while the doctors are good, the reception staff are beyond unhelpful. they lost my documents THREE…read moreTIMES, seem incapable of understanding any question I ask and refuse to help when the online form doesn't work. also they used the wrong name for me and blamed me for it despite me having the same name the whole time I have been registered. would recommend the reception staff all get GDPR and sensitivity training. would NOT recommend anyone registers here.

The All Saints Centre is one of those does-a-bit-of-everything institution. It host events in the…read morehall for the elderly, Zumba, a Lloyds Pharmacy, a Feet-first shoe store, a GP and houses a variety of children's charities and social enterprises. It's a recent development on the Kings Heath high street, it neighbours All Saints Church and opens out onto the new Kings Heath Square. Being a very light and spacious centre this creates an uplifting atmosphere to the place. It is a wonderful resource for all of the community to rightfully enjoy. The function of it is broad, so if you need a large space for an event then I'm sure the centre could cater for your needs. The All Saint Centre is a great local asset - with many worthwhile causes to get involved with.

I've always been accused of being stressful so I decided to take up yoga. Classes were held at the…read moreKings Heath Community Centre. I had never heard of the community centre before, but I was keen to try out their facilities. The yoga classes went very well; I found yoga to be a very relaxing method of meditation and exercise. The facilities at the community centre were very good; the rooms were spacious and the floor was clean. I couldn't find any showering facilities, but that was not a problem because I live close by and could shower at home. The following classes and groups that take place here are as follows- Yoga Children's yoga Weight watchers Stay and play All nations church group Children's dance Circle dance (folk dance) Senior citizens dance Councillor's advice surgeries Home start Rhythm time for babies and toddlers 11+ Tuition Karate Scale model club African Caribbean group

I have been to a few events at Kings Heath Community Centre. In typical council community centre…read morefashion it has quite a boring exterior and interior for that matter, it is by no measure the most inspiring building I have ever looked at. However it seems to host a lot of events, I have been to a few there and I suppose they turn this otherwise boring centre into a valuable resource for the local community - that is essentially what it does, it's not supposed to appear pretty. It is a purely functional building that gives a space to members of the local community who need a space for an event, whatever that event may be.

UpRising had been mentioned on more than one occasion to me in connection to the various Into Work…read moreprojects I work on. This charity concentrates its efforts on young people, 19-25, but rather than work skills, the encourage people to build in their leaderships skills. In a sense, they offer leadership a programme with the objective to equip young people with the skills and knowledge that will help them work within their communities. Ultimately the aim is to build a better Britain, starting with these young people; the leaders of tomorrow. With a base in Birmingham, they are also working in Bedford, Manchester and London. Speak to Zehra Zaidi for more details.

I've recently been introduced to the wonderful people at Turning Point whilst undertaking a charity…read moreproject to help people back into work. The small team at this Custard Factory based charity are lead by the hard working, enthusiastic, Monica who is super keen to help people. Turning Point 'turn around the lives' of those who need it, including those with substance abuse problems, those with mental illness with learning difficulties. They mentor, monitor, befriend and support people through their darkest hours and provide them with path into society. It's an amazing feat that needs amazing people at the helm and I'm very much looking forward to working with them in months to come.

From the owner: EESPro Employment Service exists to assist and enable people who have experienced substance &…read morealcohol misuse to access employment, education and training opportunities in order to enhance rehabilitation and reduce social exclusion. The service also assists Prolific and Priority Offenders (PPO).

The ongoing recession has seen a surge in demand for charity shops. Consumerism is still in full…read moreforce in today's society, we just do not have the funds to support it. So we are increasingly turning to charity shops to fulfill our materialistic desires. British Heart Foundation is a worthy cause. Some would suggest that the NHS should cover all areas of healthcare and charity should be reserved for issues abroad. I agree with this perspective to a certain extent, but I am also thankful for the work the Foundation does in trying to raise awareness of heart related health issues. The British Heart Foundation also puts a great deal of its money into research for medicines that save lives. The selection of books in store is not great. Expect plenty of Mills and Boon and read copies of The DaVinchi Code. The clothing selection is quite nice due to the amount of 18-35's that inhabit the area. I wouldn't have a problem finding something that suits my style and age range in here. Many charity shops operate in Kings Heath and British Heart Foundation is one worth checking out.

This is a well-presented charity shop situated on Kings Heath High Street…read more I rarely find clothes or handbags in here as the kind of stuff they get seems to be more modern, you'd be unlikely to find a novel vintage find in here. They do however, tend to get some good DVDs in although they are a bit pricier than most charity shops I've found some really rare £20+ DVDs in there for a fiver which is pretty good going! The staff are really, really friendly in here, the nice lady who normally works there likes to have a little chat and is keen to help. Another strong point is there is rarely any charity shop musty smell in here, it's very clean and usually smells very fresh!

I hate to say this, but I'm not very keen on this charity shop. The reason I do not like it has…read morenothing to do with the Charity in itself, it is for other reasons. The selection here is poor; they make poor use of space and do not put all of the best items at the front. The shop is surrounded by other charity shops and pound shops, so the competition is very high. They have a selection of very old PC games that probably don't work anymore. The vinyl collection is non existent. I've had good experiences at other Acorn charity shops so I do not understand why they can't make this one a raving success. It is right on the corner and is right in the middle of the High Street.

Another Acorns charity shop, this charity shop in Kings Heath is one of the few charity shops which…read morecan be found in that area. I don't tend to travel all the way to Kings Heath to visit charity shops but I was in the area one day and decided to take a look around the high street. Like I've mentioned in previous posts about charity stores, I'm a huge fan because you tend to find authentic and unique items which you tend not to find in major stores. Kings Heath is buzzing and where this shop is located is pretty busy. I've managed to find a couple of great products but I'd say it's not the best charity shop out of the one's I've been to. I tend to always go into charity shops to search for books and this store has an OK selection of books. I'm not sure if I'd travel all the way to Kings Heath again to visit it but if I was in the area, I'd probably go in.

Highbury Children's Centre has moved. It used to be on the High Street down opposite Honebase. It…read morewasn't that easy to find and rather difficult to negotiate with a pushchair. Now that it's moved into the All Saints Centre it's much more visible and easy to spot. Inside you'll find sone very helpful people who can give you all sorts of information about childcare, stay and play places, loads of events involving babies and toddlers and everything related to provision for under 5's you could possibly think of. It's a good place to go o if ou're new to the area, new to being a parent or just looking to find out more information about what's out there.

This place is your archetypal community centre, providing an important service to the residents of…read morethe Billesley and Yardley Wood area. I used to attend the centre to take my greyhound Tom to dog training classes, the less said about that experience the better. What impressed me was the amount of activities which appeared to be taking place here with the notice board indicating all manner of communal activities scheduled to take place. Whilst the decor itself could do with updating the purpose of the centre is an inherently good one and it is a lead which more local communities should follow.

Now I am a fan of vintage so there are some charity shops that are full of hidden treasure. I like…read morethat at the same time as getting some super cheap clothes you can be helping a worth while cause! I have got a few really good things from this particular shop including a Levi's denim jacket that I wore into the ground! I think why not go grab a few bargains from a shop like this rather than paying five times the price for the same garment as soon as it is classified as vintage by someone else ;)

St. Francis youth club is great and easy way to get youths and young teenagers off the streets and…read moregive them something to do during any night of the week as well as getting them to meet new people and socialise in groups. The workers and volunteer workers here at St. Francis are full of advice, counselling and help. But they are also there to be (not in a corny way) your friends so that you always have someone to talk to without being under pressure. They provide a wide hall in which you can do many activities that are supplied for you such as, basketball, dancing, piano and tennis. They can also arrange fun activities if you wish; like sumo wrestling! If enough members go frequently they will also arrange residential events for you to get away and enjoy yourself with friends.