The Community Group That's Cleaning Up Stechford

A community group in Stechford are committed to cleaning up the communal green spaces in a bid to enhance civic pride in the area.

The Friends of Stechford Green Spaces is a volunteer-led, community organisation which aims to improve the quality of life of people living in the Stechford Ward. They do this by introducing community initiatives including cleaning litter and debris from the green spaces of the area.

The litter pick-up scheme takes place on the last Saturday of every month, with volunteers meeting at Stechford Leisure Centre before spending a couple of hours clearing up litter and debris from communal areas.

Nadeem Aziz is the Elected Chair of Friends of Stechford, he says: “The Green Spaces group has been an incredible source of support for residents in the last few years.

“Our vision is to make continuous improvements to our key green spaces within the ward, making them safer, cleaner, and easier to use. Working in partnership with local community assets like Stechford Leisure Centre, we aim to support community growth and to provide a better, more inclusive environment for residents.”

The group have been established for over two years and have a membership of 100+ residents. They regularly engage with the local council, police, and elected officials to improve access to services.

Nadeem said: “With the invaluable help and support from Stechford Leisure Centre, we held our Annual General Meeting (AGM) late last year. Around 30 residents attended to learn about what is happening in the ward and a way for them to share their concerns to relevant agencies. 

“We are now evolving into more of a ‘community hub’.  As a community group, our aim is to help residents to live healthier lives and to support local community activities and community cohesion. We believe making better use of local assets, and the great team at Stechford Leisure Centre have been invaluable in providing us with a gateway to improving outcomes for people living in hardship.”

Yasmin Hussain, Community Engagement Officer for Birmingham Community Leisure Trust, said: “We feel privileged to be able to host the Friends of Stechford Green Spaces at Stechford Leisure Centre for their monthly litter pick-up. The group do fantastic things in the community and should be applauded for using their time to help the local area.”

The groups next litter pick-up is set to take place on Saturday 27^th January – meeting at Stechford Leisure Centre. We'd love to invite all volunteers to join us at 10am in reception - you don't have to sign up, just turn up on the day and let's make Stechford's green places and clean and safe place for all!

Volunteers are urged to wear suitable and warm clothing and refreshments will be provided.

For more information on Friends of Stechford – see here for how to get involved.