Making a song and dance about our Carboot

Sweet music at the Sunday Carboot

The Sunday Carboot at the Wholesale Market had another reprieve this week - it's to stay open into the new year, which Friction Arts celebrated at the Carboot on Sunday.

Same Old Tories?

POLITICAL-RAVISHMENT, – or –
The Old Lady of Threadneedle-Street in danger!

Does it really matter what's written in manifestos, and can we believe them? Has the Tory party changed at all since it's beginnings in the early nineteenh century?

The 2017 Tory Manifesto declares:

We do not believe in untrammeled free markets.  We reject the cult of selfish individualism.  We abhor social division, injustice, unfairness and inequality.  We see rigid dogma and ideology not just as needless but dangerous.

In the people's interest? West Midlands Combined Authority

Andy Street explains what the West Midlands Mayor does

Last week we voted for a West Midlands mayor to lead a new government imposed authority against the will of the people living in it, in the name of devolution.  Yes folks, that's right - and what is more incredible is that the Conservative Party candidate representing the government was voted by us (collectively) to become the new West Midlands mayor to lead the new 'Combined Authority'.

Learning about child refugees and government

Last week Woodcraft Folk Elfins discussed the Dubs amendment, uncovering the shocking truth about the way our government treats child refugees, and what we can do.

Unity in the Community

Children dancing to catch the eye of the funders

I arrived a little later than I expected, having taken a twenty minute diversion along the M6 from Spaghetti junction, but was still in plenty of time for our presentation slot.  I'd read the information sent, but was still surprised and somewhat unprepared for 'Unity in the Community' at the Magnet Centre this Saturday.

Getting closer to World War One in Birmingham

Lance Corporal William Leslie Arnold,
Died of war wounds on 16/08/1916
Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 9th Battlion

Lance Corporal William Leslie Arnold was wounded in action during the Somme on the 22 July 1916. He suffered a gunshot wound to the right ankle and thigh.  On the 14th August he was transferred to Birmingham and died two days later.  He is buried at the Lodge Hill Cemetery Birmingham, along with 53 other Australians who died in the military hospitals around Birmingham.  His younger brother Francis Benjamin Arnold, aged 20, was shot in the face near the same village of Pozieres the day after William died.  He reached a major hospital in Etaples within a few days, but died from his wounds in France on the 25 August 1916.

Woodcraft at Billesley Lane Allotments

A brook runs right through the allotments

Today I was shown around Woodcraft Folk's new plot at Billesley Lane Allotments by Carron and Kerry.

Young firestarters

Learning to strike a match

On Thursday night we had a Woodcraft campfire in Highbury Park in Birmingham.  There will be many bonfires being lit across the UK and youth groups getting involved, but for woodcraft, the campfire holds a special place, and the involvement of all its members.

Surviving war

George Rice in 2003

Strange in a world of uncertainty, war and conflict, to look back 100 years to the Battle of the Somme, halfway through 'the war to end all wars'. Since 1914 British soldiers have never not been involved in a conflict or war.

Personally I have only met one World War One Veteran, and was lucky to be involved in interviewing him 12 years ago.

Making play inclusive

Parks for Play half term playscheme starts today

With the total number of places for holiday childcare continuing to fall, prices for childcare continuing to rise, what has become of the government's attempts to make childcare more available and affordable?  And what of our most vulnerable children facing social exclusion because of their individual needs, often disability, or their families in desperate need of support, particularly during holidays?

In Birmingham at least, Parks for Play continues to address some of this need, running fully inclusive after-school playcare and playschemes during holidays.  However this appears to be the only only service of it's kind across the UK, despite the government recognising that families without good access to childcare are less able to remain in work.

Internationalism pre & post-Brexit

It took me a while to work out what the Woodcraft Folk movement was all about - it's really one of those things you've got to try and maybe, like me, you'll want to find out more.

Playwell, play for all

Playing in York Road, summer 2014

When 'playing out' was first talked about in Birmingham it was no surprise pioneers in inclusive play 'Parks for play' supported the initiative.  They sent teams of playworkers to streets to ensure inclusive play for all.

Through groups like Playwell, they continue their commitment to inclusive play, offering summer holiday play sessions running from 1st to 12th August at Uffculme school. These play sessions prioritize access for new children with any additional needs/ disabilities that live locally ( kings Heath/ Moseley) to ensure that ALL children can enjoy play opportunities on the doorstep in their community.

20mph at Queensbridge School

Enjoying the 20mph sign quiz -
Where's that sign?

With the advent of our new 20 mph limits, what has changed in terms of road safety in Kings Heath and Moseley?  Coming back to the wonderful Queensbridge Summer Fete, I had the opportunity to ask people about 20s plenty for us and whether or not they've noticed any difference to road safety.

Play out in Kings Heath

Swan Corner Community Group and Woodcraft Folk South Birmingham want children to be able to play freely outside their own front door.  That's why we're really excited about Playing out, and why we're playing out Wheelers Lane for a third year running, on 7th July 5:30 to 9pm.

Active Parks have helped organising with Birmingham City Council and will bring archery, tennis, badminton, basketball, skittles, giant snakes and ladders, skipping ropes and more.

Gaps in our history

Every now and then I notice a gap in my bookshelf - Volume 5 of Winston Churchill's epic, 'The Second World War'.

One volume of a barely read series on my bookshelf is not there, and sadly that bothers me.  His entire series on 'World War One' isn't there at all.  There are a few other gaps which only a Bodleian sized Library could fill, and that's before you touch on archives and primary sources of 'history'.

European matters

Enjoying Macaron in Rouen
 in the marketplace where
 Joan d'Arc burned

Today we visited Rouen - a city whose heroine, Joan of Arc, was decisive in setting Euro-sceptic British sentiment for centuries after French victory in the Hundred Years war.  The referendum could be another historical moment marking isolationist Britian's waining political influence in the World, brought on our own heads

Curating diversity

Another deposit for Paganel Archives

The best thing, though, in that museum was that everything always stayed right where it was...Nobody'd be different. The only thing that would be different would be you. The Catcher in the Rye

How can museums attract diverse audiences and what, if anything, can schools learn from the experience of museums?

Citizen and Subject

Postcard from the turn of the last century

Last week, reluctantly the Queen has been dragged into 'Brexit'.  While the nature of her entry into the debate was unexpected, the lack of debate on her changing role in Europe and Britain is surprising.

Punished by rewards

Image thanks Maxxl

Alfie Kohn's 'Unconditional Parenting' was something of a Eureka moment for our parenting. While our firstborn responded well to rewards, parenting advice inherited, absorbed and internalised, just didn't work for number two. And so we came across Alfie Kohn, who in a funny kind of way confirmed a lot of what we thought, but weren't brave enough to do.

Linguistics 2.0

I came across this plaque as I wondered over to Westmere House - a relatively quiet corner of Edgbaston Campus. My memory of COBUILD is of the people I knew who worked there, endlessly scanning and transcribing books, magazines, newspapers, all for the greater good of the English language.