march 2015 Issue no.

40

Looking good
in a tee shirt
Fashion expert
Taylor Sheldon
Page 6

View from
the classroom
Pegasus Principal
Catherine Lavelle
Page 16

Who do you
think you are?
NECshow
tickets
Page 20

FIRST TIME
EvERy TIME

Kingsburys new boss insists on top discipline

comment

Pupils are working with their

class teacher. The headteacher
walks into the room. Every
pupil stands up silently.
He greets them, shares a brief conversation with them, and asks
them to sit and continue with their
work.

Kingsburys new headteacher

Mark Rhatigan with Year 9 pupils

It happens in every classroom at

Kingsbury. When the head or deputy
walks in, the pupils stand up, as a mark
of respect.
The atmosphere around the school is
positive, well ordered, friendly and
calm.
The pupils speak highly of their school.
They like the recent changes. They
appreciate the discipline, and good
learning atmosphere that has been created this term. Teachers, too, are positive about the new rgime.
We needed it, confided one teacher.
This is a school that has been languishing in special measures for over a year.
It has had some shattering Ofsted
reports, and has seen a 13% dip in its
exam results in the past two years.
Now the tide has turned. Not before
time, a new headteacher has been
brought in, as the school moves into a
partnership with Fairfax Academy Trust.
Mark Rhatigan is a strong leader with a

Back to LocaL
school... joBs
91 years Page 8
later
Page 2

Page 4

500 racers
on Asda
Car Park

Hundreds of car cruisers

are gathering in various
locations to race along Fort
Parkway, and near Bassetts
Pole.

good track record. He turned The

Coleshill School around, and brought it
out of special measures. He led Arthur
Terrys Sixth Form to excellence.
Now hes got the job of turning
Kingsbury School around, and within
the first few weeks, he seems to be well
on the way to success.
Theres more to do, he admits. But the
focus on discipline seems to be taking
effect.
When the pupils first arrive in the classroom, they must enter in silence. The
teacher will greet them at the door.
Pupils put their equipment and planner
on the desk.They do the first task in
silence.
This routine is followed by every class.
Its a habit inducing system that paves
the way for good learning.
It will also please parents, all of whom
want to know that their child is learning
in a well-managed environment.
Ofsted had slammed the school in
reports for failing to deal with pupil disruption.
That problem has been tackled.
Mark Rhatigans First Time, Every
Time mantra is followed by all teachers, and all pupils.
Its a healthy and positive way of promoting a good atmosphere that doesnt
rely on shouting or punishment.
It relies on establishing good habits.
And its working at Kingsbury.

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Sometimes, up to 200 cars are

meeting in one venue.
Sergeant Tony Eustace, of West
Midlands Police, said that over 500
cars gathered recently on the car
park of the Asda Superstore in
Minworth, ready for a racing session.
The problem of car cruising is
increasing in Birmingham, he told a
meeting
of
Castle
vales
Neighbourhood Partnership Board
this week.
Birmingham residents are suffering
because the racers have been
moved away from other regions by
effective council action.
Wolverhampton, Dudley, Sandwell
and Walsall Councils have teamed
together to secure an injunction
that has cut down the problem in
those areas.
But the court order has shifted the
problem to the Birmingham area.
One Castle vale resident said car
cruisers used to gather on Sunday
evenings, but more recently, the
racing can be heard on several
evenings of the week.
Police say that racers are using
social media to communicate with
each other to avoid police patrols.
One report suggests that racers
have a specific phone app to help
them communicate with each other
and set up ad-hoc meeting venues.
Tackling car cruisers is a priority for
police in this area, Sergeant
Eustace assured the meeting.

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Back to school
91 years later
tyburn Mail

page 2

Almas happy return to Ryland Road Elementary School

Alma Jones paid a visit to

her old school, Erdington
Hall, last week, 91 years
after she first started
there.

Alma, now aged 96, first walked

through the doors of the school building in 1924.
In those days, it was called Ryland
Road Elementary School, and children
stayed there until they were 14 years
old.

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Alma, from a school photograph

at Erdington Hall. It used to be
Ryland Road Elementary School.

There have been plenty of changes in

those nine decades, but the old parts
of the building are much the same.
And the school has kept the log books
and enrolment registers since it first
opened in 1918. Alma, whose maiden
name was Hewlett, has her name
neatly handwritten in the entry for
19th November 1924.
Alma now lives in Poole, in Dorset,
and travelled up to Erdington Hall
Primary School with her son to visit the
place where she grew up, and received
her education.
Talented and bright young girls like
Alma did not have the same opportunities that they have today. Women
were not even allowed to vote at elections until 1928.
It was an unequal world. But Alma
made the most of her talents, and
trained at a business college in the
centre of Birmingham. Her Dad had to
pay for that part of her education.
Alma learned shorthand, typing and

Above: 96 year-old Alma Jones (nee Hewlett), back at Erdington Hall, with
Zaka Hussain and Lily-Mai McLaughlin, both aged 10.
Below: the register that records Almas enrolment to the school in 1924

book-keeping, and moved down to

London where she became a stenographer.
Thats a skill that requires superfast
shorthand and typing skills. In the
days before digital recording equipment, courts of law used to have stenographers to write down and record
every word that was said.
Alma went higher than that. She
worked in the civil service and recorded some of the items in Hansard, the
official record of words spoken in the
Houses of Parliament. Some achievement.
And after all these years, she still
remembers her early school days. Mr
Chatterley was the headtecher, she
recalls, with a smile.

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of tattoo parlour

The director of a tattoo shop in

Castle Vale has been jailed for
a total of 12 weeks for a series
of offences.

Stephen Sebastian Delaney, aged 22, of

Farnborough Road, is also set to appear
at Birmingham Crown Court next month
where he will be sentenced for a further
crime of cannabis production.
The court heard that he had produced a
large quantity of cannabis, more than
for personal use, and that there was
evidence of drug dealing.
Delaney is listed as a director of the
Needle2Skin
tattoo
parlour
in

Farnborough Road, Castle vale.

He was jailed last Friday after he failed
to keep to conditions of court orders for
previous offences, and failed to surrender to custody in breach of bail conditions.
Birmingham magistrates heard that he
has a flagrant disregard for court
orders.

She has fond memories of playing golf

at Pype Hayes Golf Club. She and her
golf team won a trophy and had their
photograph
published
in
the
Birmingham Gazette (now called the
Birmingham Mail).
On her return visit last week, Alma
spent time talking to some of the
schools pupils. They must have been
impressed by her charm, her intellect,
and her achievements.
Alma uses a wheelchair after a car
accident a few years ago left her with
two broken legs and two broken arms.
She smiles as she tells the story. In
fact, she smiled all through her visit.
Her cheerful and kindly character
charmed us all last Friday.
Delaney had previously been given a 12
week suspended prison sentence by
Leeds magistrates in September 2014
for driving a silver Nissan Qashqai vehicle in Middleton, Leeds, while he was
disqualified from holding a licence.
In September 2013 he was given a
community
order
by
Redditch
Magistrates for driving a vauxhall Corsa
on the M42 while he was disqualified,
and having taken the vehicle without
consent.
In August 2012, Delaney, then aged 19,
was prosecuted for driving in Erdington
without a licence and without insurance. He was on that occasion given six
penalty points for the driving offence,
and was electronically tagged for a sixweek curfew for possession of
cannabis.
A spokesperson for Needle2Skin said
that the tattoo shop will continue to
operate with its consortium of artists
and will not be affected by the absence
of one of its directors.

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Promoted and Produced by Andrew Garcarz: 1136 Tyburn Road, Birmingham B24 0TB. Printed by Trinity Mirror Printing Ltd, Erdington

tyburn Mail

page 3

letters and emails to

Tyburn Mail Greenwood

WrIte to: tyburnmail@yahoo.co.uk or by post to: the editor, tyburn

mail, Lower Ground Floor, topcliffe house, B35 6Bt
tyburn mail does not publish anonymous letters, but we
will withold your name and address if you request it.

20mph and
still not safe

Dear Readers,
Having had a 20 mile speed limit introduced on the estate for road safety
reasons which I can understand, then

schools should start teaching children

how to use the road and zebra crossings.
Also CvCHA should send someone
around the estate to stop people parking on corners.
On a few occasions I have almost run
people over just because I could not
see them when turning the corner.
Concerned driver.
(details supplied)

Public should be
properly informed
Dear Editor

Firstly, thank you for

bringing the public
consultation to my
attention.
Without
your article on page 15
of the February edition
of the Tyburn Mail I
would not have known
this "public consultation" was taking place.
I received my copy of
the Tyburn Mail on
Saturday 21 February
and the "public consultation" was taking place
on Monday 23 February
between 3:00pm and
6:30 pm.
I do not believe that
Greenwood Academy or
CvCHA can call this a
"public
consultation"
when they have only
advised parents and
carers of pupils who
attend
Greenwood
Academy. Castle vale
has been through many
changes over the years
that I have lived here;
27 years so far, and has
always consulted the
estate as a whole. The
building of a new school
impacts on every member of the Castle vale
community and this

consultation is not
engaging
with
the
whole community.
I
therefore believe this is
not a meaningful public
consultation as it is not
engaging
with
the
whole community.
This is not just a simple
planning application;
this is another big
change to the estate.
Not only will we lose our

Easter
message

last bit of remaining

public open space but
we will most likely gain
more housing on the
existing site. Do the
community want this?
They should be given
the opportunity to have
their say.
I
urge
Greenwood
Academy, the CvCHA
and
anyone
else
involved in this to fully
engage the local community.
Regards
Nichola Shandley
Brabazon Grove

Comments from
success is Tyburn Mails
good news online news site

for all of us
Dear Editor/Readers,

l want to express my sincere

acknowledgement at the ultimate
level to Greenwood Academy for
coming out on top, the highest in
the GCSE results for the year 2014
among the secondary schools
serving the Tyburn Ward area.
As we are all aware of the negative and
inferior press this school had not long
ago, l would say a few years back and
it would be definitely and absolutely
logical for parents and guardians to
ponder if its the best and wisest idea to
send their children there to pursue their
secondary education, rightly so.
Now there are remarkable improvements in the GCSE results and good
status recognition for the Office of
Standard in Education (OFSTED) and
from my observation and knowledge
getting a good status praise from OFSTED the entire school has to be working
well in all or as many areas as possible
so l want to commend Mr Harry French,
Principal and all the members of staff
under his command at all level in the
Castle vale institution for working very
diligent, shrewd and clever to yield
these results of satisfaction.
l strongly believe in academic improvement at all ages for individuals, especially for the children, as it is definitely
a way of making our city of Birmingham
better as well as the United Kingdom
and the world at large.
l am looking forward to even further
enhancement for the year 2015 for
Greenwood Academy in education and l
am confident that Mr Harry French and
his staff will continue to deliver and
raise the status bar for Castle vale community, for the parents and children to
be confident, also to increase attendance from within Castle vale and the
wider Tyburn area.

Sincerely yours,
R O muschette
Castle vale

Dear All,
We have heard a lot lately about
Spitfire island with all the road works
etc. and I was reminded about the real
Spitfires that used to fly from the airfield that was here on the vale and
how they helped to defeat the enemy

in World War 2.
Many years back Jesus was crucified
and lifted up on a Cross and defeated
the powers of darkness (including
death) by being our sin bearer.
He rose from the grave and ascended
to heaven and lives (one day He's
coming back)!
All who follow Him believe he will take
us to be where He is when we depart.
Hallelujah for Easter!
Happy Easter everybody.
David Townsend
Castle vale

Dear Readers
I would like to thank colleagues, customers & all those who collected in
store for the Royal British Legion
Poppy Appeal in raising 9871.06.

Special thanks to Gerry and Ann for

organising the event again this year.
Kind regards
Sheila Hyland
Sainsburys, Castle vale

10k of poppies

the april
tyburn mail
will be
published on
Wednesday 29th
april
Write by email to:
tyburnmail
@yahoo.co.uk

opinions expressed on the letters

pages are published in the interests of free speech. they do not
necessarily reflect the views of
tyburn Mail.

tyburn Mail

Closed Frankie and

Bennys restaurant
site to be demolished
to
make
room for more car
parking space for
Jaguar workers:

John miles
It will be sad to see this
restaurant go, but we
are surrounded by many
other reasonably priced
places
to eat. I think jobs and
the expansion of Jaguar
has to take priority.

Leanne
Whats the point the
jaguar workers dont
even park in the car
parking space they park
on residental properties
instead. Absolute disgrace

Anonymous
I think its about time we
as residents are issued
with parking permits as
myself im sick of being
blocked in and I dont
think they would appreciate a knock on their
doors at 5 am

mandy kelleher
We have the same problem on Kingsbury Rd
with lorries and cars
blocking our drives by
the public who want to
visit the shops or the
cafe near to tyburn
island

mad man
I see them parking at
the junction of Cobham

close and yatesbury

Avenue every morning at
least 3 cars park every
day and take up residents parking spaces.
We dont need parking
permits,we need the
employer of these people to warn them again
about not parking on our
estate and if they continue,then sack them..
I say the employer of
these people because
they could be agency
worker or employees of
JLRwhich
ever
way,they all are wearing
JLR high vis jackets

Anon
The drivers causing
these problems are
workers on the Jaguar
site regardless of who
they
are
actually
employed by. Jaguar
needs to take action to
stop their employees
and contractors from
causing this nuisance.
Parking restrictions are
not the solution as this
will just push the problem elsewhere. yes,
Jaguar have created
jobs, but they still need
to show more consideration to nearby residents
and businesses.

Nemesis
I was under the impression that the only public roads on the vale are
the main ones like
Tangmere Drive and
Farnborough Road. All
the rest are part of the
estate, therefore residents have priority for

page 4

parking. paying road tax

doesnt give the right to
cause nuisance and
inconvenience. I agree
with Leanne. Sheer selfishness.

A shoplifter has
been put on a curfew and told to
attend a thinking
skills and anger
management
course

The Equaliser
A curfew, thinking skills,
anger
management
?.what does this
skiprat have to do, to get
locked up ? We shouldnt
be wasting valuable
resources and time on
human detritus like
thisthrow the key
away.

Castle Pool
opening hours

Adam
As a user of the pool and
a person whose children
work with the pool user
group, I would like to
THANK the pool user
group for your tireless
effort and hard work in
keeping the pool open,
without the group it was
likely the pool was
going to be closed due
to council funding cut
backs.
Support, dont criticise;
lets all make this work
together for the sake of
the Castle vale residents
and their children!

KaYs hIstorY

a monthly series of ancient facts by local history

enthusiast Kay hunter who lectures on his
subject in Birmingham and West Bromwich.
Kay also broadcasts on 107.5 switch radio.

FRoZEn
tHAMES

The River Thames, Londons flowing artery, was not always as

now. But in 1684, it was frozen
solid.
in England 1684 was particularly harsh, with ice between 11
inches (28 cm) and 18 inches (43
cm) thick on its frozen surface.
However, this gave a welcome
and unexpected boost to the local
economy.
market stalls, food sellers,

booths, puppet shows, of various

kinds were hastily constructed,
giving local tradesmen the additional opportunity to sell their
wares.
Pamphlets were printed and sold
as souvenirs of the occasion.
The last recorded frost fair on
the Thames was in 1814-15.

Kay is now running a monthly local history group

at castle Vale Library in spitfire house.
the group meets each month, starting on 24th
march from 2-4pm.entry is free. all welcome.

Tyburn Mail

page 5

Eachelhurst
Road school
site will not be
ready till 2017

The free school for 90 excluded teenagers planned for

Eachelhurst Road in Pype
Hayes will not be built in time
to open in September 2105.

The pupils and staff will use a different site until the new school building is
ready in 2017.
A letter from Lord Nash from the
Governments Education Department
indicates that the school owners, EBN
(East Birmingham Network), will use a
site in Stockland Green until the
Eachelhurst Road site is completed.
The Stockland Green site is listed with
the postcode B23 ONY.
That is the site of The Bridge Special
School, which also has a site in Sutton
Coldfield that can accommodate all of
its 80 pupils.
The Bridge School abandoned the
Stockland Green site in 2014 and
moved all of its pupils, staff and
resources to its Sutton Coldfield site.
The building in Reservoir Road is currently vacant.
Residents of Pype Hayes who are
objecting to the EBN plans for
Eachelhurst Road on the basis that it
presents road safety issues, are angry
that Lord Nashs letter seems to assume
that planning permission will be granted, though the letter is worded carefully and does not explicitly state this.
Some are questioning why the school
should open in one readily available
site, and then transfer to another, as
yet unbuilt site.

Tee Party

Tyburn Mail

page 6

Made in Chelsea look is

classy, dressy and doesnt
cost a Chelsea fortune
by

Taylor
Sheldon

Tyburn Mails
fashion
reporter

ILS
TYBURN MAN
ING
IN
AWARD W
R
REPORTE

When youre getting

ready for a night out
everyone thinks that you
need to go out and buy a
brand new outfit, with a
blinding
amount
of
sparkles and the biggest
price tag.

However, what would you say if

I said you could dress up something as simple as an oversized
white tee?

That I have no idea what I'm talking

about, probably.
But just the other day I watched the
Red Nose Day advert on YouTube, featuring Lily Allen who's dancing around,
modelling their new t shirts they are
selling to raise money.
I loved the way they had styled the
tops and it gave me inspiration into
how easy it is to dress up something
as basic as a t shirt.
Texture, texture, texture! A black
leather skater skirt or shorts, wax
skinny jeans or disco pants would be
perfect to pair with an oversized white
tee, that's slightly tucked in at the
front.
Then, accessorise with a glitzy clutch
bag, your favourite pair of dangly earrings, loosely curled hair and some
heels (go for black to follow the cool
monochrome theme or a brighter pair
for a pop of colour).
Or, follow in the fashion footsteps of
Lucy Watson as she recently strutted a
high street slogan tee (buy from
Mango for 34.99).
The black, sheer material decorated
in bold, glittery writing looked great on
top of a black bralette.
Then, paired with some leather
shorts, a fitted blazer and black heels

photo: Instagram: @imlucywatson / @tiffanyc_watson

Made in Chelseas Lucy Watson, looking a million dolars... in a black tee shirt

for the pulled together, party look.

A great way to make a tee go from

casual to dressy in just a few easy

steps!

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Tyburn Mail

page 7

JOBS-JOBS-JOBS-JOBS-JOBS-JOBS-JOBS-JOBS-JOBS-JOBS
Targeted Support
Group Worker

(Part Time) 3 Years fixed term (subject

to funding) 12 hours per week
NJC Scale 14 17
Salary 16,230 per annum pro rata

Assistant Targeted
Support Group Worker

Home-Start Castle
Vale & Pype Hayes

Home-Start Castle Vale & Pype Hayes are seeking to recruit an

enthusiastic and flexible, part-time Targeted Support Group Worker
for 12 hours per week. This is an exciting new position funded as
part of a project grant from BBC Children in Need
You will be required to work alongside children, young people and
families in a group setting.
A relevant NVQ Level 3 or equivalent qualification plus parenting
experience is required.
Closing Date: Tuesday 7th April 2015 (12 noon)
Interviews: Monday 20th April 2015

Home-Start is committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable

adults. An enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check (formally CRB) will be required for this post.
To request an application pack please telephone
0121 7474631or e-mail homestartcastlevale@yahoo.co.uk
CVs are not accepted
The Sanctuary,Tangmere Drive, Castle Vale, Birmingham B35 7PX
Tel: 0121 7474631
homestartcastlevale@yahoo.co.uk

Castle Vale Community Regeneration Services (CVCRS) is a well established

charitable social enterprise with a primary focus on Castle Vale. CVCRS is a
subsidiary of Castle Vale Community Housing Association (CVCHA) and all
applications will be processed via CVCHA.

Vale Stadium Club Steward

(Part Time) 3 Years fixed term

(subject to funding)
8 hours per week
7.65 per hour

Home-Start Castle
Vale & Pype Hayes

Home-Start is a voluntary organisation

committed to promoting the welfare of
families with at least one child under 5 years of age.
We are seeking to recruit an enthusiastic and flexible, part-time
Assistant Targeted Support Group Worker for 8 hours per week.
This is an exciting new position funded as part of a project grant
from BBC Children in Need
You will be required to work alongside children, young people and
families, proving activities and support in a group setting.
A relevant NVQ Level 2 or equivalent qualification plus parenting
experience is required.

Closing Date: Tuesday 7th April 2015 (12 noon)

Interviews: Tuesday 21st April 2015
Home-Start is committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable
adults. An enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check (formally CRB) will be required for this post.

To request an application pack please telephone

0121 7474631or e-mail homestartcastlevale@yahoo.co.uk
CVs are not accepted
The Sanctuary, Tangmere Drive, Castle Vale, Birmingham,B35 7PX
Tel: 0121 7474631

homestartcastlevale@yahoo.co.uk

We are looking for a talented, enthusiastic and experienced Club Steward to

run the bar and function room of the Vale Stadium in Castle Vale.

Due to the nature of this role applicants will be expected to work unsocial hours reflecting upon the needs of the business. This will include Friday evening and weekend
working, cover for holidays in other locations, so a flexible approach to working hours
is absolutely essential.

Closing Date for receipt of applications is Monday 30th March 2015 at

12.00noon and interviews will be held on Friday 10th April 2015.

Further information and application packs are available to download from our website
at www.cvcha.org.uk or by calling the HR Team on 0121 748 8154

Please telephone
079606 19800
Help at Home Service

Casual Vacancies
for Handypersons
7.00 per hour

The Disability Resource Centre

(DRC) is one of the leading disability organisations operating in
Birmingham, Solihull and the wider
West Midlands.

A full driving licence with the ability to be mobile is essential together with a willingness to supply and
use your own tools.

For further details, together with

an application pack, please contact
Hasun Tayyub at the Disability
Resource Centres Head Office by
email at htayyub@disability.co.uk or
by telephone on 0121 248 4520.

This will be a paid four-year

apprenticeship with qualifications being obtained from
College as part of the process.
E-mailed applications only
please to:
walsall@clcgroup.com

Further information and application packs are available

to download from our website at www.cvcha.org.uk or by
calling the HR Team on 0121 748 8154.

We are looking to recruit a Caretaker on a casual basis to be responsible for the weekend opening, closing and cleaning of the Sanctuary building, to carry out minor repairs
when necessary and ensure security and safety of the building. Flexibility to cover
other facilities and weekdays when holiday cover is required.

Must have a clean

driving licence and
your own transport.

Apprentice Painter -

Closing Date for receipt of applications is Friday 27th March 2015 at

12.00noon and interviews will be held on Thursday 9th April 2015.

9.04 per hour

The Drome Cafe

& Fish Bar

CLC Group Ltd is an established property and asset

maintenance company with
branches nationwide.
The following vacancy has
arisen at our Walsall Office:

Due to the nature of this role applicants will be expected to work unsocial
hours. This will include evenings and weekend working, therefore a flexible
approach to working hours is essential.

Rate of Pay

Delivery
driver

Closing Date for applications:

Tuesday 31st March 2015, 12
noon
Interviews will be held on:
Wednesday 8th April 2015

In this role you will:

Be responsible for the day to day management of the bar, catering facility
and its staff.
Develop activities to maximise income generation and customer footfall.
Be responsible for the financial management of the facility.
Adhere to company policies and procedures and licensing laws
The successful candidates will
Have previous management experience
Have excellent customer service skills
Have experience of financial budgeting and procedures
Demonstrate the ability to build and maintain positive relationships with both
customers and other members of the team

Casual Caretaker, Castle Vale

page 8

wanted for

Salary:19,309 - 21,309 12 Months fixed term contract

Castle Vale Community Regeneration Services (CVCRS) is a well established charitable social enterprise with a primary focus on Castle Vale. CVCRS is a subsidiary of
Castle Vale Community Housing Association (CVCHA) and all applications will be
processed via CVCHA.

Tyburn Mail

We are currently working on

contracts in the Castle Vale
area.
The successful candidates will
Have experience within a caretaking or similar role
Have a customer focussed approach be courteous, friendly and
approachable
Have the ability to communicate with service users
Basic DIY to a good standard
Have the ability to lift and carry reasonable weight and move furniture
and equipment
Have basic knowledge of IT, e.g. inputting and retrieving information
Have knowledge of and understanding of Health and Safety requirements e.g. manual handling, use of chemical (COSHH) fire safety and
evacuation procedures.
In this role you will:
Be responsible for the weekend opening and closing of the premises
Ensure the security and safety of the premises and its occupants
Deal with enquiries coming into the office during out of hours taking
messages and passing to the relevant services
Carry out minor repairs
Maintain the plant room, ensure the heating/lighting system is operational and any faults reported to the building administrator
Work in accordance with the Health and Safety rules including reporting and recording any incidents or accidents

Security Dog
Handlers
wanted

You must have SIA

licence, your NASDU
or BIPDT certification
and your own dog
vehicle and dog.

Full and part time handlers

required.Self employed
with weekly pay.

Telephone
0121 661 4801

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Tyburn Mail

page 9

Valentine hamper
help for the hungry
by Sam Lowe
Employment and Crisis
Fund Officer CVTRA

Mac and Gurdeep

Singh the owners of
Castle Vale News in
Innsworth Drive have
held a Valentines raffle and helped to
raise
money
for
CVTRAs foodbank.

A hamper worth 100 was

made up and tickets sold.

Gurdeep said: We have just

added a new section to the
shop for Birthday cards,
Mothers Day and other special
occasions including balloons
and banners and other accessories to make that special day
even better! We have also
started to make up gift sets for
special occasions such as
Mothers Day, Easter etc.
So to kick off Valentines Day

Demolition

Jaguar Land Rover plans

to demolish Frankie and
Bennys restaurant on
Kingsbury Road.
The giant car-manufacturing
company has submitted an
application to Birmingham
Councils Planning Committee.

John Goodman (pictured) being presented with his prize by

Raj Singh from Castle Vale News in Innsworth Drive.

we thought it would be a great

idea to help the local community with the raffle and raise
funds for the food bank.
Over 150 was raised and
the lucky winner was Mr John
Goodman (pictured) being presented with his prize by Raj
Singh.
Mac and Gurdeep would like
to thank all their customers
who took part in the raffle and

JLR hope to have the building

demolished by the end of April,
to provide more car parking
space for their employees.
Frankie and Bennys closed in
September 2013, following a
drop-off in custom after the
Showcase cinema was closed
down for demolition in January
2013.
In October 2013, JLR said

helped to raise the funds!

CVTRAs
Operational
Manager Jane Roche said We
would like to say a very big
thank you to Gurdeep and Mac
for their donation; it will benefit people in the local community as the food bank has
become an invaluable service
for the residents of Castle
Vale.
that they had no plans to
demolish the restaurant,but
hoped to use the building as a
gym or training centre for
employees.
The success of JLRs Castle
Bromwich site in the past two
years has resulted in expansion and an increase in the
number of employees needing
car parking space locally.

Tyburn Mail

page 10

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Tyburn Mail page 11

Castle Vale
Community
Housing
Association

General Enquiries: 0121 748 8100

Repairs: 748 8101 (24 hours)
email: info@cvcha.org.uk

website: www.cvcha.org.uk
Opening hours:
Mon-Wed 9-5pm Thurs 9-7pm Fri 9-4pm.

CASTLE VALE COMMUNITY HOUSING ASSOCIATION, 11 HIGH STREET, CASTLE VALE, BIRMINGHAM B35 7PR

Farnborough Fields
Staff from CVCHA , CVCRS
and
the
Community
Environmental Trust attended
a consultation event at
Greenwood Academy on 23rd
February to share ideas and
hear residents views on the
future of Farnborough Fields.

As Greenwood Academy are proposing to

build a new school on part of the current
paddocks site on Farnborough Road,
CVCHA have been looking at the wider site
and ensuring that public access and use of
the Fields is retained.
CVCHA has engaged consultants KKP
who have expertise in the area of Sport
and Leisure Facilities.

KKP will produce a Master Plan and assist

the current discussions with Birmingham
City Council and the Football Association,
with a view to bidding for grants to help
improve Sport facilities, including the provision of one or more new artificial sports
pitches.
The map above shows the locations of
the proposed new school site, options for
relocating the paddocks areas, and potential development for Vale Stadium and
pitches.

The next consultation event will

be held on Tuesday 24th March
(details below), and further
events will be held over the next
few months.
If you are not able to attend on
the 24th, but would like to be
kept informed of future events,
please contact CVCHA on 0121
748 8100.

Farnborough Fields Consultation Event

Tuesday 24th March 2015, 3.30pm to 6.30pm at The Sanctuary, Tangmere Drive
Drop in to see the plans for the new school and ideas for the future development of the stadium , pitches and paddocks

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Tyburn Mail page 12

NEWS FROM CASTLE VALE COMMUNITY HOUSING ASSOCIATION

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Tyburn Mail page 13

NEWS FROM CASTLE VALE COMMUNITY HOUSING ASSOCIATION

GARDENING
COMPETITION

Let the
planting
begin

We are pleased to
announce the return
of the ever popular
G a r d e n i n g
Competition!
The competition is open
to all residents on the
estate; however this year
we have decided to open
it
community
wide,
therefore
including
schools, businesses and
community
organisations....we have already
received some entries
from residents & businesses so the gardening
bug is spreading!
We have added a few
new categories to get
your creativity flowing

such as best working or

vegetable garden, most
creative garden and
there will be a special
award for the best school
or local business.
There will be awards and
prizes for the winners &
runners up in each category, so enter as many
as you like!
If you have a small space
dont worry there is a
new trend sweeping the
gardening nation....guerrilla gardening & vertical
gardening, there is even
a website with tips &
ticks
to
help
you
http://www.
guerrillagardening.org

So how do you get involved in this great

community activity??
Just give Becki a call on 0121 748 8134
or collect an entry form from CVCHA
offices, Phoenix Court Hub or The
Sanctuary.

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Tyburn Mail

page 14

@ The Sanctuary 0121 748 8111

2-4 All Group

We need YOU!
New Members
Wanted for 2015

With all the financial strains and

cuts to services many day centres
and leisure facilities are facing closure, but our Health & Wellbeing
team are providing a free, friendly
social group supporting people
aged 18 years and above with life
limiting conditions and disabilities.
The group has been established for

many years, coming together on the

first and third Tuesdays of every month
and take part in arts & crafts, workshops, day trips, cinema afternoons,
music sessions and games. Some of the
2-4 All group are also participating in
our new social prescription projects,
which include singing, photography and
walking.
From the 20th April, the group will
meet on the first and third Monday of
each month at the Sanctuary from
11.00am until 12.30pm (except for bank
holidays when The Sanctuary is closed.)
If you would like to join this friendly
group, or would like more information
please contact Kirsty or Tracey on 0121
748 0874/8111

BRAND NEW FOR 2015

The Growing Kitchen

Knits n
pieces

When someone told

me I would be joining a
knitting group I gave a
little laugh. Why would
I want to sit and knit?
As the first evening
approached I turned up not
knowing what to expect.
There was no need to feel
uncomfortable going into a
new group because even
though I could not knit it
did not matter. There were
a couple of ladies there

Are you or somebody you know

aged 8-15?
Are you looking for something new
and fun to do in the Easter Holidays? If
so, get involved in our Growing Kitchen!
who could and guess what?
they were really friendly.
I didnt pick it up straight
away but they didnt mind
as they were always there
showing me new ways.
Soon I felt I could master
anything but in truth I had
just knitted my first square
which to my amazement
one of the ladies turned it
into a Bunny.
From that day onwards I
felt I had made some good
friends. While we are at the
group we dont stop laughing as there is always a
funny story being told. I
then started to think what
else do I benefit from by
being part of the Knits N

Pieces Group and realised

that if I didnt make the
effort to go I probably
would not have spoken to
anyone that day. Some of
the group say it helps to
keep their brain ticking,
others say it helps with
their joints, but I think its
just a friendly group to be
part of, where you can
learn new things.
If you would like to come
and see for yourself we
meet at the Sanctuary
every 2nd and 4th Monday
of each month from
4.00pm.
For more information contact Tracey Barrington on
0121 748 8112

You will get outdoors, cultivate areas

of land, and grow food to take home. If
you are interested in taking part, please
contact Kirsty Clarke at the Sanctuary
on 0121 748 0874/8111.

Tyburn Mail

page 15

EXAMS
by
Tyburn
Mail
student
journalist

Brookly Taylor

Exams are right around

the corner for all teenagers
right now. Some people
may be thinking, right
around the corner?!
Its only March.
March will soon be over,
and itll be April then MAY
before we know it. The
beginning of the year
always flies by so theyll
be here and gone before
you can even say the
word.
Being as theyre fast
approaching, and theres
lots to remember; I figured I would share some
ways you can study to
save hassle.
1.Motivate yourself! I
know you dont want to do
it, and youd much rather

be doing other things BUT

this is important. These
marks are going to help you
go further in life whether
you go into a career, or further education. People can
tell you grades dont matter, but they do when it
comes to school, and sixth
form/college. You need
those grades to get you
from school or college, and
then more to get you to
university if you choose.
Even
apprenticeships
want you to have good
grades.
THEY. ARE. IMPORTANT.
2. Post it notes. Cover
you wall or wardrobe doors

Good riddance
to thing that
goes bump in
the night
COMMENT

Motorists can now drive past

Centre Park on Tangmere Drive
without feeling a sudden jolt.
Their suspension, exhaust pipe
and passengers are no longer
shaken by something that was
ironically labelled as a traffic
calming device.

Gone, but not forgotten,

Castle Vales nightmare
neoprene bump

*Scuffs
*Scratches*Dents
*Full Resprays

We dont charge
extra on parts.
All you pay is cost.

with post it notes. Make all

those important revision
notes and plaster them
around your room, or even
around the house. So you
can be brushing your teeth,
and remember that light
travels in straight lines.
Remembering these small
things by using post it
notes, will help you a
bunch, even if you have a
bad memory. Seeing the
same things over and over
will make your brain be like
FINE!!! Ill remember!
Limited revision may result
to you remembering somethings but do you really
want to risk that? Limited
revision means that as soon
as you get into that freezing cold exam hall, its
gone!
3. Colour code. Give
everything
colours!
Different subjects, different
colour. The more colour you

The Transcalm bump has had the

opposite effect. Rather than calm people down, it kept residents awake and
made them angry. It damaged vehicles
and infuriated drivers.
Transcalm, the makers of the neoprene speed bump should be called to
account for promoting their product as
a solution rather than as a problem.
Castle Vale needs traffic calming
measures, especially to protect children and elderly people from speeding
motorists. But it doesnt need obstacles planted in the middle of the road
that cause expensive damage to vehicles no matter what speed they are
doing.
It was installed in August 2013. Now
its gone. Good riddance to the neoprene bump.

use, the easier it will to be

associate it with the subject. It is known that
adding that brightness to
your work makes it that
slightly more appealing to
your brain. So in that science exam you can think,
PURPLE = BIOLOGY.
And lastly
4. Revise with your
friends! Now this was
always a tricky one for me.
We would end up laughing
about a question, or something ridiculous rather than
revise but we got some
done. If you have friends
you can joke with, and
work then go for it. Go to
the library, Starbucks or
Costa Coffee. Places where
it is easy for you to relax,
and revise together. I would
suggest not revising with
friends at home as youre
less likely to get things
done. Get out there, and
get working.
These are tips I am
following for my A Level
revision right now.
Whether youre doing
GCSES, A Levels or a
Degree I hope this
helps
you
slightly.
Study, and dont be
afraid to ask for support
with your work! You can
pass, as long as youre
trying.
Good Luck, and thank
you for reading!

JLR jobs for

Vale residents

A total of 46 Castle Vale residents have been given jobs at

Jaguar Land Rover since
January 2014, following manual assessment and dexterity
tests at Spitfire House.

Manpower Services, who manage the

tests, say that 170 Castle Vale people
have been assessed in that period.
Those who fail the tests are given the
chance to go on a course to improve
their skills.

Tyburn Mail

Brave hearts,
curious minds,
happy faces

VIEW FROM THE CLASSROOM

by

Catherine Lavelle

Principal, Pegasus School

Each day I wonder what it is

like to be a child- to be honest
I have forgotten but each day
in my role I am lucky and
thankful to have a welcome
reminder!
A reminder that dashes in and out of
my office and fills the rooms and corri-

dors of our school building with happy

faces, brave hearts, curious minds and
inspiring individuals who all have the
confidence to flourish in a nurturing and
aspirational learning environment.
Some things that made you and me
happy as a child remain the same: the
class teacher sharing a story, playing in
the water or building the tallest tower
out of lego.
Being brave when taking that first
step into the swimming pool or making
a mistake in maths but being confident
to try again.
Being curious when I noticed the
clouds moving across the sky for the
first time, wanting to find out more
about volcanoes and Egyptians.
Feeling inspired by the children I
teach, the teachers I lead and the parents I am getting to know.
So if we can all remember to get a little bit of this each day then surely we
can all be free to flourish!

Choosing
Greenwood

Principal Harry French says

he is hopeful that 150 primary
school
pupils will chose
Greenwood
Academy
for
September.

This time last year, 96 Year 6 pupils

had opted for Greenwood. Mr French
says that 92% of Castle Vale parents
are now choosing to send their chidlren
to Greenwood Academy.

D.P.F. Body
Repairs

Specialist in Accident Repairs

We also do light commercials

Had a bump? Why make a claim and lose

your excess? Call me for a quote first.

FREE QUOTATIONS.FREE CALL OUT

page 16

WE WILL BEAT ANY GENUINE QUOTE

Ring Dave: 0121 730 2528 Mob:07852 508433

Local Business, we can also pick up and deliver

Pegasus pupils with

Miss Lavelle

Unit D22, Metalloys

Ind Est, Forge lane,
Minworth B76 1AH

TYBURN MAIL
0121 749 1343
to advertise, call
Frank Kennedy

07770 895413
Full page, half-page,
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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Tyburn Mail

page 17

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Tyburn Mail

page 18

Vales Got
Talent
auditions

Tyburn Mail

page 19

It was a nervous morning

for hopeful talent contestants last Saturday. Two
judges were making their
decisions at the auditions for
the seventh annual Castle
Vales Got Talent contest, to
be held on 29th April at
Greenwood Academy.

First on the stage was 14 year-old

Laura,(above right) a Greenwood
Academy pupil, who sang, with keyboard accompaniment from her talented Dad, Ilmars. They were
watched in the audience by Mum
Laila, who says that if they get
through to the finals, she will join
them on stage playing her violin.
Second on the stage was Kaisey
Reilly (right). She sang beautifully. If
all the contestants are as good as the
opening two acts in the auditions, the
judges on final night are going to be
in for a tough time. And the audience
will be in for a treat.

Pay money
back to shops,
court tells thief

A woman has been put

on a curfew and told to
pay money back to shops
after
she
admitted

ice
v
r
e
t s teed
p
m an
Proguar

Castle Vale and Tyburn

shoplifting offences in
Castle Vale and Sutton
Coldfield.
Julie Vera Baldwin, aged 43,
of Erdington, pleaded guilty to
stealing mens boots and several coathangers worth 61.97
in total from TK Maxx on 24th
February.
She also admitted stealing a

coat worth 78 from Next in

Sutton Coldfield on 28th
November.
Birmingham
magistrates
ordered her to pay the money
back to the shops, and placed
her on an eight-week curfew.
She was also ordered to pay
165 in costs.

TORY MISRULE
HAS CREATED
BRUMS
MESS
Councillor Mike Sharpe responds to Cllr
Deirdre Aldens article in (Feb)Tyburn Mail
by

Mike Sharpe

Tyburn Councillor
(Labour)

COME AND JOIN US

The Crown

at
(formerly: The Forget Me Not seniors) club

Every Thursday we have Sequence, Ballroom, and

Line Dancing, pus Raffles, Bingo ,and Cash Draws
from 12.30-3pm

Admission 1 members and 2 for visitors

Non members welcome last Thursday of the month.

Further enquiries call 0121 373 4108

We are at 1069 Tyburn Road B24 0TH
Ample parking or catch the 67 or 914 bus.

COME ALONG FOR A FRIENDLY,

SOCIABLE ,AND HAPPY AFTERNOON.

Hex are
top band
in Brum

Hex, a rock/rap music band

made up of students from
Greenwood Academy, have
won the Birmingham Battle of
the Bands competition at
South and City College.
The band comprises six teenagers,
Daniel, Nathanial, Tyrone, Chris, James
and Dylan. They are managed by
Trevor Evans.
Hex have already played at Wembley
arena in a concert last year. They also
played at the Castle Vale Live and Loud
concert in the summer.

I was a little taken aback

to find half a page of the
February issue of Tyburn
Mail devoted to an article
from
a
Conservative
Councillor
for
leafy
Edgbaston.

However, it is less surprising when

you know that she is the MOTHER of
the Conservative
Parliamentary
Candidate for Erdington .
It seems that he needs a bit of help
in his campaign and who can blame
him when he has already been beaten
previously by Jack Dromey our current
Labour MP!
I do not however believe in personalising important issues.
This has never been my way of conducting politics and never will be, so
let me deal with the issues raised and
ignore her barbed comments.
Members of all Parties on the
Planning Committee - including her
own colleagues are well aware of the
tensions that the growth in our popu-

article byDeirdre Alden in

Tyburn Mail, last month

...Members of all Parties on

the Planning Committee including her own colleagues
are well aware of the tensions that the growth in our
population is putting on cities
like Birmingham...

lation is putting on Cities like

Birmingham.
No one that I know of welcomes the
pressure on green space and the
increase in commuter traffic that we
face.
It is her Government however that
sets the framework within which the
City Planning Department that I chair
operates. The reality is that successive
Conservative Governments have
reduced the powers of local Councils
and loaded it in favour of large developers and their shareholders. If we
break the rules we can be fined and or
removed from office.

Tyburn Mail page 20

They have rights of appeal that ordinary residents do not.
They can
employ expensive hot-shot lawyers
who could cripple the City.
Her Government has the power to
stop green field development, but
chooses not to why?
Because it has woefully failed to
make developers build on brownfield
sites and failed to meet its housing
targets.
That is why we now have a huge
national housing shortage.
They now want an end to social
housing.
Her Government promised to end
back garden development when
elected. They have not done so.
Her Government has been the driving force behind HS2 which will take
huge swathes of countryside and put
9,000 potential jobs at risk in East
Birmingham if Jack Dromey and other
Labour MPs had not intervened.
Her Government is allowing the sale
of national parks.
It is only relatively recently that the
Conservatives
lost
control
of
Birmingham City Council yet, just as
in Government, you would think that
Labour had been controlling the City
for years.
It was under her Council that previous attempts were made to build on
the Nocks Brickworks site and it was
Labour activists who fought against
this as it was deemed unsafe for housing.
For anyone who doesnt know, that
site is in Erdington Ward where all
the Councillors are Conservatives
including her own son perhaps she
should ask them what they have been
doing recently?
The Goosemoor Lane site (also in
Erdington Ward) was agreed when the
Council was under Conservative
Council.
Under Labour we are seeing the creation of a first new City Park.
I am proud to say that the Planning
Committee does not operate along
Party lines.
We all share a desire to allow local
residents a bigger say in what happens
in this City.
Sometimes this can be the judgement of Solomon, but please dont use
us as the alibi for the conflicts between
national and local priorities.

Tyburn Mail has 3 pairs of tickets for

Who Do You Think You Are? Live

the worlds largest family history show.

Its on at the NEC from 16th-18th April

It will give you the opportunity to talk about your own family history with
a wide range of genealogy experts. Youve seen the TV show, now its
time to experience it first-hand!.

Call 0121 749 1343 or email: meverill@tyburnmail.com

to be entered into the free draw for a pair of tickets

Labour exposed

by Ann Holtom
Parliamentary
spokesperson
Erdington Liberal
Democrats

Two years ago the Labour

Party took over a well-run,
three-star rated city from
the Liberal Democrat partnership administration.

Since then Labours costly incompetence has become obvious for all to
see.
From wasting 8 million on a glorified tram stop at Centenary Square, to
cutting opening hours at the award
winning Library of Birmingham, to the
garden tax which even their own
councillors have called a disaster.
Now the independent Kerslake
review of how Birmingham is run has
exposed the scale of Labours inefficiency. No council department
escaped criticism. Kerslake said that

Council plans were complex and confused, that Labour had no strategic
plan for the future; they hadnt even
got the basics right! Now an independent panel of experts has had to be
appointed to hold Labours hand to
ensure they avoid any more disasters.
This is bad news for Labour but
worse for Birmingham.
If things dont improve we could find
these unelected experts more involved
in running the city.
Not exactly democratic, is it?
Birmingham residents should be the
ones to decide this not the man in
Whitehall. This is what Labours two
year reign of incompetence has
brought us to.
The Liberal Democrats will:
Restore green waste collections

Freeze your Council tax by taking

government money
Protect libraries and youth services
Restore 56 hours opening to the
Library of Birmingham
Restore household bulky collections

Yes, all this by managing council

finances well and making use of contingency funds.
Labour just blame government cuts
but their failures have been their own
and even in challenging times you can
have a well-run council.
Its time for Labour to go.
Turn them out on May 7.
Birmingham and Britain deserve so
much better.

Highways
Agencys
U-turn over
traffic chaos
by Robert Alden

Erdington Councillor
and Parliamentary
Campaigner
(Conservative)

Last month I wrote about

how popular local campaigner
Clifton Welch and I had been
calling on the City Council and
the Highways Agency to take
action to tackle the traffic
chaos that has been building
up on our local roads.

TKMaxx
fraudster

A
woman
has
pleaded guilty to five
charges of fraud
after she returned
goods to TK Maxx

This month we are delighted to

report that the Highways Agency
have replied to our request and
agreed to delay the closure of
junctions on the M6.
The works on the M6 is combining with Council organised traffic
works to cause gridlock.
The Highways Agency have said
in reply to our emails The M6
Junction 6 waterproofing scheme
is made up of four phases. It has
been decided that closure of the
M6 Junction 5 southbound on-slip
will now only take place once

stores and made

false representations
to claim back more
money than their
value.
Felicity Jordan, aged
33, of Eagleworks Drive
in Walsall, admitted trying to gain over 260 at
various TK Maxx stores,

Good Hope
Services:
future plans

by Andrew Garcarz
UKIP Parliamentary candidate
for Erdington

A local pressure group, Save

Good Hope Hospital claims controversial cuts are planned for
Suttons Hospital services that
could place residents at risk.
To investigate claims of the potential
downgrading of A&E and the removal
of Midwifery and Paediatric services,
your local UKIP team including
Parliamentary Candidates Andrew
Garcarz (Erdington) and Marcus John
Brown, (Sutton Coldfield) met with
Professor Matthew Cooke and Laura
Grinnel-More from Heart of England
Foundation Trust (HEFT).
The following points were established
by Professor Cooke:
As part of its long term commitment
to Good Hope Hospital, the Trust will:
Retain A&E services at Good Hope
and expand them to include a larger
Medical Assessment Unit due to open
later this year
Introduce a GP- A&E service to
reduce waiting times
Retain and upgrade Paediatric and

phases 1 and 2 of the waterproofing scheme are complete.

Depending on progress, this is
currently expected to be mid-June
this year.
There will be some traffic management on and around M6
Junction 6 when phases 3 and 4
are carried out, but the slip road
access to the M6 north and south
from Salford Circus will be opened
once phases 1 and 2 are complete
and this will ease traffic flow.
While it will not stop the current
problems this change should help
prevent the situation worsening,
as would of happened if the phases 3 and 4 had started in March as
originally planned.

We will continue the pressure on

the City Council to stop refusing to
make changes and to be flexible
like the Highways Agency have by
trying to help local residents on
their commute to work.
If we can help you with anything please contact myself
and local campaigner Clifton
Welch
by
calling
07505745808, emailing CWELCH2@sky.com, or writing
to
96
Orchard
Road,
Erdington, B24 9JD

in Castle Vale Retail

Park, in Birminghams
Bull Ring, in Tamworth
and in Sutton Coldfield.
Magistrates gave her a
conditional discharge
for 12 months, and
ordered her to pay
334.94 in compensation and costs.

Midwifery services
Reassure the public that, as part
of plans for the reconfiguration of surgical services, patients will be transferred back to their local hospital for all
follow up appointments and only
remain at one of the other two sites for
short-term hospital stays following surgery where a few days recovery in a
specialist unit may be necessary.
There will be a 24 hour on-call
Consultant Surgeon at GHH and an
emergency surgical assessment unit.
Develop a patient transport service
from local hospitals for patients being
admitted for an operation at a more
distant hospital should they require it,
We are considering how we can
expand the availability of shuttle buses
between the three Trust sites and we
are working with transport partners to
look at introducing direct bus services
between the hospitals

UKIP Parliamentary candidates Andrew

Garcarz (Erdington) and Marcus John Brown,
(Sutton Coldfield) with Professor Matthew
Cooke and Laura Grinnel-More from HEFT

Thursday tradition
needs an upgrade
Tyburn Mail

Mick
Brown
by

Tyburn
Councillor
Labour

As we approach what
could possibly be the
most important general
election since the turn of
the century, it is worrying to see that voter
turn-out has consistently fallen from about 80%
in 1951 to 64% in 2010;
with the figure for those
voting under the 24
down to 44%.
Some political commentators have said that apathy is
a major cause of this low
figure, and that we should
consider making voting
compulsory, while others
would argue that compulsory voting is anti democrat-

Curfew order
A 60 year-old man
has been put on a
four month curfew
by
Magistrates
after he admitted
using threatening or
abusive words or
disorderly behaviour

Forest
Schools
planting
new trees
and hedges

ic as it takes away freedom of choice.

While apathy may be
one reason for the
increase in the numbers
not voting, the recent
introduction of both postal
and online voting has
helped not stemmed the
fall in voting, only made it

voter turn-out has

consistently
fallen
from about 80% in
1951 to 64% in 2010
easier for those who do vote
to vote. It is possible that
uncertainty or lack of knowledge about politics, or a lack
of candidates representing
the views of major parts of
the population could be
equally
valid
reasons.
Survey results show that at
a national level many people
have little faith in elected

that was religiously

or racially aggravated.
Steven
Albert
Lewis of Tyburn
Square in Pype
Hayes is to be electronically
monitored, until 6th July
2015.

Handbag
snatchers

page 21

politicians; as a result perhaps one way forward would

be to make politics were
more relevant to their lives,
more financially transparent
(despite the changes introduced after the expenses
scandal) and more optimistic as to the alternative
visions on offer of the countrys future.
Voting remains the key to
political participation in our
country and needs to be valued, because it allows us all
to have a say in who governs the country.
Like me some of you may
have recently watched the
film Selma, and as we
remember the historic victory 50 years ago this month
in the USA for the right to
vote, it is a timely reminder
of the lengths people will go
to achieve a political goal if
they believe in the vision
that their leaders present.

A 25 year old man, a

28 year-old man, and
a 29 year-old woman
have all admitted to
stealing various handbags, worth 460,

from TK Maxx in
Castle Vale Retail Park.
Tiberiu
Batranu,
Mihai Lungu, and
Andra
Stefana
Sandului,
all
of
Chester Road, have
been remanded on
bail until later this
month.

by Sarah Oulaghan
Community EnvironmentTrust

We have been planting hazel,

hawthorn and dog rose trees, which
were supplied by Danny Squire, Head
Ranger
of
Birmingham
Parks
Department.
Hedges play an important role in providing habitat and food for local and
visiting wildlife, such as birds, butterflies, amphibians and small mammals.
Hedgerows are used as corridors to

As part of the Community

Environmental Trusts Forest
School project I have been
working with my groups from
Pegasus and St Gerards primary schools to re-establish
the hedgerows in the Castle
Vale Conservation Area.

link small woodlands and green open

spaces, in which the wildlife are able
to travel along safely.
This activity encourages the participants to listen, follow instructions and
work as a team, develops conservation
knowledge, demonstrates the safe use
of tools, and inspires a shared sense of
achievement and ownership towards
their local environment.

If you were a
fruit, what
would you be,
and why?
Those job interview
questions from hell

More than half of people in

the West Midlands (52%) have
been left red-faced in an awkward job interview.

PASTURES NEW
FOR
GREENWOOD
Academy unveils designs for purpose-built site

Who will
provide the
money?
Tyburn Mail

The land is owned by Birmingham

Council, who have leased it to AET
(Academies Enterprise Trust) for
125 years.
The money for the new building is
coming from government in a complex
arrangement
via
the
Education Funding Agency and
Amber, an international finance
company that specialises in social
projects.
The building work will be done by
Carillion, a Wolverhampton based
construction company who will
have responsibility for the site for
25 years.
Greenwood is one of eight schoolsites across the Midlands that
Carillion are building. Plantsbrook
in Sutton Coldfield is another. ARK
in Birmingham is another.
The contract for the eight schools
is worth between 100m-150m,
aound 15 million of which will go
to the Greenwood site.

Reasons including having coughing

fits, feeling intimidated, and spilling
drinks over their interviewer, a new
study by AAT (the Association of
Accounting Technicians) has revealed.
Saying something stupid, calling the
company the wrong name, and rude
interviewers are also apparently common nightmare interview experiences
for people in the region according to
answers given to the survey.

Top 11 worst
interview moments

Greenwoods new site: ready for September 2017, if all goes to plan. It is energy efficient, with all major classrooms on
the outside walls, to make use of natural light. Major features include a science garden, performing arts resources,and
centrally based facilities for youngsters with special needs.

I had a coughing fit

I spilt a drink over myself
I spilt a drink over the interviewer
I said something stupid
I felt intimidated
I referred to the company by the
wrong name
The interviewer seemed really rude
The interviewer seemed bored
I kept stuttering
I had no knowledge of the job role
I was late

COMMENT

Greenwood Academy has

unveiled its plans for a
new building on the paddock, just over the road
from its current site.

If it gets the go-ahead from the

Citys Planning Committee, building
should start in May 2016, and the
building will be ready for September
2017.
It will be big enough for 1,100
pupils, and will be three storeys high.
Thats one storey lower than the current buidling.
Colin Way of Seymour Harris
Architects in Birmingham is the man
who has designed Greenwood
Academys new school.
Colin says they it will be environmentally friendly and is designed to
be energy efficient. Every classroom
will be on an outer facing wall to
make maximum use of natural light.
The rooms on the inner part of the
building will be large resources such
as the library and a performing arts
facility.
Colin says that Greenwoods reputa-

Top 10 hardest
interview questions

What are your weaknesses?

Describe yourself in three words
If you were a fruit or vegetable what
would you be and why?
What are your strengths
If you were a flavor of ice cream
what would you be?
Describe a time when you have
failed
Why did you apply for this job?
What has been your greatest
achievement?
Why should we choose you for this
role?
What attracted you to this
company?

tion for performing arts played a big

role in the designs. So, too, did the
provision for youngsters with special
needs. He is pleased that Greenwood
has insisted that special needs care
and an ASD unit is central to the
school, not tucked away in an
obscure corner.

Colin Way, the architect who has

designed Greenwoods proposed
new building (photo: Semour Harris)

The exterior of the building will be

light grey, and the design has made
use of the mature landscape already
on site, to fit in with the nearby fields
and conservation area.

How many people vote at General Elections?

100

100

80

80

90

90

70

70

60

60

50

50

40

40

30

30

20

20
10

1945

50

51 55

59

64

66 70

10
74 Feb 74 Oct 79

83

87

92

97

2001

2005 2010

Percentage of voters in General Election years from 1945 - 2010

The paddock is not part of green

belt land, and therefore has fewer
planning restrictions. The Council
owns the paddock and the land on
which the current site is built.
The response from residents at the
first planning consultation meeting
suggested that the new site will have
plenty of supporters.

The current school building is outdated, shabby

and deteriorating.... It
lacks the sturdy charm of
an old Victorian building,
and lacks the purpose-built
style and pizzaz of the digital age.
When it is bulldozed, few
will mourn its absence.

There is a second public consultation meeting, scheduled for 3pm

6.30pm on Tuesday 24th March, at
The Sanctuary on Tangmere Drive.
There will be objections from people who are concerned about the
reduction in green space.
The gradual and piecemeal deple-

tion of green space locally and

nationally is giving cause for concern,
but is rarely seen as a powerful
enough argument to overturn major
building plans, especially of social
projects such as new schools.
Objectors could argue that the new
school could be built on the present
site.It is designed to fit that space.
But Harry French is adamant that the
two-year building programme will
seriously disrupt pupils academic
progress.
There is little doubt that the school
needs a new building. The current
building is outdated, shabby and
deteriorating.
It lacks the sturdy charm of an old
Victorian building, and lacks the purpose-built style and pizzaz of the digital age. When it is bulldozed, few will
mourn its absence.
The city council is desperate for
space on which to build new houses.
They would not be given permission
to build houses on the paddock but
they could get permission for a
school site, leaving the current site
free for future housing development.
The council is unlikely to reveal that
it has housing plans for the current
site, but that is a likely outcome for
future years.

COMMENT

Around two out of every

three people vote at
General Elections.

It varies over time, but between

60-70% of the population will be
turning up to polling stations on
7th May, or making sure that they
have voted by post before that
date.
The biggest turn-out since the
war was in 1950, when over 80%
of the electorate voted.
The lowest was in 2001 when
the figure slipped below 60%.
Experts will be able to provide
reasons for the fluctuations. The
1945 election, immediately after
World War II, saw a Labour government elected. Troops had
returned home demanding a better deal than they had been given
before they had gone off to serve
their country. They expected, and
demanded more than they had

page 22

previously been given. So a

National Health Service began.
And free education for all became
a right.
1950 was the first election after
these
major constitutional
upheavals.
So why did voting hit an all-time
low in 2001?
That was the election after 1997
when Tony Blair and New Labour
had stormed to a massive victory
to oust John Majors flimsy reign
following the Thatcher years.
Perhaps voters in 2001 felt that
their vote would not count for
much, given that Labour were
bound to get re-elected.
Perhaps some had been turned
off by the modern political trends
of spin and lying.
Since those times of mass
abstension and apathy, voting has
picked up. This election, with a
sharp prod from UKIP, may see a
high turnout.

Micah the
designer

Sorrel
Park tree
planting
by Clifton Welch
Conservative
candidate for
Tyburn ward

Last month popular local parliamentary campaigner Robert

Alden and I joined Birmingham
Trees for Life, Deutsche Bank
and children from Gunter
Primary School to plant a 1000
whips (small trees) and 8 larger trees in Sorrel Park.

Robert and I were delighted to have

been able to get stuck in and get our
hands dirty helping plant the trees
across the back section of the park.
Hopefully this will form a wonderful
mixed woodland coppice in years to
come.
It was great to see local school children being given the chance to plant
trees locally which they will now get to
see grow as they do in the years to
come.

A special thank you to everyone at

Birmingham Trees for Life for organising the event, getting all the trees and
equipment together.
The work they do across the City is
excellent and we were delighted to support them here in Tyburn Ward.
If we can help you with anything
and
myself
contact
please
Parliamentary campaigner Robert Alden
by calling 07505745808, emailing CWELCH2@sky.com, or writing to 96
Orchard Road, Erdington, B24 9JD

Tyburn Mail
daily news
online at

tyburnmail.com

Five
year-old
Micah
Whitehead is the brains
behind Pegasus Schools
new badge.

The creative Year One youngster

came up with the idea of having a
butterfly for the main part of the
design.
Then the school staff put their
heads together and came up with
the words that go around the
badge.
Headteacher Catherine Lavelle says
that the words on the badge describe
the attitudes that the teachers would
like the youngsters to have when they
leave Pegasus at the end of Year 6.
From caterpillars
to butterflies,
ready to be brave, be happy, be
curious, be inspired, be free to flourish.
The new badge goes with the
schools new uniform - a change from
bright red to royal purple. A more subtle and sophisticated shade.
It becomes the official Pegasus
colour in September, but most of the
children are so keen on the colour that
they are already wearing it. Catherine
Lavelle reckons that about 80% of the
schools pupils have already made the
changeover.
And in a month when a report by The

Childrens Society suggested that parents of primary school children across

the country are spending an average
of 251 for a pupil at a state primary
(including shoes and equipment). The
cost of the new Pegasus uniform is

COINCIDENCE ?
OR JUST POOR
WORKMANSHIP?
Lynda
Clinton

by

Tyburn
Councillor
(Labour)

Loyal British Gas Customer,

92 year old Dorothy, expected
no more than her annual gas
check for which she has paid
30 per month for many
years.
She certainly got more than she bargained for!
First of all the pump to her boiler
wasnt working and so on Thursday of
that week, the engineer arrived with a
new pump expecting to be there for a
couple of hours. I would add that
Dorothy has had her bedroom downstairs for five years and sleeps below
the offending radiator.
By the evening, the upstairs radiator
had gone cold again and during the
night on Friday, the radiator leaked
soaking the whole of the upper floor.

At 6.45 am Call to British Gas as an

emergency quoted 2 hours although
Dorothy is 92 years of age.
At 7.30 Fire Brigade called because
Dorothy was immersed in three inches
of water where she had lain all night.
The household electrics blew and she
was too scared to put her feet to the
floor. The water had cracked her artex
ceiling, travelling down her curtains
and into her bed.
At 7.35 the Fire Brigade arrived and
found the upstairs radiator nut was
hand loose and they tightened it up
and made Dorothy safe. She was
soaked through with ice cold water.
At 9am another call to British Gas
Engineer on his way electrician
booked as emergency -had no home
phone and no way of making a hot
drink
At 9.30 engineer arrived and confirmed nut had been the cause but
denied any connection with the two
hours worked on 36 hours earlier
Coincidence or poor workmanship?
At 11am another call to British Gas to
check when their electrician would be
arriving on their way.

good news for parents. Pegasus

School have given one school sweater
for free to each pupil.
And if they want to buy another, they
cost about 5 each from Asda.

My mother, Dorothy Brooks, aged 92

At 2pm another call to British Gas

Where is the electrician? Dorothy was
still without electricity.
At 3.30pm another call to British Gas
Where is the electrician? We have
called out a contract electrician.
At 4.30pm contract electrician
arrived. He put all lights on then
threw the switch. All lights came on
without a problem.
At 4.35pm the electrician was finished and left with a signature earning
him 100 for a five minute call out to
be paid by British Gas.
At 5pm British Gas manager called to
apologise for the service received but
no mention of the poor workmanship.
Five days later Dorothy received a
letter confirming her complaint but this
again was only to do with the length of
time taken by engineers and said
nothing about the flood. In fact, they
were not aware of this problem.
So I leave it to you to decide. Was it
in fact sheer coincidence that a radiator which had not leaked, developed a
flaw following two hours work on it, or
did the engineer forget to tighten the
nut. I know what Dorothy thinks.

FINDING
ROOM FOR
NEW JOBS
Tyburn Mail

page 23

COMMENT

East Birmingham has plenty

of unemployment, and a lot of
people who dont have many
skills or qualifications, according to official data.

The area includes Erdington and

Tyburn, Castle Vale and Pype
Hayes.
The City Council has unveiled a plan
to create more jobs in the area.
The trouble is, there arent many
places where new factories or job sites
can be built. Its a densely populated
area.
Thats why the Council is suggesting
that a recent decision by the superfast
rail network HS2 is good news.
HS2 were going to build a massive
goods and storage depot in East
Birmingham. But theyve abandoned
the idea.
Rather than see that as a kick in the
teeth for the local area, the Council is
saying Hooray, we can use the site for
warehouses or factories and create
more jobs that the HS2 site would have
done.
Sir Albert Bore and three local MPs, all
Labour, added status to the launch of
the plans to regenerate East
Birmingham. The new deal includes
plans for training, transport and jobs.
The three MPs all gave their thumbs
up. Jack Dromey praised Jaguar.
Liam Byrne spoke unconvincingly but
cheerfully about the benefits of HS2.
The third MP to speak was Shabana
Mahmood. She spoke a lot of sense,
and talked positively about the difficullties faced by many of her constituents
in her area of Ladywood. For some
Asian women, getting work has been a
problem.
Language and cultural barriers have
been hard to overcome. But she has
noticed, and encouraged, a spirit of
enterprise amongst many of the local
Asian women. And amongst many of
the youngsters in schools, too, for
whom setting up their own business is
a dream that can be realised.
The problem facing East Birmingham
is more about space to create work
than about attitudes towards work.
The new plans have identified some
areas of land that could be developed
for business purposes, but they are not
abundant, and they are not large.
Much space is going to be used for
new houses.
Birminghams population will increase
by 150,000 by 2031.
The Council estimates that 80,000
new homes will be needed.
Last week, the Council published its
housing prospectus, which identified 40
major brownfield sites for future house
building.
The old Selly Park Hospital site will
provide room for 650 of those homes.
But space for jobs is also important,
and scarce.
A lack of land available for development caused Jaguar Land Rover to look
beyond the current Castle Bromwich
site when they had big plans for expansion.
They looked further afield towards the
open spaces off the M54 between
Wolverhampton and Telford.
Thats the 239 acre i54 site.
As our population increases, green
spaces decrease.
We need room not just for homes.
But for factories and for jobs too.

TIMS STYLE
IS SO GOOD
FOR LOYAL GABBY

Even the losers in a

Wembley FA Cup semi-final
get 450,000.

The winning club gets double

that, and a chance to win an FA
Cup
title,
and
a
further
1,800,000 for the club.
And a place in Europe.
That could all be Aston Villas by the
end of May. Their season seems to be
turning round.
Decent players who had become
poor players under Paul Lambert are
now starting to find their form again.
Gabby Agbonlahor, after Lamberts
final game against Hull, was described
by the Daily Mirror as Villas worst player this season. Not any more, hes not.
Gabby destroyed West Brom twice,
and then Sunderland.
The old pace and power is back - and
hes still only 28 years old. He has been
loyal to Villa through some hard times,
and he deserves a lot of credit for his
recent performances.
The two games against Albion earlier
this month were crucial for Villa. They
convinced the team, and the fans, that
Sherwoods way would work. He promised attacking football, and his team
delivered.
They outplayed Albion on both occasions. And last weekend, they blitzed
Sunderland.
This Saturday, Villa host Swansea.
That will be a good one to win, especially with difficult games against Man
Utd and Tottenham to follow.
Swanseas key striker Wilfred Bony
has gone to the big money at Man City,
leaving the Welsh side bereft of any
classy goalscorers.
I was at the Hawthorns last weekend, watching Albion beat Stoke.
It was good to see the Baggies
bounce back from the Villa defeats.
The win against Stoke edges them
much closer to safety. After the game,
Tony Pulis spent the first few minutes
of his press conference trying to convince journalists that Albions perform-

Tim Sherwood after the Villa

v Albion game

ances against Villa were not as bad as

we all thought.
Nobody was convinced, but we all
realised at that moment just how much
the two defeats in four days had hurt
the Baggies.
Meanwhile, the FA are investigating
the trouble at the end of the cup
match.
The Villa fans were wrong to invade
the pitch, during and after the game.
The referee was wrong to let the
game continue while there were so
many fans standing alongside the pitch
for the final few minutes.
The FA must take some share of the
blame for allowing the game to start at
5.30pm - an absolutely stupid decision
motivated by the television coverage
trying to split the two afternoon
games.
Baggies disgrace: broken
seats hurled at Villa fans

But the biggest sin of all during that

whole episode was the West Brom
fans ripping up the seats and throwing
them as sharp and dangerous missiles
into the family enclosure below.
Disgraceful.

Why did the ref allow the game

to continue with fans lined up
on the edge of the pitch?
Tyburn Mail is published by Topcliffe
Media Ltd.
Address: Lower Ground Floor, Topcliffe
House, B35 6BT
Tel: 0121 749 1343
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Tyburn Mail is printed by Trinity Mirror
Printing Ltd Erdington

Gold medals for

young athletes

Two young Castle Vale athletes won

medals in the recent WestMidlands
Regional Sporsthall finals.
Melissa Morris won gold in the U15G
Girls shot and gold in the 8 lap paarlauf
relay
Tyrell Williamson-Greene won gold in the U15
Boys 4x2 lap relay and 3 silver medals in the 2
lap race, shot, and triple jump.
Team Birmingham achieved a clean sweep,
with all of the Birmingham teams, including
Under 13 girls, U13 boys, U15 girls and U15
boys winning all the age groups and all progressing to the UK Finals in Manchester on
25/26 April 2015.
right: Castle Vale athletes Melissa Morris
and Tyrell Williamson Greene with their
medals.
below: The victorious Birmingham team
which consisted of athletes from Birchfield
Harriers, Tamworth AC, Halesowen AC,
Solihull & Small Heath AC, Royal Sutton
Coldfield AC
photos courtesy of Sharon Morris,
Atletics Coach

LOCAL FOOTBALL

Concorde
win league

Castle Vale Concorde have won

their league.
A 2-0 victory against Pearson last weekend means that they cannot be caught
at the top of Amateur One of the
Festival Sunday league.
Great Barr Lions trail Concorde by
seven points and have just two league
games remaining.
Concorde still have four games to go,
and have only lost one of their 15
league games this season.
Concorde Utd lost 3-2 at Vale Stadium
to Three Way Shipping in the same division last weekend.
Castle
Vale
Town
thrashed bottom of the
table Bearwood Athletic
5-1 last weekend at Vale
Stadium in division two
of the Birmingham and
District Alliance.
Paget Rangers lost 1-0 to Chelmsley
Town in division two of
the Midland League at
The Pavilion. The defeat
brings an end to Pagets
run of three successive
league wins.

Jumble sale
team needs
kit sponsor

Erdington and Saltley District

Primary Schools football team are
desperate for a new sponsor
because they need a new kit.
The team has just won the
Birmingham District Trophy supplied by
Liverpool and England star Daniel
Sturridge. He used to be an Erdington
school player. Now the District Team
are looking for local sponsors.
They need 700 to buy new kit.

Team
manager
Philip
Hynan
says:We currently play in mismatching shorts and socks! We travel the
county playing the likes if Liverpool,
Swindon, Leeds, Cardiff, Bath and
Plymouth but look like weve come out
of a jumble sale!
Being picked for ones district is a
huge honour and comes with no
financial commitment, either to the
players or the schools.
We have to rely on funds gained via
fundraising to keep the team going.
This is proving easier said than done.
Local businesses who may be interested in sponsoring the District
Football team can contact team manager Philip Hynan by email:
philhynan@hotmail.co.uk