Bearwood Action for Refugees and We are Bearwood are hosting the third annual community Procession of Light in Warley Woods on Saturday 20 October, 6pm.
Following the successful and popular events of the past two years, the community of Bearwood will be coming together once again to spread messages of hope, solidarity, friendship and welcome. In partnership with We Are Bearwood and Near Neighbours all are welcome to join the procession uniting families, community groups and those of different faiths for a torch-lit walk through the woods.
Meeting at The Fountain at 6pm, bearing torches to light their way, the procession will make its way to The Pavillion where it will culminate. Representatives from all faiths will be present and faith leaders from the Abrahamic Foundation and a local church along with a poet from Writers Without Borders will speak on the importance of friendship, welcome and hope within our local community. We also welcome Brandhall Community Choir who will perform a selection of songs.
In the lead up to Diwali, the procession’s symbolism will be manifold. Smethwick Craftivistas are holding workshops, funded by Near Neighbours, with a number of different community groups in the run up to the event. They have also created a tutorial that people can use to make their own torch lantern at home to project their very own messages and light pictures into the twilight that can be downloaded from https://bearwoodaction.wordpress.com/procession-of-light. At the culmination of the procession, torch beams, light pictures and messages will join together to create an installation of light.
A free lantern-making workshops run by the Smethwick Craftivistas will take place 4.30 – 5.30pm in Warley Woods Pavillion prior to the procession, for those wanting to make their own torch lantern. If schools and groups want to discuss how they can get more involved they can e-mail Leonie Hart on t: 07973 128 534, e: bearwoodactionforrefugees@gmail.com
Dorothy Parkes Community Centre have recently been awarded a grant of £19,985 to secure an overgrown and underutilised allotment plot in Smethwick. The Project seeks to transform this rundown plot into a vibrant outdoor community classroom, with the aims of enable people to develop employability, horticulture and life skills, improve participant confidence and encourage physical activity. 
Registered charities whose activities support and encourage the family to work as a cohesive unit in tackling problems that face one or more of its members can apply for grants of between £1,000 and £5,000 through the Kelly Family Charitable Trust.
The Trusthouse Charitable Foundation is offering Community Centres in deprived urban communities and Village Halls in remote and economically deprived rural areas, the opportunity to apply for capital grants of between £10,000 and £45,000.
The Yapp Charitable Trust makes grants for running costs and salaries to small registered charities in England and Wales to help sustain their existing work.
Sandwell Council has given the go-ahead to plans to work with a local charity in providing furniture and white goods to the most vulnerable people living in the borough.
NHS Sandwell and West Birmingham CCG (SWBCCG) and Sandwell Council are currently carrying out several conversations on how we deliver better outcomes for Sandwell Children and Young People. After 2 successful workshops in July and October 2018 we are now hosting workshop 3. You are advised to register using the Eventbrite link below.
Lord’s Taverners, the UK’s leading youth cricket and disability sports charity, has re-opened its Accessible Minibuses grants programme. Schools, clubs and youth organisations across the UK that cater for young people under the age of 25 who have a physical/ sensory/ learning disability, can apply to the Lords Taverners for specially-adapted, wheelchair-accessible minibuses.
The chief executive of The Cellar Trust, a small charity in Bradford which helps people with their mental health. The demands of the day job mean I don’t often get the chance to reflect on what makes small charities like us different and special.
Did you know that 1.2 billion people in the world don’t have access to glasses? Sandwell Visually Impaired (SVI) is a local charity run by people with sight loss, supporting people living with visual impairments, their families and friends. World Sight Day is an opportunity to raise awareness of preventable blindness. SVI’s message is ‘Don’t turn a blind eye to sight loss…it’s just not worth it!’