Latest news with #FriendsOfSwanshurstPark
The Sun
5 days ago
- The Sun
Huge Traveller fleet has set up camp outside our homes…they leave rubbish everywhere & want to buy my dog for £250
A HUGE traveller fleet has set up camp outside taxpayers' homes, leaving "stinking" piles of rubbish scattered around a much-loved park, locals claim. Dozens of caravans and other vehicles arrived at Swanshurst Park on the border of Moseley, Birmingham, last Sunday (July 20). 8 8 8 It's the fifth such incursion at the same spot this year - and angry residents say this one is the biggest yet. People say they're annoyed the council regularly clears away the group's rubbish with the city in the midst of a months-long bin collection strike. One resident claims a traveller keeps trying to buy his designer French bulldog for £250. The Friends of Swanshurst Park Facebook group says the travellers gained access by moving a large log and driving in past bike racks. Mum-of-two Rabai Tahir, who lives opposite the park, moved to the UK from Dubai with her husband five years ago and is 'astonished' travellers are allowed to keep coming back. They leave lots of rubbish bags and some of it stinks. It's cleaned up by my council tax money. I don't allow my kids to go over to the play park when they're there. We don't know who they are. Rabai TahirLocal resident and mum-of-two 'They leave lots of rubbish bags and some of it stinks,' she told The Sun. 'It's cleaned up by my council tax money. "I don't allow my kids to go over to the play park when they're there. We don't know who they are. 'It's shocking for me and my husband that people can stay here for weeks. It's a community park.' Sandra Cotterill has lived opposite the park for 19 years. She said: 'I've had no trouble with them, they never bother me. Some people don't want to take their kids and dogs there." However, she is annoyed that the local authority makes such an effort to clear the group's rubbish when thousands in the city have seen their own rubbish pile up for months. Inside Birmingham's bin wars as strikes see streets overrun with RATS and piles of rotting food and rubbish are left to fester Sandra said: 'They bag up all the rubbish and the council cleans it all away. "We're paying our taxes, and we can't get our bin bags picked up, but they get theirs taken.' Birmingham has been hit by long-running bin strikes. Piles of rubbish have been seen in parts of the city since bin collection workers walked out in January. Sandra's neighbour, who has lived in the area for 40 years and walks her dogs in the park, said residents are getting fed up with different traveller groups constantly coming and going. The woman, who did not want to be named, said: 'They clear them off and a week later another different group comes here. "I keep away from them, they take over the park really. We're all just fed up. 'Travellers move the logs. We need a permanent solution to stop them coming onto the park. "The amount of money the council must spend tidying up is ridiculous.' Another man who, who says he's been offered money for his pet, added: 'They're all right, they're not bad people and I've got Irish in my family. 2025 Birmingham bin strike The Birmingham bin strike is an ongoing stand off between refuse workers and Birmingham City Council over pay and the removal of roles. It started in January 2025 and full scale industrial action was then taken from March 11, involving members of Unite union. The same month, the local authority declared a major incident after 17,000 tonnes of rubbish were left uncollected on the city's streets. In April, the government was forced to call in Army specialists to provide logistical support. This month, Unite said it would review its relationship with the Labour Party after the government expressed support for the council amid the strike. According to reports, lower income areas, including Sparkhill, Balsall Heath, Small Heath, Sparkbrook and Ladywood have suffered the greatest compared to more affluent suburbs like Harborne and Edgbaston. On Friday (July 25), a second megapicket co-ordinated by Strike Map started across several parts of Birmingham, involving 26 organisations from across the trade union movement, in support of the striking workers. Former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn urged Birmingham City Council to 'get a deal now' as more piles of rubbish were left uncollected. 'I don't like the mess though and my kids can't use the park when they're around.' One resident, a new mum, added: 'They make a mess, but it doesn't bother me. A lot of people here don't like it because the park is for children and it restricts them from using it.' This week the admin of the volunteer-run Swanshurst Park Facebook group posted: 'Spent another couple of hours clearing up litter round the Park. "I'm fairly sure that some of it was nothing to do with the Travellers and had been dropped last night by other people traversing the Park. 'Had some good interactions with some of the women who thanked me for my efforts and assured they would bag up their rubbish. "We will see but I am sure it will be better than on previous occasions. "Some of the children wanted to help me and I am sure this must be the way forward to get a dialogue going.' A council spokesperson said: " Birmingham City Council is committed to actively protecting its land and will take steps to recover this land where unauthorised encampments encroach upon it. "The council has useable transit sites and plots for use by the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community – which is in line with Government policy – and details of the Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment carried out and updated in 2019 can be found on our website." 8 8 8 8 8
Daily Mail
23-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Travellers set up camp at popular family park for third time in weeks - forcing community events to be cancelled
A group of travellers have set up camp at a popular family park for the third time in just a few weeks, forcing planned community events to be cancelled. A convoy of caravans and other vehicles arrived at Swanshurst Park on the outskirts of Moseley and Billesley, Birmingham, on Wednesday, settling on the field near the play park. It is the third time since the beginning of April that travellers have parked up on park. Local community organisation Friends of Swanshurst Park said members had notified the council with a view to initiating eviction proceedings. A 'Balsam bashing' event scheduled by the group for tomorrow has also been cancelled. Balsam bashing refers to the removal of the plant Himalyan Balsam by hand to protect native species. The group posted on Facebook: 'We are cancelling our Balsam bashing session this Saturday as the travellers are very close to the area we would be working. 'We will rearrange another date and post details as soon as it has been decided.' This is the third traveller incursion in the park since April with volunteers clearing up the mess left behind. Video footage shared online showed the first caravans and cars arriving onto the park A Birmingham City Council spokesperson said previously: 'Birmingham City Council is committed to actively protecting its land and will take steps to recover this land where unauthorised encampments encroach upon it. 'The council has useable transit sites and plots for use by the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community - which is in line with Government policy - and details of the Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment carried out and updated in 2019 can be found on our website.' Video footage shared online showed the first caravans and cars arriving onto the park, filmed from the nearby children's playground. A man who saw the group arriving, Stu Johnson, said: 'I saw them arriving while I was on the bus earlier - going onto the pavement by the entrance to the car park, driving along the pavement then onto the grass once they've passed the trees. 'Needs to be more logs or railings I'm afraid.' Mary Hart added: 'There have been three lots of travellers this year on Swanshurst. 'Each time a different group. Last time there were two groups at the same time. The clean-up is mostly done by volunteers with help from the council.'
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Yahoo
Travellers move back onto family park for third time in weeks
A large group of travellers have set up camp at popular family park for the third time in weeks. A convoy of caravans and other vehicles started driving onto Swanshurst Park on the outskirts of Moseley and Billesley on Wednesday, May 21, settling on the field near the play park. The Friends of Swanshurst Park said members had notified the council with a view to initiating eviction proceedings. READ MORE: Major Midlands A-road near hospital blocked due to crash READ MORE: Armed police scramble to hospital over man armed with crossbow READ MORE: Victims of deadly 'mistaken identity' petrol bomb attack say 'this fire was meant for someone else' An event scheduled for the community tomorrow, Saturday, May 24, was also cancelled. The Friends group posted on Facebook: "We are cancelling our balsam bashing session this Saturday as the travellers are very close to the area we would be working. "We will rearrange another date and post details as soon as it has been decided." This is the third traveller incursion in the park since April with volunteers clearing up the mess left behind. A Birmingham City Council spokesperson said previously " Birmingham City Council is committed to actively protecting its land and will take steps to recover this land where unauthorised encampments encroach upon it. 'The council has useable transit sites and plots for use by the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community – which is in line with Government policy – and details of the Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment carried out and updated in 2019 can be found on our website." Stu Johnson wrote on Facebook: "I saw them arriving while I was on the bus earlier - going onto the pavement by the entrance to the car park, driving along the pavement then onto the grass once they've passed the trees. "Needs to be more logs or railings I'm afraid." Mary Hart said: "There have been three lots of travellers this year on Swanshurst. "Each time a different group. Last time there were two groups at the same time. The clean-up is mostly done by volunteers with help from the council."
