Community action/Birmingham
The aim of this page is to recognise, celebrate and encourage the self-empowerment of community agency networks (CANs) and community groups' activism for climate, environment and many other sustainability topics across Birmingham.
News
[edit | edit source]
A joyful harvest: the young Welsh farmers growing food for Birmingham, theguardian.com (Sep 13, 2026) — A charity in Powys provides the land while growers do the hard work, producing bumper crops for city children- Climate storytelling often ignores young people – arts-based research can change that, theconversation.com (Feb 06, 2026)
- ‘Brummies united against racism’: poster campaign takes on the far right, theguardian.com (Oct 12, 2025)
- Rights of Nature movement grows, with the Wye and Ouse subject to new protection charters, wickedleeks.riverford.co.uk (Jun 18, 2026) — Nature sits at the heart of several new sets of rights and charters; it’s even headlining a festival this summer. Is the way that we view and value Nature within our political and cultural frameworks at a turning point? asks Hannah Marsh
- The English community that brought its river back from the brink: ‘If we can get it right here, we can do it everywhere’, theguardian.com (May 20, 2026)
- How volunteers are saving the River Wye with citizen science, cpre.org.uk (Mar 30, 2026)
- Severe drought declared in six areas of England as reservoirs run low, theguardian.com (Oct 15, 2026)
- Ardingly Reservoir falls below 20% as drought persists, BBC News (Oct 14, 2026)
- A growing movement for perennials could play a key role in future food security, wickedleeks.riverford.co.uk (Oct 08, 2026) — In the wake of this summer’s drought and rising energy costs, there is renewed interest in perennial crops
- Citizens need to power Europe's future, demnext.substack.com (Oct 02, 2026) — The EU can enable new democratic institutions: in European countries; with a European Citizens’ Assembly as a 4th branch of government, and by legally enforcing the Global Citizens’ Assembly on AI, Claudia Chwalisz and Another Democratic Future
- Reclaiming the streets: the architects clawing back Europe’s car-centric spaces, theguardian.com (Sep 09, 2026) — The European Prize for Urban Public Space’s shortlist highlights projects helping people cope with climate crisis
- We’re the mayors of Paris, Milan and Phoenix. The heat crisis has us all facing the same question, Emmanuel Grégoire, Giuseppe Sala and Kate Gallego, theguardian.com (Sep 07, 2026) — Our three cities are learning from each other about how to protect residents. These climate policies are also public health measures
- Hunter Valley community group wins landmark high court climate change case over coalmine, theguardian.com (Oct 07, 2026) — Ruling on Mount Pleasant coalmine shows ‘we cannot continue to dig up coal … and pretend the consequences have nothing to do with us’, group says
- Citizens need to power Europe's future, demnext.substack.com (Oct 02, 2026) — The EU can enable new democratic institutions: in European countries; with a European Citizens’ Assembly as a 4th branch of government, and by legally enforcing the Global Citizens’ Assembly on AI, Claudia Chwalisz and Another Democratic Future
- Fifty Billion Seedlings: Can Ethiopia Replant Its Ravaged Forests?, e360.yale.edu (Oct 01, 2026)
Networks and sustainability initiatives
[edit | edit source]- CIVIC SQUARE, "A bold approach to visioning, building and investing in civic infrastructure for neighbourhoods of the future."
- Balsall Heath Is Our Planet
- Birmingham Friends of the Earth
- Kings Heath Transition Initiative
- Northfield Ecocentre
- University of Birmingham People and Planet Society on facebook
CDC videos
[edit | edit source]Each week 3 different short videos from across the UK or world.
Community action/United Kingdom/Cycling activism, Community action/South East England/Saving water / ...This week's featured Global videos / ... read more about Cosmolocalism
UK and international events
[edit | edit source]UK events
Oct 1 - 7, 2026 (Thu - Wed) — National Vegetarian Week, discover delicious dishes and see how a veggie diet is a great choice for the planet, nationalvegetarianweek.org- Oct 04, 2026 (Sun) — Homeless Sunday, housingjustice.org.uk
- Oct 18, 2026 (Sun) — Church Action on Poverty Sunday, taking place each year on the Sunday closest to the International Day for the Eradication on Poverty, church-poverty.org.uk
Global or international events
- Oct 01, 2026 (Thu) — World Vegetarian Day, Oct 1 each year, bringing awareness to the ethical, environmental, health, and humanitarian benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle, worldvegetarianday.navs-online.org
- Oct 02, 2026 (Fri) — International Day of Non-Violence, observed each year on 2 October, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, un.org
- Oct 07, 2026 (Wed) — World Day for Decent Work, October 7 is the World Day for Decent Work, ituc-csi.org
- Oct 10, 2026 (Sat) — World Mental Health Day, Oct 10, annually, wmhdofficial.com
- Oct 10, 2026 (Sat) — World Homeless Day, Oct 10 each year, drawing attention to homeless people’s needs locally and provide opportunities for the community to get involved in responding to homelessness, worldhomelessday.org
- Oct 10, 2026 (Sat) — World Migratory Bird Day, worldmigratorybirdday.org
- Oct 13, 2026 (Tue) — International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, Oct 13, annually, promoting a global culture of natural disaster reduction, including prevention, mitigation, and preparedness, un.org
- Oct 16, 2026 (Fri) — World Food Day, celebrated every year around the world on 16 October, often with a focus on food security, fao.org
- Oct 17, 2026 (Sat) — International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, Oct 17 each year, honouring victims of poverty, hunger, violence and fear, with participation by the poorest of people an important aspect of the observance of the Day, un.org
- Oct 17, 2026 (Sat) — International Repair Day, annual celebration for everyone who makes repair happen in their communities around the world. "Repair for Everyone"., openrepair.org
2021-2030, UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, International community action events
Birmingham video
[edit | edit source]
Bioregionalism
[edit | edit source]- Bioregion Birmingham, "A resilient, sustainable city embracing a bioregional approach to economics, governance and culture." (historical initiative, link no longer available)
Community involvement
[edit | edit source]- The Front Room, "the beginnings of an ambitious, long-term neighbourhood platform in Birmingham to be designed, grown and co-owned by local communities."
Communities online
[edit | edit source]Hyperlocal sites in Birmingham, June 2014
Food activism
[edit | edit source]
Martineau Gardens is a community garden on Priory Road in Edgbaston, Birmingham, England. It adjoins the Priory Hospital on Bristol Road. It features over two acres of woodland and formal gardens.The Gardens are administered by a registered charity and are a member of the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens.
- Martineau Gardens, link checked 16:24, 20 December 2023 (UTC)
- Slow Food Birmingham
- Growing Birmingham
Community energy
[edit | edit source]BirminghamEnergy Savers, Birmingham City Council originated scheme
Towards sustainable economies
[edit | edit source]FutureShift, programme to encourage civic innovation in Birmingham and the Black Country...podnosh.com
Community resources
[edit | edit source]Citizens data initiative
- Data to decarbonise in a decade, makes available a range of data sets including open data on housing, travel, waste, energy, and emissions. Easy to use, with some features to help with visualisation. added 15:43, 18 November 2021 (UTC)
Funding sources
- Birmingham SOUP
- LoveBrum, charity supporting 'hard-to-reach' projects across Birmingham that are often volunteer led and that deliver real change, with outcomes that can be seen, measured, enjoyed, and loved.
Other resources
Arts, sport and culture
[edit | edit source]
Health and wellbeing
[edit | edit source]- The Active Wellbeing Society, community benefit society and cooperative working to develop healthy, happy communities living active and connected lives, added 17:16, 30 April 2020 (UTC)
Climate action
[edit | edit source]- Retrofit Balsall Heath on facebook.com, added 12:19, 7 November 2023 (UTC)
- Zero carbon house, "…has been designed so there’s no need to use fossil fuels. No carbon is released into the atmosphere from this unique family home and there are no fuel bills either. zero carbon house is the UK’s first zero carbon retrofit – the only existing house to have been upgraded to one of the most exacting standards in green design, Level 6 of the original UK Code for Sustainable Homes."...thealternative.org.uk/dailyalternative, 29 July 2023, added 10:45, 2 August 2023 (UTC)
Sustainable transport activism
[edit | edit source]
Birmingham is at the hub of England's canal network. There are 35 miles (56 km) of canals within the city, of which most are navigable. W
- Birmingham Transport Plan 2031, Draft Birmingham transport plan
- Birmingham public transport maps are available from Network West Midlands as follows:
Cycling activism
[edit | edit source]Big Birmingham Bikes, information from Birmingham City Council - Bike North Birmingham, Birmingham City Council project delivered in partnership with Sustrans and Be Active, working to transform the profile of cycling in Erdington and Sutton Coldfield - Birmingham Cycle Revolution,part of the Birmingham Connected vision to reinvent the way people and goods move across the city - Critical Mass bicycle rides in Birmingham - Green Bike Project, community-led bicycle workshop and co-operative based at the University of Birmingham
Environment quality
[edit | edit source]- Brum Breathes, added 16:12, 13 May 2021 (UTC)
Resources
- School Streets: Reducing children's exposure to toxic air pollution and road danger, mumsforlungs.org, Research concerning 4 cities: London, Birmingham, Bristol and Leeds, Jan 2021
Open spaces
[edit | edit source]
- Birmingham Open Spaces Forum, volunteer-led network connecting and supporting the people who care for the city’s open spaces. added 17:42, 12 January 2026 (UTC)
Birmingham has 571 parks totalling over 3,500 hectares (14 sq mi) of public open space, more than any other European city. The city also has five Local Nature Reserves, one National Nature Reserve and a number of Wildlife Trust nature reserves. W
Trees, woodland and forest
[edit | edit source]News archive
[edit | edit source]- "Laying the foundations for the hopeful, creative, just transition that we know is in our hearts". Civic Square mapping eco-possibilities for the West Midlands, Daily Alternative (Dec 03, 2024)
- ‘Building something better’: the UK residents retrofitting their homes amid the climate crisis, theguardian.com (Aug 03, 2024) — From weekly skills-sharing to rewilding streets, communities are working to improve the planet while bolstering the health of people
- Neighbours band together to tackle energy bills and show how climate action starts at home, bigissue.com (Nov 06, 2023)
- Birmingham's Zero Carbon House is doable, scalable and beautiful - and expresses what the "climate majority" want, says Rupert Read, The Daily Alternative (Jul 29, 2023)
- Birmingham’s Civic Square, so inspirational to many seeking to strengthen community power, is “refounding” itself, The Daily Alternative (Mar 30, 2023)
2013-2021
- The Political Opportunity, Alternative Editorial (Jul 25, 2021)
- 'Cities have been invaded by cars. Now they are being liberated' - Positive News, Apr 7, 2020...positive.news
- How a Belgian port city (Ghent) inspired Birmingham's car-free ambitions, Jan 20, 2020...theguardian.com
- "Play Out Til Tea" is a great Birmingham Impact Hub idea - but their "neighbourhood of the future" is even better, Jul 21, 2019...The Alternative UK
- From Impact Hub Birmingham to Civic Square, Jun 16, 2019...birmingham.impacthub.net
- Pedal power to the people: Brum's £24m cycling boost, August 12, 2013...Birmingham Mail
About Birmingham
[edit | edit source]Past events
- Apr 17, 2017, Beyond (un)employment, collaborative learning circle, Programme starts Wednesday 19th April 2017 birmingham.impacthub.net
- March 7, 2015, Birmingham GreenFest, Birmingham Botanical Gardens
Birmingham (BUR-ming-əm) is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. It is the second-largest city, urban area and metropolitan area in England and the United Kingdom, with roughly 1.1 million inhabitants within the city area, 2.9 million inhabitants within the urban area and 4.3 million inhabitants within the metropolitan area and lies within the most populated English district.Birmingham is commonly referred to as the second city of the United Kingdom.
Located in the West Midlands county and region in England, approximately 100 miles (160 km) from Central London, Birmingham, as one of the United Kingdom's major cities, is considered to be the social, cultural, financial, and commercial centre of both the East and West Midlands. Distinctively, Birmingham only has small rivers flowing through it, mainly the River Tame and its tributaries River Rea and River Cole – one of the closest main rivers is the Severn, approximately 20 miles (32 km) west of the city centre. W
External links
- Green Commission, Birmingham City Council
| Authors | Phil Green |
|---|---|
| License | CC-BY-SA-3.0 |
| Cite as | Phil Green (2014–2026). "Community action/Birmingham". Appropedia. Retrieved October 18, 2026. |