Smithy’s Cafe – A Long History

Posted on January 27, 2011 by Kit Barlow
Thanks to a local resident, Ross, for an interesting article and photos about the long history of our local friendly cafe on Yardley Road.
I wonder whether Margo Hitchinson and Ethel Baldwin foresaw that the cafe they opened at 73 Yardley Road with £50 capital in 1936 would still be thriving seventy-five years later. They named their business 4 O’Clock, which surely evokes a vision of home-made cakes and dainty cups of tea.

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We can not know what the two ladies would have made of the He-man’s Breakfasts and Belly-Buster Baguettes sold there in the brash 1980s under the Cabin Cafe banner, but I am sure they would approve of the friendly and efficient service and modern menu offered in recent years by the present owner, Lisa Smith, under the new name Smithy’s.
Ross Cameron
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Westley Vale Millennium Green Celebration – 8th January 2011

Posted on January 20, 2011 by Kit Barlow

Thanks to the Westley Vale trustees, local people and scouts who worked hard to make the celebration of our Millennium Green a great success.  The weather was fair and the local pagan group gave the Green a very special blessing. Our Lord Mayor, Councillor Len Gregory, honoured the site by planting a tree. We are fortunate to have this special green space in our area, long may it flourish for our community to enjoy.

Local people celebrate our Westley Vale Millennium Green

Here are a few photos that capture the day.  Click below:

Westley Vale Millennium Green 10 Year Celebration

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Landmark Development

Posted on January 15, 2011 by Kit Barlow

Stockfield Community Association, together with Acocks Green Baptist Church have unveiled some interesting plans for development of the Baptist Church site to provide improved community facilities and they would like local people’s views on what they’ve developed so far.  They are holding three open sessions in the next week for local people to call in and find out more.

Baptist Church Hall, Yardley Rd

Acocks Green Baptist Church lies at the heart of the Stockfield neighbourhood.  It’s a landmark building, but it also hosts a wide range of community activities and groups, from children’s centre activities to lunch groups for older residents; from coffee shop to community meetings.  It’s a valuable resource for the community, but has also presented some challenges which have meant that neither the church nor the local community have been able to use it to its full potential. Their aim is to improve on this.

architectural sketch of proposed development

Over the last couple of years the organisations have been asking people what could be done to improve the church site. They have listened to what facilities people have said they’d like to see locally so that Stockfield can have a welcoming, well equipped centre for the community.  They’ve also been working with architects, planners and others to develop some exciting ideas, but they continue to need input to ensure that they get it right.

The open sessions will give people the opportunity for local people to hear about what has been done, the concepts for the church site, and comment on the ideas.  You’ll be able to find out what’s been done so far, see a model and plans of how the development could look, ask questions and share your comments and ideas.  Each session will start with a brief presentation, followed by time to discuss and engage with the team involved.  The session times will be:

  • FRI 21ST JANUARY 1PM
  • FRI 21ST JANUARY 7PM
  • SATURDAY 22ND JANUARY 11AM

The Neighbourhood Forum encourages people to attend  one of these sessions at the church and help shape these plans to create a thriving community centre for the neighbourhood.

For more information please contact Jon Miles on 0121 7457

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Maths Course in AG – Get a Qualification

Posted on January 10, 2011 by Kit Barlow

Did you struggle with Maths at school?  Do you want to be able to help your child with homework or just be better at Maths in every day life?  Acocks Green is lucky to be hosting a FREE 10 week Maths course at Cottesbrooke Junior School starting in January.

It runs on Wednesday afternoons from the 19th January  –  1.15pm til 3.15pm.

The course is run and funded by the Workers Education Association (WEA) with a professional and friendly tutor.

If you would like to sign up to this course and can commit to attending every Wednesday for 10 weeks then please phone the Home School Link Worker – Ged Hughes at Cottesbrooke Junior School (tel. 464 3178)  call in to reception or phone the WEA directly on : 523 4118 (Maureen or Tim).

Students have the option to work towards a Level 1 or Level 2 qualification (which is equivalent to GCSE Maths) depending on their level and commitment.

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Ten Year Celebration of our Westley Vale Saturday 8th January 3pm til 5pm

Posted on January 1, 2011 by Kit Barlow

The Westley Vale Millennium Green celebrates 10 years on Saturday at The Avenue gate.   Amazingly it has grown in every sense of the word – natural greenery abounds which is kept in check by volunteers from the community.

Westley Vale Gates. The Avenue based on drawings by children from Cottesbrooke Infants School

In keeping with the green theme we have asked the Lord Mayor to plant a tree and the local Pagan Group to give the site a blessing ritual followed by some wassailing which everyone can in with.  Fire Juggling will provide more entertainment.  To keep out the cold the Scouts are selling hot drinks and food.  The event will end with a candle lit procession around the Green.
Come along and help celebrate the Millennium Green’s continuing existence as a green open space maintained and used by the local community.

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Happy Christmas Everyone

Posted on December 17, 2010 by Kit Barlow

Happy Christmas to everyone in Acocks Green from the Neighbourhood Forum.

Our chairman recently attended the traditional nativity play at the Baptist Church on Yardley Road, performed by the children of Cottesbrooke Infants School.  This is what he said about it:

I had the pleasure of attending a Nativity Play on Tuesday 14th, at Acocks Green Baptist Church which was performed by the children of Cottesbrooke Infants School under the direction of the head teacher Mrs. L Allsopp and staff.  This event was the forth year of production and showed  the children at their very best, all in tune and choreographed to near perfection.  The performance and message was uplifting and the children and school should be very proud of their efforts.


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Acocks Green Silver Surfers Course – Jan 2011

Posted on December 5, 2010 by Kit Barlow

Local computer charity Recom are continuing to help get more older people confident with computers and using the internet.

If you have a friend or relative who is over 55 and wants to learn how to use their computer in a relaxed and friendly setting in Acocks Green then this is ideal – a Silver Surfers computer club will commence on:

When? Thursdays 12.30-2.30pm

Where? Community Room next to Holy Souls School on Warwick Rd, (next to Sainsburys).  Situated on the first floor – NOTE: there are stairs and no lift.

Cost? £33 for 11 weeks course

To register, and for more information phone 0121 765 5282 or email admin@recom.org.uk

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How to Improve Street Life

Posted on November 30, 2010 by Kit Barlow

Acocks Green Library is hosting what promises to be an interesting and relevant talk on Wednesday 8th December at 6.30pm.  The speaker is Phil Jones who is an urban designer and author of  Manual for Streets. He will talk about improving street design with emphasis on the Urban Village.

His presentation will discuss how to make urban villages more attractive,  intergrated and less cluttered.  There will be a supporting presentation by the Acocks Green Focus Group who will discuss urban design with specific reference to Acocks Green village.  To book a place for this free talk click on the link and contact the Focus Group with your details. http://acocksgreenfocusgroup.org.uk/contact-us/

Manual for Streets was first published  in 2007 and resulted in the Dept of Transport’s Traffic Management Division winning a Royal Town Planning Institute prize for this publication.  The award recognises that it is radically changing designers’ and local authorities’ approach to residential street design for the better. It emphasises that streets should be places in which people want to live and spend time in, and are not just transport corridors.

As the urban design of Acocks Green centre has been much discussed in recent years, this talk will surely discuss ideas that could much improve our village.

 

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The Big Switch On

Posted on November 27, 2010 by Kit Barlow

Get into the Christmas spirit in Acocks Green village next Saturday, 4th December, with a celebration of the arrival of Christmas.  From 4pm – details below:

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Roald Dahl Treat in Acocks Green

Posted on November 22, 2010 by Kit Barlow

Friday 3rd and Saturday 4th December sees a production of the popular Roald Dahl story – James and the Giant Peach.  The production takes place in the Methodist Church on Shirley Road, just a minute away from the village centre.  The show is being staged by local Theatre company Stage 27.  An opportunity to see live theatre locally and also support the most worthwhile charity the NSPCC.  Details of ticket prices and times below:

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