What's On
Thursday 19th February 10am-12pm
Let’s Do Lego!:
Free Lego play session offering a relaxed and creative space for children of all ages to build and play. We have lots of different bricks so there’s something for everyone to play with, from toddlers to teens. This session is free and open to all. No booking required, just turn up!
Friday 20th February 10am-12pm
Half Term Crafts:
Join us for a morning of seasonal crafting this half term. £5 per child. No need to book, just come along! Cakes and drinks available to purchase.
Sunday 22nd February 11am-1.45pm
Pitstop Playtime:
Join Pitstop Playtime for two extended sessions: 11am-12.15pm and 12.30-1.45pm. With a wide range of exciting car-themed equipment to fuel endless fun! Book tickets through pitstopplaytime.co.uk.
Friday 27th February and Friday 27th March 12-1.30pm
Creative Wellbeing Sessions:
Join LEAF Creative Arts CIC for free monthly Creative Wellbeing sessions at Moor Pool Hall. These sessions are dementia friendly, carer friendly and accessible. To book, please email leafcreativearts@gmail.com or call 07746 642 387.
Saturday 28th February 7.15pm
Fish & Chip Quiz Supper:
Gather the gang and get competitive for the first fish and chip quiz supper of 2026! Tickets are £13 per person and are available to book through moorpoolhall.org.uk/shop. Bring your own drinks.
Sunday March 1st
Circle Cinema:
Screening of ‘I Swear’. Doors open at 6.15pm for refreshments. Film starts at 7.15pm. More details below.
Moor Pool Spring Clean
At the MRA AGM concerns were raised about the
amount of leaf debris clogging up road drain covers,
gutters and roadways. This is particularly acute in
West Pathway, upper Moor Pool Avenue and also in
the dip in Ravenhurst Road by the Moor Pool.
Ideally
this would be the responsibility of the street cleaning
team from Birmingham City Council. However, at the
present time we recognise it will be extremely unlikely
that BCC will attend to clear the debris.
Therefore, in
these exceptional circumstances and in the spirit of
community volunteering we are going to try as best
we can to clear the worst build ups of leaf debris. To
undertake this work, we are appealing for people to
volunteer and help.
If you would like to get involved,
please email me on
salbmoorpool@gmail.com
before Sunday 15th February so we can co-ordinate
a community clean up.
Thank you! Best wishes, Sal
(Sally Bourner)
From The Chair
The Association held its AGM on Saturday Jan 24th. Please
see my report below which was presented at that meeting.
This will also be on our website with the minutes.
A Springtime Tidy Up
Nettlefold Garden are also
planning a Spring tidy up as you will see from their ad
here in The Duck. You can make a difference by clearing
and tidying the pavement and verge in front of your own
house. We appreciate that its more difficult without green
collections but please do it if you can.
Spring is coming and we want to look at our best.
MRA Chairs Report 2025
I start my report by looking back to last July and the
cancelled Garden Party. This may seem a curiously
negative way to talk about 2025 but I think we can agree
that bad weather is beyond our control and all organisers
of outdoor events in the UK can do is pray to the weather
gods and keep fingers crossed. All was not lost though as the
stalwart committee members who stayed to tell people what
happened had some good conversations and were reassured
that there is an appetite for such an event, so we are planning
another Garden Party this coming year in partnership with
Nettlefold Garden. Of course we will be praying that the
third Garden Party we have organised will be blessed with a
gorgeous English Summer afternoon and not the clouds and
rain of the last two!
The Coffee and Chat held in May at the Carless Eco Centre
coincided with VE Day commemoration celebrations and so
it was themed around that with a most interesting exhibition
of WW2 memorabilia.
September brought our annual Macmillan Coffee morning
which raised £300 for the Charity. Mike Frost provided
some entertainment for youngsters and there were plenty
of homemade cake on offer. As the year turned we gathered
in December for ‘Carols In The Hall’. This year we were
joined by the Brandhall Community Choir who certainly
helped to generate a festive atmosphere and swelled the
volume of our singing. This was a very well attended and
popular event and really demonstrated the community spirit
on the Moor Pool Estate. Thanks must go to Geff Salminen
who accompanied us on the piano and Jules Bellingham the
‘compere’.
In between these social events the Committee met
regularly to plan and review. The monitoring of planning
applications revealed that not much was happening as
the City Council struggle with budget restrictions and
those putting in applications were having a very long wait
for decisions. The MRA sees that as a very unfortunate
development since there is a distinct feeling that in the
absence of timely decisions applicants will either not apply
when they should or undertake work without a decision,
especially as enforcement is rare. As Chair I receive
enquiries about planning issues from residents wanting to
make alterations and residents who have concerns about
work going on nearby that they do not think is compliant
with the Conservation status. The situation has deteriorated
further in the latter part of 2025 with the departure of one
of the Conservation Officers with whom we had built up a
useful relationship. However the MRA will not throw in the
towel and will continue to monitor and provide information
to increase knowledge about the Conservations rules and
guidelines, which are in place to preserve the unique ,special
and attractive appearance of our Estate.
Traffic Calming
A feasibility consultation on traffic calming took place
in 2025 and alerted by Better Streets as Chair I sent in a
response of behalf of the Association broadly welcoming
traffic calming initiatives though alive to what can
sometimes be unintended consequences. The potential
schemes that have now been identified in the ward will we
believe go out to a full consultation. A road narrowing on
Ravenhurst Rd is a possibility. Look out for information
from The City Council which will be delivered to every
directly affected household.
Membership
In 2025 membership of the Association dipped again as
members moved off the Estate so we have decided to have a
drive to increase membership. Many people who live on the
Estate who appreciate its unique qualities are not members
and we hope to attract more to join.
The Duck
The Moor Pool Duck newsletter which is funded by the
Association and the Trust was delivered to all houses on the
Estate its delivery organised by Jenny Buchan and delivered
by a loyal team. Thanks to all of them. The Committee is
sometimes a bit despondent knowing that many residents do
not value The Duck it but there are many that do and it will
be published 4 times in 2026. The Editor is always on the
lookout for stories or articles.mth0851@gmail.com
A Few Thank Yous
I end by thanking the Hall manager Barbara Nomikos
who is always so supportive and Clare Gordon, Marketing
and Fundraising Coordinator who together with Barbara
has helped to promote our events. Thanks also to Justine
Marklew the Trust Education and Outreach Officer. My
thanks also to Norma Mason Association Secretary,
Andy Argyle the Association Treasurer and the rest of the
Committee who make it possible to put on our events and
who support me in my role as Chair. They are unsung heroes
who are in the background making drinks and washing up or
moving chairs – vital jobs!
Look out for 2026 events and do let us know what you think.
We look forward to meeting you again at those events.
Margaret Harrold
chair@moorpool.org.uk
Association Chair. January 23rd 2026.
2026 programme of Heritage Talks
Tuesday 28th April 7-8pm
The Austin Village:
Presented by Hazel Griffiths of the Austin Village Preservation Society
Tuesday 26th May 7-8pm
Sweet Heritage:
Historian, Emma Barron-Scott will explore the history of sweet making in the West Midlands, with free samples and old school sweets to buy.
Tuesday 30th June 7-8pm
Collars, Corsets and Social Class (part 2):
Connor McGrath and Willow Pinchin, vintage clothing experts and collectors, return to further explore social history through fashion.
Tuesday 28th July 7-8pm
Sanitation and Public Health in 19th and 20th Century Birmingham:
Presented by Professor Justine Pick.
Tuesday 29th September 7-8pm
Birmingham’s Dad’s Army:
With Paul Jaques and Dave Vaux from the Royal Warwickshire Regiment.
