ABOUT US

Handsworth Community Forum is a community group managed by local residents. The Forum aims to improve the quality of life for the community of Handsworth by encouraging residents to work together to make a difference. 

With over 400 members we continue to grow from strength to strength, so if you live or work in Handsworth we would love for you to join us in helping to make improvements to the local area. Membership is free with no commitment expected of you. We will add you to our mailing list to ensure you are aware of what's going on in Handsworth and how you can get involved. To join us please click here and fill out the contact details form.

Volunteers

Handsworth Community Forum was set up as a limited company in 2002 by a group of local residents who wanted to make a difference. These residents make up the management committee who oversee all of the Forum's work. The committee is made up of Maurice Littlewood (Chair), Janet Hilbert (Secretary), Margaret Hibberd (Treasurer), Maddie Pepper and Jenny Daley. They are unpaid volunteers who spend many hours working behind the scenes to help set up new projects to benefit others. Many other members of the Forum also volunteer their time by delivering newsletters, helping in the office, planting blubs/flowers, litter picking and serving at community events.  

Employees

The committee employ full and part time staff to help run the Forum's projects and to make sure resident's receive a quality service. Steve Wylie is the full time Development Manager who works closely with the committee and takes the lead on a number of community based projects. Michelle Keable is the part time Project Officer who provides administrative and finance support to the Forum's project work.  Paula Saxton is the part time Community Learning Worker who sets up adult learning courses and enrols people on to the classes. Dawn Kirby and Mike Bollinger are sessional adult learning tutors who we employ to teach our computer courses.

What we do

There are a number of things that the Forum volunteers and staff do for the community but in addition to these we often start up new projects based on feedback from residents. Our services are listed below:

• Hold monthly public meetings
• Provide an information and advice service
• Organise half term holiday activities for kids
• Host community events
• Distribute a quarterly newsletter
• Support Young People's projects
• Make improvements to Handsworth Community Park
• Set up adult learning courses
• Organise seasonal flower/bulb planting
• Represent Handsworth at community meetings

We want to provide a service that meets the needs of local people so we value your feedback on what we do, or whould be doing. Please click here to fill out the feedback from to let us know your thoughts.