Kingstanding | Birmingham Settlement

Composting and Planting with King Charles III Charitable Fund

Amy Cubberley — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 14:56:00 +0000

Following receiving a grant from King Charles III Charitable Fund, we will continue delivering and developing our composting and planting work!

We are extremely pleased to have been successful in receiving a grant from the King Charles III Charitable Fund (KCCF) as part of the Coronation Food Project. This funding will be used to further our composting, planting, and food production work across our sites of the Sports & Community Centre, Kingstanding, and the Nature & Wellbeing Centre, Ladywood.

Founded in 1979 by King Charles III and inspired by His Majesty’s values of harmony and sustainability, King Charles III Charitable Fund is committed to helping people and communities to change the world around them, creating lasting improvements to people’s lives and a sustainable future for all.

The Coronation Food Project, established in 2023, works to tackle food waste and reduce hunger, working with organisations across the country to combat these growing issues.

At the Nature & Wellbeing Centre, Ladywood, we will be extending our existing composting work in partnership with MakeSoil by creating more bays, where members of the community are able to drop off their food waste to be turned into compost. We will also be providing at-home composting kits to local people, allowing Birmingham residents to create their own compost at home through making good use of leftover food waste.

In addition, we will be continuing and developing our food growing and planting education through our Plant with Pat sessions, teaching members of the community how to grow their own produce and planting various fruits and vegetables such as potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, and more. Produce grown will be used in our Red Shed Community Cafe as part of our homemade soup on offer, or given out to Plant with Pat attendees who helped to grow the food.

Gardening education with local children.

Produce grown onsite for homemade soup!

Plant with Pat session.

Vegetables grown onsite.

At the Sports & Community Centre, Kingstanding, we will be making use of our new Polytunnel, installed last year, and our Grow Beds, where we will be beginning food growing and planting a variety of fruits and vegetables. Produce grown onsite will be used to create community meals, and attendees will also be able to take home some of what they have grown.

Our newly established Garden & Grow group of volunteers are eager to get started on transforming our outdoor space. This team of seasoned gardeners and newcomers who want to develop their knowledge will work together to create new Grow Beds, plant various crops, and take up general outdoors maintenance.

Interested in joining Garden & Grow? Contact volunteer@bsettlement.org.uk to find out more. No experience is required, just the willingness to get stuck in!

Our Community Polytunnel ready for planting!

Fruit such as blackberries planted.

Volunteers planning what they want to grow.

Our first tomato plants!

Composting, planting, and growing are all important activities we strive to sustain and provide as part of our regular community offer – not only are they a positive for the environment and the local areas, these activities are inclusive and welcoming to people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities. We look forward to keeping you updated on our progress and providing updates on this work.

To follow along, make sure to follow our social pages:

Main Instagram: @Birminghamsettlement1899

Main Facebook: Birmingham Settlement

Sports & Community Centre:

Birmingham Settlement Sports & Community Centre, 600 Kingstanding Road, B44 9SH

Instagram: @Sportsandcommunitycentre

Facebook: Birmingham Settlement Sports & Community Centre

Nature & Wellbeing Centre:

Birmingham Settlement Nature & Wellbeing Centre, Edgbaston Reservoir, 79 Selwyn Road, B16 0SL

Instagram: @Natureandwellbeingcentre

Facebook: Birmingham Settlement Nature & Wellbeing Centre

Staff Spotlight: Meet Luke!

Amy Cubberley — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 14:20:37 +0000

Meet Luke, our new Senior Community Action Worker! We sat down and asked him a few questions about his role.

Luke has joined us recently at the Kingstanding Sports & Community Centre and brings a wealth of experience in community-based activities and services and plenty of new ideas for our centre. Look out for him leading one of our varied activity sessions!

What does your role as Senior Community Action Worker look like on a day-to-day basis?

“My role on a day to day basis is to be that friendly face around the [Sports & Community] Centre, whether it’s towards my co-workers or the general public who use our centre. I also have the role of creating new links or strengthening current links with the public and outside organisations so we can deliver the best to the local community, helping support everyone through development and sustainable change.”

What are you most excited about in this role?

“I’m most excited about the potential the centre has to grow even more. Coming into this role i have been welcomed not just by staff but the local users of the centre already, which makes me even more excited to contribute further to this growing charity.”

What made you want to work here at Birmingham Settlement?

“I have previously worked alongside Birmingham Settlement through another organisation, and even then i saw the potential and the level of engagement with the local community was far greater than that I’ve seen elsewhere and it’s something i had to be a part of.”

What do you enjoy outside of work?

“I enjoy spending time with my son either going on walks or on adventures, I am also a big football player (although I’m past my prime now). Staying fit and healthy is something I really enjoy. One other thing I’m passionate about is my PC, which i built from scratch and use apps such as premier pro or photoshop to edit pictures and videos others have sent me.”

Is there anything you would like to share with our community?

“A message I would like to share with the community is that the Birmingham Settlement Sports & Community Centre is one of the most friendly and welcoming places, so please don’t be shy to pop in to see us – even if it’s for a cup of tea and a biscuit! You never know, we might be able to introduce you to something you never thought you’d ever do, whether it’s tai-chi, arts and crafts or improving your fitness.”

Be sure to say hello to Luke if you see him around the Sports & Community Centre! To see our full activity timetable, visit the ‘What’s On?’ page by clicking here.

An Afternoon with City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra!

Amy Cubberley — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 12:20:47 +0000

We welcomed the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) to the Sports & Community Centre for a ‘Cuppa Concert’ afternoon of music, dancing, and instrument-playing!

We saw an amazing turnout for our afternoon concert with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO). Following the theme ‘Best of British’, attendees arrived donning flags, colourful outfits, and accessories, ready for plenty of music and dancing. Combinig a mix of classical and hit songs from British composers, CBSO took us on a journey from Scotland, to Wales, to Ireland, to England, and back again with their varied ensemble. With well-known classic songs such as Danny Boy, Sky Boat Song, Dambusters March, Palladio, and much more, as well as a Harp rendition of UB40’s Red Red Wine and Tom Jones’ Delilah, attendees enjoyed getting involved playing instruments and waving scarves around to the sound of the music.

The afternoon was enjoyed by people of all ages getting involved in singing, dancing, and playing along – instruments were handed out to all attendees to join in the fun with the Orchestra! Thank you to the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra for such an amazing afternoon at the Sports and Community Centre – keep your eyes peeled for the next installment!

Spring has Sprung! An Update from our Centres

Lizzie Forrester — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 16:49:55 +0000

Get the latest news from our centres with Birmingham Settlement’s Spring Updates! As always there’s plenty happening; read on to find out more.

Download the Update for the Kingstanding Sports & Community Centre here.

Download the Update for the Ladywood Nature & Wellbeing Centre here.

You can also sign-up to our mailing list to receive our quarterly ‘What’s On’ e:bulletin (don’t forget to check your junk and add us to your safe senders!).

Community Voices: Co-designing Settlement Futures

Lizzie Forrester — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 13:01:22 +0000

Have you ever wondered how our community spaces might be designed for a future everyone wants to see? How civic infrastructure can truly serve all of us? And how wellbeing and connection can be strengthened through collective imagining of the spaces we share?

For the past three years, Birmingham Settlement has been involved in a participatory project with the University of Bristol’s ESRC Centre for Sociodigital Futures (CenSoF), working alongside local people to co-design futures that reflect community hopes and priorities.

Working with three community anchor organisations and building on community engagement at our Neighbourhood Futures Festival, researchers have been exploring what matters most to people in terms of connection – and especially with those whose voices are too often missing from these conversations.

What does this mean in practice?

In early 2025, the Birmingham Settlement Futures Group was formed, bringing together community members, Settlement staff and volunteers, and other local voices from Kingstanding and Ladywood. Together, they took part in a series of participatory workshops guided by CenSoF researchers.

Participants were invited to dream, imagine and explore future possibilities for Birmingham Settlement using creative approaches such as art, music, storytelling and interactive activities.

Instead of relying on abstract, technical language or formal consultation processes, engagement was rooted in people’s own ideas about the futures they want, explored in ways that felt meaningful, creative and inclusive.

Researchers created space for open conversation, shared imagination and practical expression, drawing on people’s lived experience, hopes for their families and knowledge of the neighbourhood.

In a series of sessions, participants designed posters and wrote newspaper front pages from the future, imagining the role the Settlement might play in years to come. These were later shared through an exhibition, opening up their ideas to a wider audience.

Future Soundings

In another session, a mobile phone app guided participants outdoors on a ‘walk into the future’, prompting them to write about the vision they wanted to see for Birmingham Settlement and Kingstanding.

The group then returned to the Sports and Community Centre, where a performer and a musician improvised a futuristic soundscape inspired by what participants had written, weaving their words together with ambient sounds and music.

You can listen to the finished composition on SoundCloud here.

Making Augmented Reality a reality

The group also experienced the Future Places Toolkit, an immersive approach to community planning using Augmented Reality (AR), a method that helps people to share their own visions about life in the years ahead.

During the workshop, the group were invited to re-imagine the Kingstanding Sports and Community Centre, and as they described their ideas, an artist translated their vision into live AR sketches.

Viewed on smartphones, these appeared as a digital layer over the site, enabling participants to see their imagined future brought to life in both real time and 3D.

Imagining Kingstanding in 2046

Through guided future-thinking and an immersive soundscape, participants were taken beyond a cold February day in 2026 and into Kingstanding in 2046. The group considered the built environment, nature and biodiversity, social relationships, services and recreation, neighbourhood wellbeing and inclusion to create a collective vision that included:

Community grow beds supporting a ‘green canteen’ food court.
A living wall, softening the architecture and supporting biodiversity.
An outdoor gym and a children’s adventure play area for physical activity and exploration.
An underground community swimming pool supporting health and wellbeing.
An additional storey to create more space for activities and face-to-face human connection.

The group also considered the role of technology, exploring how it might be used for good. They imagined sustainable systems for heating and cooling the building, and thoughtful ways digital tools could support inclusion and wellbeing.

Central to all designs was connection – creating spaces that encourage human interaction, meeting, sharing meals, socialising and being together.

The group were invited to consider the roadmap to the future vision and the mechanisms needed to get there, like developing new ownership models for long-term care and engagement with community spaces.

Looking ahead to 2046, the group placed connection at the heart of everything. As lives and technology continue to evolve, having welcoming places to gather and support one other, to feel belonging, to look after one another felt vital – to keep our shared spaces alive for generations to come.

Why this all matters

Too often, decisions about how technology is designed, used and governed are made without the people most affected by them. Often these are about predictions or plans from corporations or politicians. But those visions don’t always reflect the real hopes, concerns and everyday experiences of people in our communities.

By involving people whose voices are often neglected, this research explores methods for pluralising future visions and ensuring that planning is inclusive and meaningful.

For Birmingham Settlement, this project directly informs how we shape our spaces, programmes, and activities for the years ahead. It strengthens our commitment to co-designed by ensuring that service users, volunteers and local residents are not simply consulted, but actively involved in shaping the direction of the organisation.

The Futures group has encouraged people to think beyond immediate challenges and to see themselves as active contributors to the long-term future of their neighbourhood. It helps us ensure that our centre reflects the needs, hopes, and creativity of the people who use it – today and in the future.

We’re continuing our work with researchers in the Centre for Sociodigital Futures and other partners to engage with our communities and share what we’ve learned from this work – to help others see how community‑led futures conversations can influence better decisions, policies and services.

Donate

Charity Shop Bag-It Big Sale!

Amy Cubberley — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 12:09:52 +0000

Join us at our Kingstanding Sports & Community Centre this Friday 20th February for our Charity Shop Bag-It Big Sale! Come along and fill up a bag for just £2.50 with items of Womenswear, Menswear, Childrenswear, Shoes, Accessories, Homeware, and more. Bag a bargain this half term whilst supporting Birmingham Settlement’s work!

Did you know that buying a second hand T shirt and a pair of jeans could help save the equivalent of 20,000 bottles of water?

Or that the global fashion industry is responsible for 8-10% of carbon emissions worldwide?

Not only will you be supporting our work, you will also be helping the planet through giving items another lease of life. The clothing industry has many negative impacts on the environment, however buying second hand has the benefits of reducing wastage, keeping clothes out of landfill, and reducing your carbon footprint, whilst also grabbing great items for a bargain price.

Date: Friday 20th February, 10am – 4pm

Location: Birmingham Settlement Sports & Community Centre, 600 Kingstanding Road, B44 9SH

We are hiring – Senior Community Action Worker

Amy Cubberley — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 14:44:07 +0000

We are seeking a Senior Community Action Worker to join our friendly team who will plan, manage, and deliver a range of activities at our Kingstanding site.

Working mainly at our Sports and Community Centre in the heart of Kingstanding, you will help us to grow and offer more to the communities we serve through developing and leading activities that support individual and community leadership, voice, and engagement in line with individual, community, and funder needs. The role will focus on the overall management and development of Birmingham Settlement’s Sports and Community Centre to encourage active living, offering a diverse range of activities to boost physical health, wellbeing, and community cohesion. The ideal candidate will have excellent customer care skills, an open mind, adaptibility, and a willingness to work flexibly.

Salary: 30k per annum

Hours: 35 hours per week (flexible)

Holiday Entitlement: 25 days Annual Leave pro rata

Contributory pension scheme

Closing date: Apply by 5pm on Thursday 26th February 2026

Interviews: Commencing on Friday 6th March 2026

For more information including job description and to submit your application, please click here.

Birmingham Settlement is an equal opportunities employer, and we welcome applications from all sections of the community. For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Alex Howell on 07305 081152.

A Home for Swifts this Summer

Lizzie Forrester — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 10:11:46 +0000

Can you help create a safe home for swifts this summer?

Swifts are a declining species in our city, and they need safe places to nest. We’re delighted to offer free swift boxes to local residents, schools, businesses and community groups through the RSPB Swift Academy project!

To make sure the boxes are safe and successful for this amazing migrating bird, please check that your building can meet the simple placement requirements before requesting one – download the placement guide here.

If you have a suitable spot and want to support swifts in our city, pop into the Red Shed Monday-Friday, 8.30am–4pm, to collect your free box!

Find us: Birmingham Settlement Nature & Wellbeing Centre, 79 Selwyn Road, Edgbaston Reservoir, B16 0SL

Learn more about creating homes for swifts with the RSPB here.

We’re also working alongside Roots to Fruit Midlands to offer Meadow Creation Activity Days to our communities in Ladywood and Kingstanding to increase feeding opportunities for swifts. Find out more.

Free and Inclusive Half Term Activities

Lizzie Forrester — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 09:33:28 +0000

Half term at Birmingham Settlement!

There’s lots of fun, friendly and FREE activities at our Kingstanding and Ladywood Centres for children and families this February, take a look at the posters for all the details, and join us!

For more information, booking links and to see our regular timetable of activities visit ‘What’s On’.

RSPB Swift Academy Takes Flight

Lizzie Forrester — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 10:33:49 +0000

Building on a successful pilot project last March at our Sports & Community Centre in Kingstanding, we are delighted to be part of the RSPB Swift Academy, engaging communities in swift conservation through routes such as sport.

This West Midlands–wide initiative led by the RSPB partners aims to support swift populations through habitat creation, community engagement, and practical action.

What we have done so far…

In October half term, we delivered a Family Swift Day at our 3-acre Nature & Wellbeing Centre, with over 40 local families taking part in fun outdoor activities to learn about life as a swift.

We’ve also built swift boxes at our Creative Shed Community Open Day.

What’s up next…

We’ve teamed up with Roots to Fruit Midlands to offer Meadow Creation Activity Days to our communities in Ladywood and Kingstanding.

These practical, half-day outdoor workshops are designed to show how insect-rich wildflower meadows can be created to support biodiversity – and crucially, to increase feeding opportunities for swifts, which rely entirely on flying insects.

These free workshops are open to complete geeen beginners – so no need to have prior knowledge and experience!

Time, Date & Location

Date: 11/03/2026

Time: Morning Session 10am-12pm, Afternoon session 1pm-3pm

Location: Nature and Wellbeing Centre, 79 Selwyn Road, B16 0SL.

Date: 25/03/2026

Time: Morning Session 10am-12pm, Afternoon Session 1pm-3pm

Location: 600 Kingstanding Road, Kingstanding, Birmingham, B44 9SH.

Book here

Book you spot on Eventbrite here

That’s not all…get your hands on a FREE Swift box!

The RSPB are giving away free swift boxes to support swift populations this summer. If you’re interested in a free box, pop into the Red Shed Community Cafe to get yours! Read more.

Check out the RSPB guide to safe box placement here Swift Box information – WM Swift Academy