Birmingham Open Spaces Forum

21/08/2026

From HMP Birmingham to community gardens across the city - it’s brilliant to see this community food growing project featured in The Times! The article highlights the difference gardening is making to the prisoners involved, as well as the journey those plants are now taking out into the community.

We were really pleased to play our part in the project by helping get the food plants grown by the prisoners distributed to community gardens and growing spaces across Birmingham.

The plants are now in the hands of local volunteers, being watered, planted and cared for, and will hopefully be producing plenty of food over the coming months! 💚

Read the full article here: https://www.thetimes.com/article/106a07d1-ea9a-473a-b709-7044e4985b1e?shareToken=4418e5224717df2548308c42d396d01e

A huge thank you to everyone involved in making this project possible - the prisoners and staff at HMP Birmingham, the RHS, and all of the community growing groups who are nurturing the plants and will be sharing the fresh produce with their local communities across the city!

21/08/2026

The Friends of Stechford Hall Park are inviting volunteers to help clear burnt ant hills from the park following recent fires, making way for wildflowers kindly donated by The Patchwork Meadow.

Sessions are running on 3rd, 9th and 16th September at 5pm - meet in the middle of the park and look out for the hi-viz jackets. Wear old clothes and sturdy shoes, as you'll get sooty! Join if you can, and if possible please drop them a message beforehand to let them know you're coming: [email protected]

MORE DATES - - We need your help. As you know we have had several fires over the park. We are trying to turn this into something positive. Now is a great time to level and rake a patch of land over the park and remove the large ant hills before the grass grows back. This will allow wild flowers to grow and encourage the wildlife back after the fires. Patchwork Meadow are kindly donating some seeds for us. For those old enough, you will get the joke about the Ant hill mob, for those too young, google Wacky Races lol. Please turn up on the day but if you can, please message to let us know you will be attending. [email protected] Thank you x

18/08/2026

Another fantastic turnout from the Friends of Bradford Street Litter Picking group on Saturday - 44 bags collected in one morning! Great to see former West Midlands Mayor Andy Street getting involved alongside the regular volunteers too. This group's dedication to keeping Digbeth clean and green just keeps growing!

They meet at 11am on the third Saturday of every month at The Edge, 79-81 Cheapside, Digbeth. Join them for their community litter pick, plus a drink after! Equipment is provided, just turn up on the day.

Amazing effort by the Bradford Street Litter Picking group on Saturday morning (15.08.26).
44 bags collected by all the volunteers including me and ex-Mayor of the WM Andy Street!
Long may you continue!

18/08/2026

After the unfortunate cancellation of last week's Summer Fun at Omnia due to a weather warning, we're pleased to share details of our rescheduled Summer Fun (& Games) at Omnia - a FREE drop-in afternoon for families! Hosted by Abi Bosf and The Active Wellbeing Society.

Pre-registration link & more information: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/summer-fun-games-at-omnia-tickets-1997968977997?utm_id=97758_v0_s00_e0_tv2_a1den1ng860221

Thursday 27th August, 1.30-3.30pm, at Omnia green space: https://maps.app.goo.gl/1he13phEPARpaFtVA

We hope to see you there!

FREE drop-in afternoon for families. Come and join us at the green space!!

17/08/2026

Our parks and open spaces mean so much to the communities and wildlife that depend on them - it's heartbreaking to see so many fires breaking out this summer.

West Midlands Fire Service's Chief Fire Officer, Simon Tuhill, has condemned those responsible for deliberately starting fires, warning it has to stop before someone is seriously hurt. Not every fire is started on purpose - some start accidentally, including from broken glass in dry conditions. Large grass fires are incredibly demanding for crews to tackle, often across wide, uneven ground with limited access and water supply challenges.

A reminder that fires and BBQs aren't permitted in parks and open spaces.

If you see someone setting a fire deliberately, you can report it anonymously to FireStoppers on 0800 169 5558. If you see a fire that needs an emergency response, always call 999.

If your local park or open space has been affected by fire this summer, please let us know at [email protected]. We can offer a supportive chat with a team member, practical advice, or help exploring funding to replace damaged items, replant trees, or restore areas like wild meadows.

17/08/2026

Congratulations to Friends of Senneleys Park! It's fantastic to see the group going from strength to strength, and we are really pleased to hear they've just been joined by three new volunteers. Great to see them enjoying a well deserved picnic to mark their 10th anniversary - here's to another 10 years!

16/08/2026

Funding alert for Friends Groups!

If your group runs a community growing space, allotment, or garden, this one could be worth a look. Tesco's Fruit and Veg Grants (previously known as Stronger Starts) fund food-related projects for children and young people, and it's not just about fruit and veg. Food growing sessions, cookery clubs for local kids, or even cookery equipment can all be eligible, as long as there's a clear food focus.

Any constituted not-for-profit group can apply, so this includes Friends Groups, charities, schools, sports clubs and CICs (at least 2 years old). Funding ranges from £500 to £1,500, decided by an in-store customer vote at your local Tesco.

The application takes around an hour to complete, though funding can take 6 to 12 months to come through. Applications are made to your local Tesco store, and Birmingham stores currently seeing fewer applications include Aston, Quinton, Rubery, Cradley Heath, Dudley and New Oscott, worth a look if your group is nearby.

Applications can be submitted at any time, click the following link for more info: https://www.tescoplc.com/sustainability/communities/fruit-and-veg-grants

14/08/2026

Help us build a bespoke first aid course for our member groups!

We've been talking to Medisafe Training about creating a first aid course designed specifically for our member groups. We're looking at a bespoke, practical 6-hour session focused on the real-world risks our volunteers face out in their local parks and open spaces.

It won't be a formal "accredited" course, but every attendee will receive a certificate of completion. At around £25 per person, we want to make sure it covers exactly what you and your group need.

We'd love your input, please take a moment to fill in our short survey and let us know the top 3 areas you'd like the training to cover: https://us8.list-manage.com/survey?u=c006e35b60f26a06b7247667b&id=c4795226e6&e=1643756a53

13/08/2026

Join us in one of Birmingham's oldest woodlands for a morning of connection and conversation, at our next Morning Social event - hosted by Holders Woods Conservation .

Thursday 3rd September, 11am - 12.30pm

Meet parks and open spaces volunteers from across Birmingham, share ideas, and enjoy refreshments together in this wonderful woodland setting.

Everyone's welcome! Places are limited and booking is essential, so register for your free ticket on Eventbrite now: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bosf-morning-social-hosted-by-holders-woods-conservation-tickets-1993611648106?aff=oddtdtcreator

Holders Woods, B13 8NL

13/08/2026

Unfortunately due to the amber heat warning forecast, today's drop-in activity afternoon at the Omnia green space has been cancelled.

We know this will be disappointing, but the health and safety of everyone involved is the number one priority.

Please watch this space though, as we're already planning a further summer activity afternoon at the Omnia green space on 27th August. Keep an eye out for more info being released over the coming days.

Thank you for your understanding.