Blackbirds are one of the UK’s most familiar garden birds, yet surprisingly little is known about how their breeding success varies across urban environments. That is where you come in. Blackbird Detectives is a local citizen science initiative, led by a PhD researcher at the University of Birmingham in collaboration with the British Trust for […]

We are proud to present “The Green Heart of Birmingham,” a short film by Sima Gonsai that captures the spirit of our network of incredible people that we support. This film is a tribute to the volunteers who show up week after week, giving their time, energy, and love to the places that matter most […]

At our 20th Anniversary Volunteer Celebration in late 2025, we hosted a “Just a Minute” segment – a space for our members to share a snapshot of what their local open space and volunteering means to them. When Natascha Rohde (Secretary & Trustee from the Friends of Handsworth Park) stood up to speak, she shared […]

As part of our mission to support and celebrate Birmingham’s parks & open spaces volunteer groups, we’re sharing stories of projects that have made a real difference to local communities. This case study highlights the Friends of Balaam’s Wood, who turned a long-held idea into reality thanks to the help of a University student placement. […]

We’re celebrating a major new funding award from the National Lottery Community Fund’s Reaching Communities programme! This three-year grant will support our core work across Birmingham and help us launch a brand new programme focused on supporting communities in Nechells, Balsall Heath, and Bordesley & Highgate – three wards that experience some of the city’s highest inequalities in access […]