Participants from the RunBirmingham project at the Simplyhealth Great Birmingham 10k 2017
It’s official… The Simplyhealth Great Birmingham 10k will return to the city for the fourth time on Sunday, May 6, 2018.
The news will be music to the ears of thousands of runners and walkers of all abilities after a record-breaking 8,000 people signed up to take part in this year’s 10k, which was televised live in Channel 5.
The Simplyhealth Great Birmingham 10k will continue to have music at its heart with warm-up and start waves dedicated to the sounds of the 70s, 80s, 90s, noughties and today’s music.
The Bank Holiday Weekend party atmosphere will continue with bands and performers along the route, which takes runners and walkers past sights such as Selfridges, Cannon Hill Park and Edgbaston Stadium.
The Simplyhealth Great Birmingham 10k 2017 proved to be a global gathering as the run highlighted the city’s bid to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Runners from 23 Commonwealth nations represented their countries on the 10k course to help Birmingham in its bid to replace Durban as the host city for the 2022 Games after the South African city pulled out.
The Simplyhealth Great Birmingham 10k is organised by The Great Run Company, who will also stage the Simplyhealth Great Birmingham Run and first-ever Birmingham International Marathon on Sunday, October 15, 2017.
The 26.2-mile run reached capacity four months before the event takes place after overwhelming interest from runners across the world.
The Great Birmingham 10k 2017 featured a 19-strong team from title partner, Simplyhealth, some running for Revitalise, this year’s nominated charity, while the University of Birmingham amassed an incredible 400 runners for its 10k team and were given their own starting wave to see them off in style.
The university runners will be returning in 2018 and hoping to increase the size of their team as more lecturers, students and support staff join the party atmosphere on the start-line.
Scottish athletics legend Liz McColgan was honorary starter for this year’s 10k, before taking part in the event and flying the flag for Scotland as part of the Commonwealth Run initiative.
Midlands companies of all shapes and sizes are once again being invited to battle it out for the Business Challenge, which hands out fastest-time trophies and all important bragging rights in the business community.
David Hart, communications director for The Great Run Company, said: “The Simplyhealth Great Birmingham 10k has quickly become one of the highlights in the Midlands events calendar.
“We’re looking forward to seeing another record-breaking turn-out of runners and walkers of all abilities on the Jennens Road start-line before finishing in front of cheering friends and family in the city centre.”
Anyone who enters the Simplyhealth Great Birmingham 10k 2018 will receive a £10 discount for either the Great Birmingham Run 2018 or Birmingham International Marathon 2018.
Press release issued by Edwin Ellis Creative Media on behalf of the Great Run Company
The first city centre-wide celebration of Birmingham’s booming dining scene will take place in September.
Flavour Fortnight recognises the city centre’s fantastic and diverse food and drink; home to Michelin-starred chefs and award-winning independents.
For two weeks, starting 1st September until 17th September, diners can take advantage of Flavour Fortnight special menus, exclusive discounts and value-added extras in dozens of incredible venues.
The promotion has been arranged by Retail BID, Colmore BID and Westside BID, the three Business Improvement Districts for the city centre.
More than 30 restaurants have signed up to take part in Flavour Fortnight, with more venues to be announced.
Among those is Michelin-starred Purnell’s on Cornwall Street, which is offering four courses for £40 per person during Flavour Fortnight (conditions apply).
Glynn Purnell
The Old Joint Stock, opposite Birmingham Cathedral, voted one of the UK’s top 25 pubs by the Observer newspaper, is offering any speciality pie for £10 during Flavour Fortnight.
Business District newcomer Gusto at the Grand hotel is offering two courses from the restaurant’s Lunch Menu with either a bottle of Peroni Red, 175ml Garganega Pinot Grigio or 175ml Montepulciano for £15 per person.
Meanwhile, Bennetts Hill new-opening Buffalo and Rye is offering a free cocktail when you spend £10 on food.
And Tom’s Kitchen at the Mailbox is offering 20% off the food bill for the duration of Flavour Fortnight (excluding Saturday nights).
These are just a small selection of the tantalising treats on offer during Flavour Fortnight. Find out how to book by visiting http://www.birminghamflavourfortnight.com/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BhamFlavour/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BhamFlavour
Birmingham Weekender is a city-wide celebration of arts
Birmingham Weekender, the city’s biggest arts festival, which takes place between September 22– 24, is calling for people get involved either through becoming part of the programme or by joining the team of volunteers.
The three-day festival, which is being supported by Retail BID, will feature performances and events from the city’s major arts organisations, independent artists and international artists. Community groups and creative individuals are invited to get involved with two projects Culture Catwalk and Rangeeli – Colours of Birmingham Parade, both of which will transform the city centre.
Culture Catwalk returns following its successful outing in 2015 to celebrate art at the heart of the city. Culture Catwalk is produced by Southside Producers in partnership with The Old Rep and Beatfreeks and will shine a light on Birmingham’s finest community creative talent, capturing the vibrancy and diversity of the city. Artists from across the city are invited to take to the red carpet to sing, dance, slide and perform. Culture Catwalk is a celebration of everything that makes us Brummie!
Rangeeli – Colours of Birmingham Parade will be a spectacular city-wide parade and with the input of the citizens of Birmingham, the parade will celebrate and share the heritage of Birmingham with a South Asian twist – Utsav style! Community groups, dance troupes and marching bands are invited to get involved forming part of the parade.
Participants will meander their way through the city with unique and distinctive flags, hand-held puppets, masks and costumes accompanied by Harminder, an amazing, life-size, mechanical elephant. Colours of Birmingham culminates with a crescendo of sound including dhol and Brazilian beats, exhilarating kathakali, Bollywood, bhangra, bharatanatyam, African and contemporary dance and a colourful kaleidoscope of South Asian patang kites.
Birmingham Weekender relies on an army of volunteers to welcome visitors and audiences to the city. People interested in getting involved can find out more at the next Volunteers drop in event on 19 July at Cherry Reds in Birmingham.
Groups and individuals interested in signing up to strut their stuff on Culture Catwalk, perform as part of Colours of Birmingham or volunteer across the Weekender should visit birminghamweekender.com for more information or email birminghamweekender@culturecentral.co.uk
Birmingham Weekender is brought to the city by Culture Central, the cultural development agency for Birmingham.
www.birminghamweekender.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BhamWeekender
The Culture Card
Our good friends at Brumpic are launching the region’s first Culture Card this summer, which will give card-holders discounted access to some of the UK’s top visitor attractions.
The scheme offers exclusive offers and reduced-price access to the best arts, culture and heritage in the West Midlands and beyond.
For £12.95 a year, card holders are able to access offers and exclusive events at over 30 of the region’s top destinations including Warwick Castle, Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, Glee Club, Birmingham Botanical Gardens and more. By visiting the Culture Card venues just once throughout the year, each card holder can save around £250 on tickets and purchases, according to a press release.
David Oram, founder of Brumpic, said: “We are excited about launching the region’s first Culture Card.
“We’ve got the top heritage and cultural destinations on-board, and are offering something really quite special to residents and visitors to the region.
“Not only do card holders get great discounts at the destinations, but they will also be able to enjoy some exclusive events.”
The Brumpic Culture Card can be purchased at www.culturecard.uk at £12.95 (£20 for 2) and is valid for 12 months. The card holder is able to access a great range of offers which include;
- 40% off entry to Warwick Castle
- 2 for 1 tickets at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
- 2 for 1 entry at Birmingham Botanical Gardens
- 25% off selected performances at Glee Club
- 20% off annual passes to Ironbridge and Birmingham Museums
Members will also have access to the very latest news and announcements from Brumpic and the partner organisations. More discounts and events will be announced over the coming months.
Plus the first 200 card holders will receive a limited edition enamel Brumpic pin badge.
Culture Cards will be available to purchase from July 6, 2017, at www.culturecard.uk
Colmore Business District workers in Church Street Square, Birmingham, for National Clean Air Day
Colmore Business District workers were keen to show their support for the first National Clean Air Day by taking part in various initiatives aimed at tackling Birmingham’s critical levels of air pollution.
Among them was leading property consultancy CBRE, which revealed one of the new ‘city bikes’ staff will be using to travel to meetings.
Temple Row-based CBRE recently took delivery of four bikes and Birmingham office managing director Martin Guest gave one of them a trial run for National Clean Air Day.
More than 100 people work for CBRE in Birmingham and staff will be encouraged to use the new bikes when travelling around the city.
Birmingham is one of the worst-hit areas outside London for dangerous levels of nitrogen dioxide pollution with a recent study by Public Health England warning that air pollution was responsible for up to 900 deaths a year in the city.
Colmore Business District BID has been encouraging the 30,000 workers in the area to take part in the first ever National Clean Air Day on June 15, which saw a host of initiatives at schools, businesses and outdoor spaces across the UK.
Among the Birmingham businesses taking part in National Clean Air Day were Brewin Dolphin, Eversheds, BDP, Systra, Anthony Collins Solicitors, East Village PR, FleetMilne Property, Gowling WLG and restaurant group Opus along with Lisa Trickett, Birmingham City Council Cabinet Member for Clean Streets, Recycling and Environment.
The Colmore Row area was recently designated a Green Travel District (GTD) as part of a pilot project aimed at transforming Birmingham business life.
Martin Guest of CBRE with the office team and Philip Singleton of Colmore BID, right
Martin Guest said: “As a business we are committed to supporting a range of social and environmental initiatives. We actively encourage employees to participate and to give their time and energy to helping causes and campaigns such as National Clean Air Day.
“As a member of Colmore BID, our staff did their bit to help make the air in Birmingham that little bit cleaner for the day by choosing greener alternative methods of transport for commuting into the office and getting around the city, for example by using our CBRE ‘city bikes’ to travel to meetings.”
Paul Fielding, the Chairman of the BID working group that includes the Green Travel District initiative, said: “I am really pleased with the responses from across all scales of businesses in our area to the initiative, reflecting the importance of clean air now and in the future.”
Press release issued on behalf of Colmore BID
A VCHP volunteer at work
A charity that provides eye tests and glasses to homeless people in Birmingham can support an extra 25 vulnerable people after receiving a grant for £1,000.
Homeless people suffer a higher level of eye problems than the general population yet many don’t get the eye care they need.
Vision Care for Homeless People (VCHP), is a charity that provides sight tests and glasses to homeless and vulnerable people in a friendly environment where they feel safe and welcome.
The charity, based at SIFA Fireside in Digbeth, received the £1,000 grant from the Birmingham-based Wisdom Factory CIC, a social enterprise that offers training and other services for numerous local and global clients plus national research projects.
At least 5% of all income to The Wisdom Factory CIC is set aside for a grant fund that distributes amounts between £250 and £1,000 for community groups, charities and social enterprises to use on projects that will benefit communities living in Birmingham.
Homeless people need glasses to find accommodation, gain employment or undertake everyday activities.
They find high street opticians difficult to access, are prone to losing or breaking their glasses, and often miss out on having their glasses paid for by the NHS, so cannot afford them.
In England each year, there is a need for 20,000 homeless people to have their eyes tested. VCHP currently meets 9% of that need, but aims to be reaching 40% in five years.
VCHP has eye clinics in London, Brighton, Manchester, Exeter and in Birmingham. The clinic in Birmingham is based at SIFA Fireside in Digbeth, a hub for homeless people, providing breakfast and lunch every weekday.
The clinic is open every Monday from 9am to 1pm (except for Bank holidays), and provides free eye tests and glasses, referring clients for further medical care for conditions such as glaucoma when needed.
Over the last year, the clinic treated 157 patients. Each consultation can take 45 minutes as clients can have complex mental and physical health needs.
David Brown, General Manager of Vision Care for Homeless People, said: “For someone who is homeless, having an eye test and glasses can be a very important step in helping them get back on their feet again.
“Thanks to the Wisdom Factory we will be able to provide that service for 25 people who are homeless in Birmingham.”
VCHP patient Brian Shepherd said: “I like to spend time in the local library reading and so my glasses mean a lot to me. Thank you.”
For more information about VCHP visit http://www.visioncarecharity.org/
For more information about SIFA Fireside visit http://www.sifafireside.co.uk/
For more information about The Wisdom Factory visit http://www.thewisdomfactory.org/
Press release issued by Edwin Ellis Creative Media on behalf of The Wisdom Factory CIC
The Lapworth Museum of Geology. Picture: Lee Allen
A tiny Birmingham museum is taking on the Tate Modern in London for the £100,000 Museum of the Year prize.
The Lapworth Museum of Geology at the University of Birmingham is one of five contenders for the title of Art Fund Museum of the Year.
Containing the region’s finest collection of fossils, volcanic rocks, dinosaur bones and other rare specimens, the Lapworth has been in the Aston Webb Building at the University’s Edgbaston campus for almost a century.
Birmingham-based Associated Architects carried out a major renovation of the museum in 2015, which improved the collection’s accessibility using new methods of display and provided dedicated facilities for school and community groups.
The Aston Webb Building is Grade II* listed and the challenge of sensitively improving public accessibility to the museum, while preserving its architecture for future generations, was a key aspect the works and a primary focus for Heritage Lottery Funding.
The Lapworth had just 20,000 visitors a year before its redevelopment and now welcomes 50,000.
Tate Modern is Britain’s national gallery of international modern art and forms part of the Tate group. Currently showing a major retrospective of works by David Hockney, Tate Modern welcomes more than five million visitors each year.
The other three contenders on the shortlist are the Hepworth Wakefield, built around the works of Dame Barbara Hepworth; Sir John Soane’s Museum, a 19th century London townhouse filled with the collection of the great neo-classical architect; and The National Heritage Centre for Horseracing and Sporting Art in Newmarket, which was opened by the Queen in November.
Richard Perry, Director at Associated Architects, said: “It has been a fantastically rewarding project to be involved with.
“A shared vision with the University and wider team has been key to its success, blending contemporary design with a historically sensitive listed building to create a museum fit for the future.
“What’s not to love about being greeted by an enormous Allosaurus skeleton as you enter a museum?”
The Lapworth Museum is now asking visitors to share selfies and other photographs and comments of the Lapworth through social media to tell Art Fund judges why they think it should win.
These updates need to be tagged Art Fund (@artfund) and Lapworth Museum (@LapworthMuseum) with the hashtags #museumoftheyear and #lapworthrocks.
Art Fund will be offering a weekly prize of a National Art Pass and a museum goody bag for their favourite post (across all five museums). The Lapworth will also award a prize to favourite posts each week.
The winning museum will receive £100,000, while the other shortlisted museums will receive £10,000 each. The winner will be announced on July 5.
Press released issued on behalf of Associated Architects
Aston mum Shah Begum will be making her marathon debut at the Birmingham International Marathon
With less than six months to go until the first ever Birmingham International Marathon, organisers have revealed the number of people signed up to take part has now passed 7,000.
The inaugural Birmingham International Marathon takes place on Sunday, October 15; the same day as the Simplyhealth Great Birmingham Run half marathon, which means more than 25,000 people could be running in Birmingham that day.
And to make the Great Birmingham Run weekend a true family festival of running, entries are now open for the Junior and Mini Great Birmingham Runs, taking place at Alexander Stadium, the home of UK Athletics, on Saturday, October 14.
The Mini Run is open to children of all abilities aged 3-8 and the Junior Run is open to 9-15 year-olds.
This month’s Simplyhealth Great Birmingham 10K is the ideal training run for anyone taking part in the marathon later this year. The Great Birmingham 10K takes place on Sunday, April 30 and a limited number of entries are still open.
Gareth Turnbull, Great Run Company Business Development Manager, and former middle-distance runner for Ireland, said: “The long summer nights were made for more than just your barbeque!
“The wonderful atmosphere of our 10k run will inspire you to train through the coming months and gradually help you build up to an amazing marathon experience.”
Starting at Alexander Stadium, the marathon will take in iconic city sights like Villa Park, Selfridges, Edgbaston Cricket Ground and picturesque Cannon Hill Park before finishing at Millennium Point in front of thousands of cheering spectators.
One of the world’s leading multi-marathon athletes is still on track to break a running record when he takes on the Birmingham International Marathon later this year.
Coventry-born Steve Edwards is aiming to break the world record for running 800 official marathon races in the fastest average finish time at the first-ever Birmingham International Marathon.
Conversely, Aston mum Shah Begum is planning to tackle her first marathon in Birmingham. Since taking up running just two years ago, she shed six stone and now inspires other running first-timers through inspirational social media messages.
The Birmingham International Marathon will also feature on the schedule of extraordinary fundraiser ‘Blind’ Dave Heeley.
The endurance athlete is marking his 60th year by taking on the Great Run series’ entire 2017 events calendar, in aid of the Albion Foundation, which it is understood will be a world first for a blind pairing.
Birmingham is widely regarded as the birthplace of mass participation long-distance running events and the Birmingham International Marathon will cement the city’s position as the European Capital of Running.
Birmingham staged one of the country’s first open-to-all marathons, the People’s Marathon, which ran from 1980-85 and was organised by late Solihull-based elite runner John Walker.
Sign up for the Birmingham International Marathon at https://www.greatrun.org/birmingham-international-marathon
Entries are now open for the Great Birmingham Run 2017. Sign up at https://www.greatrun.org/great-birmingham-run
Sign up for the Junior and Mini Great Birmingham Runs at http://www.greatrun.org/great-birmingham-run/juniorandminibirmingham
The Colmore Bee Garden
The first rooftop bee garden in the Colmore Business District is creating a buzz among workers and visitors to the area.
The Colmore Bee Garden has been installed on the rooftop meadow at 2 Colmore Square by Colmore Business Improvement District (BID) in partnership with Urban Buzz, a project at Buglife – The Invertebrate Conservation Trust, with the support of the Colmore Square management team.
The garden consists of three hexagonal honeycomb planters containing plants that offer a diverse range of pollen and nectar throughout the season.
Bees are vitally important in our eco system and bee gardens in cities provide essential foraging opportunities for hungry pollinators. In urban environments bees have few opportunities to feed, but many species of bee must feed every 40 minutes in order to survive.
How the Birmingham Post covered the Colmore Bee Garden
Urban Buzz is a new project using innovative techniques to create eight ‘Buzzing Cities’ in England and Wales for pollinators, transforming mown and unused urban sites into 200 hectares of rich and vibrant habitat for pollinating insects, and engage 80,000 people with their local Buzzing Hotspots.
It is expected a wide variety of bees will benefit from the Colmore Bee Garden, from bumblebees in March through to solitary bees in late spring and honeybees feeding as a pit stop on their journey through the city.
“Colmore BID is keen for businesses to participate in the bee garden project as it grows. The BID has also started to investigate a range of urban greening initiatives and is encouraging District based-businesses to get involved,” said Henry Tonks, Strategic Advisor, Colmore BID.
Press release issued by Edwin Ellis Creative Media on behalf of Colmore BID (Business Improvement District)
The former Ted Baker store at the corner of New Street and Cannon Street in Birmingham city centre
An application has been made to change the use of a prominent unit in Birmingham city centre from retail to restaurant.
Plans have been lodged with Birmingham City Council to turn the Grade II-listed building on the corner of New Street and Cannon Street into a restaurant for an unidentified national chain.
Until 2014 fashion retailer Ted Baker occupied the unit.
Planning documents said: “There has been positive interest from retail operators and consent is sought to pursue this use, to keep the unit occupied on a long-term basis.
“The intended occupier is undisclosed but represents a well-known, popular national restaurant chain that will complement the local offering.”
Around 30 new full- and part-time jobs will be created at the new restaurant.
New Street is known for its high footfall, which has attracted the likes of Byron Hamburgers, Apple, TSB and Second Cup Coffee Company to open there in recent months.
Written for the Spring 2017 edition of Retail BID Birmingham’s Edit magazine.
Runners at the Great Birmingham 10K
Organisers of the Simplyhealth Great Birmingham 10k are to create a distinctly Commonwealth theme at the event to raise the profile of the city’s bid to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
The popular city centre run, which is now in its third year, is staged on Sunday 30th April and will feature elite teams from selected Commonwealth nations as well as representatives of all running abilities from across the globe.
“The campaign will put the spotlight on the city of Birmingham and their bid to host the Games in 2026.” said Great Run Communications Director, David Hart.
“By staging an elite race with a Commonwealth theme and also inviting representatives of other nations and territories, it will help celebrate Birmingham’s cultural diversity through this great event in the sporting calendar.”
“With a population of over a million people in the city and an array of nationalities, we’re looking forward to a spectacular day in Birmingham.”
Applicants interested in representing their Commonwealth nation or territory should apply via a dedicated email address, commonwealth@greatrun.org and be able to confirm they are a passport holder or born in the relevant Commonwealth nation.
The University of Birmingham already have a large team signed up to take part in the event and have pledged to support the campaign.
The Commonwealth initiative is the next stage in the development of the Simplyhealth Great Birmingham 10k in which entrants are treated to a host of music, with themed warm ups from different era’s and up to a dozen bands playing on the route.
Cllr Ian Ward, Deputy Leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “This is a fun event that demonstrates that sport in Birmingham is not just for elite athletes – it really is inclusive and for everyone.
“We are delighted to be able to stage and support mass participation events like this that get people active and help raise money for good causes.
“Given the Commonwealth theme and our aspirations to host the Games in 2026, I look forward to a big turnout to underline the support for our effort to secure the Games for Birmingham.”
The Simplyhealth Great Birmingham 10k is accessible to all levels of ability, whether you walk, jog or run the route. For those looking for a bigger challenge, it’s also a great training run in preparation for the Simplyhealth Great Birmingham Run half marathon or the inaugural Birmingham International Marathon to be held in the city in October.
To find out more about the campaign, visit greatrun.org/birmingham10k.
It has also been confirmed that the Simplyhealth Great Birmingham 10k will be televised live on Channel 5 on the 30th April.
