Alexandra Taylor: Writer

Bassist John Dalton played his first live gig with The Kinks on York Road in Kings Heath in 1966. Fifty years later he’s returning with The Kast Off Kinks to bring the band’s hits back to Birmingham. But this time round it’ll be a very different experience for John. “Back then it happened so quickly,” he explains. “I met the band on Thursday, had Friday to learn the music and then played with them on Saturday night. I didn’t know any Kinks songs before that, but the set was only about thirty minutes so I just about got through it! Nowadays we normally play for around two hours and we obviously know the numbers really well.” John is also no stranger to Birmingham. “My dad’s family lived in Balsall Heath and I used to spend my summer holidays there. We went to the Lickey Hills, Cannon Hill Park and saw the cricket at Edgbaston. It was really nice to be coming back to play.” John toured the world with the Kinks for seven years at the height of their fame and, after a long and...

Winterbourne House and Garden is a haven of tranquility, tucked away between the Bristol Road and Birmingham University, where you can escape the stress of city life to take a leisurely stroll around the Edwardian villa and its grounds. The estate was bequeathed to Birmingham University in 1944 and students still come down to collect samples from the extensive botanical collections. As well as the 1903 Arts and Crafts house packed full of antiques, a botanic garden with over 6000 plant species, a woodland walk, a hazelnut tunnel and a 1930s Japanese bridge, there are a wide range of activities for the inquisitive and adventurous of all ages. Inside the house are interactive exhibitions which tell the fascinating story of the estate and the people who lived there, including Margaret Nettlefold, who designed the Grade II listed garden. The family firm, GKN, was once the largest screw, nut and bolt manufacturer in the world. Occasional free tours (check in advance for days an...

“Parks for Play started over ten years ago,” explains Laura Watts. “I was involved with Dens of Equality, which promotes inclusion through leisure, learning and play. A group of local parents with children on the autism spectrum were having problems accessing existing leisure services and asked us to set something up with them. We began with play schemes in the community and within two years we were running sessions in Kings Heath Park.” Inclusivity is at the heart of what they do. “Everyone is on wheels at some point in their life. If you design something around those with the greatest need, it works for everyone. It’s about making sure no one is excluded.” Laura tells me that 40% of parents with disabled children are single, compared to the national average for all children of 25%. They need reliable, consistent support services to enable them to go to work. As well as holiday play schemes and outreach programmes, Parks for Play runs the only specialised after school club in...

Nestled amongst the trees of Kings Heath Park is The House. Built in 1832, it still features the tiled hallway and stained glass windows of an impressive private residence. Many local strollers, joggers and dog walkers regularly visit the Victorian Tea Rooms on the ground floor, but do they know what else goes on in the erstwhile bedrooms, drawing rooms and parlours, now owned by the city council? Regular readers of My Moseley and Kings Heath will already be familiar with Kings Heath Shed and Thrive, community organisations that operate from The House as paying tenants. But it’s council services that occupy the majority of the rooms. On the ground floor is the Park Ranger service, whose dedicated team oversee the health and wellbeing of our local parks. They monitor wildlife, ensure the park is a safe for all visitors, organise school visits, deliver training to park volunteers and put on a wide variety of public events. Feel free to pop in to report problems, ask questions or...

Present your sweetheart with a bunch of fascinating facts about our favourite Valentine’s Day flowers. 1. Tale as old as time… The oldest fossilised remains of a rose were found in Florissant, Colorado and have been estimated to date from 35 million years ago. 2. Ancient associations Roses have been associated with romance for thousands of years since being linked to Aphrodite and Venus, the goddesses of love in ancient Greece and Rome. 3. Growing old The oldest living rose bush grows up the wall of the Cathedral of Hildesheim in Germany and is believed to be up to 1000 years old. 4. National symbol The rose was adopted as the national flower of England by new Tudor king Henry VII in the 15th century. He combined the red rose of Lancaster with the white rose of York to symbolise the country’s unity after the Wars of the Roses. 5. A thorny issue Technically, roses don’t have thorns, they have prickles. Thorns have deeper roots in a plant’s stem, but prickl...

From the outside, 11 Packenham Road in Edgbaston looks like any other traditional Edgbaston town house. But step through the front door and your senses will be captivated by the sights and smells of the Brazilian rain forest. Over twenty indigenous tribes of the Amazon basin have contributed to Xapiri, which is part gallery, part museum, part classroom and part shop. Owners Jack and Gareth are seasoned travellers who have trekked extensively through northern Brazil. In April 2015 they returned to the UK for the first time in five years, on a mission to spread awareness of the peoples they met and the issues faced by them, such as deforestation and a lack of respect from modern Brazilian society. The rooms are packed with beautifully displayed ceramics, jewellery, baskets and carvings. “Eighty per cent of the items here have been made to sell,” explains Jack. “There’s little appreciation for the art in Brazil, but we pay a fair price and it’s a major source of income for the tr...

It would be easy to assume that in this age of ebooks, wifi and online gaming that our Victorian public libraries may have outlived their usefulness. But far from being left behind, these fantastic resources are as relevant to our modern communities as they ever have been. “Where else can you find a friendly, open space with free access to information with expert staff who can help you find exactly what you want?” asks Elaine, who works at Kings Heath Library. “We have a huge mix of people through the door, of all ages and ethnicities,” adds colleague Sam. “Many come in to use the computers, as well as to borrow books, and we’ve got an extensive local history collection including photos scanned from originals brought in by local people.” You won’t be able to find those on the internet. Other assets include piano music, audio books, maps and a community room, available to hire at reasonable rates, for anyone who would like to put on an event. On Mondays it’s used by the Cit...

“That’s the cell,” says Stuart, indicating a storeroom with a grilled metal security door. “We get put in there if we’re naughty.” Stuart, one of the trustees of the Mosley and Kings Heath Men’s Shed, is giving me a guided tour of their impressive workshop. He’s quick to dispel any misconceptions that it’s a men-only space. “Yes, it is aimed at older people and specifically men, but it’s not exclusive to either of those groups, and several of our members are women. If people can get to us, they’re welcome,” he says. “Even people with physical problems that mean they’re unable to use the equipment, they can supervise the work room, or just come for a chat.” The Men’s Shed movement started in Australia in the mid 1990s in response to concerns over social isolation and depression in older men. It has now spread to dozens of other countries, and there are over 200 sheds in the UK, with more joining the network every week. “It’s a place to spend time, to potter, make someth...

I’m sitting with Carrie and Fran in Loco Lounge, talking about death. A little morbid for a Monday afternoon? Well, no actually. Carrie and Fran run ‘A Natural Undertaking’, and their open and positive approach towards the subject has helped them win several accolades, including the title ‘Green Funeral Director’ in this year’s Good Funeral Awards. “We’re so touched that the families we’ve worked with went out of their way to support and nominate us,” says Fran. “That means the world to us. It’s a big challenge, in the middle of the UK’s second biggest city, to try and put a bit of green in everything, but we do what we can.” Carrie was born in Marston Green Maternity Hospital and, apart from a short stint in Manchester, has lived in the area her whole life. Fran came to university in Birmingham twenty four years ago and never left. They’re passionate about the area and supporting other independent businesses. “We work with a number of florists, celebrants, caterers, venue...

The festive season is when our local pubs come into their own, so what better time to celebrate the entertainment they’ve been providing in our neighbourhoods for hundreds of years.  It was the Romans who first brought taverns to the UK, but the real boom came after the introduction of gin in the 17th century. Now there are around 48,000 pubs across the country, 73 of those within a 5 mile radius of Birmingham city centre. A time traveller going back to experience a 17th century alehouse would perhaps be surprised at how little has changed. Just like the bands that you can enjoy today (Hare and Hounds and The Station in Kings Heath, Patrick Kavanagh and The Bull’s Head in Moseley), live music has always gone hand in hand with the drinks on offer. Many premises also included a card room or a billiard room, and by the end of the 18th century, saloons or lounges were another common feature. This was a room where, for an admission fee or higher drinks prices, singing, dancing,...

Congratulations to Carters of Moseley! They’ve just been awarded a star in the 2016 Michelin Guide. Birmingham now has five Michelin starred restaurants, more than any other English city outside London, and is fast gaining a reputation as a delicious destination for gastro enthusiasts. Our little corner of Birmingham is particularly special. When Carters were awarded the Good Food Guide Readers’ Restaurant of the Year in 2015, the publication’s editor commented, “I wish every town had a restaurant of this standard.” We’re very lucky having such an acclaimed eatery on our doorstep, but posh nosh isn’t the only dish our neighbourhood has to shout about. There’s a smorgasbord of options to suit every palette and pocket, all within a fifteen minute walk. For that all important first date, when you want to impress without breaking the bank, my advice would be to take a trip to the Mediterranean, courtesy of Byzantium in Kings Heath or La Plancha in Moseley. You can share a tempting...

Every December thousands of people flock to Birmingham from all over the country, hoping to find gifts for their loved ones in high profile shopping destinations such as the Frankfurt Christmas Market or the Bullring.   But here in Moseley and Kings Heath, we have no need to brave the heaving crowds or pay over-inflated tourist prices in the city centre. By staying close to home this Christmas we can support our local traders and save a few quid into the bargain. Forget the German-style stalls lining New Street this year. Kings Heath and Moseley will both be holding farmers’ markets and craft markets in December - perfect for picking up locally grown veggies for the Christmas table, a beautiful piece of artisan pottery for your sister, or a jar of something tasty for your best mate. The Moseley Christmas Lights will be switched on, with accompanying stalls, activities and entertainment, on Saturday 5th December and the MAC is also holding craft markets packed with hand mad...