Editor's choice July 2011

The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party

Every year the Balsall Heath Carnival attracts thousands and this year was no exception. The procession this year welcomed a new addition in the form of Nelson Mandela School who brought over 160 children to join Clifton School making this year’s walking procession the biggest ever. All along the procession route people came to witness the colourful spectacle that is such a familiar sight on the first Saturday in July. This year the street collection raised £148.81.

The vast array of stalls provided a feast of flavours, information, games, and gifts to buy, taste and peruse. For some unlucky would be stall holders the popularity of the this year’s carnival meant not everybody could get a stall space so if you’re planning to have a stall next year it might pay to book it early.

The Carnival Committee would like to give a big thank you to everybody who performed on the main stage this year for helping to make the entertainment possible. They would also like to take this opportunity to thank everybody who helped to make this year’s carnival possible. Every year planning for the event begins in January and throughout the months running up to the big day itself a team of people work on projects that add to the whole which culminates in a carnival for Balsall Heath and the volunteers that make it happen.

Thanks go to this year’s colouring competition sponsors, Moseley and District Churches Housing Association, Midland Heart and Friendship Care and Housing who helped bring a smile to twenty lucky winners. Finally a big thank you goes to funders in the form of The Bernard Piggott Trust, Sparkbrook Community Chest and the West Midlands Police Property Act Fund for their generous help.