Bearwood Hub Newsletter
Check out this autumn feast of activities & updates from the hub!
Wednesday Warm Welcome 16th October
This week (16th October) Sandwell Consortium’s Cost of Living team won’t be with us, but will be back next week to help with advice giving, benefits checks & signposting to services.
In the mean time you can still get some help and support from our new Information, Advice & Guidance Officer, Bashira!
Joining us this Wednesday is Healthwatch Sandwell and Better Understanding of Dementia for Sandwell (BUDS)!
Healthwatch Sandwell enable the view and experiences of people who use services to influence and improve the way the health and social care services are provided and run. If you’ve recently visited your doctor, or local hospital, or used any health and care services in Sandwell they want to hear from you.
Whether you’ve had a good or bad experience, they can use your feedback to improve services for everyone and they have the power to make NHS leaders and other care providers listen to what you have to say.
BUDS run activity sessions which offer people living with Dementia the opportunity to socialise, receive support, and take part in a variety of creative and stimulating activities centred around the memory. They can also provide information and advice about dementia and issues that affect carers, assistance with accessing other organisations and support in the community or just a listening ear. Come along to find out more information!
Are you getting rid of old or no longer needed pots, pans, crockery, clothes, coats, bedding or curtains? Consider dropping them in to our free shop and help give them new life!
Wednesday Warm Welcome will be taking a break over Half Term (30th October 2024) and will return for a special Diwali celebration on the 6th November 2024!
Join us on Wednesday 6th November for Diwali celebrations!
Join us on Wednesday 6th November for a belated Diwali celebration! Diwali (1st November 2024) is celebrated by many faiths including by Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists, as well as others; the festival of light marks the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, knowledge over ignorance. On Wednesday 6th November, we’ll have a selection of samosas & sweets for all to enjoy, or pop in to make & decorate your own candle holder, then sit and sip some chai with friends and neighbours!
Sandwell Borough of Sanctuary Inclusion & Integration Forum - 21st October 2024!
Time: 7:30pm
Location: Lea Brook Church, Leabrook Rd N, Wednesbury WS10 7LY
We are thrilled to invite you to our upcoming event on “integration and inclusion”, where we will discuss how we can all contribute to making Sandwell a true Borough of Sanctuary. This event will focus on how key stakeholders such as local businesses, organisations, schools, public and private sectors and the community in general can collaborate to support refugees and asylum seekers in their journey toward integration.
Expect insightful discussions on:
- The role of local councils and services in creating welcoming spaces.
- How community organisations and businesses can offer practical support.
- Strategies to enhance social inclusion and tackle the barriers faced by refugees.
We encourage you to join us and be part of this important conversation as your thoughts are welcomed to be shared. Let’s come together to ensure that refugees feel a sense of belonging in our community. RSVP below!
Urban Room Launching at Smethwick Library!
We are utterly thrilled to share with you that Bearwood Community Hub have been commissioned by the West Midlands Combined Authority to start an Urban Room at Smethwick Library!
What is an Urban Room?
An Urban Room is a space where people can come together to help create a future for their local area. Although they can be different in many ways Urban Rooms share the same principles:
A focus on our shared built environment - streets, neighbourhoods and public spaces
An open door - all welcome, especially those who are traditionally under-represented in decision making about the future of our towns and cities
Exploration through creative activities - to prompt curiosity and fresh thinking
To be ‘on-site’, that is, located in the places that are being discussed
Come along to Smethwick Library on Tuesday 29th October for the launch of the Urban Room, for creative activities and to find out more! The urban room will be at Smethwick Library between the end of October 2024 and March 2025.
Last Friday we welcomed Storm in the North theatre company to Bearwood for a special performance of Idlib, a powerful monologue mixed with baking show, demonstrated how the simple act of baking and eating bread can bring strangers together, even across divides. Our audience members got to have a go at making their own Saj (a traditional type of flatbread made in Syria) and eating some delicious Syrian Mezze together as a community. This event happened as part of the Smethwick Arts Collective programme of activities, you can find out what else is happening here:
Saturday 19th October - Arcade Mini! at Bearwood Baptist Church
ARCADE Mini is a joyful interactive performance with short dance ‘games’ to connect people of all ages with the childlike joy of play -and each other! We’ll have four performances happening between 10:30am and 1:30pm on Saturday 19th October at Bearwood Baptist Church Hall Front Garden, drop in on your way to or from the high street!
Coming soon to Smethwick Arts:
2nd & 3rd November - Youth Film Camp! (11-15 year olds)
Do you know a young person with a passion for film and filmmaking? Sign up for our 2-day Film Camp with local animator and film professional Martin McNally (Mixed Milk Media) to learn a range of filmmaking skills whilst collaboratively making a documentary style film about home and the local area. Young people will have the chance to work as a writer, director, actor, crew member and editor.
This course is suitable for children aged 11-15 years. It is open to all ability levels. Booking will open this Friday 18th October on the Smethwick Arts website!
Bearwood in Film
Watch this space! Following on from our young person’s film camp, we’ll be hosting a public screening of their film as well as sharing a showcase of films & media focused on the local area. Date & venue to be confirmed!
Soon to be showing:
Young Person’s Filmmaking Group Documentary
Borough of Sanctuary Poetry Films
Bearwood Corks Club Social Club - Portraits of Punters
Have you got a film about Bearwood & Smethwick you want to share? Get in touch with Lizzie at communityhub@bearwood.cc to discuss more! (Films will need to be no longer than 10 minutes in length and need to be on the topic of Home, Belonging or relating to the Local Area. Screening will also be subject to quality & capacity.)
In and around Bearwood
Business Brunch Returns! Friday 25th October 10am - 12 noon at Bearwood Community Hub Coworking Space!
Are you a freelancer, sole trader or small business owner? Maybe you’ve got a business idea in mind but don’t know where or how to start? Come along to our business brunch to meet others and get advice from NLP qualified coach and entrepreneur Andrea Walters.
What can you expect?
NLP Coaching
Goal Setting
Vision board creating
Networking
Brunch
Tickets are £25/pp, to book please email Andrea Walters at awaltersuk@hotmail.com
Crafting in Company with Bearwood Tapestry: Rethreaded!
Drop in to Crafting in Company at Bearwood Community Hub’s Coworking Space to work together with others on your craft projects. Open to all mediums, bring your own crafts along & have a natter!