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

Wishing you a Happy New Year from all of us here at Birmingham Settlement!

We are getting ready for an amazing 2026, with new activities, plenty of events, and lots of fun across both of our centres. We had a very busy December full of festive activities for all ages – Let’s take a look at some of our end of year highlights!

Between the 15th and 17th of December, the Nature and Wellbeing Centre hosted their annual Winter Wonderland – Santa’s Ice Palace event. Lots of families joined us across the 3 days for crafts, plenty of hot drinks, and a special sit-down with Santa, held in our geodesic domes which were illumiated specially for the occasion. Children got to write a Christmas wish list before heading into the grotto to meet Santa, posing for photos and taking home a gift, before heading into the Red Shed cafe for a range of festive treats and hot drinks to warm up.

On the 17th December, we hosted our Volunteer Christmas celebration at the Sports and Community Centre. We have many volunteers across our Birmingham Settlement sites who kindly give their time in our charity shops, at our community centres, and in our Money Advice team – our work would not be possible without them! There was a great turnout of our volunteers who enjoyed food, drinks, and games, with a chance to socialise and meet volunteers from all of our sites. 

On Thursday 18th December, our Little Settlers 0-5 Stay, Learn, and Play had a very special festive session at the Sports and Community Centre. Complete with festive activities, music, and a visit from Santa, the children and their parents had a 1-on-1 sit down with Santa and his Elf, posing for photos before receiving a gift.

On Thursday 18th December we also hosted the Dick Whittington Pantomime at the Sports and Community Centre, put on by the talented Mint Theatre Society. Featuring lots of laughs, mischief, and plenty of ‘oh yes it is!’ moments, families had a great time with fun for all ages.

Finally, on Saturday 20th December, we closed off the year with a Christmas special of our brand new Kids Cinema Club at the Sports and Community Centre! Families came along to watch a classic Christmas film, enjoying hot drinks and a gift left for them by Santa!

We had so much fun celebrating with you and we can’t wait to welcome you all back! 

If you would like to get involved with our activities, please see the ‘What’s On’ page for timetables of our centres.

Kingstanding Sports and Community Centre,

600 Kingstanding Road, B44 9SH

Ladywood Nature and Wellbeing Centre,

Edgbaston Reservoir, 79 Selwyn Road, B16 0SL

Last Friday we hosted our annual Ageing Well Christmas parties to celebrate the festive season! The Upper Hall was filled with warmth, laughter, and plenty of festive cheer as over 100 guests joined us across two lively parties.

Complete with live entertainment with a selection of Christmas carols from Warren Farm Primary School and some popular songs from local singer Jonny Allen, guests had a great time with plenty of dancing and even some karaoke! Alongside the music, guests also enjoyed games and a raffle as they partied with one another, forming teams and building new connections.

No Christmas party would be complete without food! Guests tucked into a traditional festive treat of turkey and stuffing sandwiches, followed by a mince pie – courtesy of our Centre Manager and Chef for the day Alex. Judging by the empty plates and big smiles, the meal was a big hit!

It has been a great year for our Ageing Well sessions, with great attendance from our regulars and plenty of new faces too. Our annual Christmas parties are a fun way to end the year on a high and spend time with friends. A special team shoutout goes to Adele for all her hard work running our sessions and planning and hosting the Christmas parties, ensuring everyone has a great time.

Want to get involved? Our Ageing Well – Cuppa & Chatter sessions take place every Friday, 10:30am – 12:30pm for over 50’s. Come along for a hot drink and a chat to meet new people!

Please note: we are closing over the Christmas period until 19th January 2026

Get the latest Birmingham Settlement news with our Winter Updates!

It has been a busy few months here as we prepare for the festive period. Read on to find out what’s been happening and what’s coming up at our Centres!

Download our Kingstanding Sports and Community Centre Newsletter here.

Download our Edgbaston Nature and Wellbeing Centre Newsletter here.

You can also sign up to our E-Newsletter here to get the latest newsletters delivered directly to your inbox (don’t forget to check your junk and add us to your safe senders list!)

Our Thursday sewing group have been busy learning new skills and creating beautiful handmade items.

Over the past 12 weeks, participants have learnt the fundamentals of sewing and crafted a variety of products such as pillowcases, makeup bags, and tote bags.

The course covered everything from understanding fabrics and sewing machine components to reading patterns and applying basic sewing techniques. Each week built on the previous week’s learning, ensuring everyone was able to support one another and increase their confidence and ability at the same pace.

This course was in high demand, and we are happy to share there are a few places left for next year, beginning on Wednesday 7th January 2026.

Please note: weekly attendance is essential, as skills learnt early on will be needed for later projects.

When: Every Wednesday from 10am – 12pm, starting Wednesday 7th January

Where: Big Dome, Birmingham Settlement Nature and Wellbeing Centre, Edgbaston Reservoir, 79 Selwyn Road, Birmingham, B16 0SL

Course Content (may be subject to change):

Weeks 7-12:

• Tailor tacks and how to transfer markings
• Understand sewing pattern markings / grainlines / symbols
• Understand a sewing pattern and select your size
• How to sew darts, understanding their uses and construction
• How to correctly take your measurements
• Understand pattern matching and how much extra fabric you may need
• How to cut out fabric pieces using a sewing pattern
• How to alter the pattern to fit you

Making:

• 2 examples of drawstring bags
• Make a book cushion cover
• Create a project of your choice

Ready to book your place? please contact Maria – maria.chapman@bsettlement.org.uk

Places are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.