At such a vital time for mental health services, Living Well UK is continuously expanding as an organisation, and it is taking its reach to new heights, with the appointment of new CEO, Ben Howells. Ben will be joined by two new trustees, Aftab Rahman and Lovemore Masiane, and together the trio hopes to further propel Birmingham’s largest mental health consortium’s objectives in 2020. Having gained over 10 years’ experience at addiction charity Aquarius as Area Manager, Ben is already a prominent figure in the local mental health and wellbeing sector. He’s worked tirelessly to partner with companies in the
Heart of England Community Foundation kicked off the most wonderful time of the year with its popular Christmas Quiz last week. The festive annual event, which the Foundation has hosted for the past three years, saw teams from across the region battling out, all for a good cause. The festivities saw 15 teams head to HOECF HQ to participate, but only one team could be crowned the winner. Bright stars, HCB Accountants, wrapped up the battle having pipped last year’s winner, The Friendship Project, to the post. The charity raised over £800 at the evening, which will all be used
The Heart of England Community Foundation has pledged over £3m to support a trio of charities across the West Midlands. The charity distributes on average around £2.7m per year to hundreds of grassroots projects across the West Midlands so to award over £3.1 m to just three organisations is a monumental step change for the Foundation. Thanks to incredible anonymous donors the funds will be shared between YMCA Birmingham, St Basil’s and Black Country Women’s Aid. The grants are being awarded through the Heart of England’s ‘Building Better Lives’ Programme, which focuses on the need for purpose-built housing for vulnerable people
Brindleyplace-based restaurant Maribel has teamed up with national charity, Sense to host an exclusive ‘Dining in the Dark’ event for one night only. The first event of its kind in the city will be a dining experience like no other, taking guests on a journey to awaken their senses. Taking place on Friday 27 September, diners will be blindfolded as they go on a culinary adventure through three-courses designed to tantalize the tastebuds. Joining forces with Sense, an organisation dedicated to supporting the deafblind community and those living with complex disabilities, the restaurant has worked with the charity to craft
Insomnia, the UK’s biggest gaming festival, returns to the NEC this month and is bringing enormous heart with it. Whilst they may be head-to-head on the virtual battleground, gamers have united to raise vital funds for two very worthy causes: SpecialEffect and the UK Guide Dogs. After raising a staggering £10k at Insomnia64, the gaming festival has teamed up with the two charities in the hope that the gaming community will pull together for another successful year. SpecialEffect aims to bring fun and inclusion into the lives of those with physical disabilities by helping them to play video games. The
Three local causes have joined forces to host a brunch and Snowdon climb for residents of Birmingham’s first permanent night shelter. Evolve, a social enterprise café that provides work for young people facing barriers to employment, will be hosting a brunch for the residents of Tabor House, ahead of them embarking on a team climb of Mount Snowdon. What’s more, volunteers from Let’s Feed Brum will be leading the way for the trekkers as well as providing snacks and water to keep them going. The not-for-profit coffee shop, run by charity Aquarius, will be serving up a nutritious breakfast to-go
The Ramblers Ball is back this summer, and this time it is hitting the road! The popular open-mic poetry night created by Digbeth’s social enterprise café, Evolve, and friends, will return this July. Taking over the stunning grounds of Blakesley Hall for one night only, The Ramblers Ball will be bringing beats, eats, and treats with it. The stage will be set for three show-stopping main acts including Birmingham’s very own Casey Bailey. Joining him as headliners will also be Hannah Swings, who many will recognise from Nationwide Building Society’s recent national advert, and ThinkWriteFly, aka Adrian B Earle. Set
Birmingham charity LoveBrum is celebrating their second annual ‘Impact Week’ with the announcement of a brand new community fund. Taking place from 29 April – 3 May, ‘Impact Week’ is a celebration of the work that LoveBrum, and the causes supported, have achieved over the last four years. The Community funding grant will be a £15,000fund available as a single grant in addition to the current funding LoveBrum provides. Impact Week will commence on 29 April, kicking off with the release of LoveBrum’sAnnual Report. The report revisits causes funded from the past four years, sharing the stories of the individuals
LoveBrum has celebrated the success of its first four years, looking back on the charity’s achievements and the support it has given to hidden-gem projects across the city. Celebrating in style, LoveBrum invited members and supporters alike to its fourth birthday party at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery to mark the launch of its new membership campaign and look back at the charity’s work to date. Since its inception, LoveBrum has showcased over 120 causes and funded 72 projects to the tune of over £100,000, in addition to securing a partnership with National Lottery and launching its very own Causes
The season of goodwill is here and Birmingham has taken note, with a record number of volunteers and donations for homeless charity, Let’s Feed Brum. As the temperatures have plummeted, the city has warmed the hearts of the homeless population, coming together to offer essential supplies, funds, and time to the local charity. Incredibly, over 25 volunteers have even pledged to help on Christmas day! Whether it’s on account of the festive spirit, or the shocking revelation that one in 73 people in Birmingham are now homeless, Let’s Feed Brum’s support has surged, with individuals and businesses alike coming on