Tyburn Mail

page 3

Tyburn Mail

FREE ACCESS TO THEORY TEST PRO

wont
Tyburn Mail Fence
toilet-train
lorry drivers
Game changer
Dear Editor,
165 Sqn RAF Air Cadets has been
chosen as the Sainsburys (Castle
Vale) store charity of the year for
2015/16.
The squadron staff and cadets would
like to say a massive thank you to all
those people that voted for our
Squadron.
This really is a game changer for our
cadets and will enable us to fund
future
developments
at
the
Squadron.
We would also like to thank Sheila
Hyland and the team at the
Sainsburys store for all their help. We
really do look forward to working with
the store in the coming year.
We are now all set to increase our
numbers and to that end I would like

Dog mess and

drug dealers

Call Marina on
07880 616472

DJGARDENS
ALLYEARROUNDGARDEN MAINTENANCE
WEEKLY MOWING AND WEEDING SERVICE;

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trees and hedges cut back, water features,
garden design and makeover service
SPECIAL RATES FOR OAPS

call Darren for a free quote today

0121 748 5644 or 07748 123941
FRIENDLY LOCAL SERVICE
see our work on facebook: DJGardens

TYBURN MAIL

to advertise in over 12,000 homes

call Frank Kennedy on 07770 895413

Tyburn Mail

letters and emails to

for squadron

D&D female DECORATORS

page 4

Dear Editor
Its a shame how Castle Vale is going
back into troubled times
I live near the swimming baths car
park.. Oh the amount of dog mess on
the corner of Blenheim Way.
Its like a mine field both sides of the
road. People who live nearby throw
their dog mess over the wall on to the
payment instead of putting it in the
bin. I report it Nothing done
Lots of drug dealers hanging around
by swimming baths car park

to inform your readers that we are

holding a recruitment evening on
Thursday 23rd July.
So if you are aged 12 to 17 why not
come down and see what we get up
to, bring your parents too! The
evening starts at 19:30.
We are also looking to recruit more
adult instructors.
You do not need any previous experience and if you would like to move
into a uniformed position, you can
claim up to 28 days remuneration per
year.
If anybody would like any further
information please contact me on
either the mobile number or email
listed below.
Yours sincerely
Flt Lt Simon Jennings
RAFVR (T)
OC 165 (Castle Bromwich) Sqn
07543 400105
Oc.165@aircadets.org

I watch them pass money and tiny

bags at anytime of the day.
They are not bothered by people seeing them Problem is no police
about Cars park then few minutes
later another car pulls up.
They pass stuff then are gone Or
they are on bikes, young people dealing
Reported that.. Nothing done
Loud music from people who have got
no respect for anyone.
They live across the street yet I cant
hear my TV it is that loud
Nothing done.
Regards
Unhappy resident
Name and details supplied

Opinions expressed on the letters pages are

published in the interests of free speech. They do
not necessarily reflect the views of Tyburn Mail.

page 4

Dear Editor,
Firstly Id like to say how nice it is to
read news so close to home and about
the community.
Keep up the excellent work.
Second, I would like to remark on your
piece on page 21 (June edition).
Fencing plans to stop lorry drivers
dumping rubbish.
Erecting this fencing will do nothing to
improve the rubbish and faecal matter
left along what is colloquially known as
P*ss Alley.
The drivers will simply throw their bags
of rubbish and faeces over the fence as
they already do now.
More needs to be done to tackle the
drivers and their disposal of rubbish.
The businesses receiving the drivers
should be financially contributing to this
as part of their responsibility towards
the community and local area.
Surely the businesses receiving these
deliveries/collections ought to be part
way culpable and responsible for the
drivers actions? Just as McDonalds are
for their own rubbish clearance.
K Howlings by email

Tyburn Mail does not

publish anonymous
letters. We will withold
your name and address if
you request it.

WRITE TO

tyburnmail@yahoo.co.uk
or by post to:
The Editor,
Tyburn Mail,
Lower Ground Floor,
Topcliffe House,
Castle Vale B35 6BT

This is Kay Hunters 50th article in Tyburn Mail.

Our thanks to Kay for his wonderful work Tyburn Mail team

Lych: the KAYS HISTORY

gateway
to new life

The term lych originated

from the Anglo Saxon word
for corpse.

The lych gate was a roofed entrance

to a church yard, where the funeral
procession and the officiating priest
would pause, while a short service was
conducted, with the coffin placed on a
communal bier, prior to interment.
Lych gates sometimes had ornately
carved beams, and figures of saints
which gave a sense of inner serenity.
The roof was usually of thatch or clay
tiles. In Herefordshire the lych gate is
referred to as a scallage.
There are excellent examples of lych
gates at Aston Parish Church,
Erdington Parish of St Barnabas and at
the United Reform Church, Chester
Road.
Personal collection.

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.

The Lych Gate at St

Barnabas Church,
Erdington - a popular
photo spot for weddings,
but designed for funerals

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

HOUSING Dont waste

PIONEERS waste food,
CVCHA looks to expand
to secure its future

Castle Vale Community Housing

Association (CVCHA) is planning to
continue to expand its work beyond
the boundaries of Castle Vale.

This is in response to government pressure on small

housing associations like CVCHA to build more houses
to alleviate the nations housing crisis.
CVCHA has responded to these pressures by considering other areas, such as Stockland Green, in which it
might develop its housing stock and services.
The expansion will involve a new name for the organisation that will take the housing association forward.
Shareholders of CVCHA have been invited to a special
meeting to approve the name: The Pioneer Group.
This group will include CVCHA and CVCRS (Castle
Vale Community Regeneration Services).
CVCHA will keep its name.
CVCRS (Castle Vale Regeneration Services) are considering a name change. They have been providing
youth, health and training services beyond the Castle
Vale area for several years, and a name change would
assure future funders that their reach is wider than a
local housing estate.
CVCHA will pledge half a million pounds per year to
Castle Vale, for the next ten years, to support the
estates assets and services including CCTV, youth provision, and health work.
CVCHA Chief Executive Peter Richmond says:Over
the last 12 months we have been thinking carefully
about our future.
Rather than be pushed into a merger with a larger
housing group, we have decided to form our own
group so that we can protect Castle Vale and at the
same time choose where else we should work.
In this way, we remain in charge of our future.

say greenies

Birmingham residents
queued up with kitchen
caddies to recycle their
food waste outside the
Council House this
month.

It was part of a stunt

organised by Friends
of the Earth to launch
their new campaign
Waste Isnt Rubbish.
Campaigners
are
suggesting that not all
waste should be treated the same and burnt
in an incinerator. Food
waste, in particular,
could be put to good
use.
The campaigners are calling on
Birmingham City Council to adopt
a greener waste system for the
city that makes best use of
resources locally. This includes:
Making it easier for people to
recycle food waste by providing a
food waste collection and more
support for home and community
composting.
Making it easier for people to
recycle more types of waste from
home.
Using local companies to
process the waste.
The campaigners feel that bet-

ter use of green waste would

mean the Tyseley Incinerator is
no longer needed.
Libby Harris, Waste Campaigner
at Birmingham Friends of the
Earth said: Waste is a rubbish

fuel. We need a waste system

that makes best use of the
resources in all our waste,
instead of letting them go up in
smoke in an outdated incinerator.
With the Council contract with
Veolia up in 2019, now is the perfect time for the Council to
rethink its waste strategy.
41% of the residual waste sent
to the incinerator is organic matter. By taking food out of the
waste stream, and sending the
waste food to an anaerobic
digester, it becomes a cleaner,
renewable
energy
source.

Seperating out organic matter

means we can make better use of
all the resources in our waste.
This would mean the incinerator
is no longer needed, leading to a
reduction in CO2 emissions.
As well as a food waste collection and better recycling facilities,
priority should be given to smaller, local waste companies, creating more jobs and ensuring the
value of Birminghams waste
stays in the city.
Cllr Lisa Trickett, Cabinet
Member for Sustainability at
Birmingham City Council, said:
Although recycling has an important part to play in a city that
uses
its
resources in a
responsible way,
our first goal has
to be a reduction
in the waste we
create in the first
place.
Through initiatives like Love
Food,
Hate
Waste, we are
raising
awareness of this and
the fact that
much of the food we throw out
can actually be used. We are also
currently in the early stages of
developing our waste strategy for
the years after 2019, when our
current waste disposal contract
ends.
We need to ensure that whatever we do from 2019 onwards
recognises waste is a resource
and that we should make every
effort to ensure that anything we
do helps Birmingham become a
zero waste city. As we shape our
plans for the future, nothing is
ruled in and nothing is ruled out.

We like what
youre doing,
Ofsted tell Wylde
Green Primary
page 9

Wylde Green Primary has been

given an end of school-year boost
by Ofsted Inspectors.

They have rated the school as good,

and given it a grade 2, following their
visit last month.
In a report published this month, the
inspection team say that the headteacher and other leaders, including
governors, have improved teaching
since the previous inspection. As a
result, pupils now achieve well across
the school.
Eighteen months ago the school was
given a grade 3 by inspectors and told
that it needed to improve.
This latest report says that standards
have risen in all key stages and at the
end of Year 6 they are above average.
The report praises the school for
many features of its work, including
promoting British values well, and in
interesting ways.
For example, during the schools
British Values Week in October 2014,
Year 6 pupils worked on a creative arts
project on the importance of democracy and laws, modelled on the artistic
works of the popular cult artist, Banksy.

Eden Court
Charity success

Eden Court Medical Centre in Castle

Vale have announced that they raised
985.59 at their recent summer fete
event.
The Centre is supporting a cancer
charity with its fundraising activities.

Kingsbury
School Prom
Tyburn Mail

Ryan McMahon, Layla Khan, Deanne Cope Kamrun Hussain

page 10

Lea Marston
July 2015

Rayanne Ferris

Jay Williams,
Lucy Galpin

Aleema Wajid,
Ayesha Mulla

Layla Khan
Euritania Cristovao

Maria Khan

Castle Vale
Community
Housing
Association

page 11

General Enquiries: 0121 748 8100

Repairs: 748 8101 (24 hours)

SUMMER IS
ON ITS WAY

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

And sometimes this can mean an

increase of unwelcome visitors

Community Wardens will be

working with allotment tenants and shed owners in
keeping their sheds locked
up.

Now the summer is here the

conservation area and allotments are used more frequently, with the lighter
nights and with this in mind

more and more visitors

like to use this local
hangout.
Along with the support of
the local Cllr Mick Brown,
Community Warden Sarah
Stevens has been working
with local residents to make
this area safer. Sarah has
liaised with West Midlands
Police to source some free
Security Packs for Residents
to help make the sheds
more secure.
Sarah and Mick will be on
hand to speak with residents
and to re-assure them that
improvements are taking
place to make the allotments
safer and more secure.
Please contact Sarah on 0121
748 8100, she will be happy to
give you more information on this
prevention initiative helping to
make your garden shed more
secure.
The community wardens will
once again be working with our
local primary school youngsters
before they go off on their summer jollies.
This year the Wardens will be
visiting the primary schools and

educating the youngsters on

keeping their bikes safe. Wardens
will be advising and working in
the schools to make sure youngsters keep their bikes locked up
either when being left outside in
the garden or whether it is outside a shop when they stop off
for an ice cream.
The Community Wardens will be
giving away free bike locks to
young people who have bikes
and making sure they understand

the importance of locking their

bikes up.
Summer is here and the time is
right, so come one come all and
join us Community Wardens at
Centre Park for some fun in the
sun, where we will host our
Warden Sports.

Look out for the

details in the Play
scheme
brochure
out soon!!

Digital Hub atTopcliffe House...

we make getting online easy
Mondays from 3rd
August 2015

The new timetable for the

Digital Inclusion Pro
ojec
j t
goes live from August 2015!

:HOOEHUXQQLQJVHVVLRQV
from Monday to Thursday at
the Digital Hub at Topcliffffe
House (next to Tyburn Mail
and Switch Radio), plus our
weekly Introduction to
Digital session at The
Sanctuary.
If you would like further
inffor
o mation, please contact
Becki Bembridge, Digital
Inclusion Officer on 0121
748 8134 or 07956 007696.

AM

Drop in Session
9am 1pm
Digital Hub,
Topcliffe House

PM

Introduction to
Digital
2pm-4pm
The Sanctuaryy,
Tangmere Drive

Evening

Tu
uesdays from 4th
August 2015

Wednesdays from
5th August 2015

Thursdays from 6th

August 2015

Drop in Session
10am-12.30pm
Digital Hub,
Topcliffe House
Drop in Session
1pm-5pm
Digital Hub, Topcliffe
House

Drop in Session
2pm-7p
7pm
Digital Hub, Topcliffe
House
Job Club
5pm-7p
7pm
Digital Hub, T
To
opcliffe
House

NEWS FROM CASTLE VALE COMMUNITY HOUSING ASSOCIATION

Social Value
Activity Grants

We received a number of successful applications

for our activity grants which have helped residents
from Castle Vale either set up new projects or
deliver activities.
The aim of the grants is to provide opportunities
for one off activities to take place that are organised by residents, for residents of Castle Vale. One
of the conditions of the grant is to provide a photograph or selfie and we have a great example
below:

page 13

Hi Becki

During the May half term holidays 32 young people from Castle Vale went via coach to Cadbury
World! This trip was largely subsidised by the generous community activity grant that was issued by
CVCHA, each young person therefore only paid 5
for this fantastic experience.

A fun day was had by all that attended, for some

this was the first time so the activity grant was very
much appreciated to make this possible.
A massive thank you for the grant giving us the
opportunity in organising a brilliant trip.
Thanks,
Luke & The Youngstars Team

More successful grant stories will be in

future editions of the Tyburn Mail.
If you would like to find out more,
please email rebeccabe@cvcha.org.uk or
call Becki on 0121 748 8134.

Asset Management

Whats new
Boiler replacements

Since the first of April up

until the end of June our contractors
Npower
have
installed 55 Boilers and
Completed 100% of Gas
Servicing and Landlords Gas
Safety Records requirements.

Kitchen Replacements

Follow the successful completion of last years kitchen programme during which 204
kitchens were upgraded our
Contractors CLC Ltd were
allowed a period of reorganisation with the 2015 -2016 programme of 353 replacements
starting up again from 1st June
2015.
To the end of June CLC have
completed 16 Kitchens as per an
agreed programme designed
over a short period to increase
from 4 starts per week to full
capacity of 12 per week.

External and Internal

Communal
Area
Decoration

Following a recent procurement

process the Decorating contract
has now been awarded to Ian
Williams. Pre-Contract meetings
have been held and letters have
been issued to all occupants of
the first years programme to

advise of this years intensions

being the first year of a 5 year
contract. Works are planned to
commence during July, following
a period mobilisation.

Projects
Currently
being Procured

Invitations to Tender have

been issued for the Heating
Upgrades for Topcliffe House and
Chivenor House, with a return
date of 16th July.

Negotiations are ongoing with

regard to Heating upgrades via
fuel switch to 27 Flats in Viscount
Close. Following consultation
with the occupants National Grid
have confirmed they will lay the
new mains to meter positions
during September 2015, and following costs being finalised, confirmed and agreed installations
are programmed to commence in
October 2015.
Invitations to tender costs for
LED lighting upgrades to the
communal areas of High and Low
rise Blocks will be issued week
commencing 6th July with a
return date of 12th August, following which negotiations on the
earliest start date and programming with the awarded contractor will commence. The programme will be spread over the
remainder of this year to March
31st 2016 and completed during
the financial year 2016 to 2017
commencing 1st April 2016
The Carpet Replacement
Contract for communal areas of

blocks has been returned and is

currently under final appraisal
prior to awarding to the successful contractor. This will be a
three year contract and occupants of blocks will be advised
once programming is agreed.
Works will start later in this
financial year, following phasing
with Lighting Upgrades and
Decorations
contract
programmes.

Electrical Inspections

Since 22nd June our contractors G. Purchase have been carrying out full electrical tests on
our stock. Industry practice is to
inspect/test Communal Areas of
Blocks every 5 Years. These
were last carried out in 2010
therefore these are now underway for updated inspection &
testing. We have also identified
gaps in records on our domestic
stock and will be working to a
programme moving forward to
ensure our records hold in date
detail on all our properties.