Category: Projects

Changing Times at Second Saturday

Seond Saturday is monthly mini-festival celebrating making, creativity, community, and local culture, it’s no surprise to see us there, and we will be every month with ‘Changing Times’.   Our project, ‘Changing Times in Balsall Heath,’ is about our community—what’s happening, what’s important, and what voices need to be heard.

At Second Saturday, we’ll be there to chat with people about their lives and experiences in Balsall Heath.  We want to explore ideas and how we can include more people in the ‘Changing Times’ project – Your stories, memories, and hopes!

Second Saturdays, something to celebrate!

8th November featured pottery, woodwork, repair cafe, a cafe, bookbinding, the thoughtful womxn’s Journey workshop, a Market and our Changing Times display and loads more.  Next Second Saturday, 13th December, we’ll be celebrating 750 years of Balsall Heath!

Mark your calendars for Saturday 13th December and come find our ‘Changing Times in Balsall Heath’ team at the Old Print Works. Let’s make, connect, and celebrate our wonderful local culture together!

Contact Marcus@Balsallheathhistory.co.uk   07511 482528

750th Birthday party Flyer

HLF logo

EXCITING NEWS! A NEW PROJECT!

“ Balsall Heath in Changing Times 1960s to 1990s”

The Project aims to record and preserve memories from people of diverse backgrounds, linking these with the Mick Turner Archive of photographic images. This composite picture will be shown in an Exhibition, touring displays, a published booklet, and a 10 minute film, as well as online on our website, Facebook pages and Youtube

The years 1960 to the 1990s saw significant transformation of the physical environment as well as a radically changed demographic. Many migrants moved in to the area, and some long established residents were compulsorily rehoused elsewhere as whole streets were demolished. Meanwhile the area was in decline with uncleared bomb sites from the Second World War, poor housing, high unemployment, appalling health statistics, poverty and a major prostitution problem.
However, this was also a time of new opportunities, new organisations and new ideas. There was growing dynamism and hope as the groundwork was laid for the thriving multi-cultural community of today’s Balsall Heath.