Friends of the Earth Birmingham Action Briefing Oct-Nov 97

The Steering Group are still meeting once a week. Councillor Minnis is offering sterling support by coming along and we now have a good mix of other environmentalists and educationalists too.

We've received and accepted a few requests for schools to use the centre for this term and this has been a real boost to us. Many thanks to Lynne Jones MP for writing to lots of Head Teachers on our behalf who, almost without exception, strongly expressed their unhappiness at the plight of the centre.

Volunteers have been meeting on Saturdays to tend the gardens (everyone's welcome, but please call Birmingham Environmental Education Project on 0121-632-6909 or Oz (the gardener) on 0121-455-7638 to check the dates if you'd like to come along).

On the business and redevelopment side, we're getting down to the detail of business plans and lottery bids. We have been helped greatly by the award of £1,000 from the Digbeth Trust which has allowed us to commission John Newson to produce a feasibility study. May I thank the trust here for awarding us this grant.

We have plans for employing two permanent full-time members of staff to maintain the grounds and co-ordinate users. We would also be able to pay staff to work with schools (which was of course the original objective of the centre). We are also aiming to incorporate adult education, youth training and alternative therapists in order to make the most of the centre's facilities.

Apart from the Lottery and other bids, we will be raising funds from as many other sources as we can possibly think of (ideas welcome!).

James Martin & Caroline Starr

Friends of the Earth Martineau Campaigners