The Small Heath Community Forum Limited
Charity 1074861
Overview
Summary
The Small Heath Community Forum appears to function less as a single-purpose service provider than as local civic infrastructure: a longstanding, place-based intermediary that combines representation, voluntary-sector capacity building and physical space. Its role seems to be connecting a diverse East Birmingham community with policy makers, opportunities and other voluntary organisations, while using the Khidmat Centre as a practical base for that work. This combination may give it influence beyond its directly delivered projects, although the available evidence does not show the scale or outcomes of that influence.
Operational geography
Evidence and reasoning
Supporting evidence
Small Heath
Confidence: high
The organisation identifies Small Heath as its community focus and operates a staffed, named community venue there. Its current advice, legal-advice, volunteering, youth and park-related activity is described as taking place at the Khidmat Centre or in Small Heath.
- Small Heath Community Forum website — Contact Us
The Forum gives the Khidmat Centre in Small Heath as its operational contact location, with opening hours Monday to Thursday. - Small Heath Community Forum website — Projects
Information, Advice and Guidance is delivered by volunteers at the Khidmat Centre; free legal advice is arranged there for residents living in Small Heath. - Small Heath Community Forum website — Projects
Friends of Small Heath Park is described as a volunteer project to improve Small Heath Park and its facilities, including work with local authorities, councillors and residents; the associated cycle hub provides bicycles for local residents. - Small Heath Community Forum website — About Us
The organisation says it was established to provide a community resource for people of Small Heath and identifies the Khidmat Centre in Small Heath as its premises. - Charity Commission record supplied for charity 1074861
The charity's stated objects are for the benefit of the community in Small Heath and surrounding areas.
Remaining uncertainties
- The Forum's homepage says it helps people residing in East Birmingham, and its charitable objects refer to Small Heath and surrounding areas. However, the currently published project information does not identify active delivery sites or regular services in other named Birmingham wards.
- Partnerships with Birmingham City Council, Friends of Small Heath Park, Ashiana Community Project, B:CAN and other bodies demonstrate collaborative working, but the available evidence does not establish that these partnerships create a continuing operational footprint outside Small Heath.
- The official website contains inconsistent address details for the Khidmat Centre. This does not materially alter the ward-level conclusion but should be checked.
Additional evidence needed
- A current annual report, service-delivery report or project monitoring data specifying the neighbourhoods or wards in which beneficiaries are served.
- Current partnership agreements or project pages identifying whether SHCF delivers activities at sites beyond the Khidmat Centre and Small Heath Park.
- Confirmation from SHCF of whether any additional operational premises are in use.
Areas of work
- Economic/community Development/employment
- Education/training
- Environment/conservation/heritage
- The Advancement Of Health Or Saving Of Lives
- The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty
Who they help
- Other Charities Or Voluntary Bodies
- Other Defined Groups
- People Of A Particular Ethnic Or Racial Origin
How they help
- Acts As An Umbrella Or Resource Body
- Provides Advocacy/advice/information
- Provides Buildings/facilities/open Space
- Provides Human Resources
Discoveries involving this organisation
The Atlas has not published any Discoveries involving this organisation yet.
Observations
A civic intermediary rather than only a frontline charity
The evidence suggests the Forum's core role is to connect community interests, voluntary organisations and decision-makers, alongside addressing individual community needs. It may therefore shape local capacity and representation as much as it delivers projects.
Why it matters
This helps explain why its stated remit spans health, education, employment, poverty and community development: its distinctive contribution may be coordination and voice across these issues rather than specialist delivery in one field.
Show evidence
“Small Heath Community Forum Ltd is a development agency that capacity builds in the voluntary sector.”
Source:Organisation“Seeks to address key issues around health, education & employment by representing communities interest with policy makers.”
Source:Organisation“Acts As An Umbrella Or Resource Body.”
Source:Charity Commission
Physical space appears integral to its operating model
The Khidmat Centre appears to be more than an administrative address: office and venue hire may provide a shared local base, potentially supporting other organisations while also diversifying the Forum's practical resources.
Why it matters
Understanding the organisation as a steward of accessible space reveals a possible mechanism for convening, voluntary-sector support and local relationship-building that is not visible from project descriptions alone.
Show evidence
“The Khidmat Centre has a variety of offices available for venue hire.”
Source:Organisation“Provides Buildings/facilities/open Space.”
Source:Charity Commission“Office space / venue hire.”
Source:Organisation
Its broad inclusion claim may be a strategic local strength
The Forum appears to position itself as an inclusive organisation in a highly diverse locality, while retaining particular relevance to ethnic or racial-origin communities. Its long history may support trust across communities and institutions.
Why it matters
This may make the Forum a valuable bridge where public engagement or collaboration requires legitimacy across multiple communities, rather than outreach through a single demographic lens.
Show evidence
“We strive to improve the quality of life for people from all nationalities and cultures.”
Source:Organisation“People Of A Particular Ethnic Or Racial Origin.”
Source:Charity Commission“Our first meeting was held on 17 May 1995.”
Source:Organisation
- Which projects, services or partnerships are currently active, and who benefits from them.
- Whether the Forum's policy representation produces identifiable changes or is shaped by formal partnerships.
- How venue hire, volunteering and business support contribute to financial sustainability and community impact.
Remaining uncertainties
- Recent annual reports, accounts and outcome data showing current activity, income sources and beneficiary reach.
- A current project and partnership list, including organisations using the Khidmat Centre and examples of policy engagement.
- Evidence of community participation in governance, especially across the populations the Forum says it serves.
Additional evidence needed
Charity Commission profile
Activities
Small Heath Community Forum Ltd is a development agency that capacity builds in the voluntary sector. Seeks to address key issues around health, education & employment by representing communities interest with policy makers. Our activities seek to improve quality of life for divers' population in the area.
Charity objects
TO PROMOTE ANY CHARITABLE PURPOSE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMMUNITY IN SMALL HEATH AND SURROUNDING AREAS TO ADVANCE EDUCATION, RELIEVE POVERTY AND SICKNESS BY ASSOCIATING TOGETHER REPRESENTATIVES OF THE COMMUNITY, STATUETTE AUTHORITIES AND OTHER ORGANISATIONS IN THE AREA OF BENEFITT