What's On
Friday 4th July 9.30am-12.30pm
Adult Craft Workshop:
Summer botanical ink making.
Free thanks to funding from Edgbaston NNS.
Email
education@moorpoolhall.com
to book.
Sunday 20th July 2.30pm-4.30pm
MRA and Nettlefold Mid-Summer Garden Party:
Children’s fancy
dress and fancy hats for adults encouraged! Tombola,
games and refreshments available.
19th July-31st August
5k Challenge:
Complete a 5k
anywhere around Moor Pool over the six week summer
holiday period to help us raise £5,000 and you’ll be
rewarded with a unique Moor Pool medal.
Registration details can be found at
www.moorpoolhall.org.uk/moor-pool-5k-summer-challenge/
19th July-31st August
Minibeasts Trail:
Moor Pool
has become a haven for nine crochet minibeasts this
summer! Can you find them all and complete our trail?
Collect a map from the front of the hall.
Thursdays 24th July, 7th and 21st
August 10am-12pm
Let’s Do Lego!
Free Lego play session in the
Main Hall. No need to book, just turn up!
Tuesday 29th
July 6.30-8pm
Heritage Talk Brutalist Birmingham:
Architect and urban designer Joe
Holyoak examines brutalist architecture in Birmingham
and beyond. Tickets £3 on the door.
Friday 1st August 10am-12pm
Summertime Crafts:
Join us for a morning of seasonal crafting in the Main
Hall. £5 per child. No need to book, just come along!
Friday 29th August 10am-
12pm
Let’s Make Bug Hotels!
Join us to make homes for our insect friends
using recycled plastic bottles. £5 per child. No need to
book, just come along!
Sunday 14th September
11am-3pm
Moor Pool Heritage Festival:
Take this opportunity to discover more
about Moor Pool at this much-loved annual event!
Saturday 20th September
7.15pm
Fish & Chip Quiz Supper:
Gather the gang and get competitive for our
ever-popular fish and chip quiz supper. Book your
tickets at
www.moorpoolhall.org.uk/shop
Sunday 21st
September 10am-3pm
Harborne Handmade Autumn Market:
25 of the best local makers
selling their unique and handmade products, as well as
cake and hot drinks.
Tuesday 30th September 6.30-8pm
Heritage Talk: Collars, corset and social class.
Connor McGrath,
vintage clothing expert and collector, explores social
history through fashion. Tickets £3 on the door.
30 years of the MRA
In the beginning…. Rob Sutton traces the history of the MRA
Moor Pool was fortunate to have a residents’
association (MPRA) in its early days. In October
1910, the Moor Pool News (price one penny) makes
mention of the various Societies affiliated to the
MPRA and the Social Council which was then
the executive committee of the MPRA. At some
point after that the association for whatever reason
appears to have ceased to exist.
The MRA is born
For a place like Moor Pool a residents’ association
is a must and in 1995 a group of residents decided
it was time to revive it. The Moor Pool Residents
Association (MRA) was formed following a public
meeting at the Moor Pool Hall on Wednesday 5th
July 1995 and the first committee meeting was held
on July 13th. The elected chair was Grant Dixon
and included eleven committee members, Secretary
and Treasurer. And so, this year the Moor Pool
Residents Association celebrates its 30th year of
rebirth.
Influence of the MRA on the Estate
An early but key undertaking was the Conservation
4(2) Direction which brought about much needed
additional planning protection to the conservation
area. The initial meeting to approve the 4(2)
proposal was supported by a turnout of 170
residents at the Hall.
In 1996, following a campaign by a local resident, it
opposed residential development on allotments (Site
B) which is now the Nettlefold Garden.When plans
were subsequently brought forward by Grainger plc
for a major development on the Estate, the MRA
was an active partner supporting the Moor Pool
Regeneration Group and the Allotment Association
in opposing them. The MRA then approached,
engaged and worked with Banner Homes who had
acquired the planning permission, to bring about
a much more sympathetic development and agree
the future transfer of the allotments, site B, which
became Nettlefold Garden, and the two groups of
garages.
MRA and The Moor Pool Heritage Trust
Perhaps key was the extensive work with local
Councillors, BCC and Bournville Village Trust
to assess and secure funding to put together the
proposal for a Trust and local acquisition of the
community facilities and open spaces which would
subsequently be successfully taken forward by the
Moor Pool Heritage Trust, (MPHT.)
The Estate has seen many and varied community
and social events in its history going right back
to the early days, for example celebration of the
Silver Jubilee in 1977. These events are only
made possible by the support of a willing band
of volunteers and the hard work of the various
committees. Following the rebirth of the MRA,
came the dedication and unveiling of the History
Plate at the Circle, The Centenary Tea, Carol Walks,
Easter Egg Hunts, the Coffee Mornings and the
Moor Pool Heritage Festival, managed now by the
MPHT.
The MRA, has been active in planning matters,
Neighbourhood Watch, improvements to estate
areas, tree replanting, heritage lighting, combatting
anti-social behaviour and initiating the successful
Moor Pool in Bloom.
More recently we have had the Coronation Picnic,
mid-summer Garden Party and Carols in the Hall.
All this has been as a result of the efforts by various
Committees who have believed in the importance
of having a resident’s association and volunteered
their time over the years.Whilst we have the MPHT,
with which the MRA works closely, to manage and
look after our community facilities, the bricks and
mortar so to speak, having a resident’s association is
crucial to look after the social and community needs
of the Estate.
With everyone’s support we can look forward to 30
more successful years.
