f: Acocks-Green-Village t: @acocksgreenbid
www.acocksgreenbid.com
EDITION: 01
Villager
The
the essential guide to all things
Acocks Green!
Image courtesy of
The Birmingham Post & Mail
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Welcome to ‘The Villager’
September Spectacular Event
Community Updates
WELCOME...
… to the first ever issue of ‘The Villager’!
A brand new magazine dedicated to
Acocks Green. We have an excellent
town here, and we feel it is time to
celebrate the wonderful work that our
local groups are doing and to showcase
some of our fantastic businesses that we
have here in the Village and surrounds.
Take a few minutes to read an amusing
story from the History Society and get
some top planting tips from the Bloom
Co-ordinator! Read how the town’s
traders, worked over the years towards
the successful development of a BID
(Business Improvement District)
in 2011.
I have been managing the BID since
its inception in January 2012, and
the BID has achieved some great
successes often working alongside local
community groups. So what is a BID?
It is an independent, business-led, not
for profit company that invests in the
things that matter most to businesses
and their customers. An area where all
our businesses agree to collectively
invest to improve the town and trading
environment.
USEFUL NUMBERS:
Police: 101
NHS Direct: 111
Crime Stoppers: 0800 555 111
Gas Emergency: 0800 111 999
Severn Trent Water Emergency Line:
0800 783 4444
Your dedicated traders, through the
BID levy that they pay, now fund the
Christmas lights and the majority of the
town planting, the management team
and board organise all the marketing
and street events, we remove all graffiti
and employ our own town cleaner and
security officers to make Acocks Green
cleaner and safer for all our residents
and visitors!
So please take a look through ‘The
Villager’, earmark some businesses to
visit next time you are here, enjoy our
articles, but most of all … please come
and see us! Our town is here to serve
you, our local residents and visitors alike,
please support the businesses that put
so much back into our Village, and help
Acocks Green to thrive and prosper for
years to come!
ars!’
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Thanks for reading.
SANDY GIANNI
BID MANAGER
‘The Glamophones’
Fantastic all girl band from Birmingham
singing a medley of old and wartime songs to bring
back those wonderful memories
‘Soldier Steven and Wartime museum workshop’
Hands-on workshop at the end of which ‘Stefan Weisskopf’
of the Imperial German Army joins us! Have fun being led
through the trenches to observe dangers with periscopes!
Look through original and reproduction kit and artefacts of
a German soldier, and lots lots more!
Birmingham City Council: 0121 303 1111
Council Refuse and Recycling: 0121 303 1112
Acocks Green Library: 0121 464 1738
Fox Hollies Leisure Centre: 0121 464 4112
Taxi - 247 Radio Cars: 0121 222 2222
Acocks Green Dental Practice: 0121 765 2870
Electrical Power Loss: 0800 328 1111
Wartime Acocks Green!
History Society exhibition boards depicting local
wartime information!
Police Museum (in the library community room)
Presentation, stories and artefacts
www.acocksgreenbid.com
[email protected]
Plus
Custard Moon’ children’s entertainer! - learn how to spin
plates, juggle, walk on stilts, Hula Hoop, balance on fun
wheels, swing poi, spin diabolos, catch devilsticks and ride
a Unicycle!
FREE Bouncy Slide and Playbus
Live music with DJ Anthony
Dance performance by ‘Rhythm of Dance’ school
Acocks Green …
Small Village, BIG ideas!
Acocks-Green-Village
@acocksgreenbid
DRIVEWAY CLEANING
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ACOCKS GREEN, BIRMINGHAM B27 6RA
07825 167 523
A MESSAGE FROM
IAN JEFFRIES
VICE CHAIR OF THE BID
Welcome to this, a bit of a mile
stone, our first Acocks Green
Village magazine that is being
published on behalf of Acocks
Green Village BID for Traders
and the local community alike.
Nearly fifteen years ago as I ran one
of the longer established businesses
in the village I was approached and
asked to set up a Traders Association
to attempt to tie the traders in the
village together. The objective was to
let the traders work together to improve
our Centre so improving business for
the Traders based in Acocks Green
working alongside the local community.
The early days of the AGTA (Acocks
Green Traders Association) did see
many successes, you might remember
we arranged to take out the old raised
flower beds along the Post Office
stretch, we also worked to introduce
the now 50 strong radio link between
businesses as well as taking a major
part in organising the installation of
the first street CCTV cameras. Sadly
after some very successful years the
AGTA became less active although did
continue to operate.
More recently Birmingham City Council
placed a Town Centre Manager in
the village who reinvigorated the
Traders once again also involving
local community groups. This new
organisation was known as the Acocks
Green Village Partnership. (AGVP).
Things rapidly moved on with many
changes and improvements to Acocks
Green, the AGVP raising funds from
many sources including BCC.
The plan to form a Business
Improvement District (BID) was voiced
and this was a popular idea where
businesses would put their own money
and effort into improving the Centre.
A period of consultation followed and
the BID was voted in by local Traders
in October 2011. The BID is a limited
company controlling a budget of
£500,000 over a five year period.
The BID is now run by the Traders and
employs three staff all working hard to
improve your shopping Centre.
I strongly believe that when you think
back, the AGTA then the AGVP and
finally the AGVBID have all worked well
to improve our Centre. Many said that
nearby developments such as the new
Swan Centre would cause loss of trade
and foot fall in our village but I believe
that as we keep working to improve our
Centre this has not been the case.
We have been working with
Birmingham City Council over some
Birmingham and wish it to stay that way.
We must continue to work together to
reach this aim.
years on a project to improve the roads
and pedestrian areas of the Centre
and funding has been allocated to do
work on the Warwick Road later this
year. I personally wonder if this would
have been happening, certainly in the
way it is, if we had not been seen to be
helping ourselves and so have been
supported by BCC. We must remember
that when the works start they will be
disruptive but we must put up with
every groan and moan looking to when
the works are completed so once again
improving Acocks Green. I truly believe
that Acocks Green is one of the
best Suburban high streets in
I would like to take this opportunity to
thank local businesses and local
community groups for their help and
advice over the years. You know
who you are!
IAN JEFFRIES
VICE CHAIR OF THE BID
JEFFRIES HARDWARE
FOR ALL YOUR DIY
& GARDEN NEEDS
• OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK
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GREAT VALUE AND
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T: 0121 706 1970
35-39 SHIRLEY ROAD,
ACOCKS GREEN B27 7XU
When you need us
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S&H JEWELLERS
JEWELLERY REPAIRS
WATCH REPAIRS
BATTERIES AND STRAPS FITTED
BETTY BOOP GIFTS
ALL MANOR OF GIFTS
FREE QUOTES
2 WATCH BATTERIES FOR £5
Unit 4 1146 Warwick Road, Acocks Green Bham B27 6BL
0121 608 7005
ICINGS AND FILLINGS.
Royal Icing is traditional icing,
made with egg white and icing sugar,
which can be keep soft by adding
glycerine. Use for piping and coating
marzipanned fruit cakes.
Butter Icing is butter beaten with icing
sugar. For a pure white colour make
with white vegetable fat and flavouring.
Use for piping swirls on cupcakes or for
coating or filling cakes. Cream cheese
is substituted to make a topping for
carrot or red velvet cakes. Readymade
cream is available at Icing World.*
Sugarpaste is most widely used to
cover all types of cakes. It is sold in
blocks which require kneading and
rolling. Icing World has sugarpaste in fifty
different colours.
Ganache is equal quantities of
chocolate and double cream melted and
cooled. Pour over a cake or chill and
whip for a filling. When covering a cake
with ganache or melted chocolate place
on a rack over greaseproof paper. Shake
the rack sideways, the chocolate levels
out and the drips can be reused –
or eaten!
*Icing World has 25 tubs of light and
fluffy eggless cream to give away.
(one each for the first 25 customers
who bring ‘The Villager’ into the shop).
Rhythm of Dance
School
Street Dance
Commercial
Modern
Gain more confidence and
have fun while learning!
My lessons are:
ICING WORLD
Mon: 2-4yrs - 5-6pm
Tues: 5-9yrs - 5-6pm
Tues: adult fitness dance - 6-7pm
Wed: 9-12yrs - 5-6pm
Wed: adult fitness dance - 6-7pm
Celebration Cakes made to order
or everything you need to make
your own including free and
friendly help and advice
1st lesson FREE
then £4.00 Per Lesson
ICINGWORLD
BIRMINGHAM
sponge Tardis cake
with Doctor Who made in sugar
1196 WARWICK ROAD - OPPOSITE FARM FOODS
T: 0121 706 2922 • www.icingworld.co.uk • www.thesugarschool.com
Rhythm of Dance School, Langley Social Club
Langley Hall Road, B92 7HE
Rhythmofdanceschool T: 07980 295 359
MUAY THAI
Muay Thai was founded in Thailand
in 1921 and is the national sport
of Thailand. Muay Thai has
since become an international
phenomenon with its widespread
success making it one of the most
respected forms of combat sport.
Hussain has now opened his second
branch in Birmingham, Acocks Green and
has brought in multiple Champion Prathet
Sor Thanikul from Thailand.
Muay Thai, also known as Thai Boxing
is based on “The Science of Eight
Limbs” that enables a student to strike
with the fists, the shins, the knees,
and the elbows.
Prathet Sor Thanikul is a true veteran
in Muay Thai with over 300 fights
experience, he has been ranked in
Rajadamnern Stadium in Bangkok, held
the Bangla Stadium title in Phuket and
defended it a impressive 9 times and
has also won the championship of
Hong Kong.
Muay Thai also places heavy focus on
body toning/weight loss and is designed
to increase your level of fitness. The
training regimes include many staples
of combat sport conditioning such as
running, shadowboxing, skipping, pad
work, sparring, body weight resistance
exercises, abdominal exercises and
in some cases weight training.
Classes at the Academy
are structured to ability,
beginners, intermediate
and advance, children
and adult classes are
separated with children
training 3 x a week and
adults training 6 x
a week.
The sport is practiced across the age
groups and is becoming increasingly
popular amongst men, women and
children. The UK has seen the sport grow
over the last few years with competitions
now being held regularly up and down the
country producing world class fighters.
8 Limbs Muay Thai was established
by Raf Hussain who opened the first
Academy in Coventry in 2010. After the
success of the Academy and producing
15 Champions since opening, Raf
PLAY IS SERIOUS
HOUSE OF PLAY +
EDUCATION
Tuesday
Stay and Play
Mornings
10am-12pm
Play is serious – So says local
charity “House of Play +
Education”. But what do they
mean by that?
Through play children learn many of the
skills they will need as adults; it helps to
develop the brain, it promotes cognitive
development and leads to discovery,
reasoning, manipulative skills as well as
developing problem solving skills.
But play doesn’t just stop as children get
older. A recent study shows that play can
be more beneficial than organised sport!
Children, who regularly play, display
quick bursts of energy which is more
beneficial to heart health and weight
control than moderate sustained exercise.
A study found that 6 short sprints such as
playing chase done three times a week,
can have the same cardio benefits and
calorie burning powers as five 45-minute
sessions of more traditional exercise.
So who are House of Play + Education
and how are they helping us to take play
seriously?
House of Play + Education (HOPE)
are a locally based charity set up by
people from Acocks Green to provide
opportunities for children to play.
Based in a house on the Warwick Road
ten minutes walk from the village they
offer 12 different groups per week from
Stay and Play Groups, Baby Clubs, After
School Clubs and even an internet cafe
for parents needing help to find work.
One exciting new group starting this
September is “Pre-School Play” a group
for children aged 3 and 4. Children and
parents are given the chance to work
alongside an experienced Early Years
Practitioner participating in learning
activities that children may experience at
nursery and giving parents ideas for how
to use play based learning at home to
help children succeed at school.
HOPE also offer after school clubs for
4-7 year olds and 8-11 year olds. The
groups start straight after school and
finish at 5.15pm Activities range from art
and craft to cooking and include outdoor
adventurous play activities. (Cost £1)
Afternoons
1.15pm-2.45pm
After School
3.15pm-5.15pm
9.15am-10.45am
Ages 0-5
Baby Hour
Wednesday
Friday
Stay and Play
Polish Parents
Stay and Play
Dads Group
9.15am-10.45am
Ages 0-5
Ages 0-5
Living Hope
11.15am - 12.30pm
11.15am - 12.30pm
Muslim Mums
Stay and Play
Terrible Twos
Ages 0-5
Children aged
18 months
- 30 months
Year 7,8,9 Girls
Group
4-11 year olds
After School
Club
Girls aged 11-14
Thursday
Cost £1
Ages 0-5
Pre-School Play
Parents Lounge
Children aged
3-5 years
For Parents of
school age
children
8-11 year olds
After School
Club
Job Search Area
Cost £1
Free internet access
and coffee. Toys for
children to play with
3pm - 4.45pm
House of Play + Education
895 Warwick Road, Acocks Green, Tyseley B11 2ER
T: 07951 674 624 www.facebook.com/houseofplayeducation
Baby Sensory
Award winning Baby Development Classes
Come along for a
free taster
session!!
Exciting activities designed to help babies
develop by stimulating their senses
You and your baby will share the thrill of meeting the animals
in the jungle, marvel at the magic show, explore an underwater world,
boogie at the rock and rock session and that’s just for starters!
Every week there is a new theme to enjoy, you will never experience
the same session twice!
Each class includes a variety of baby development activities plus
a discovery playtime, during which you and your baby can make new
friends and enjoy our exploratory play area.
Experience fibre optic light shows, bubbles, bells, musical fun,
baby signing, puppet shows, amazing light balls and so much more.
Classes run weekly across Birmingham Central
NEW CLASS STARTING IN AUGUST AT ACOCKS GREEN
METHODIST CHURCH - CALL TO BOOK
Contact: Sonia on 07896 977465 [email protected]
or visit www.babysensory.com to find nearest class
THE DAYS BEFORE
TECHNOLOGY!
MIKE BYRNE
ALL THE LATEST FASHION
in ladies, children’s & babywear
SPECIAL OCCASIONS WEAR:
ball gowns, cocktail dresses, christening gowns,
holy communion, boys suits, party wear
AND ALL ACCESSORIES INCLUDING:
Handbags, shoes & jewellery
SPECIALITY:
Onesies including embroidery service
SCHOOLWEAR
1193-1195 Warwick Road, Acocks Green, Birmingham, B27 6RG
0121 708 2094 [email protected] thedazzleshop.com
It is the little stories that are
sometimes the most rewarding.
Not long after I started my job as
Librarian at Acocks Green, I was
rummaging about in a desk and found
a photo and a letter nearby. I phoned
the sender up and she confirmed that
she had donated the photo. It showed
stooks in a field and she told me it
was a view from 98 Greenwood Road
across to one of the fields belonging
to Colonel Walker of Fox Hollies Hall.
The road later became part of Olton
Boulevard East, and the view is about
where Northanger Road was built.
Suddenly the lady started talking about
how she used to visit her grandparents
at number 98, and how their dog
Jimmy used to carry messages on its
collar across the fields and along the
Ninestiles path to her mother’s sister
in Russell Road, Hall Green – and
return with the reply! Not only is this a
charming and amusing story, it really
puzzles schoolchildren, who ask why
they didn’t use their mobiles. So this is
a way into explaining how few people
had phones of any kind in the 1920s,
and might have to walk a long way to
a public call box. It really illustrates
how much life has changed.
CONTEMPORARY DINING, OCCASIONAL & BEDROOM FURNITURE,
RUGS, MIRRORS, LAMPS, WALL ART & ACCESSORIES
Please bring
your copy of
THE VILLAGER
FOR 10%
DISCOUNT
of our selected
showroom items
Premier Collections (UK) Ltd, 1198 Warwick Road, Acocks Green, Birmingham B27 6BY
0121 707 9090 [email protected] www.premiercollections.com
For more information about the history of Acocks Green, visit aghs.jimdo.com the official
website of the Acocks Green History Society
Our Acocks Green Community
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Hello, our names are Julie and Jazz
and we are the PR Ambassadors for
Sainsbury’s Acocks Green. We like to
work closely with our community. If you
are interested in working with us then
contact us. We work with local schools,
community groups and charities.
We can offer a place to hold meetings,
school talks for children, bag packing
and charity collections.
0121 707 8444
[email protected]
KLASSIC KASTLES
Bouncing Castle Hire
We do Castles / Slides / Candy
Floss / Pop Corn / Darts Board
Side Stall
Hair Beauty Tanning
Nails Spa Days
Laser Treatments & Fitness
15%
OFF
ANY TREATMENTS
For all Occasions
RING: 0121 765 4463
or 07958 68 28 44
when you bring your copy of The Villager
T&Cs apply!
T: 0121 243 0766
1073 Warwick Rd, Acocks Green, B27 6QT
www.thewrightway.me.uk
www.facebook.com/thewrightwayb27
VERY COMPETITIVE PRICES
CALL NOW!!!
ACOCKS GREEN
NEIGHBOURHOOD FORUM
BY GED HUGHES
Acocks Green Neighbourhood
Forum is a community group
organised and run by local
volunteers to discuss local issues
and feedback the views of the
community to the City Council and
other relevant organisations.
The Forum has been in existence
for over 17 years and represents
the residents of 3000 households
in Acocks Green. We hold 4 or
5 public meetings a year that
feature guest speakers on relevant
issues such as transport, health,
environmental concerns and local
history. The meetings also give the
public an opportunity to share and
voice their concerns, which the
Forum endeavours to represent
on their behalf. Other community
representatives, including the local
police and councillors, also regularly
attend the public meetings and are
often available to answer queries.
Over the years the Forum has been
key in establishing Westley Vale
Millennium Green; the listing of the
historic Vineries canal bridge on
Woodcock Lane; improvements in
community safety; and developing a
network of mutual support amongst
other Acocks Green community
organisations. The forum also
produces a quarterly newsletter to
keep residents informed of what is
happening in the area.
Public Meetings take place at the
Church Community Hall on Yardley
Road, on the corner of Alexander
Road. Posters are always displayed
in the library and around the Green to
advertise the meetings and of course
all the up to date information is on our
website. Our next meeting will be in
the Autumn, so come along and find
out more!
We are always looking for people to
become more involved in the forum
and join the executive. If you are
interested in your local community
and would like to contribute in any
way please contact us either via
the website www.acocks-greenneighbourhood-forum.org and click
on the ‘Contact Us’ tab, or there is a
Forum post box at the entry of Acocks
Green Library if you would like to
drop us a line. We look
forward to hearing
from you!
HUGHES BODYLINES
FRUITIERS
Get your
5-a-day
Sales & Repairs
of Fruit & Veg
Serving you for over 30 years!
Also Fresh Flowers &
Plants for all occasions
Retailers of branded cosmetics,
toiletries, fine fragrances and giftware
at competitive prices
Bodylines helps you look good, smell good, feel good
WE CAN WHOLESALE TO YOUR BUSINESS
1129, WARWICK ROAD, ACOCKS GREEN
E: [email protected] T: 0121 706 5326
1135 Warwick Road, Acocks Green, B27 6RA
Tel: 0121 708 2007
www.facebook.com/bodylinesbeautyandcare
@bodylines1135
!
s
n
o
o
l
l
a
B
s
g
For all thin
Just for Occasions
Parties - Engagements - Anniversaries
Corporate Launches
Delivery also available!
For a free consultation please call Jo: 07866282100
or Simon: 07455712191
We also buy working, faulty or broken laptops,
consoles & phones
[email protected] T: 0121 706 7864
1208 Warwick Rd, Acocks Green Birmingham, West Midlands B27 6BY
www.digi-com.co.uk
ALAN WATTS & CO
S
O
L
D
HOUSE PRICES ARE RISING!
WE NEED MORE PROPERTIES
AS DEMAND IS HIGH
DIGGING THE DIRT!
BY FRAN LEE
‘Season of Mist and Mellow
Fruitfulness’ - that’s Autumn.
The time comes when we should be
seeing the red Sedum Spectabile and
the pink and white of the Japanese
Anemone fade away, and of course
the frosts will finally kill off the summer
flowering Geraniums (Pelargoniums).
Although you could of course bring
them indoors and put them on a sunny
windowsill and they will provide you
with bright flowers all winter!
If you want to guarantee some late
autumn colour in your borders, plant
Schizostylis whose pink or red blooms
will bring a glow as the weather turns.
The Bloom team have planted some
red flowering plants at the Village war
memorial and they look great.
During October is a great time to plant
your daffodils (Narcissus), and perhaps
the lower growing variety Tete-a-tete in
a planter. It’s best to leave the Tulips
until November as they are susceptible
to disease if planted too early. The
Bloom team planted them in one of
our fabulous island beds in the Village
and nestling amongst the Forget me
nots, the whole scene was beautiful.
CALL US TODAY & SEE WHAT YOUR
PROPERTY IS WORTH:
0121 707 7683
www.alanwattsandco.co.uk
For any questions you may have on planting, or for more information about joining the thriving
Village in Bloom volunteers, email Fran, the Bloom Co-ordinator on [email protected]
Acocks Green Village BID Co.Limited
Office 8 Dolphin Court, 1227 Warwick Rd, Acocks Green, Birmingham B27 6PX
f: Acocks-Green-Village t: @acocksgreenbid
www.acocksgreenbid.com