Category: Grassroots Channel

Meeting and talking to people doing fabulous things in communities.

Sherez Sarwar – Street Champion for Lozells – Grassroots Channel latest

Sherez Sarwar. Now 18, he’s been involved in improving his community since he was 13. His efforts have helped revive George’s park in Handsworth and he’s become a street champion for his road in Lozells. Sounds like a goody-two-shoes? Well he isn’t and if you listen to this week’s Grassroots Channel podcast you’ll find out why.

Programme links:

Birmingham Community Empowerment Network (dead link)

The BURA Awards for Community Inspired Regeneration (dead link)

Birmingham Street Champions (dead link)

Residents University – Birmingham September 2006

Our latest programme for the Grassroots Channel hears about a huge event in September (13th to 16th) which will bring hundreds of residents from different European Cities to Birmingham. The Residents University is organised by R4R Europe (a development from the orginal Birmingham based R4R). If you’re involved in regenerating your neighbourhood the chances are very high that you’ll find this event inspiring and educational.

I experienced a smaller R4R event in Dortmund earlier this year and came away exhausted but hugely encouraged by the range of practical work being done in many neighbourhoods (and also how good we are in Birmingham!).

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Does no pay make you more powerful? Grassroots Channel Programme 21


I’ve just spent a wonderful morning with two women who are both directors of Witton Lodge Community Association. Linda Hines has been involved for 15 years while Michelle Ashmore got stuck in just two or three years ago.

The Association has been working really closely with Birmingham City Council and other partners to drive through a huge regeneration project for Perry Common in the north of the city. It began with the bombshell that hundreds of homes were so structurally unsound they would have to be demolished.

The association is really central to its success for two reasons. First the 14 unpaid (and mostly resident) directors have a common sense idea of how to help the community thrive. Secondly the council was unable to raise the money for rebuilding on its own. The finance was only possible because of the association. Their hard won expertise is now being shared through the governments Guide Neighbourhoods programme (along with Balsall Heath and Castle Vale)

If you scroll down you can listen to their lively (and sometimes tearful) conversation and find out why both directors are convinced that much of their power derives from them being unpaid. So much so that wouldn’t want it any other way. Oh and please leave any comments here on the blog.