The latest news, updates and events in Birmingham
A Tipton man has been charged over the brutal homophobic attack in Birmingham’s Gay Village in which a student was smashed over the head with a glass bottle and struck with a pole. Usman Murtza, from Tipton, was charged for the horrific and unprovoked attack on John-Paul Kesseler and another man as they walked together…
After recent weeks and days which have seen violent and horrific homophobic attacks in Birmingham a joint statement has been released by city leaders to show solidarity and support for the LGBTQI+ community. The verbal and physical abuse suffered by Birmingham’s LGBTQI+ community has left people terrified and frightened to venture out for fear of being on…
A group of Muslim women from Birmingham are backing England to win the Euro final after revealing the national team have inspired their sense of belonging in the community. Paying tribute to the England squad’s anti-racism stance and diverse team members, the keen football fans from the Aston neighbourhood have said they feel proud of…
Birmingham’s diversity, creativity and spirit will be celebrated in a new artwork due to be unveiled in the city centre later this week. Forward Together is a reimagining of the city’s crest being raised by a line of 25 figures, designed by artist Luke Perry and made by a team of his friends, some of…
An annual festival celebrating diverse communities across Birmingham is set to take place this month and will be delivered both digitally and at a physical venue. Being held on select days between 12-26 June, ‘This is My City’ will bring together Birmingham residents to celebrate the rich cultures of the UK’s second city, with a strong focus on…
West Midlands mayor Andy Street has pledged to adopt a new scheme tackling boardroom inequality, following the decision by Birmingham City Council to embrace the same initiative to tackle racial prejudice in the workplace. The new scheme – named the RACE code – aims to encourage race equality in the boardroom and is being piloted by the West Midlands…
Burial space in Handsworth Cemetery’s Muslim section is almost full and with no additional available land at the site, Birmingham City Council has announced. The cemetery, which is based in the north of the city, currently has fewer than 15 graves available in its Muslim section which is expected to be completely full in just two…
Young citizens from across the region have written to the West Midlands Combined Authority urging it to continue to fight racism. Members of the Young Combined Authority (YCA) wrote to the WMCA’s chief executive, calling on the authority to keep structural racism and disadvantage high on the region’s agenda in the wake of Black Lives Matter protests.
An open letter criticising the organisers of the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham about a lack of diversity has been signed by prominent figures from across the city. Endorsed by community representatives from across Birmingham, the letter challenges officials organising the Commonwealth Games to take seriously concerns about unequal representation at the top of the planned event’s…
A Birmingham food distribution charity has been busy handing out essential food supplies to hundreds of vulnerable and homeless people during the coronavirus pandemic. Volunteers from Feedo Needo, which is based in Smithfield House, Digbeth, have been helping to distribute much-needed food supplies in Birmingham as the pandemic places a huge strain on charities across…