25-06-2025
Neighbourhood Futures Festival staged at Birmingham reservoir
A free four day festival is coming to Birmingham, with the aim of boosting residents' connection with nature. Birmingham Settlement Nature & Wellbeing Centre is hosting the event next to Edgbaston Reservoir - described by organisers as an "idyllic green oasis" - from Thursday until Sunday. Guests can arrive from 10:00 BST to enjoy talks, workshops and interactive sessions on the city's green spaces - as well as a community picnic and community litter third annual Neighbourhood Futures Festival is free and tickets can be booked online, with its main aim of bringing communities together.
Sunny Khosla, who runs mental health support group Raising Voices, is set to stage a showcase over the about the importance of the event, he said: "It's a great way to connect with nature in an idyllic green oasis, right in the heart of the city."It's four days packed full and it's a way for young people to remember how to socialise without screens. "A lot of important work happens there, it brings a lot of communities together an it's a lovely area to have a great day and get in touch with yourself and the neighbourhood."Each day there are events running from 10:00 BST to 17:00, with the full itinerary listed below.
Thursday 26 June
10:00 - 10:30 - Morning Yoga on the Field, Coffee & Conversation10:30 - 12:00 - Opening Panel: Neighbourhood Climates - Stories from Birmingham's Futures12:00 - 13:30 - Lunch & Reflect - Time to Reflect, Absorb, and Unwind in Nature12:00 - 13:30 - Conversation Corner with Birmingham Friends of the Earth. Write a Postcard to Nature, yoga, mindfulness in nature sessions13:00 - 16:00 - Neighbourhood FutureLabs - Take a Deeper Dive into Neighbourhood Climates16:00 - 16:30 - Networking, Reflections, Conversation & Coffee16:30 - 17:30 - Closing Fire Ceremony: a community gathering where people come together to share ideas and stories.
Friday 27 June
10:00 - 10:30 - Run to the Rezza: A run from UoB to the festival. Guests are asked to meet outside Old Joe at 09:30 BST10:30 - Morning Yoga on the Field, Coffee & Conversation10:30 - 11:00 - Mindfulness in Nature Session11:00 - 12:30 - Opening Youth Panel: This panel talk will explore how young people are experiencing a range of urban challenges from a panel of young advocates across Birmingham12:30 - 15:00 - Community Picnic, Connect & Craft12:00 - 14:00 - Birmingham Mind Wellbeing Session: A themed wellbeing session on how to cope with feelings of depression and anxiety12:30 - 13:00 - National Literacy Trust Reading & Discussion13:00 - 14:00 - A Conversation & Film Screening with Immy Kaur14:00 - 15:00 - Social Life and the Centre for New Midlands15:00 - 16:00 - Round the Rezza Clean-Up - community litter pick16:00 - Round-Up, Gratitude, Reflections
Saturday 28 June
10:30 - 11:00 - Little Settlers Yoga11:45 - 12:45 - On Ya Bike! : A short play created by the Women & Theatre group13:00 - 14:00 - Forests Performance: A willow tree, fiery acrobatics and dance feature in this highly-visual family-friendly show13:50 - 14:30 - Opera Sing Along: Birmingham Opera Company will perform a programme of songs and arias14:30 - 15:00 - Brum Beats: Samba Drumming Workshop15:15 - 16:15 - Forests 2 Performance16:00 - 16:30 - Brum Beats: Samba Performance14:30 - 15:30 - The Magical Garden: Drama Adventures: This workshop is suitable for children between the ages of two and eight12:30 - 13:30 - Future Forests Family Workshop: Grow Your Own Climate Solution Tree
Sunday 29 June
11:00 - 13:00 - Sew Sustainable: Make a Tote Bag11:30 - 12:45 - Raising Voices Summer Showcase11:30 - 12:30 - A Rainbow for Amala: Drama Workshop exploring the characters and themes from an interactive storybook about climate change impacts set in Birmingham11:30 - 12:30 - Brazilian Zouk-Lambada Dancing12:00 - 14:00 - Eco-Art & Nature: Creative Connections for Women & Kids13:00 - 14:30 - Scrapyard Sounds: Make a junk instrument13:00 - 14:00 - Meet Sourpuss the Cat13:30 - 15:30 - 5G Poems and Network Stories14:00 - 15:00 - Wind in the Willows14:30 - 16:30 - Generous Waste: A workshop exploring the supply chains behind everyday materials often overlooked15:30 - 16:30 - Birmingham Choir with No Name16:00 - 17:00 - Soundbath in Nature: Relax & Unwind16:30 - 18:00 - The Neighbourhood Open Mic Session
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