Dave CusackChief Executive

Moseley & District Housing Association

www.birminghamisourhome.org.uk

Birmingham – Some Facts

• England’s second city (Its NOT Manchester!!)• Population one million• Was the city of a thousand trades – Industrial –

We built the Orient Express!!• No longer the case – Longbridge…….

Birmingham – Some facts• The Brummie Accent – Least attractive in UK?• Don’t drive in Brum! – Ring roads• Major jewellery manufacturing centre• Chocolate!!!!!!!• More canal mileage than Venice• Home of the balti• Home of the greatest football team in the world• BIRMINGHAM CITY!!!!!!!!!!

A Diverse CityAccording to the 2001 Population Census 70% of the City's population indicated that they had a white background, compared with National and Regional averages of about 90%.

Almost 20% of the City's population were from one of the Asian groups. Residents from the Black groups made up about 6% of the population.

About 3%of the City's population indicated they had a Mixed Background, the majority sharing Black Caribbean and White Backgrounds. Chinese and Other groups accounted for about 1% of the population.

A diverse city

The next census will paint a very different story ……..

A diverse city• Birmingham has always welcomed new

communities• Jewish communities 1930’s• Polish communities 1947• Caribbean during Post war period • Indian sub continent and Ireland 1950-60’s• Africa & Asia 1990’s• Today ……..

A diverse city

• Sudan• Ethiopia• Iraq• Afghanistan• Somalia• Congo• China

So why did we need a campaign?

• Negative press stories• “Queue jumping”• Spongers• Stealing jobs • And many more

So why did we need a campaign?

• Local tensions• Political sound bites• Rise of the right wing parties• And……….

So why did we need a campaign?

• We believe that migration has a positive effect on the economic and cultural well being of Birmingham

Birmingham is our home

• The Birmingham is our home project aim is to demonstrate the positive contributions which migration can make to our city and our local communities.

• We asked Housing Associations, their partners, and Birmingham City Council to identify individuals who have come to Birmingham and made it their home.

• The individuals we have met and interviewed have shared their life stories with us, and their views on making a home here.

Birmingham is our home

• The project was launched on June 18, 2010 during Refugee Week 2010.

• Their stories will be touring the Birmingham area from June 2010 to February 2011 in a large display presentation, and be featured on the website.

• Financed and supported by Birmingham Social Housing Partnership, the Big Lottery, and Birmingham City Council.

Birmingham is our home

• Now it’s time for their stories

• Blondell “To me Birmingham is good. I’m an honorary Brummie. I enjoy living here. Even if I go away I want to come back because to me, after 46 years, this is my home.”

Birmingham is our home

Mashkura “I have an eight year old son and a four and a half year old daughter. I make it a point to take them around Birmingham and show them the history, so they have the same passion for Birmingham as I have.”