Birchfield Community Association
Charity 1193147
Overview
Summary
Birchfield Community Association appears to be a place-based successor to Birchfield Big Local, using a community hub to convert resident-led aspirations into practical support, learning and local connection. Its unusually broad charitable remit gives it permission to work across regeneration, poverty, environment, health and enterprise; its current delivery, however, is concentrated on accessible, everyday interventions. This suggests an organisation whose distinctive role is less as a specialist provider than as civic infrastructure: convening people, hosting activity and linking local priorities to partners and resources.
Operational geography
Evidence and reasoning
Supporting evidence
Birchfield
Confidence: high
The association's stated charitable activity is focused on people in Birchfield Ward, and its website advertises a regular programme of directly delivered services from Birchfield Community Hub.
- Birchfield Community Association website, home page
The association describes itself as a legacy of the Birchfield Big Local programme, working to improve Birchfield, and advertises energy advice, ESOL, arts and crafts, a women's group and a seniors club at Birchfield Community Hub, Handsworth. - Charity Commission register, Birchfield Community Association (1193147)
The charity reports that it connects the gifts, aspirations, capacities and skills of people in Birmingham's Birchfield Ward to identify and respond to local needs and priorities.
Perry Barr
Confidence: high
The association identifies itself as a participating provider in an active Community Hub at Perry Barr One Stop Market Village and states that it provides energy advice there. The site is explicitly located at One Stop Shopping Centre in Perry Barr.
- Birchfield Community Association website, Perry Barr One Stop Market Village Community Hub
Birchfield Community Association states that it has teamed up with community organisations and social enterprises to create the Market Village Community Hub at Perry Barr One Stop Market Village, offering advice, support, creative arts and health and wellbeing activity. - Birchfield Community Association website, Market Village at the Community Hub
The project page states that Birchfield Community Association provides residents with advice and support on saving energy at the One Stop Market Village Community Hub. - Birmingham City Council, Perry Barr ward map
The council identifies Perry Barr as a current Birmingham ward; One Stop Shopping Centre is located in Perry Barr.
Remaining uncertainties
- The association says that energy advice is also delivered at 'other local venues', but does not name or locate those venues. Their wards and the regularity of delivery cannot therefore be established.
- The Market Village Community Hub is a shared project rather than a site evidenced as solely operated or leased by Birchfield Community Association. The evidence supports direct service delivery there, but not exclusive control of the premises.
- Current evidence does not establish routine direct delivery outside Birchfield and Perry Barr, despite the organisation participating in partnerships whose own work may extend more widely.
Additional evidence needed
- A current service timetable or annual report listing all outreach venues, delivery frequency and the association's role at each venue.
- Confirmation from the association or Market Village partnership of the current tenancy, operating arrangements and which activities Birchfield Community Association directly delivers at the Community Hub.
- Current monitoring or beneficiary data showing whether services are principally used by Birchfield and Perry Barr residents or routinely serve a wider Birmingham catchment.
Areas of work
- Disability
- Economic/community Development/employment
- Environment/conservation/heritage
- The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty
Who they help
- Children/young People
- Elderly/old People
- People With Disabilities
- The General Public/mankind
How they help
- Acts As An Umbrella Or Resource Body
- Provides Advocacy/advice/information
- Provides Buildings/facilities/open Space
- Provides Services
Discoveries involving this organisation
The Atlas has not published any Discoveries involving this organisation yet.
Observations
A broad regeneration mandate is being translated into a focused neighbourhood platform
The association appears to hold an expansive legal mandate while choosing a practical operating model centred on community connection, learning, wellbeing, energy advice and local enterprise. This may allow it to respond flexibly as Birchfield’s priorities change rather than being locked into one service area.
Why it matters
This helps explain how apparently varied activities fit together: they are not necessarily separate projects, but tools for neighbourhood regeneration and resident capacity-building.
Show evidence
“The objects include poverty relief, employment, education, housing, public amenities, recreation, environment, public health, childcare and crime prevention.”
Source:Charity Commission“The charity aims to connect the gifts, passions, skills and aspirations of local people to identify local needs and priorities and act in response.”
Source:Organisation
The hub appears to be the organisation’s core civic asset
Birchfield Community Hub seems to function as more than a venue: it is the shared point through which advice, adult learning, women’s activity, older people’s social connection, arts and local enterprise are made visible and accessible.
Why it matters
Understanding the hub as infrastructure clarifies the association’s potential to create relationships between residents, providers and groups that may otherwise remain separate.
Show evidence
“Energy advice, ESOL, arts and crafts, a women’s group and a seniors club are advertised at Birchfield Community Hub, 13 Wilton Road.”
Source:Organisation“Local organisations and social enterprises are invited to establish a Community Hub at Perry Barr One Stop Market Village.”
Source:Organisation
It combines cultural belonging with household resilience
The association appears to treat culture, heritage and creative participation as connected to practical resilience rather than as separate concerns. Its visible offer spans heritage walks and open studios alongside energy-cost, damp and debt-related support.
Why it matters
This suggests a potentially distinctive understanding of wellbeing: strengthening attachment to place while addressing pressures inside the home. That combination could make engagement easier for residents who would not approach a conventional advice service.
Show evidence
“The organisation says its work includes celebrating Birchfield’s diverse culture and heritage, promoting health and wellbeing, enhancing the environment and supporting local social enterprises.”
Source:Organisation“Energy advice includes support with bills, warmer homes, debt, grants, condensation, moisture and mold.”
Source:Organisation
- Whether residents meaningfully shape priorities and governance, or are mainly participants in activities.
- Which partners deliver, fund or refer into the association’s services.
- Whether the organisation reaches groups not represented in its visible programme, including younger people and disabled residents.
Remaining uncertainties
- Recent annual reports, accounts and outcome data showing funding, reach, repeat participation and changes achieved.
- Information on governance, resident decision-making and formal partnerships, including the association’s relationship with Birchfield Big Local and Birmingham Adult Education Service.
Additional evidence needed
Charity Commission profile
Activities
Connecting the gifts, aspirations, capacities, and skills of people in Birmingham's Birchfield Ward so that together we are better able to identify local needs and priorities and act in response to them. Birchfield Community Association aspires to work alongside residents and partners to make a difference to local priorities to create a place that is even better for all to live and work in.
Charity objects
1. TO DEVELOP THE CAPACITY AND SKILLS OF THE MEMBERS OF THE SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITY OF BIRCHFIELD WARD, BIRMINGHAM, IN SUCH A WAY THAT THEY ARE BETTER ABLE TO IDENTIFY, AND HELP MEET, THEIR NEEDS AND TO PARTICIPATE MORE FULLY IN SOCIETY. 2. THE PROMOTION FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT OF URBAN REGENERATION IN AREAS OF SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEPRIVATION (AND IN PARTICULAR BIRMINGHAM'S BIRCHFIELD WARD) BY ALL OR ANY OF THE FOLLOWING MEANS: A) THE RELIEF OF POVERTY IN SUCH WAYS AS MAY BE THOUGHT FIT; B) THE RELIEF OF UNEMPLOYMENT IN SUCH WAYS AS MAY BE THOUGHT FIT, INCLUDING ASSISTANCE TO FIND EMPLOYMENT; C) THE ADVANCEMENT OF EDUCATION, TRAINING OR RETRAINING, PARTICULARLY AMONG UNEMPLOYED PEOPLE, AND PROVIDING UNEMPLOYED PEOPLE WITH WORK EXPERIENCE; D) THE PROVISION OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, OR BUSINESS ADVICE OR CONSULTANCY IN ORDER TO PROVIDE TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR UNEMPLOYED PEOPLE IN CASES OF FINANCIAL OR OTHER CHARITABLE NEED THROUGH HELP: (I) IN SETTING UP THEIR OWN BUSINESS, OR (II) TO EXISTING BUSINESSES; (E) THE CREATION OF TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES BY THE PROVISION OF WORKSPACE, BUILDINGS AND/OR LAND FOR USE ON FAVOURABLE TERMS; (F) THE PROVISION OF HOUSING FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN CONDITIONS OF NEED AND THE IMPROVEMENT OF HOUSING IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR OR IN CHARITABLE OWNERSHIP PROVIDED THAT SUCH POWER SHALL NOT EXTEND TO RELIEVING ANY LOCAL AUTHORITIES OR OTHER BODIES OF A STATUTORY DUTY TO PROVIDE OR IMPROVE HOUSING; (G) THE MAINTENANCE, IMPROVEMENT OR PROVISION OF PUBLIC AMENITIES; (H) THE PRESERVATION OF BUILDINGS OR SITES OF HISTORIC OR ARCHITECTURAL IMPORTANCE; (I) THE PROVISION OR ASSISTANCE IN THE PROVISION OF RECREATIONAL FACILITIES FOR THE PUBLIC AT LARGE AND/ OR THOSE WHO, BY REASONS OF THEIR YOUTH, AGE, INFIRMITY OR DISABLEMENT, POVERTY OR SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES, HAVE NEED FOR SUCH FACILITIES; (J) THE PROTECTION OR CONSERVATION OF THE ENVIRONMENT; (K) THE PROVISION OF PUBLIC HEALTH FACILITIES AND CHILDCARE; (L) THE PROMOTION OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND PREVENTION OF CRIME; AND (M) SUCH OTHER MEANS AS MAY FROM TIME TO TIME BE DETERMINED SUBJECT TO THE PRIOR CONSENT OF THE CHARITY COMMISSIONERS FOR ENGLAND AND WALES.