town Centre Manager Melinda Brown supported by local businesswoman Karen Vaughan from Karens Estate Agents explained the proposals to make Acocks Green Village a Business Improvement District (BID).  There are many of these districts around the UK and several in Birmingham including Kings Heath and Erdington.

A Business Improvement District is a partnership between a local authority and the local business community to develop projects and services that will benefit the trading environment within the boundary of a clearly defined commercial area.  Becoming a BID will help to bring improvements to Acocks Green Village shopping area and make the village a better place for shoppers and traders alike.

Acocks Green village (picture from Atholl Lodge website)

To become a BID, local businesses must first vote to pay funds into a pot which is then available for centre improvements such as floral displays, better appearances for vacant properties, community toilets, seasonal street events, or extra street cleaning.  Businesses pay in according to their size.

If you are a village shopper and think BID is a good idea why not mention it to the local shop keepers and ask them to support the BID scheme.  For more details on BID click the link below for up-to-date information.

Acocks Green Business Improvement District Website

Possible BID projects:

  • Expanding & improving the Village Radio scheme
  • Creating a Village website to promote all businesses
  • Professional training for businesses and their staff such as marketing, customer service & business planning
  • Enhanced Christmas Lights & planting
  • Seasonal street based activity / entertainment
  • Promoting the evening economy
  • Promotional materials e.g. Village magazine
  • Marketing to property agents
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Acocks Green Superheroes Carnival – 2nd July – Programme Details

Posted on June 30, 2011 by Kit Barlow

As well as over 50 stalls (including Acocks Green Neighbourhood Forum’s stall), Youth Stage, Bird & Flower Show, Football Tournament & Fun Fair there’s lots to watch in the main arena – see below for the running times:

Main Arena 

10.00am  Five-a-side Football Tournament

10.30am  Community Dog Show

12.00pm  Registration Cage Bird Show

1.00pm Closing time for Flower Show Entries

!.00pm Carnival Procession leaves Archbishop Ilsley School, Victoria Rd.

1.30pm Procession arrives at Carnival Site

1.45pm Presentation of prizes for best floats/walking entries

2.00pm Rialto Dance Academy

2.30pm Sin Yu Aikido Self Defence

2.45pm Fox Hollies Forum Line Dancers

2.00pm Madden School of Irish Dancing

3.15pm Tai Chi Deomonstration

3.30pm Silver Shadows Majorettes

3.45pm Zeroes to Heroes

4.15pm Mad Dominic

4.30pm Carnival Raffle Draw

Look forward to seing lots of you there!

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