Perspective - Birmingham Civic Society · great promise to be the slums of the next few decades....

SPRING - SUMMER 2009

JOURNAL OF BIRMINGHAM CIVIC SOCIETY

“Wealth creationis only achieved

through business”

Perspectives

Architect quizzedon proposed

library designs

B I R M I N G H A M

Perspectives Spring - Summer Final.qxd 27/7/09 3:16 pm

Birmingham is a great international city, renowned for civic innovation, urban invention, racial andcultural diversity, as well as its creative and educational achievements.

The city has made tremendous progress over the last twenty years, regularly being hailed as one ofEurope’s success stories, with over £10 billion of planned investment in the city centre alone. However, the city has changed dramatically over the last twenty years, especially with the changes tothe inner ring road, making the city centre much larger. Both physically and economically new challengesand new opportunities are now on the agenda, and a new masterplan is needed that will help to unleashthe tremendous potential of creativity and diversity of what is the youngest city in Europe.

Covering the greater city centre, the full 800 hectares out to the ring road, the Big City Plan will shapeand revitalise Birmingham’s city centre over the next twenty years - physically, economically, culturally,creatively - and there will be extensive engagement with colleagues, partners, stakeholders and ourcitizens to help achieve this.

For more information please visit www.bigcityplan.org.uk

“The most ambitious and far reaching citywidedevelopment project ever undertaken in the UK”Cllr Mike WhitbyLeader, Birmingham City Council


3

I was fortunate to attend the BirminghamYoung Professional of the Year Awards(BYPY) held at the ICC. As awardceremonies go, it was certainly glitzy -with a set worthy of the Oscars and foodnearly worthy of a Michelin restaurant. But it was not the environment thatimpressed me: it was the enthusiasm ofthe shortlisted entrants (mostly 20 to 30somethings) and the attentiveness of the600-plus audience, most of whom were asimilar age (excepting the likes of me).It gave me great hope. Not one of theshortlisted entrants failed to demonstratetheir huge commitment to Birmingham.Each of them seemed to be involved inone or another important aspect of thecity's life. And all of them demonstratedthat it is not just what happens in thework place that matters but what you doin the outside world too. Not that “young professionals” haveexclusivity. My colleagues onBirmingham Civic Society's citizenshipcommittee were telling me howimpressed they had been with recentpresentations by Birmingham schoolchildren as they talked enthusiastically oftheir plans for the city. It's a theme reflected in this issue in thecomments of Digby, Lord Jones ofBirmingham - and those of the public onthe role of citizenship.The thing is though, that whilst thearticulate winners of BYPY have apublic voice, too many of our youngerpeople don't have such an outlet.Isn't it time young people were both seenand heard?

David Clarke, EditorVice-Chairman of Birmingham Civic Society

Does the city have the know-how to see recovery?Digby, Lord Jones of Birmingham champions the city's skills.

Older - but wiser?Lydia Thornton asks how Birmingham, despite being the youngest city inEurope, will support an aging population.

How did the canals fuel city’s industrial might?Isabel Monk finds out how Birmingham's canals played a vital role in making Brum great.

Perspectives on the proposed Library of BirminghamBirmingham Civic Society's Planning Committee hold Francine Houben toaccount for the proposed designs for the new Library of Birmingham.

Head to Head - how can citizenship play a vital part in creating a cohesive society?Can citizenship bring Birmingham together as we move towards being a plural city by 2020?

Society sculptor prepares for 'Shaping Nature' exhibitionViv Astling reveals a startling career change from local authority chief executive to sculptor.

Birmingham's ambitious 'gallery without walls'Lydia Thornton goes behind the scenes at the Ikon Gallery to find out how they have grand plans beyond Brindleyplace.

Birmingham Civic Society is concerned with the city's future whilstbeing mindful of its past. It actively promotes citizenship, lobbies for

the highest standards of planning and architecture and championsBirmingham's heritage, culture and environment.

For Birmingham Perspectives:Editorial and advertising enquiries - t: 0121 702 2525

Editor: David ClarkeAssistant Editor: Lydia Thornton

Design: Clare GodsonIllustrations: Jonny Cazzola

Print: Ortek Colour Printers

For Birmingham Civic Society:Administration - Elaine Mitchell t: 0121 236 8110 e: [email protected]

Chairman - Freddie Gick t: 0121 236 8110 e: [email protected]

Birmingham PerspectivesBirmingham Civic Society,

9 Margaret Street, Birmingham B3 3BS

0121 236 8110www.birminghamcivicsociety.org.uk

Birmingham Perspectives Spring - Summer 2009

Contents10131416202324

FIRST WORD 5NEWS 6LETTERS 26FUTURE VOICE 30

MEMBERSHIP 27EVENTS 28LAST WORD 31

Front cover: Concept design for the new Library


In Pompeii, for example, the opportunity presented by anearthquake in 62 A.D. allowed the city's rulers to create amodern, well planned city full of high quality amenities andimpressive buildings.In Britain, our cities evolved through the last thousand yearsfrom collections of dwellings surrounding great houses andcastles. The Wren buildings of the seventeenth century werefollowed by the Georgian/Regency terraces andcrescents a hundred years later and then bythe elaborate civic buildings of theVictorian era. The more eclecticarchitectural trends of thetwentieth century,complemented by theravages of enemybombers, resulted inmany of our citiesbecoming randomamalgams ofvery different,u n s y m p at h e t i cstyles. Birmingham has arelatively shorthistory as a city andhas few examples ofthe earlier periods.Most of its importantbuildings date from thenineteenth century.Architecturally, the city isundistinguished on aninternational scale - howevermuch we may value our excellentTown Hall, it does not feature on anylist of the most interesting buildingsworldwide. Brindleyplace is much admired, but it isnot Covent Garden.What does this tell us about the development of Birmingham?We do not have the opportunity to design a new city as did theplanners of Pompeii or the creators of Milton Keynes - but wedo have an opportunity to put Birmingham on the globalarchitectural map.To do this we must first refuse permission for the constructionof any more mediocre apartment buildings that are becoming

an increasingly common feature of the city and which showgreat promise to be the slums of the next few decades.The city's planners have been brave in accepting imaginative

designs for some new developments, though occasionallyallowing buildings to be completed to more mediocre standardsthan originally proposed. The Madin Library and the exteriorof the ICC are examples of cost cutting having an adverse

impact on important city-centre buildings. Inattempting to attract inward investment,

Birmingham must be internationallyvisible - and this requires its

buildings to be distinctive,photogenic and immediately

recognisable. Opinionswill always be divided on

buildings like theRotunda and theSelfridges Building -but they do makeB i r m i n g h a mglobally noticeable.So, when it comesto the design of theLibrary ofBirmingham, theCube or the

redevelopment ofParadise Circus we

should welcomeinnovation, controversial

designs and unorthodoxbuilding methods - but we

must not compromise on thequality of completed structures.

Some people will object to theimposition of imaginative buildings on our

familiar but undistinguished cityscape - in the shortterm the impact will be patchy, but, if we hold our nerve, theresult will be indicative of a highly progressive city that believesin its future.Combining architectural bravery with the City Council'sconcern for the quality of life of our citizens will assureBirmingham a creditable place among the great cities of theworld, following in the noble traditions of the earliest urban developers.

5

First word Freddie Gick, Chairman of The Birmingham Civic Society

Architectural braveryFrom the very earliest times people have sought to create urban environmentsthat not only provide high quality living conditions for their residents but alsobring credit to those who control them. The leaders of the Egyptians, Greeks andRomans created monuments, buildings and cities to demonstrate their powerand imagination and, often, their devotion to their respective deities.


6

Birmingham is to become thefirst link in a unique chain of

Cancer Research UK Centres tobe launched round the country.

The cancer centres will drawtogether world class research andareas of medical expertise to achievethe best possible results for cancerpatients nationwide. As the firstCancer Research UK Centre,Birmingham will lead the way fornational and international progressfor genetics, gene therapy and thelink between viruses and somecancers as well as focussing oncancers of the prostate and bladderand leukaemia. It will also become aleading centre for clinical trials.Collaboration is the key to thesuccess of the Centre which will alsoconcentrate on large-scale populationstudies, cell biology and tumourimmunology. Cancer Research UKalready supports research inBirmingham but is set to increase itscontribution to around £9m a yearto help develop the Centre. Inpartnership with the University ofBirmingham, the Centre also aims toattract and train the highest qualityclinical and non-clinical cancerresearch students, to developinfrastructure for tissue banking anddata collection across the WestMidlands, to strengthen collaborationbetween scientists and clinicians andto improve internationalcommunication. Cancer ResearchUK plans to launch more centresaround the UK during 2009. LT �

The pace of the downturn in theMidlands has eased, according

to The Royal Bank of Scotland'slatest PMI Business Survey.The latest decrease in output wasbroadly similar to the UK economyaverage, following several months inwhich the decline in the region wasmuch sharper. The West Midlands,while seeing contraction ease slightly, isthe second-worst performing UKregion in March, ahead only ofNorthern Ireland. Birmingham issuffering more than other UK cities

from the effects of the recession.According to The Work Foundationconsultancy's report The Geography ofUnemployment: How the recessionhas affected different citiesBirmingham has had the biggestincrease in people seeking Job Seekers'Allowance. There are 12,383 moreclaimants in the city than last year,largely due to Birmingham being oneof the UK's core cities associated withtraditional manufacturing. There were45,657 claimants in Birmingham inFebruary 2009 (a rate of 7.3 per centof the population) compared with33,274 in February 2008 (a rate of 5.3per cent). LT �

Two sports professionals whowork with Birmingham

schools attended a planningconference in Sweden to plan aninternational summer sportscamp for children who havelearning difficulties.

SISU, a Swedish sports educationfederation, hosted the conference.Birmingham and SISU have a longhistory of working together, sharing bestpractice in sport in the community andrunning exchanges for young people.Ann Frew, a PE teacher in CalthorpeSpecialist Sports College and JakeOliver of Bear Creek Adventure inEdgbaston, attended the conferencewhich was funded through the EU'sYouth in Action funding stream. Thegroup included participants fromDenmark, Sweden, Czech Republic andGermany. Participants spent timelearning about the team members'individual areas of work and aboutprogrammes run by the host, SISU. Thebulk of the visit was planning the nextsteps for a vision for an annualEuropean sports leadership summercamp or festival for young people withlearning difficulties, hosted in a differentcountry each year, where participantswould be given the opportunity to leadon an activity within the festival. Thegroup hope to reconvene inBirmingham soon to look at practicalarrangements were it to be hosted in thecity. RF �

Birmingham's businesscommunity came out in

force for the Great St Basilscharity walk to help the localcharity preventing youthhomelessness.

The annual walk, which took placeon Saturday 30 May, saw teams fromacross the region trekking across thestunning Brecon Beacon countryside.Catering for all physical abilities thecourse is split into two routes, a 14mile walk and a longer 28 mile path.This year's walk saw some 700 peopletaking part, walking in total over22,220 miles in the Brecon Beaconsand raising over £80,000.Companies that signed up for thechallenge included Cadburys,Anthony Collins Solicitors, Barclays, BHSF, Deloittes, JohnLewis, Taylor Wimpy andPriceWaterhouseCoopers. Nick Venning, Chairperson of the StBasils fundraising committee, andsaid: “I have been planning andtaking part in the walks for the last12 years and this one was one of themost spectacular routes we have everdone. The scenery was amazing, andthe atmosphere generated by theteams taking part teams made thisevent immensely enjoyable.” The money raised at the walk will gotowards funding St Basils housingfacilities in and around Birmingham,Solihull and Redditch. The charityhas been working with young peoplebetween the ages of 16 to 25 for over35 years and last year housed over1,000 young people and providedadvice and support to a further 4,000young people. SR �

Colleagues from Antony Collins Solicitors

NEWS


7

Birmingham has beenranked the 56th best place

in the world to live accordingto the Mercer 2009 Quality ofLiving Survey.

Zurich to take the top spot as theworld's city with the best quality ofliving. Geneva is in third position,while Vancouver and Auckland arejoint fourth. In the UK London ranksat 38, while Birmingham andGlasgow are jointly at 56. Overall,European cities continue to dominatethe top locations in this year's survey.In the US the highest-ranking entryis Honolulu at 29. Singapore, 26th, isthe top-scoring Asian city followed byTokyo at 35. Baghdad, ranked 215,remains at the bottom of the table.This year's ranking also identifies thecities with the best infrastructurebased on electricity supply, wateravailability, telephone and mailservices, public transport provision,traffic congestion and the range ofinternational flights from localairports. Singapore is at the top ofthis index (score 109.1) followed byMunich in second place andCopenhagen in third. Dublin isranked 58th out of the 215 citiesrated. Cities ranked ahead of Dublinin the City infrastructure rankingsinclude London (8th), Paris (13th),Birmingham / Glasgow (ranked joint45th). LT �

Hit BBC TV drama seriesSurvivors is moving to

Birmingham, enhancing thecity's growing reputation as afilm and television capital.

Birmingham will host the new six-partpost-apocalyptic drama - a remake of aseventies series - following talks with theCity Council's Film Birmingham office,supported by Screen West Midlands.The production and filming of thedrama is making the move fromManchester to the Midlands. StarringJulie Graham, Max Beesley and PhillipRhys, Survivors focuses on the world inthe aftermath of a virus that has wipedout 99 per cent of the human race. Thefirst series, broadcast last year and soon

to be screened on BBC America,proved to be a ratings hit and fans arenow eagerly awaiting the Birmingham-made second series. Film Birmingham,launched in February 2006, has beendealing with the number of filmingrequests from April 2008-09, which isset to more than double on the previousyear, with some months showing a 200per cent increase. Four feature filmshave been shot in Birmingham over thelast 12 months; production of thepopular drama series Doctors willremain in the city and talks areunderway with other TV companies toattract more hit shows. LT �

City planners have approvedproposals for the biggest

development in Birmingham'sJewellery Quarter for more than200 years.

Developer Chord Deeley's £160m StGeorges scheme, covers a 6.8 acresite which includes office space,homes, hotels, shops, a multi-storeycar park and a public square, got thego ahead from the city's conservationcommittee. About 2,500 servicesector jobs will be created as a resultof the development, which willcomprise more than 262,000 sq ofoffice and retail accommodation. Thedevelopment is a joint venturebetween Jewellery Quarter-basedeveloper Chord Investments andCoventry-based national developerDeeley Properties. Construction willstart in June to convert theKettleworks factory, on IcknieldStreet, into shops and offices; the sitealso incorporates Moreton Street andPope Street where the square will belocated. Further development of thesite will be phased over the next 3-5years. LT �

Nominations have beenreceived for this years

Award and the Society'sPlanning Committee has shortlisted an interesting range ofrecently completed projects.

The committee are to visit thebuildings before recommending awinner to receive this prestigiousaward later in the summer. The four short listed schemes are:The Rotunda by Urban Splash andarchitect Glenn Howells Architects;Cadbury Dining Room Block byarchitect Stanton Williams; FortDunlop by Urban Splash andarchitect Shed KM; Kings NortonRestoration Project / SaracensHead with architects APEC. PL �

Vij Randeniya has madehistory by becoming the

UK's first ever Asian chief fire officer.

Having battled against negativeperceptions of the fire service fromhis family and the culturaldifferences that exist in BritishAsian communities, Vij'sachievement is a defining momentfor Birmingham and the UK. TheWest Midlands Fire Service is thesecond biggest fire service inEngland and Walesm with 2,600staff and 39 fire stations overall.The job of a firefighter involvesputting out fires, preventing fires,dealing with tornadoes, floods andoften saving more people out ofcars then out of buildings. Vij hasidentified that one of the challengeshe faces is trying to access theBritish Asian community. He said:"They are not hard to reach, theyare hard to influence. Quite oftenwe struggle to penetrate into thosecommunities - both for givingadvice and recruitment. Somepeople in the Asian communityview the fire service how it wouldhave been viewed back over inIndia, Pakistan etc. It's trying toovercome those culturalperceptions." Vij began his new rolein April 2009. LT �

NEWS

Cast members of TV Show Survivors


8

Ateam of scientists from theUniversity of Birmingham

has secured £1.5 million toexamine how to make the UK'stransport systems resilient toclimate change.

The four year project will see theBritish Geological Survey, HydraulicsResearch, the Transport ResearchLaboratory and the universities ofNottingham and Loughborough teamup with the University ofBirmingham to look at what will bethe nature of the UK's transportsystems by the year 2050. Theproject will make recommendationsto ensure that the UK will be able tocope with the effects of climatechange. Civil engineers atBirmingham will investigate how ourtransport and its infrastructure willchange over the coming decades andassess its resilience, taking intoaccount the likely technologicalchanges. Researchers at theUniversity's School of Geography,Earth and Environmental Scienceswill be devising future weathermodels to identify the kind ofmeteorological impacts that willaffect the transport infrastructure.Professor Chris Baker, leadinvestigator of the project from theUniversity's School of CivilEngineering, says, 'We will need todiscover first how transport is used,how it is embedded in people's livesand social relationships, and how thisis likely to shift under changingenvironmental conditions.' Theproject spans governments, researchcouncils, businesses and transportusers, and will give decision makersinformation to effectively manageand protect vital services, to buildresilience into systems, mitigateproblems and to adapt toenvironmental change. LT �

Birmingham is celebrating thereturn of open air bus tours

to the city centre after they werescrapped ten years ago.

Sue Behan of Birmingham Tours islaunching the 'Big Brum Open Top

Bus' and plans to help the city'stourist trade. Sue qualified as a BlueBadge Guide in 2000 and since thenhas been providing panoramic coachand walking tours of the city with thehelp of other guides. Initialsponsorship has been provided byBirmingham based EuropaTranslations Ltd, but further supportwill be needed to keep the bus on theroad. Tours for the public began at10.30am, 12pm, 1.30pm and 3pm,running every Saturday until 26thSeptember. The route includes a ridearound Birmingham's commercialsector near Colmore Row, theJewellery Quarter, the redevelopedEastside, Broad Street andEdgbaston. LT �

Birmingham has taken the nextstep to becoming a digital city

with OpenStreetMap, a free andcompletely editable map.

People who live in the city andsurrounding area have accuratelyremapped the entire area digitally.Birmingham is the first city in theUK to be mapped in this way; otherinternational cities that already havethis tool are Paris, Canberra andVienna. The map is more up-to-dateand accurate than other online andSatnav formats; only the OrdnanceSurvey, with its wealth of technicaland financial resources, can claim tobe more precise. A dedicated groupof 100 volunteers has been collectingGPS data while cycling, walking, andwhile taking the buses and trains and

even a canal boat. The raw positionaldata is supplemented by additionalvisual observations on the groundand then edited into a format thatcan be rendered as a recognisablemap. The mapping of Birminghamin this way is part of a worldwidemovement to digitally remap theentire planet, which started in 2004.The project was originated in the UKand now over 100,000 enthusiastsglobally, who, so far, have mappedalmost 14 million miles of roadglobally. In Birmingham more than15,000 residential roads, 6,000footpaths and 9,000 other roads havebeen recorded as well as more than700 bus stops, 200 traffic lights and300 post boxes.www.openstreetmap.org LT �

Staff and students fromBirmingham Botanical

Gardens have helped volunteersat St George's Church, Edgbastonto commemorate the famousplant hunter and botanist ErnestWilson with a planting of someof his best trees.

Wilson trained at BirminghamBotanical Gardens (1893-1897) andwas married at St. George'sChurch in 1902. Bill Graham,church spokesman, said “The treeplantings were a wonderfulopportunity to recogniseBirmingham's greatest plant hunterand improve the local environmentwith some of his beautiful trees”.The trees chosen were some ofWilson's own favourites or thosethought to be his best introductionsby plants men such as Bean,Rehder and Seargent: Acergriseum; Malus yunnanensis; Malushupehensis; Sorbus hupehensis;Betula setchuanica. Simon Gulliver,Horticultural Lecturer at BBGGsaid “Wilson is one of our heroesand it is great to be able to markthe place of his marriage in suchan appropriate way”. TheBotanical Gardens are currentlyrecruiting for new trainees forautumn 2009. CE �

NEWS

Contributors to the digital map


9

The engineering creativity ofyoung people has been

celebrated with some 200 bright A-level students displaying theirdesigns at Cranmore Park.

The fun and vibrant event was anopportunity for students to display thehard-work, innovation, and creativitythat make local industry great, evenduring difficult times. For the past fivemonths, the EESE (EngineeringEducation Scheme England) studentshave been working on real engineeringproblems set by local companies. The

59 teams of 16-17 year olds come fromschools across the midlands and theyhave been working with some of thebiggest names in local industryincluding GKN, JCB and Rolls-Royce.“The students continue to surprise us,not only with their creativity, but withtheir hard work and professionalism”,commented Chris Zacaroli the EESE’sRegional Director. Over 700 attendeeswere there including leaders from localindustry and education. LT �

Apark and ride scheme willbe introduced at Longbridge

after St Modwen, theregeneration specialists incharge of revampingLongbridge, completed a dealwith Centro.

With secure space for 250 vehicles andadditional space for motorcycles andbicycles, the park and ride facility willbe located a short walk fromLongbridge train station, atLongbridge Technology Park. Access

will be via the entrance to LongbridgeTechnology Park, which is onLongbridge Lane, off the A38 BristolRoad South, and the scheme will beoperational from 7am to 7pmMonday to Saturday, with effect fromthe summer. The introduction of thescheme aims to encourage morepeople to use Longbridge railwaystation to ease traffic congestion onthe surrounding roads and residentialareas. This project is one of the manyplans for regeneration which willtransform the Longbridge area.Others include the creation of 10,000new jobs and thousands of newhomes and a new £84 millionBournville College, which representsthe first phase of a new town centrefor Longbridge. LT �

Local businesses andindividuals are being offered

the opportunity to double thevalue of their charitabledonations if they establish along term endowment fund viathe Birmingham CommunityFoundation until June 2011.

Grants is a key element of theGovernment’s strategy for buildingstronger and more active communitiesso for every £1 given to the projectthe Government will donate a further£1 - making the giving have an evenbigger impact. The grants arespecifically for small voluntary andcommunity groups and grassrootsorganisations. All donations madeduring the Challenge will receive giftaid plus a 100% government 'top up' -£1 to the challenge becomes £2.56supporting local communities. TheBirmingham Community Foundationhas been selected to distribute theproceeds of a potential £4millionGrassroots Endowment Fund, subjectto getting the matched funding fromlocal business' or individuals inBirmingham, Dudley, Sandwell,Walsall and Wolverhampton. The BigGive is also backing the GrassrootsEndowment Challenge by featuring itas a 'Double your Donation' functionon its website. LT �

Eastside Projects, inpartnership with

Birmingham City Council, isinviting individuals andbusinesses to take part in aLegacy Project for the Eastsidearea of Birmingham.

Twenty Silver Birch trees from Simon& Tom Bloor's current exhibition, Aslong as it lasts, at Eastside Projects, areavailable to be planted in theforthcoming City Park, based on theeast side of the city centre. GavinWade, director of the EastsideProjects is inviting individuals andcompanies to sponsor one or moreSilver Birch trees with a minimumdonation of £400 per tree. The treesare between five and seven metres talland are roughly 15 years old. Aplaque with each individual ororganisation's name will be placed intothe civic areas with the trees. Thetrees will be planted in 2010 and alaunch event at the site of plantingwill be announced. Donors will alsoreceive a limited edition silk screenprint by the artists. LT �

NEWS

Birch trees in pots designed by Simon and Tom Bloor

News contributors:Carole Ewing

Rachel FarthingPaul Lister

Steve RainbowAndy RobinsonLydia Thornton

If you have a news item that couldfeature in a future issue ofBirmingham Perspectives email:[email protected]

Pupils demonstrating their design


Birmingham has a history of restructuringitself and moving up the value addedchain; it's done it over centuries let alonedecades. To maintain Birmingham as a cityof opportunities in this recession we havegot to get the skills message to youngpeople and there ought to be a hugeinitiative initiated by local authorities,employers - public sector as well as privatesector and also from the media to spreadthe message. We must get younger peopleto realise they need a skill. One sector we need to keep skills in isconstruction because house building willrecover and there will be big projects alongthe way in the next few years in

Birmingham and the West Midlands andwe will need the carpenters, electriciansand plumbers to meet the demand.Opportunities continue to exist in the valueadded manufacturing, electricalengineering, aerospace, and automotiveindustries. They look like they are in thedoldrums at the moment but as theseindustries come back in the next couple ofyears we need those skilled people to beready - and that means we have to getthose skills ready now. This region benefits from its environmentalengineering capabilities - engineeringinnovation that comes from all aspects ofenvironmental matters - not just the

obvious ones like electric cars but ingenuityin cleaning up pollution (which can beexported to the developing economies thathave these big industrialised issues).Professional and financial services - lawyers,accountants, barristers and insurers - havenot been immune to the downturn butBirmingham has always produced talent inthese sectors and will need a talent pool forthe future. The only way to strengthenthese core industries is to build awarenessfor the need for skilled people, especiallyyoung people. Meanwhile, those in their30s and 40s who've been made redundantin other sectors need to be re-trained so asto work in the re-vitalised economy.

Does the city have theknow-how to see recovery?

The current recession has hit Birmingham hard, according toThe Work Foundation report The Geography of Unemployment:How the recession has affected different cities. Birmingham has hadthe biggest increase in people seeking Job Seekers' Allowancewith 12,383 more claimants in the city than last year. DoesBirmingham have the know-how to see recovery in the city?Heralding Birmingham as a city of opportunities may seemcounter intuitive. Digby, Lord Jones of Birmingham believesBirmingham is a city with a lot to be proud of.

10

Digby, Lord Jones of Birmingham was guest speaker at The

Birmingham Civic Society

Corporate Reception hosted by

St Philip’s Chambers,

Birmingham. He has served

as Director of the CBI from

2000–06 and Minister of

State for Trade from

2007–08. He is a Business

Ambassador at UK Trade & Investment.


11

It is evident though that many people,especially young people and people whohave recently been made redundant, feeldisenfranchised and not respected orworthy. Birmingham must engage withthese people so that they can realise thatthey can not only benefit themselves butalso Birmingham's economy and society. Agreat example of Birmingham getting thisright is how Advantage West Midlandsdealt with the 2005 closure of MG Rover

plant at Longbridge. It is a template of howto do deal with the mass redundancies of6,500 people. Agencies came togetherunder the cohesive leadership of AdvantageWest Midlands, Birmingham City Council,Bromsgrove District Council, the Learningand Skills Council, training agencies andcolleges. They all worked together to ensurethat those made redundant felt worthy. Theworkers did have self respect because theyhad other avenues open to them. This is a time for civic leadership: a timefor people to come together and provideleadership to those who are feeling lessworthy. Inspiration and self belief are key,having people leading and inspiring otherswho care and care about them. All of ushave our part to play - the media, businessleaders, environmentalists, trade unionists,educationalists and politicians. No oneperson or organisation can do it on theirown; all groups have to do it together inthe name of Birmingham. This is the needfor leadership, especially at difficult timeslike now.To ensure Birmingham remains a keylocation of opportunities one of the most crucial elements to get right iscommunication. People may prefer goodnews to bad news but they prefer bad newsto no news. People who are kept in the darkor bluffed, end up feeling they have beenmislead or kept away from information. We

cannot just give people the problem. Wehave to give them the solution as well; tellthem what you are going to do, how muchit is going to cost and tell them who isgoing to pay for it. People are not stupid;they understand the way the world works.What they cannot stand are people who saythat it was someone else's fault or thosewho only explain the problem or, worst ofall, don't even tell them in the first place.So those in authority must lead the peopleof Birmingham by saying it how it is, beingstraightforward, being clear and providinga solution.

Businesses in Birmingham are the bestconduit for the city to get through therecession. But it can be difficult for businessto think about being responsible for thenext generation of workers when most arejust trying to survive.

Land Rover Design and Engineering Centre

Conference delegates at ICC

Birmingham’s Colmore Business District


12

Business, in common with some others, hashad a bad press. Sadly, people think thatevery single business person is taking a fatbonus and they all ought to pay for the sinsof the few. Look at radio programmes likeThe Archers, TV programmes likeEastenders: whenever they put a businessperson on it they're always the crook andthe effect is that everyone thinks businesspeople drive around in a big Rolls Royce,sticks a cigar in their mouth and shout“Your fired”! Business has to work hard tochange that perception. Businesses need tosay: “I understand the issue. I'm going toprove - by the quality of what I do, by thequality of the way I train my people, by thequality of the way I engage with society -that business is a great force for good inBirmingham.” Wealth creation is only achieved throughbusiness in our society. Creating wealthmeans you pay tax Businesses reward theshareholders who pay tax on it or they keepit in the business and pay tax on it. Or theyemploy people who pay tax on it. If it wasn't for the wealth that businesscreates there would never be any taxsystem. This is the message to get across;that is how important business is.The huge amount of governmentborrowing, of which much has been writtenin the media, is deferred taxation:

someone's got to pay it back one day and itis going to come out of taxes - out of thewealth that business creates. Business has got to reach out. It's got totrain people better and shout about itstraining success; it's got to beenvironmentally sensitive and show that it ison the side of the planet. It has to shoutabout how good it is; to reach out, down,round and under those who can't. Socially inclusive wealth creation is vital forBirmingham. Businesses can, of course,keep their wealth but they need to put anarm around the community at the sametime and show people the power ofbusiness. Every time business gets bad pressit knocks businesses' reputation but theymust persevere because communities can'tdo without business. It's high time we allunderstood that.Businesses are responding to the recessionin different ways - but perhaps the mostvisible means of controlling overheads is toreduce staff numbers or training them less. Let's divorce the two. Keeping costs lowand putting money into training are in twodifferent camps. If anybody tells metraining is expensive just try ignorance.Ignorance is far more expensive than training. If the squeeze comes on costs, don't thinktraining is the thing to cut. By all means get

the best deal, become more efficient, moreproductive but don't cut training. The fundamental lesson is to put resourcesby in the years of plenty for the years oflean - and in the lean years ensure you havethe resources to reap the benefits in theyears of plenty.

Aston University, scientific studies

Wesleyan, Colmore Row


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Across Britain cities are facing thegrowing issue of how to care for an agingpopulation and crucially how to fund thatcare. By 2025, the number of people overthe age of 60 in Britain will outnumberthose under 25 for the first time. In 2006,for example, there was a record 1.2million people aged over 85. Within 20years, one in four UK adults will bepensioners. Life expectancy has greatlyimproved; by 2026 the average life will be84 for men and 87 for women.In comparison, Birmingham is regardedas a young city - with an average age of36 compared to the national average,38.6. One quarter of the population isunder 19 - and 14% over 65. However,the number of people aged 65 and overis predicted to increase by about 53%between 2001 and 2031. These statistics herald a number ofchanges to our country and our city:people are more active, healthier andlive longer. This speaks of fallingbirth rates and a shrinking workforce.This phenomenon will affect all agegroups and the issues it raises willaffect almost every aspect of our lives;the structure of the economy mustadapt to incorporate an olderworkforce and the norm of retiring at65 may need to be readdressed. Changes to the way we operate in theworkplace to adjust to an agingpopulation doesn't tackle the whole issue.In 2001, more than one in five peopleover 50 (2.8 million) living in privatehouseholds in England and Wales wereproviding unpaid care to an elder.People living for longer means chronicdiseases, including cardiovascularproblems, will increase. By 2031, theNHS predict that the number of casesof coronary heart disease will rise by

44%; the number of cases of heartfailure by 54%, and the number of casesof atrial fibrillation by 46%. Judging bythese statistics Birmingham and oursociety needs to support older people tostay in work or continue to be active inthe community and when they cannotcare for themselves provide tenable carethat gives them good quality of life.One initiative that is looking to do justthat is Birmingham's £10m SmileAppeal to deliver health and leisurefacilities within five flagship retirementvillages by 2012. The Smile Appeal isthe vision of Midland's charity TheExtraCare Charitable Trust, which is thelargest charitable and social housingproject of its kind in the UK.

Primarily available to city residents at anaffordable cost, the village properties willsurround a 'social hub', a village centrewith 15 facilities including a fitness gym,I.T. centre, restaurant, bar, craft-roomand greenhouse; each will include a free-access well-being centre and a benefitsadvice service. Nearly 2,000 householdshave already expressed interest in thefirst 260-home village in New Oscott,opening in 2010. Elaine Clarke, fundraiser for the charity,said: “For too long our society hasaccepted older people as frail, isolatedand struggling to make ends meet. Nowolder people can socialise in safesurroundings.”Across Birmingham Help the Aged andAge Concern help older people in thecommunity by providing support

services, referrals, legal and financialservices and support for how to stayhealthy. More than 37,000 peopleaccessed the services provided by thecharity from April 2007 to March 2008;its most used services were the daycentres and the lunch clubs.According to a recent report by newlymerged Age Concern and Help the Aged,one in four UK older people (24%)‚ theequivalent of nearly 2.5 millionindividuals‚ admit their quality of life hasdeteriorated in the last 12 months.“One Voice: Shaping our ageingsociety”‚ a landmark report for olderpeople‚ examines the issues facing olderpeople in the UK: poverty‚ agediscrimination‚ isolation and lack of careand support. Michelle Mitchell‚ Charity Director forAge Concern and Help the Aged‚ said:“Attitudes to older people are stuck inthe past. The care and support systemfor older people is on the brink ofcollapse and older people's experiencesof isolation and exclusion have largelybeen ignored. The public finances arenot a bottomless pit and tough choiceswill have to be made. Adapting to anageing society requires changes bybusinesses‚ society and individuals‚ aswell as increased public investment.”If Birmingham is to better serve thecity's elderly population many believegreater emphasis needs to be placed onchanging perceptions about older peopleand ensuring that translates into betterservices and activities, changes to thestructure of the work place and morefunding to care for long-term illness. In the future, Birmingham's claim to beEurope's youngest city may still ring true,but it will be its aging population that islikely to require the greatest resource.

Older -but wiser?Birmingham may be Europe's youngest city but as we all live longer,how will the city cope with an aging population? Lydia Thorntongoes figure crunching - and finds she has something to smile about.

“One in four older peopleadmit the quality of theirlife has deteriorated in the

last 12 months”


On 24 January 1767 a number ofprominent Birmingham businessmen,including Matthew Boulton and othersfrom the Lunar Society, held a publicmeeting in the White Swan, High Street,Birmingham to consider building a canalfrom Birmingham to the Staffordshireand Worcestershire Canal nearWolverhampton, taking in the coalfieldsof the Black Country. After an Act ofParliament in 1768, James Brindley wascommissioned to plan and supervise theconstruction of the waterway that wentthrough Smethwick, Oldbury, Tipton,Bilston and Wolverhampton to Aldersley. Known now as the 'father of the canals',Brindley was a millwright by trade.Despite the complexity of his canal work,he famously did not work from plans,neither did he put his ideas down onpaper. A workaholic, he was man of fewwords, rarely communicating with his

employees, making it difficult to see howhis incredible plans ever made it to reality. By 1772 the full length of the canal fromBirmingham to Wolverhampton wascomplete. The canal measured 22 milesand 5 furlongs (22 miles) mostly followingthe contour of the land but withdeviations to factories and mines in theBlack Country and Birmingham;including a branch which led to MatthewBoulton's Soho Manufactory.For the next 100 years, the Midlands hadcanal mania driven by the likes of JamesBrindley, Samuel Simcock, RobertWhitworth and Thomas Telford. Duringthe canals' hey day, the network stretchedfor roughly 160 miles in a complicatedsystem of aqueducts, tunnels and locks,which are still visible today. The canalswere so busy that gas lighting had to beinstalled close to the canals so that twentyfour hour use was possible.

Despite the flourishing business, railways -which appeared in the Midlands in 1838 -posed potential competition. Their arrivalmeant that the canals lost freight such ascoal and steel as they were easier to carryby rail. However, trade did not disappearcompletely to the railways and there wasalways considerable traffic on theBirmingham canals. Most of the minesand works had been built around thecanal network meaning that the railwayswere not so convenient. It was only after the First World Warwhen trade began to significantly decline.Many of the canal side industries wereclosing down and strikes meant thatbusiness struggled to move forward. By1949, the annual tonnage had fallen to1,219,607 and fifteen years later this totalhad quartered. By 1980 nearly allcommercial traffic on the canals had disappeared.

Birmingham’s canalsfuel industrial mightBy the eighteenth century Birmingham was emerging as the centre of the

nation's industrial might. The big issue was getting raw materials in - andoutput out. Isabel Monk tells the story of Birmingham's canal network.


Despite the fact that the canals havenot been used for trade since the1980s, there are those who greatlyadmire the canals for their past andpresent beauty. The BirminghamCanal Navigations Society (BCNS)aims to conserve, improve andencourage a wide range of interests inthe 100 mile network of canals in andaround Birmingham. Phil Clayton, amember of the BCNS, said: “Thirtyyears ago the canal was a secret worldhidden away behind walls and doors.Most trading had ceased and thecanals offered a quiet retreat, run-down and dilapidated but with acharm of their own. Much of thathas changed with the redevelopmentof the city centre, but there are stillplaces where the character showsthrough the modern veneer. A mistyearly morning descent of Farmer'sBridge locks or a night time cruise

along the Worcester Birminghamcanal from the city centre gives aflavour of what used to be.” Phil said: “The canals gave theimpetus to the industrial developmentof Birmingham, by providing a cheapreliable way of bringing in coal. Asmore and more canals were built,more industries developed aroundthem and the Birmingham CanalNetwork (BCN) became the busiestcanal in Britain. The canalsencouraged and sustained the city'sindustrial growth and prosperity overthe better part of two centuries.” With different waterways andhideaways to explore, the canals are

continually surprising, Phil said: “Justfour miles along the cut from the citycentre towards Wolverhampton is oneof my favourite places on the BCN. Asecretive, out of the way spot which ispassed unknowingly by thousandsevery day on the main line railwayand motorway. At the StewartAqueduct, Thomas Telford's canal of1829 burrows under James Brindley'searlier navigation while theBirmingham and Wolverhamptonrailway runs alongside and the M5motorway crosses them all. At thisone point there are two centuries oftransport history compressed into ahundred vertical feet.”

Canals still give the city a unique quality, Phil Clayton tells us why...

Stewart Aqueduct

18th century map of navigable canals from Birmingham to Autherley

Phil Clayton member

of The Birmingham

Canal Navigations Society


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In April, Dutch architect firm Mecanoo launched their concept designs for the new Library of Birmingham.Here are the designs:

Artist’s impression of proposed amphitheatre

A circular open-airamphitheatre in front of thebuilding has been proposedto create a visual linkbetween the Library atLower Ground Level andCentenary Square. It will provide natural light and a sheltered outdoor space for staging events.

The proposal

Perspectives on the proposed Library of Birmingham

Artist’s impression from the inside looking out over centenary Square and an imagined skyline

Our vision is to be a library like no other,the best public library in the world.Integrated with Birmingham RepertoryTheatre it will create a unique centre forlearning, information and culture. It will bean enduring beacon for Birmingham,raising the city’s international profile andachieving excellence with local communities.Accessible and welcoming to all, it will reachout to some of the city’s most disadvantagedcitizens. It will be a universal meeting place,a hub for the region, an engine for theknowledge and creative economies.Throughwritten, printed, audio, visual andinteractive resources and technologies theLibrary of Birmingham will link the peopleof Birmingham to the world. It will bringthe world to Birmingham.

The large entrance canopy will be a mainfocal point for the front facade. Theoutside of the building is characterised bya metal filigree of circles and the interioris shaped by overlapping rotundas.


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Big Interview:

Concept designs for Birmingham's new central library have been unveiled. But formany, the jury is still out. Is it sufficiently Birmingham? Does it overpower theneighbouring buildings? Members of Birmingham Civic Society's planningcommittee posed the questions to Francine Houben.

It was in 1861 - Birmingham's heyday of philanthropic cityfathers and industry - that the city's first public lendingLibrary opened. The current Birmingham Central Library,opened in 1974, is one of the busiest in Europe. But theCity Council believes its Library and Archive Service hasoutgrown the current facilities, and needs a new buildingto realise its ambitions. Competition to design the new Library was fierce, but itwas Dutch firm Mecanoo Architecten who was appointedby the Council.

Let's start with an easy one. How did you feel whenyou heard of your appointment?I like Birmingham, I love coming here and I'm really proudto be a part of creating history for Birmingham. I aminspired by the energy of this great city. I hope that theadventure of going through the building will draw manymore people towards the joy of learning and reading, andeven just simply to experience the pleasure of socialinteraction that a great public space can provide. I havedesigned the new Library to draw people from not only thelocal population, but from all over the world as visitors toBirmingham, a city reborn as a cultural destination. TheLibrary of Birmingham is designed to be a place for the

dissemination of ideas and information, a social heart of thecity; a second home for Birmingham's diverse community.

What is the thinking behind producing anasymmetrical building form that breaks away fromthe general context of Centenary Square?The only symmetrical building is Baskerville House butwhat we did try to do is make three plazas on the squarewith every building with its own identity and its ownmaterial. The key to the Mecanoo design is the principlethat The Birmingham Repertory Theatre, the Library ofBirmingham and Baskerville House will together form anensemble of three distinct building identities frontingCentenary Square. Baskerville House, a monumentallimestone building designed in 1936, The BirminghamRepertory Theatre (The REP), a concrete clad buildingdesigned in 1964, and the Library of Birmingham,designed in 2009, a transparent glass building wrapped in adelicate metal filigree, inspired by the rich and proudhistory of this former industrial city with a tradition ofcraftsmanship. These three complementary characters willdefine and influence the public space of Centenary Squareon a more human and intimate scale. These three palazzos will be a part an urban narrative

Francine Houben, of Dutch firm MecanooArchitecten, principal architect of the new Library



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experience from different periods of Birmingham's urbanhistory. Pedestrians will walk along what I call 'the red line',the busiest pedestrian route of the city, which connects theBullring, New Street Station, Victoria Square, CentenarySquare, through the International Conference Centretowards the red and blue brick Canal district. Walking fromThe Bull Ring until the canal district you see the history ofthe city in all these different buildings so we really wantedto make a building that doesn't look like Baskerville House,that doesn't look like The REP or The ICC.

The metalwork to the facade of the building is notunique to the proposed Birmingham Library; canyou reassure us that the design of the Library isspecial to Birmingham?The circular pattern of the façade's metalwork speaks toBirmingham's industrial heritage and craftsmanship, wewanted to make a building that symbolises Birmingham;its history, culture and global allure. For me the circle, asthe one of the simplest and most fundamental formsknown to man, is understood and recognised equally bypeople from all over the world. For me the archetypalform of the circle embodies universality and timelessness.This new building symbolises what Birmingham is: aglobal city with a local heart. The circle, the rotunda became a theme that is carriedthroughout the building, not just on its facade. We haveintroduced an experiential and unique journey through theLibrary. Escalators and travelators dynamically placed inthe heart of the building interconnect circular voids. Theseoverlapping rotundas create constantly changing vistas asvisitors ascend to the public levels while passing by otherlevels such as archives storage and staff areas. Therotundas also provide natural light and ventilation. Thechanging atmospheres provide varied and multipleopportunities for unexpected collective encounters anddiverse social and learning experiences.

The mass of the Library builds up considerablytowards Baskerville House. How do you see thespace between these two buildings developing? I think for me it's very important that the space betweenthe two buildings is about 15 or 16 metres wide - the sizeof a normal European street. I think it will be a pavedroad, maybe with some trees along it but it should be apleasant pedestrian street. In this way the two buildingsconnect but remain distinct.

How will pedestrians in Centenary Square interactwith the large subterranean open air amphitheatre?The idea to create the open-air amphitheatre was inspiredby Birmingham's soft hills and their relationship with thebuilt environment; for example, in Centenary Square trainsgoing underneath the square. The amphitheatre is avehicle that symbolises the identity of Birmingham havingall sorts of things happening underground. As people walkon what I call the red line, the pedestrian road through thecity, through Centenary Square, on the right hand you willhave the canopy and on the left side you will walking in the

public space almost through the Library, but you are stilloutside. The grand circular open-air amphitheatre createsa dramatic visual link between the Library's lower groundlevel and Centenary Square, and provides natural light andan outdoor space for staging events.

Have you considered building this Library with theenvironment in mind? How has that beenincorporated into the design of the building?The environment is a very important issue to Mecanooand we always aim to create sustainable buildings. TheLibrary of Birmingham is being designed to achieve aBREEAM excellent rating. To accomplish this, a variety of energy saving techniques will be adopted. Although theLibrary is a transparent building it will maintain energyefficiency through the careful selection of materials andthe use of mass and shading in the design detailing. At thesame time the design is such as to invite natural daylightdeep in the building. Another green feature will be theoutdoor terraces of the library which will be like raised citygardens with views over the square and there could also befuture potential for additional environmentalenhancements within Centenary Square itself.

How will The REP be affected by the new design?The REP, with its unique and beautiful auditorium will bekept and renovated and will be integrated with the Libraryat ground floor. The back of house area facing the CityCentre Gardens will be demolished and updated with stateof the art accommodations for loading and unloading.New workshops, staff accommodations and a shared 300-seat theatre and foyer space will be created for both TheREP and the Library.

Do you think that the site is too small for a buildingof this size and will overpower the Square?I think it's so important for such a building as the Libraryto have a presence in the centre of Birmingham. We willbuild it in good proportions for the square. In terms ofhow it compares to the existing Library, it will be some 20per cent larger and will also yield more value from thespace it provides, thus ironing out very significantinefficiencies built into the design of the present Library.As a result, it will be capable of taking visitor numbersfrom about 4,500 per day up to about 10,000 per day.The new building will be designed to function flexiblyaround rapidly developing new digital technologies,creating new opportunities for learning and access. It willprovide increased space and improved climatic conditionsfor storage of the Library's world famous archives,collections of photography, and Early and Fine Printingincluding rare treasures such as the Shakespeare First Folioof 1623 and JJ Audubon's Birds of America, one of theworld's largest books. Exhibition space will be dramaticallyincreased to allow for improved public access to thearchives and visiting exhibitions.



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Birmingham Civic Society PlanningCommittee chair Paul Lister, makes afinal comment on Francine's responses

The Planning Committee appreciate the timetaken by Francine to answer some searchingquestions. Unfortunately we are left with many more. Is the design striving to produce something thatthe City will consider to be instantly 'iconic' oris the site simply too small? The team at Mecanoo are clearly extremelycapable of producing great architecture butwith this design many of us remainunconvinced. It has produced neither a“WOW” nor an outrage. It would be asignificant wasted opportunity if the Library ofBirmingham just joins the collection of 'B'rated buildings by 'A' star architects in the City. Perhaps more design time and less haste tobuild something is what's required.

Birmingham Civic Society gives its verdict


Is the design unique to Birmingham? FreddieGick, Chairman of the Civic Society, gives histhoughts on the new designs

Much has been said in the media that the exteriordesign of the proposed Library of Birmingham issimilar to that of another creation of Mecanoo: denHaag's International Criminal Court.Indeed, the spirographic-like circles surrounding theproposed design for the new library do lookremarkably similar to those on Mecanoo's design forthe court - albeit that the structure is significantlydifferent. In fairness, the design for the criminal courtwas submitted by Mecanoo as one of 19 entries fromall over the world as part of an internationalarchitectural competition for the new building.Mecanoo was not one of the three winnersannounced in the Hague in November 2008. Inconsequence, their proposed design will not be built.But as one of the commentators in the BirminghamPost observed, it does prompt a question as to howdistinctive the design is to Birmingham. (That samecommentator also observed that the proposed designfor the International Criminal Court could be foundon Mecanoo's website. Correct me if I am wrong, butit is no longer there.)Of course, the circle is one of our most usefulgeometric shapes. You don't have to go too far beforeyou see one: wheels, machine parts, containers - theRotunda even. And da Vinci's Vitruvian Man ispossibly the one of the most famous correlations ofhuman proportions to the circle.So there is nothing wrong with circles per se, it is justthat in striving to develop the new library - Europe'slargest library - we might have expected an exteriordesign that is totally unique to Birmingham and notone similar to a design that others have seen before.This is something of a shame as some of the designconcepts for the proposed plaza that fronts the newlibrary and some remarkable interior design - areworthy of acclaim. But we also need an exterior thatspeaks of Birmingham and the bringing together ofpeople from throughout the world. Perhaps that iswhere the circle comes in.

Mencanoo’s concept designs for the International Criminal Court


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HEAD TO HEADWith Birmingham becoming a plural city by 2020 citizenship

has a vital part to play in creating a cohesive society. Discuss...

Birmingham is one of the leading cities in the UK forethnic diversity. While Birmingham and Britain is proudto embrace diversity, many feel an increasing need to

retain or regain a sense of Britishness and thereby a sense ofbeing a British citizen. However, defining Britishness is tantalisingly difficult, disparatevalues, symbols, songs, stories and icons all jostle to be countedas quintessentially British. A fundamental bedrock of unitingour city and country is identifying that sense of belonging tounderstand what it means to be a citizen of Birmingham, ofEngland, of Britain.The elementary question: 'What is citizenship?' may seemobvious but when providing a definitive definition what do youinclude? Is it just the status of being a citizen or must it refer tothe membership of a community, or allude to the quality ofthat membership? Collins dictionary defines it as “the condition or status of acitizen, with its rights and duties.” Merriam-Webster dictionarydescribes citizenship as “the status of being a citizen and thequality of an individual's response to membership in acommunity.” The status of a citizen is defined by law, but atthe heart of “active” citizenship are the ideas ofresponsibilities, rights and duties.

So if Birmingham is heading towards plurality and is alreadyvibrantly diverse then should we as citizens of Birmingham takemore interest in citizenship and how it could benefit everyone?Several people, the general public, MPs and academics wereasked what they thought about citizenship. First was RobLangley, chairman of the Citizenship Committee:"The problem with our ‘take’ culture is that it doesn't enable a successful and sustainable community of 'active citizens.'Without active citizens the places we live and work would bevery different. “Active Citizens become councillors and MPs and help governtowns and cities, active citizens sit on boards and committeesand help run charities, schools, and business improvementdistricts like the new Colmore BID and active citizensvolunteer and run Birmingham Civic Society. “Birmingham Civic Society's Citizenship Committee currentlyworks with more than 2,000 secondary school students fromacross Birmingham including students from all backgroundsand walks of life. The Next Generation Awards helps to getyoung people thinking about the value of being an activecitizen and what they might do as adults to make an impact tothe communities they live in. The Citizenship Committee alsoawards schools for projects such as those outlined by Gisela


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Stuart MP (below). It is imperative that people understand thevalue of being an 'active citizen' in their place of work orhome and not just a 'passive citizen’.” Rob Langley, Chair ofBirmingham Civic Society's Citizenship Committee

“I would define it as people helping the community, going outof their way to make things better for other people. Supportingthe community and trying to help out like taking part in groupsand PTAs.” Neil, 17 yrs old

“Being a good citizen is someone who respects others and theirproperty. Someone who is helpful and considerate, who listensto the views of others. Someone who looks out for theirneighbours and who is willing to help those who struggle tohelp themselves. Someone who says thank you to the shopassistant. A good citizen is someone who will hold the dooropen for people behind them rather than letting it close in theirface.” Jill, 50 years old

“I don't even know what it means to be honest. It's not reallytalked about. A citizen is obviously when you live in a place -that's the only thing I think it could be.” Jaime, 31 yrs old

I would say an active citizen is like a pillar of the community;people who volunteer or dads who help with school footballteam training, people who serve their community. I think it'simportant for everyone do their bit otherwise you will getpeople who will just take, take, take. If everyone gives a littlebit then there's not one person doing it all, all of the time.”David, 26yrs old

“It's a relatively meaningless term to me these days. I guess Iwould more associate it with belonging to a country, in terms ofbeing a citizen of the UK or a citizen of Europe. I don't tend toassociate it with a town or local area.” Philip, 51 yrs old

“It's the community, the public or the Council. People haveresponsibility for themselves and responsibility to make surethat others are helped. I don't think everyone does it but Ithink a lot of people do it automatically and don't realisethey're doing it.” Rosy, 19 yrs old

The importance of citizenship and actively engaging with ourrole as citizens is becoming increasingly evident. Thegovernment, keen to educate the next generation, has createdcurriculum to teach our youngsters about citizenship.

"Citizenship is more than a subject. If taught well and tailoredto local needs, its skills and values will enhance democratic lifefor all of us, both rights and responsibilities, beginning inschool and radiating out." Bernard Crick, NationalCurriculum Citizenship, 1999

“Making citizenship a classroom subject isn't about replacingthe role of wider society; it is about encouraging andsupporting it. There are some excellent examples in myconstituency of schools working in partnership with the localcommunity, tackling local issues like the environment andbuilding a sense of shared responsibility. Many schools nowhave their own School Councils, giving youngsters directexperience of what it means to be an active citizen.“Successful societies work because there is a common

understanding of their institutions, their history and theirshared values. The earlier we can start to build thatunderstanding, the better and stronger our society willbecome.” Gisela Stuart Labour MP for Edgbaston

“Civic education is the right way to go; it's hard to create asense of national identity without acknowledging some sharedthings. Not everything has to be shared - colour and god canbe different - but there has to be something in common.There is a direct link between social involvement and quality oflife: communities with high levels of civic engagement havelower crime rates, better schools, lower levels of teenpregnancy, and less child abuse, drug use and juveniledelinquency. Governments are more responsive, honest andefficient, citizens to pay taxes and fulfill other civic obligations."Connected" people live longer, happier lives.” RobertPutnam, political scientist and Harvard Professor of publicpolicy at the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School ofGovernment.

It seems citizenship is the foundation of our society, to lose aclear and common understanding of what it means to be acitizen would be detrimental to community cohesion andtolerance. When people are unsure of where they belong, theycannot be proud of where they are from and some feel letdown by our country's lack of identity.

“As white people involved in the study were asked to talk aboutBritishness, many immediately and spontaneously changed thetopic of discussion slightly talking instead about a perceiveddecline in Britishness. This happened in all focus groups withwhite people. They attributed the decline to four main causes:the arrival of large numbers of migrants; the 'unfair' claimsmade by people from ethnic minorities on the welfare state; therise in moral pluralism; and the failure to manage ethnicminority groups properly, due to what participants calledpolitical correctness.” Commission for Racial Equality reportentitled Citizenship and Belonging: What is Britishness? 2005

As Gordon Brown said in 1998 when he was Lord Chancellor:"We should not, must not, dare not, be complacent about thehealth and future of British democracy. Unless we become anation of engaged citizens, our democracy is not secure."


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Birmingham Civic Society'splanning committee hassupported plans for the

re-development at WarwickshireCounty Cricket Club, at Edgbaston. The proposals have hit the headlines oflate as the club endeavour to secure itslong-term future as a Test Match statusground and its reputation as aninternational cricketing venue.Birmingham City Council has now agreedto the £32 million plans. The re-development of the centre pavilionand new permanent flood lights are theonly major work to the ground itself andwill increase the capacity from 22,000 toaround 25,000. In order to make the project commercially

viable, the mixed use development of thecorner of Edgbaston Road and PershoreRoad are key to funding the improvements. The site will potentially include office andresidential space, a hotel, retail, leisure andconferencing facilities. Theseimprovements would give a much neededfaced lift to the hundred year old groundand would emphasise its standing as alandmark site for Birmingham. The Planning Committee do have issueswith the design of the front façade,deeming it as not of the expected qualityfor a venue of this standing. Thecommittee have also taken on board theconcerns of local residents about thepermanent flood lights and the potentialtraffic congestion. The committee are

satisfied that the flood lights are assured tobe the least intrusive possible and thetraffic congestion due to the commercialdevelopment is currently being addressedby the Club. Glyn Pitchford of the Civic Society, who isalso business representative to the CityRegion of Birmingham, Coventry and theBlack Country and a consultant toWCCC, said: “The re-development of theground and surrounding site are crucial toBirmingham. It is great news for the citythat the cricket ground plans weresuccessfully passed by the council'splanning committee. Cricket is big businessfor the city, especially if the ground can tapinto the Asian market where Edgbastoncricket ground is well recognised.”

Planning committee support Edgbastonplans - but does design stand the test?

Birmingham Civic Society got a guided tour at Singers HillSynagogue to learn about a building steeped in history.Yvonne Maslen recalls the day.The morning of Sunday, 22nd February was cold but sunnywhen 35 Society members and friends met in the almostdeserted street outside Singers Hill Synagogue in the centre ofBirmingham. Singers Hill is the Jewish “Cathedral” ofBirmingham but confusingly is not in Singers Hill - in factthere is no Singers Hill which makes life difficult for the casualvisitor. Legend has it that when the Synagogue was built (on ahill) it had a reputation for having a very good choir andbecame known unofficially as Singers Hill (the singers on thehill) - a name which has become official over time.At 10 am we were greeted by the Administrator of theSynagogue, Bernard Gingold, who was to be our guide andfount of all knowledge regarding the history and folklore ofthe Orthodox Jewish faith.Firstly we were taken into what in the Christian faith wouldhave been called a side chapel but which was the children'ssynagogue where amongst other things young children aretaught the rudiments of their faith and the names of thevarious ceremonies and artefacts.

From here we were led into the main Synagogue designed byYeoville Thomason who also designed the Council House.This building pre-dated the Council House and rumour has itthat Thomason was chosen to design the Council House onthe strength of his lovely design for the Synagogue. The firstimpression of the building is of light coming from two floorsof windows on each side which together with the manychandeliers and the light finish of the walls gave an immediaterush of winter sunshine into the room.Bernard told us about the running of the Synagogue, itsrelationship to the other non-orthodox Synagogue in the cityand the basic tenets by which modern day Jews live. Followingthis Bernard unlocked the Ark of the Covenant which containsthe Torah scrolls, the most sacred symbol of God's presenceamongst the Hebrew people.Finally, we sat down and Bernard told us about the variousservices they have and the other activities which thecommunity take part in. This was followed by quite a lengthyquestion and answer session which Bernard dealt with franklyand with good humour. As we emerged into the still sunny andcold street we were all agreed that it had been an incrediblyinteresting experience.

Singers Hill Synagogue visit hits a high note


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Society sculptor prepares for'Shaping Nature' exhibition Viv Astling, Civic Society member and retired local authoritychief executive turned sculptor, has teamed up with artistDavid White to open an exhibition inspired by nature. Thecreative duo took time out of their preparations for theopening in June to talk about their passion for art.

Viv Astling, has always been a prolificsupporter of the arts and once retiredrealised a hidden talent for sculpting. Heexplained: “I have been interested insculpture for most of my life admiringthe work of early 20th Century sculptors,especially Eric Gill and Jacob Epstein.While I was working in local governmentI had the opportunity to influence thepublic agenda during the 17 years I wasChief Executive of Walsall and thenDudley Councils.“At Walsall I recommended that theGarman Ryan Collection - containing anumber of Epstein's works - should bemoved from its unsuitable location in theCentral Library to its own dedicatedvenue. It was greeted with disinterest andsome hostility in the 1980s - but now ithas been re-housed I smile whenever Ivisit the new Art Gallery.“Dudley were much more receptivespending £400,000 on Public Art alongthe Dudley Southern Bypass and for the

Millennium commissioned six fantasticpieces of glass sculpture for BroadfieldHouse,” he recalled.But it was only when Viv retired fromlocal government that he was able toreplace the pen with the chiselpermanently.“Ten years ago I enrolled on a

Foundation Course at Dudley College.After completing various courses with mycolleagues in the Shapeshifters SculptureGroup we now hire studio facilities fromthe College.”Viv principally works with stone and thetechnique he uses in carving is extractive. “Whilst this simplifies what I do with thestone it does limit the design options. Ihave to ask myself - can I turn anymistakes into a feature of the work? Mycurrent theme is natural forms. Thispartly arose from my post-localgovernment career as Chairman of theNational Forest Company for six years, atthe end of which the companycommissioned me to produce a 2 tonnesculpture with a woodland theme on aroundabout in South Derbyshire.” Viv's commission's for the exhibitionentitled 'Shaping Nature', with DavidWhite at the RBSA, uses in 11 differenttypes of stone. The stimuli for Viv'scarving are seeds, fruits and leaves. Vivwanted his work to show how variedstone can be and that, unlike Epstein, itneed not be monumental. Some of thesculptures in the series are small enoughto fit into the palm of your hand.The other half of this creativepartnership is David White - an electedmember of three art societies all ofwhich began in the 19th century: TheEasel Club, The Birmingham Art Circleand The Royal Birmingham Society ofArtists, of which he is also a councilmember.David explained that his artistic leaningstarted young: “I developed my

childhood interest in art while serving inthe Royal Air Force. I trained as an artistat Birmingham College of Art andgraduated as a teacher at LeicesterCollege of Art. Subsequently I gained anMA in Art Education. I retired earlyfrom teaching to become a full-time artistin 1996.”Like any artist David has been influencedby others who have gone before. “Influences on my work have been manyand varied but the common factor hasbeen their emotional impact: from thestained glass windows of Chartres to thequiet spirituality of a Rothko; from JMWTurner to Georges Braque.”David sums up his style: “I begin a printor a painting with a sketch of observedobjects or figures as part of an imaginarygeometric structure set in a landscape.This abstract design with collagematerials is sealed using non-yellowingvarnish. Oil-based printing ink is appliedto the surface to create a painting orcollagraph plate in readiness for printing.I use imagined geometric forms as ametaphor for human activity in seekingto control our environment.”The imaginative pair has both had aninteresting and unlikely journey that hasled them to become artists, proving thatyou never know where your childhooddreams might take you.'Shaping Nature' opens Monday, June 29.For more details see the events section,page 28.

“Curled form” sculpted from Polyphant stone

“Nature's Mystery”


Ikon was first conceived as a 'gallerywithout walls', an antithesis to exclusiveart establishments and galleries. Set up asa co-operative in 1964 by a group ofartists who could not find anywheresuitable in the city to show their brand ofcontemporary art, Ikon took up residencethe following year in an octagonal glass-walled kiosk in Birmingham's brave newBullring precinct, adjacent to thelandmark Rotunda building. Now based in a refurbished Victorianschoolhouse in Brindleyplace, Ikon hasgrown over time into a much largerorganisation: recognised worldwide forinnovation and excellence, yet proudlymaintaining the philosophy of its foundersof accessibility for all (all Ikon's exhibitionsare free to the public).Since moving to Birmingham, Watkins hasbeen in heavy demand, both locally andfurther afield. He has guest-curated anumber of prestigious exhibitionsincluding the Shanghai Biennale and Days

Like These for the Tate Triennial, and hasserved as a judge for the Turner Prize. Hehas recently returned home from aresearch trip to Moscow, and is on the wayto China where he will curate anexhibition for Shanghai University. “I do travel a lot! But there is a reason -Ikon is more outgoing and moreinternationalist than ever before. At thesame time though, we recognise the needto be locally engaged and committed toour role as producers. People in the artsoften talk about their work being 'artist-led'or 'audience-led', but I like to think that weare 'Ikon-led', that is, we transmit newideas out into the wider world,” he says.Ikon's main Brindleyplace gallery housesa rolling programme of exhibitions,developed by Ikon's three curators(including Watkins himself). Numerousinternational artists have made their firstmajor exhibitions at Ikon, while leadingBritish artists have also been welcomed -Ikon's famous lift, for example, carries an

installation designed by Turner-prizewinner Martin Creed and performed bysingers from Ex Cathedra.A significant recent development inIkon's gallery programme is thepresentation of historical materialalongside work by contemporary or livingartists, with the aim of showing how arthistory and contemporary practiceinform each other. The currentexhibition includes woodcuts by ThomasBewick (1753-1828) and contemporaryvideo works of by British artists JohnWood and Paul Harrison.

Off-siteSince 2000, the Off-site programme hasbeen a major focus of activity for Ikon andit has a curator dedicated entirely to projectsoutside the main Brindleyplace gallery. Projects have taken place across the cityin a variety of locations, includingMailbox, Botanical Gardens and theBullring markets, and often in

Ambitious ‘gallerywithout walls’

Jonathan Watkins

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In his tenth year as Director of Ikon, Birmingham's internationallyrenowned gallery for contemporary art, Jonathan Watkins can not beaccused of complacency.


collaboration with other organisations.Working away from the confines of agallery allows much greater flexibility forartists, and can also help to challengepeople's expectations of where art can beseen and by whom. A typical example is the project inautumn 2008 by Chinese artist He An,who produced a huge illuminated signabove Moat Lane Carpark, on the edgeof Digbeth. The sign, written inMandarin, carried the words 'I talked toAh Chang on the way to work. Afterwork I ended the relationship. I stood inParadise Circus and cried for hours...'.Part of China Now, the UK's largest everfestival of Chinese culture, the artistsought to monumentalise the privateexperiences of young people coming tothe city to find work.Last year, Ikon presented a series ofexhibitions in Perrott's Folly, the 18thcentury tower in Edgbaston. Reputed tobe one of the inspirations for Tolkien'sTwo Towers in The Lord of the Ringstrilogy, the historic building had beenclosed to the public for twenty yearsbefore Ikon's involvement. More activity is taking place at Perrott'sFolly this year - one of the plannedexhibitions is by Japanese sound artistYukio Fujimoto, who intends to fill the

tower with the sound of 1,111 tickingclocks. The tower has 139 step spiralstaircase and five floors that take instunning views of Edgbaston, thereservoir, Ladywood and othersurrounding parts of the city. “As visitors climb the narrow staircase theticking will intensify until they reachwhite noise at the top,” says Watkins.“The implication is of time ticking along.I find this idea particularly compellingwhen housed in this most historic (and atrisk) Birmingham building”.Other off-site plans for 2009 include thecustomising of a canal boat byBirmingham artists Tom and SimonBloor. The barge, covered in dazzlecamouflage inspired by ships from theFirst World War, will travel betweenBrindleyplace and Ikon Eastside in afour-hour journey, with visitors able tohop on and off along the way.

Ikon EastsideIkon's off-site activity links nicely withBirmingham's schemes of redevelopment,and nowhere is this more apparent than inIkon Eastside in Digbeth. The inner-city manufacturing district isearmarked for regeneration, with aparticular emphasis on the culturalindustries. Ikon is particularly committed

to having a permanent presence in thisarea of the city, and has been presentingan ambitious programme of exhibitions,artist's residencies, talk and events in thearea since November 2005, at first movingbetween various venues but now housed ina former factory space on Fazeley Street.Ikon Eastside reopened for its summer2009 season on May 1, and projects forthe summer include screenings frompioneering filmmaker Jozef Robakowski,a dance installation by Siobhan DaviesDance Company and work by the IndianRAQs Media Collective. So what next for Ikon? There is muchdebate about the possibility of a Museumof Modern Art for Birmingham, andIkon is at the centre of the campaign tomake the idea a reality. The scheme haswon the support of Sir Nicholas Serota,Director of Tate, who has already offeredloans from the Tate collection. This is a long-term dream for Watkins,who points out that such a museum reallyis a necessity for Birmingham. “Mostmajor international cities in the worldhave a highly reputable contemporaryarts offer. The proposed museum wouldposition Birmingham in a global contextas a forward thinking, ambitious, diverseand celebratory place in which to invest,visit, work, study or live.”

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Main image and inset bottom: John Wood and Paul Harrison: Some words. Inset top: Thomas Bewick: Tale - pieces


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Dear Editor,Thank you for publishing my last letter.My points are, naturally, matters for debate, but I feelstrongly that Birmingham has had and should continueto have a very specific visual as well as municipalpersonality. There has always been rapid change anddevelopment, as Freeth's poem 'I can't findBrummagem' indicates. But we need to balance thiswith some stability. I would like my grandchildren'sgeneration to want to stay here as a matter of choiceand for this we need a focus on creating an attractive,elegant city as well as, of course, a prosperous one.Multi-culture is no problem (see the Birminghammosque and the Chinese monument at Holloway Head),but large scale glass buildings, inappropriately located,may be less appealing.Strengthening major British cities vis-à-vis London is onthe agenda. Continental models should be studied

carefully; their history, town planning, architecture,attitude to heritage, transport solutions, relations withtheir regional hinterlands and much else. There havebeen many encouraging signs in Birmingham over thelast twenty years but a great deal more needs to be donealong the same lines.I will restrain myself from going on at greater length.

Edward Chitham

Dear Editor,I have just joined the Society, and was pleased to readthe articles in the current edition, perceptive andthought provoking. I particularly welcome the views ofFreddie Gick on the transport situation. If the Societycan help improve this, we will all benefit. I live inStafford but travel to Birmingham regularly, and myexperience suggests that the two key issues are NewStreet Station and the use of cars in the city centre.One of my first memories at age 5 is of being on astationary train in the tunnels at New Street. That wasin the steam era. Fifty five years later trains still stop inapproaching New Street because of congestion. It isclear there is no point in building a new station unlesstraffic is taken out to relieve the pressure. Yet I hear aproposal to put a metro extension from Snow Hill toNew Street. This is ludicrous. Why is Moor Street notbeing developed - or a new station entirely?Driving into the city centre is never easy, and parking isludicrously difficult. Yet the major problem for anyoneusing the city centre for evening concerts and otherevents is the unreliability of the trains. Anyone trying totravel after 9.30 risks finding the trains cancelled or nonexistent, making travelling back stressful and difficult.So the car becomes the only option. This is not onlytrue for the centre, it is also true of Villa Park where theclub seems unable to look at travel arrangements for the fans. I hope the Society can take up these issues and helpbring about positive changes, which are well overdue.

Trevor Fisher

Letters to the editor

If you would like to comment on any of the topics discussedin this issue contact details are on page three.


AccountantsAlden & Co, Anthony Taylor & Co., Barnett Ravenscroft LLP, BDO Stoy HaywardLLP, Collinsons Chartered Accountants, Deloitte LLP, KPMG, Marcus and Company,Mazars, PKF (UK) LLP, PricewaterhouseCoopers

Architects3DReid, Bournville Architects, Brophy Riaz & Partners, Bryant Priest Newman Ltd,Crouch Butler Savage Limited, Malcolm Payne Group Ltd, PCPT Architects Limited,Seymour Harris Architecture, Weedon Partnership

BanksBank of Scotland Corporate, Lloyds TSB Bank Plc

Business Consultants/ServicesAtkins Consultants, Caret Ltd, Emprima Ltd, Faithful and Gould, Pertemps,Wakemans Ltd

EducationAston University, Birmingham City University, Moseley School, University CollegeBirmingham, University of BirminghamHospitalityHotel du Vin, Marriott Hotel, Redcliffe Catering Ltd

Insurance/AssuranceBHSF Group Ltd, Perkins Slade Ltd, Wesleyan Assurance Society

InvestmentBrewin Dolphin Securities, EFG Harris Allday, Citi Quilter, PMG InvestmentsLimited, Smith & Williamson

LawyersAnthony Collins Solicitors, Benussi & Co, Blackhams, Buller Jeffries, Challinors,Cobbetts, DLA LLP, Eversheds, HBJ Gateley Wareing, Hammonds, Irwin Mitchell,Martineau, Marks & Clerk LLP, Mills & Reeve, Needham & James, Robin SimonLLP, Rutherfords, Shakespeare Putsman, Shoosmiths, St Philips, The WilkesPartnership, Tyndallwoods Solicitors, Wragge and Co. LLP

ManufacturingW G Eaton Ltd

Member/Trade OrganisationsBirmingham Assay Office, Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, Campaign for RealAle, Institute of Directors, Kings Heath Business Association, The Royal Institution ofCharterd Surveyors

Support OrganisationsAston Science Park, The Birmingham Botanical Gardens and Glasshouses, BroadwayKitchens & Bedrooms, Marketing Birmingham Limited, Professional PolishingServices Ltd, RWEnpower, Town Hall & Symphony Hall

PropertyArgent Estates Ltd, Atisreal, Birmingham Mailbox Ltd, Bruton Knowles, CalthorpeEstates, City Spirit Ltd, Curry & Partners, DTZ, Eric J Mouzer FRICS FCIArb, GVAGrimley, Hortons' Estate Limited King Sturge, Knight Frank, Mainstay Group, MIAProperty Group, Midland Heart Ltd, Nurton Developments, Phoenix Beard, WillmottDixon Construction

Public RelationsBarques Design Ltd, Clarke Associates UK Ltd

TransportBirmingham International Airport Ltd, Chiltern Railways

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Membership

As a member of the Society you will be able to:• Join an extensive programme of visits, lectures, formal and informal social functions. (Certain events arespecifically intended for corporate members.)• Contribute your views on decisions on all aspects of the development of the city• Participate in the citizenship, heritage, planning and environmental/tree planning programmes In addition you will receive the highly acclaimed Birmingham Perspectives magazine that not only promotes thework of the Society but stimulates debate and discussion.You will also be eligible to join one of the committees or stand forelection to the board of Trustees and play a part in the managementof the Society. Above all, you will have a real sense of being involvedwith Birmingham; being informed about what is planned and havingan opportunity to influence important developments and decisions.

Do you have a passion for Birmingham? If you want to learn more about the cityand indeed would like to help make it a better place in which to live, then youreally do need to be become a member of Birmingham Civic Society.


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Saturday June 20 - Sunday August 30 Made in Birmingham - The 1886 Birmingham Exhibition ofLocal Industries and NaturalHistory

Presented by Birmingham Library andArchives, this outdoor exhibition explores oneof the most important public demonstrationsof Birmingham's industrial prowess. Theoriginal exhibition included 250 stands andattracted over 400,000 people who viewedthis extraordinary industrial spectacle. Freeadmission

Venue: Centenary Square, BirminghamCity Centre

Sunday June 21Music and Words for a Summer Evening

Join singers and actors from the CrescentTheatre in an evening of words andmusic celebrating the joys of summer.Solo, part songs and readings fromacross the centuries promise an eveningof pleasure and delight. Tickets: £10 (No concessions) 7.30pm

Venue: The Ron Barber Studio Theatre

Sunday June 21Midsummer Big Band MusicEvening at Birmingham'sBotanical Gardens

For the fifth year running N.C. BIGBAND presents continuous music from6.30pm through to 10.00pm.Bring apicnic, rug or low chair and enjoy thesophisticated atmosphere of yourBotanical Gardens. All proceeds fromthis fund raising event will go towardsour continuing education programme.Tickets: £12 in advance, £14 on thenight. Continuous music from 6.30pmthrough to 10.00pmwww.birminghambotnicalgardens.org.uk

Venue: Botanical Gardens and Glasshouses

Wednesday June 24 –Saturday June 27Love and Loss

Two ballets by David Bintley accompanya classic from Frederick Ashton. Theclassical perfection of Mozart's music ismirrored in David Bintley’s elegantchoreography for Galanteries. This balletis pure entertainment – a melding ofbeautiful, unpretentious music and dance.Wed 24 - Sat 27 June 7.30pm & Sat 27June 2.30pm, Thur 25 June, 2pmPrices range from £13.50 to £45.00.

Venue: Birmingham Hippodrome

Friday June 26Beyond the Barricade 10thAnniversary Show

Beyond the Barricade, the mostsuccessful and popular touring show ofits kind, returns with a brand new special10th Anniversary production of theshow featuring international guitaristand composer Gordon Giltrap.Tickets: £22.50, £25. Starts at 7:30pm.

Venue: Symphony Hall

Monday June 29 - Saturday July 11Shaping Nature

An exhibition Paintings by DavidWhite RBSA sculpture by Viv Astling exploring the inspiring shapesin nature.For more information please email:[email protected] or visit thewebsite: www.shapeshifters.org.uk

Venue: Royal Birmingham Society of Artists

Friday July 3 - Sunday July 13Birmingham International JazzFestival

Over 10 jazz-packed summer days from July3rd to the 12th Birmingham will becomeJazz City UK, with more jazz per squaremetre than has New Orleans. Events andperformances will be held around the city forvarying prices.Booking hotline: 0121 454 7020. For furtherinformationwww.birminghamjazzfestival.com

Venue: All around the city

Saturday July 4Hark! I hear Musick! An eveningwith Matthew Boulton and Friends

Enjoy an evening of Matthew Boulton'sfavourite music, with readings from theMatthew Boulton Papers. The CBSOBaroque Ensemble with Natalie CliftonGriffiths (soprano) and Nicholas Kingsley(reader) will be performing.Tickets: £12.00 available from: Gas HallReception, Tel: 0121 303 1966 or The Birmingham Central Library, Tel:1021 303 2323. 7.30 p.m

Venue: Birmingham Cathedral(St Philip's, Colmore Row)

Saturday July 4BCMG presents: For You - MusicTheatre Wales

Michael Berkeley and Ian McEwan's newopera for Music Theatre Wales is athrilling tale of dark obsession andmisplaced passion. Tickets £10 - £15 7.30p.m Tel: 0121 236 4455 or visit:www.bcmg.org.uk

Venue: Birmingham Repertory Theatre

Saturday July 4For You by Music Theatre Wales

An opera by Michael Berkeley and IanMcEwan. The brilliantly crafted text byIan McEwan has all the elements thathave made his novels Atonement,Enduring Love, Saturday and On ChesilBeach number one bestsellers. Tickets£10-£15, concessions available

Venue: Main House, the REP Theatre

EVENTSJUNE JUNE JULY


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Tuesday July 14A Summer Evening with Trees andPimms

Birmingham Trees for Life is delightedto invite members of The BirminghamCivic Society and Birmingham Future toa Pimms and canapés reception, and willinclude a short walk around theBotanical Gardens' trees with an expertmember of Gardens staff. Tickets: Withtree sapling sponsorship £25, £10without. 6.30p.m www.btfl.org.uk e: [email protected]

Venue: The Loudon Suite, BirminghamBotanical Gardens

Tuesday July 21IDRS 2009 Opening Gala Concertfeaturing Orchestra of the Swan

Join us for the opening gala concert ofIDRS 2009, a five-day festival celebratingthe unique nature of double reedinstruments. Tonight's programme ispacked with old favourites and newconcertos written for oboe and bassoonperformed by a host of world-class artists.Free (part of registration fees) to IDRSparticipants, limited number of publictickets available - Adults £14 concessions£12. 7.30pm

Venue: Town Hall

Sunday August 2The Drum and Classical & VisionPromotions presents: Third World

As Third World says, “If its music, sweetmusic, let it play”, and that's exactlywhat Jamaica's top reggae band will bedoing when they inject you with theirpositive musical vibes and sweet sounds.The band will be bringing the housedown; as they perform over 33 years ofhit songs. Doors open 9pm. Tickets: £20adv, also available on the door

Venue: The Drum

Thursday August 6 -Saturday August 8Latin Fever Presented inAssociation with Raymond Gubbayand Sadler's Wells

The dazzling partnership from the BBC'sStrictly Come Dancing will be joined byfour top Latin American dancing duos anda nine-piece Latin Band for theirbreathtaking voyage, which takes themfrom the streets of Brazil to the bullrings ofSpain by way of a vibrant mix of dancestyles including the tango, rumba and cha-cha-cha. Tickets cost £15 - £32.50 7:30pm

Venue: Symphony Hall

Friday August 14 - Saturday August 15Shrewsbury Flower Show

It is the world's longest-runninghorticultural show and celebrates its122nd anniversary in 2009, with around75,000 visitors expected in the Quarryover the two days.Advance Ticket Price: Adult £16.00,Over 60's £14.00, Child FREE

Venue: The Quarry

Mon August 4 - Thursday August 21The Big Picture's latest project:the World Record Mosaic

The ThinkTank needs help to attach110,000 photographs to 288 plywoodpanels to create a mosaic the size ofthree tennis courts outside ThinkTank.Workshops run, 10am-4pm, for furtherinformation and to get involved [email protected]

Venue: ThinkTank

Saturday May 2 - Monday August 31Silversmith

The ThinkTank's resident Silversmithuses traditional Birminghamcraftsmanship to create decorative itemsout of silver bullion. Join him for a livelychat and demonstration.Most Saturdays between 10.00am -4.00pm. Free to Thinktank ticket holders

Venue: ThinkTank, Millennium Point

Friday May 8 - Sunday September 6Exotic EccentricitiesPetitot's 'Suite de Vases'

To a modern audience, this series ofdesigns for vases and other objects by theFrench neo-classical draughtsman,Eurimond Petitot, published in 1764, isfascinating on account of its eccentricaspects, often seeming to prefiguresurrealism. Acquired in 1964 but neverpublicly displayed before, the prints havebeen specially conserved for thisoccasion.Lunchtime Gallery Talk: Thursday 2July at 1.30pm

Venue: Print Room 1, The BarberInstitute

EVENTSJULY AUGUST THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER

Farmer’s Markets around the cityBearwood: Third Saturday ofevery monthHarborne: Second Saturday ofevery monthMoseley village: Last Saturday ofevery monthKings Norton, High Street: SecondSaturday of every monthKing's Heath: First Saturday ofevery monthUniversity of Birmingham, maincampus: Fourth Wednesday ofevery monthCity centre, Upper New Street: Firstand third Wednesday every month


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Highlighted by the recent visit ofentrepreneur Sir Alan Sugar, who wasin Birmingham to promote theGovernment's Apprenticeship scheme -and as we all deal with the challenges ofthe worst recession for sixty years - itseems that nurturing tomorrow's talentand empowering future leaders hasbecome even more imperative.Birmingham, of course, is no strangerto inspirational leaders. From JosephChamberlain, Matthew Boulton andGeorge Cadbury; to more recent

figures such as Sir Richard Knowles,Sir Peter Rigby and Digby, Lord Jonesof Birmingham, civic, business andother leaders of past and present haveall helped to shape Birmingham intothe proud city that it is today. Sitting on the judging panel for thisyear's Birmingham Young Professionalof the Year (BYPY) Awards, it wasapparent that many of tomorrow'sleaders are already emerging from thecity's burgeoning young professionalscommunity. When you look at the pastlist of BYPY winners, from Argent'sGary Taylor, who chaired this year'sJudging Panel, through to the likes ofKarl George and Stef Lewandowski,you realise the impact youngprofessionals are already having on theBirmingham landscape today.Speaking to this year's candidates, I wasimmediately inspired by their passionfor the city. Though many of themhave only started to establish theircareers, places and networks here inour city, they have already made

outstanding contributions that will helprealise Birmingham's prospects. Experience as both a youngprofessional working in Birminghamand through my role as Chairman ofBirmingham Future has highlighted tome the value of equipping youngpeople with the confidence tocontribute to and participate in thecommunity. That is why BirminghamFuture actively involves its members ina series of citywide initiatives, includingthe Big City Plan consultation, so thatthey can help mould the city of whichthey are part of and in which, I'mcertain, many will take leadership rolesin just a few years.So what of the leaders of tomorrow?Where are the individuals who will bebanging the drum for Brum to helpmake this a truly “Global City”?As our annual Power50 initiative - run inconjunction with The Birmingham Post- aims to demonstrate once again thisyear, there is a whole host of individualsout there who may not holdconventional positions of power withinthe city, but are having a growing impactas influencers in their own fields andbeyond. This rich mix of people alldeserve recognition for their contributionand I believe this broad church ofleaders, who often come together for themutual benefit of Birmingham, is one ofthe principal reasons why we are wellplaced to prosper when the economicupturn begins in earnest. It is important that, as a city, we all takeresponsibility in nurturing talent fortomorrow, as it is through early supportand encouragement that young peopleare empowered and engaged. This ishow great leaders are made.However, nurturing young people toensure further success for Birminghammust be accompanied by the measures toretain talented individuals in the citytoday. This is where current leadersaround the city need to rise up and playan even greater part!

A recent personal example was whenDigby, Lord Jones invited a groupfrom Birmingham Future to join himfor a personal tour of the House ofLords. It provided our delegation withan invaluable opportunity to quiz,debate and learn from one of today'smost renowned figures from the city.Not only did we leave the House ofLords motivated by Lord Jones' advice,which included having confidence inour own abilities, the importance ofnetworking, never be afraid to ask andalways be prepared, but we were alsoinspired by his commitment to guidingour city's next generation, giving useven more determination to driveBirmingham forward.

Looking back at Birmingham'shistory, our many cultural, economicand civic achievements can be foundrooted in those who had a vision tobetter Birmingham. Despite thecurrent economic turmoil, we mustcontinue to cultivate today's youngergeneration so that they too will feelempowered to maintain this lastingcity's mission: Forward.

For further details of Birmingham Futurevisit the website:www.birminghamfuture.co.uk

Future Voice by Matt Taylor, Chair of Birmingham Future

Digby, Lord Jones

BYPY 2008


By 2007 I had nothing but theclothes on my back. I ended up inBirmingham and watched a BigIssue vendor sell The Big Issue. Iwanted to know how it workedand how it helped the homeless.The vendor thankfully directed me

to the office. Before I entered the office I felt anxious. I wasembarrassed and had to face up to the past few chaotic years. Entering the office I met three staff members who worked onthe front counter, who immediately offered their assistance. Ifound it hard opening up a lot of the time - thankfully TheBig Issue understood this and enabled me to talk in a privatespace. I explained that I had no roof over my head and it wasa priority to get somewhere safe to stay. Within minutes BigIssue staff had booked an appointment with Birmingham'sHomeless Service Centre. Shortly afterwards I attended mymeeting and had managed to secure a hostel where I couldget a good nights sleep and food each day. I was stunned, TheBig Issue managed to direct me on the right course and I feltempowered to sort out this big difficulty in my life. Afterwards I continued to sell The Big Issue each day. At firstI found it hard - selling The Big Issue can be tough at times. Ifelt invisible and I lacked confidence to stand on my pitch.Over time though my confidence grew. I made friends on mypitch who I spoke to every day. I helped other people out whowalked through Birmingham City Centre to and from work.Sometimes just a quick “have a good day” can really make adifference to somebody who is feeling down - the simple

things can make somebody very happy which I have alwaysliked. Selling The Big Issue, establishing and managing myown pitch, working every day, being part of something andmaking a difference in my own life makes me feel happy - it'snice to know if I don't feel happy and I am having a bad dayI can pop into The Big Issue office and have a chat. Onething I always remember was when The Big Issue foundationsupplied every vendor in the winter with a brand new pair ofboots - we all had to work for the boots by meeting targets butit helped me very much when working in the cold months. Over time I had spoken to staff as I was interested in going tocollege to re-educate myself, The Big Issue Foundation helpedme with this - they showed me what I could do and offeredassistance with getting on the best course for me. The BigIssue Foundation is a registered charity which exists to linkvendors with the vital support which will help them addressthe issues which have led to their homelessness. Theyencouraged me to go to Matthew Boulton College which islocal to Birmingham city centre. They kept me thinkingpositively and made me realise I could turn my life around fora better future. Now I am well into my first year ofAccountancy Foundation Course. I find it enjoyable and agood challenge. I thank The Big Issue for their continued support - they havegiven me the knowledge that I can move on and I can go intoa brighter, happier and more optimistic future.

Having been made homeless in 1997 and losing his job, GaryCox was stuck in a downward spiral of a dangerous drugaddiction. Gary tells his story of how he completely turnedhis life around.

Gary Cox

Last word Gary Cox, Big Issue vendor

“It’s the service that counts!”

For all your accountancy and taxation needscontact Anthony Taylor:

[email protected]

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Gary Cox is vendor badge number 83 and can be found on his pitch at

Paradise Forum, Birmingham city centre


Perspective - Birmingham Civic Society · great promise to be the slums of the next few decades....

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Transcript of Perspective - Birmingham Civic Society · great promise to be the slums of the next few decades....