Campaign to restore Castle Bromwich bells gathers momentum.

AS part of this weekend’s Castle Bromwich Heritage Festival, we scaled the heights of St Mary and St Margaret’s Church and got a closer look at the bells which are part of a £100,000 restoration project.

When we reach the top of the winding stairs we’re shown the ropes – quite literally.

The members of the church bellringing team point out the cords that hang down from the ceiling. Today our tour guides are going to teach us how to toll. This is the art of swinging the bell slightly from side-to-side.

People approach the ropes with slight trepidation. For some of the visitors, memories may come to mind of the Mars Bars advert – in which a band of monks are carried all the way to the ceiling by some particularly rigorous ringing.

This isn’t as fanciful as it sounds. The heaviest of the bells – the tenor – weighs around half a ton and the six bells together are something over a ton (the same weight as a Mini).

Fortunately no-one gets carried away today, as we take it in turns to make the bells ring out. Dan Harris, the youngest bell captain in Birmingham, demonstrates the technique. Do it right and you’re rewarded with a deep dong from up above.

CLAPPED OUT: The bells were last recast in 1952 and need
a complete refurbishment.

To keep the pealing going takes timing and co-ordination, it’s also good exercise. Although Dan admits that a few beers after a Wednesday night practise session probably puts the calories back on. A quick trip to the pub is apparently an old tradition in bell ringing circles.

“We get to ring bells in churches all around the country,” says Dan, when asked about the appeal of pealing for someone his age. “And drink in a few pubs too!”

The bells sound out for Sunday service and weddings, although they have also been rung to mark special events such as the London Olympics, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and to usher in the new Millennium.

After a quick look at the Medieval roofspace, we’re taken up another set of steps (it’s quite a squeeze) and into the belfry itself. There aren’t any bats at the moment, but the wind whistles through the bricks and you can see trees thrashing about on the other side of the narrow grill.

The bells themselves are something to behold. Bill Dargue, who has been part of the team for more than 30 years, says the chimes can be heard over a mile away and when they sound out, you can feel the reverberations run down through the whole tower. This is apparently a good thing, if the structure didn’t sway it could snap, but it’s still not a comforting thought when you’re halfway up a set of rough cut steps which date from the 1700s.

It’s then up the final winding flight to the top of the tower, stooping to get through a rather low doorway. The view is incredible, you can see all the way to Birmingham city centre, with the Rotunda and Post Office tower, and out in other directions to the distant spires of Coleshill and Yardley.

VIEW: You can see for miles from the top of the tower at
St Mary and St Margaret's

It’s then time to descend the 99 steps back down to the ground. Ben Sassons, another of the younger bellringers, jokes that his suggestion for a slide had been vetoed. Although you shouldn’t expect this addition any time soon, as it turns out there are still some ambitious plans for this historic tower…

Ringing the changes: Church bell appeal

Earlier this year, the team set up a charitable trust to restore the ringers to their former glory.

When the bells were recast in 1952, the firm who did the job was on the verge of bankruptcy and many materials were reused from the early 18th century installation rather than being replaced.

Consequently time has taken its toll and now the bells need a complete refurbishment. The trust has also revived an old proposal for two new treble bells - this was the original intention when the last work was carried out 60 years ago, but the plan was shelved.

It’s hoped that the campaign can raise £100,000 and that the eight new bells can be in place in time for 2017 – the 300^th anniversary of Bridgeman’s bells being hung.

If you can help, donations should be made payable to the Castle Bromwich Bell Restoration Fund, send cheques to 42, Chester Road, B36 6BU. Or visit their website.

New youth magazine to launch in North Solihull

A NEW magazine with a difference is being launched in North Solihull

Hybrid’s slogan is “by young people, for young people”, with the articles and features provided by local students.

In the first edition there are articles offering advice to job hunters, suggestions for school leavers and a “survival guide” for people going to their first music festival.

Also inside is a piece of creative writing by Siana-Rose Crawford, a Chelmsley Wood teenager and former CTC pupil who has recently published her first novel.

The quarterly title, which will be available at local schools, youth centres and other facilities, is run by the Ashram Housing Association. It is hoped that future issues will feature photography, poetry and even illustrations submitted by the hungry young newsteam.

Hybrid is edited by former journalist Simeon Bright, who previously ran S.L Magazine - a youth magazine with content provided by local sixth formers.

The magazine has its official launch at the Bosworth Community Centre on Monday evening (May 12).

If you would like to get involved in the project, email simeon.bright@ashramha.org.uk or tweet @hybrid_mag

Well-known councillors prepare to say farewell

GRANDEES: Couns Alan Martin, left, and
Don Cornock

NEXT Wednesday, Solihull’s oldest councillor will sit down for his final meeting in the council chamber.

This last session on the planning committee will bring to an end an 18-year stint by Marston Green’s Alan Martin.

The Conservative councillor has represented his home ward of Bickenhill since 1996 and was Solihull’s Mayor nine years ago.

Now 81, he has decided against standing for another four year term and will step down at this month’s local elections.

Coun Martin held a number of positions during his time with the Tory group and is a long-serving member of the planning committee, where he has had to consider some of the most controversial applications in recent history.

He will continue to serve the community as a member of the Marston Green Village Hall Trust.

Also leaving the council this month is Smith’s Wood stalwart Don Cornock, who has held the seat since 1983.

The Labour man, from Auckland Drive, has had the longest continuous run of the 51 members who currently make up the local authority.

He also sits on the planning committee and in recent years has advised and debated the regeneration project which has transformed large parts of the estate he represents.

Coun Cornock will not disappear from the political scene entirely and plans to continue on Smith’s Wood Parish Council.

Labour have selected David Cole, who chairs the Kingshurst Parish Council, to replace their most experienced member.

Friday Thoughts: What's it like for bikes in North Solihull

IN the first of a weekly series we take a light-hearted look at some of the stories in the news and issues affecting the area. This week, should something Dutch be done about our attitude to cycling...

BIKES GALORE: Amsterdam is the cycling capital
of Europe

COULD Alvis Walk look like Amsterdam in a few years’ time?

No don’t panic, there are no plans for a red light district to swallow large parts of Smith's Wood or for windmills to loom large over Lanchester Drive.

But there is one thing that North Solihull could learn from the Netherlands according to some campaigners, their attitude to cycling.

At the moment when you’re passing through Meriden Park you may see a flash of handlebars and there’s always a kid or two pedalling their way down Cooks Lane.

But groups like the Solihull Bicycle Campaign wants to introduce measures that will make things easier – and safer – for cyclists. They argue that adopting a Dutch-style model would make “biking it” a much more appealing option.

Elsewhere this month, Chelmsley Wood councillor Karl Macnaughton backed the Space4Cycling campaign – which is once again pressing for a dramatic change in the way councils lay out their roads.

It’s not going to be easy as Britain is famously far less forgiving of cyclists compared to other countries in Europe. As someone who wobbled their first few yards on the back of a bike last summer, I can confirm there’s still a lot of stigma.

CYCLING STAR: Sir Chris Hoy visited Solihull in 2012
and spoke of hopes that the London Olympics would
get more people riding bikes

Yes, we’re delighted when Sir Chris Hoy, with his super-sized thighs, or Victoria Pendleton, with her winning smile, bring in a bucket full of medals at the Olympics.

But as soon as bikes are let loose in traffic the old prejudices rise to the surface. Motorists gnash their teeth at the sight of skin-tight lycra and grumble under their breath that bikes just “shouldn’t be allowed on the road.” The mantra “four wheels good, two wheels bad” runs deep in many drivers.

With many cyclists too scared to ride on busy roads (I found Tudor Grange Park frightening enough) it’s probably not totally surprising that the post-Olympic positivity hasn’t quite continued. Stats from last month show that the number of Britons regularly riding has actually fallen slightly since London 2012.

It’s a real shame because an area like Chelmsley Wood – where less than half of all people own cars – could really benefit from a boom in bicycles. A strong cyclist could commute from Castle Bromwich to Solihull town centre in half the time it takes the torturous No 71 bus to cover the distance.

There is some hope on the horizon perhaps. Millions of pounds was recently ploughed into the much-hyped North Solihull Strategic Cycle Network. This will provide 13km of new routes, with particular emphasis on people using them to travel to work.

NEW LINK: The first part of the new cycle
network opened last summer, though the
scheme went some way over budget.

It’s a pity that troublesome tree roots and a few other unforeseen problems have seen the cost of the scheme spiral upwards (rather like the blood pressure of those residents who were against the project from the outset).

Some cyclists have also raised concern about aspects of the scheme. After travelling along a stretch in the Auckland Drive area, blogger Bracken VanRyssen  said that the pathways provided “fell far short” of a high quality network.

Nonetheless, Solihull Council is at least attempting to do more to make provisions. As for the other measures that groups like Space4Cycling are calling for, they may be some way off. Although the introduction of more 20mph roads in the borough may be closer than you’d think, following a pilot of the slower speed limit in North Arran Way.

Bike-owners will also welcome the news that this summer will see the introduction of a new programme of regular leisure rides in North Solihull. From late June, CycleSolihull will be leading trips from the likes of Chelmsley Wood and Marston Green.

So while we may be some way off Alvis Walk being renamed Alvis Ride, there are signs at least that cycling is being taken more seriously than in the past. Just don't throw away your travel card just yet. 

Castle Bromwich Heritage Festival this weekend

PERIOD DRAMA: Victorian re-enactment society, The Seven Dials
Rapscallions will be among the performers at the event

THE ageing graves of a Castle Bromwich churchyard have helped inspire an event which will shed new light on the area’s rich history.

Organisers of the Castle Bromwich Beer and Heritage Festival have investigated the long-forgotten stories of those buried at St Mary and St Margaret’s cemetery.

These hidden histories will be used as a jumping-off point for re-enactments stretching back over the centuries.

The different time zones will take in Tudor music and Medieval medicine, Victorian street urchins and the men and women who did their bit in the darks days of World War II.

The ambitious event, which has received support from the Heritage Lottery Fund, will also feature stalls, artwork and trips up the church bell tower. For those who like a tipple or two, there will also be over a dozen beers and ciders on tap.

Groups including Castle Bromwich Youth & Community Partnership, Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens, St Mary & St Margaret's, Castle Bromwich Bell Ringers and Castle Bromwich Hall Hotel have helped organise the weekend's entertainment.

HERITAGE: The churchyard at St Mary and St Margaret's
helped inspire the event, with activities taking place in the vicinity
of the church and nearby Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens.

The Heritage Festival will take place Saturday, May 10 (11am-4pm) and Sunday, May 11 (12noon-4pm). The beer festival is 12noon-10pm on the Saturday and 12noon-4pm on the Sunday. Most events are free, although there will be admission charges for the WW2 activities at Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens. For more details about the packed festival or a full list of performers go to www.castlebromwichfestival.co.uk

Tackling parking problems outside local schools

POLICE have been making daily visits to schools in Castle Bromwich in response to problem parking during the school run.

Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) acted following concerns that parents were flouting restrictions when dropping off and collecting their children.

Among the concerns raised include vehicles blocking driveways, parking on yellow lines and on the zig-zags outside school gates.

During their visits, the PCSOs have handed out leaflets reminding parents of the law and the dangers of not abiding by restrictions. Details have also been noted of vehicles that are parking illegally or causing an obstruction.

In a bulletin on the police website, the local neighbourhood team said they had done a lot of work to tackle the issue after identifying it as a priority.

The crackdown comes a few months after comments by Castle Bromwich councillor Ted Richards about the chaos being caused outside schools around the borough. He said that it was among the most common complaints raised by local residents.

“I have to say from my own personal experience and what I hear from other councillors is that the way some parents behave is absolutely disgraceful,” he told fellow members.

“Some of them show no regard for those who live in these areas and no regard for the parking restrictions.”

Coun Richards, who is cabinet member for transport and highways, said that headteachers should take tougher action to help reduce the problem.

Start for North Solihull's inaugural cultural festival

LINE-UP: Activities include (from left) a screening of Channel 4 documentary One Mile Away, Warwickshire Wildlife Trust events across local parks and the Castle Bromwich Heritage Festival, featuring the Green Man

A TWO-month long cultural festival, celebrating the wealth of activities in North Solihull, has got underway.

The first-ever IMAGE Fest will see more than 30 events taking place in parks, churches and community.

The highlights of a packed programme include a fun fair, live music, art exhibitions, theatre shows and a number of community lunches.

Organised by community leaders, IMAGE is aiming to promote the “real North Solihull”, showcasing the talents and facilities within the local area.

The team has been assembled entirely by volunteers drawn from a wide range of associations, business and voluntary groups.

Among the activities taking place from now until late June are:

• The Castle Bromwich Heritage Festival (May 10-11) – A whole host of events will be taking place in the area in and around Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens. The event ties in with the Castle Bromwich Beer Festival which starts on the Friday (May 9). More details on this blog later in the week or at www.castlebromwichfestival.co.uk/
• Film Night (May 12) – A screening of the documentary One Mile Away, which tells the story of a number of ex-gang members trying to bring peace to the streets of inner city Birmingham. The Channel 4 film will be shown at the Bosworth Community Centre, Chelmsley Wood. Doors open at 6.15pm for a 7pm start. Free entry.
• Robert Wilkinson’s Funfair (May 15-18) The return of the popular fairground to Meriden Park, Chelmsley Wood. 
• Photography Exhibition (May 30-31) Images of North Solihull submitted as part of a local photographic competition will be on show at Auckland Hall, in Smith’s Wood.
• Big Lunch (June 1) Chelmsley Wood joins in the now annual event, designed to get people together with their neighbours. It takes place at Bosworth Community Centre from 11am-3pm.
• North Solihull Primary Schools Football Tournament (June 12) Year 5 and 6 pupils will kick off a friendly competition at Arden Hall playing fields in Castle Bromwich. Starts at 4pm, free entry to local schools.
• Peter Pan (June 24) The curtain comes down on the festival programme with a performance of the children’s classic at Castle Bromwich Hall Hotel.

For a full list of events, with dates, times and admission charges (though many events are free), go to www.imagefest.co.uk/. And we’ll be reporting more closely on some of the individual attractions as they come closer.