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).

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 love a good charity shop, me, and I'm especially lured in by the promise of some cheap 50s…read morefurniture. Sure enough there was a gorgeous, Ercol style coffee table for just £15. This is why I love coming out of town. Living in the city centre, I really miss shops like this. So many bargains to be had. If the delivery price wasn't £18 then I might have bought it. I had a good look around and was amazed to find bed frames with mattresses included for as little as £80 and decent TVs for as little as £15. If you live in the area or have a car then you really should check this place out. Fridges and freezers are a bit of a let down though as they are pretty expensive and I think you could find a better deal on eBay.

WHoever moderates the stock here is doing a great job, all the items are in great condition and the…read morelayout feels well thought out and its a pleasure to navigate around the shop. Im not sure if they clean everything in shop, but all the furniture is spotless, a giant chest of draws for £50.00 that felt like it had just been sanded. The beds looked great, bit wary of second hand beds but they looked good as new. All electrical items are given a warranty, and some look better than others but there were some nice brands in there. Music blasting out the front was a bit of a put off though, poor choice but overall a really nice shop.

You will see this place back from the road near to the post office and Burger King - it has parking…read morebehind the centre. It has numerous events/classes on during the day and evening, indoor bowling, dancing, bingo just to name a few. It has a small bar which due to the size does not stock a large range. They also hire out the room for parties at around £25 an hour

I have held a party at the centre and found the rates reasonable and the staff friendly and polite,…read morethey also showed me around before the party which was very helpful. The bar was good value.

I first encountered this secret, used furniture, charity shop heaven when working on a project that…read morerequired 10 vintage wardrobes. The staff were amazing, did us an even better deal as I was working for a charity and even delivered for a small fee. Since that time about 5 years ago i often pop back either for a mooch or when I have specific furniture needs. It's a warehouse space with minimal parking out front but you'll know you've reached the right place as you'll spot the mini buses outside. With regular pick ups it's the type of place you should visit regularly and if this one is a bit far out for you then they have a few other branches in Bilston and Coventry too. They mainly sell furniture but they also have a little room full of crockery, knik-knaks and assorted bric-a-brac. You will get a bargain here. I've bought two standard lamps with big shades for less than £25, midwinter 50's serving dishes and the most random printer table that looks like oversized books. Admittedly that wasn't designed as a printer table but it was the right size and i couldn't resist the whimsy of it. For all your vintage shopping needs, charity feel good factor and a good mooch you should visit here. Even if you don't buy anything the staff are helpful and give good banter.

I love vintage, but I can't always afford to sustain my passion. That's where Community Transport…read morecomes in. A huge warehouse full of old and/or vintage furniture, with a small little shop tagged on the side which has shelves of vintage homewares, ceramics, records, books and other trinkets - plus a large selection of mirrors! It works like a charity shop - the sales of all goods go towards sustaining the transport service in the area which consists of mini buses transporting people in need about. Awesome! More awesome are the bargains to be had - we got the weirdest drawer unit in the shape of a pile of giant books for £20, a 1970s set of decorative bowls for £12 and a large ornate mirror for £5! Win!

Okay - the boring basic stuff about this place is that it's not JUST a fire station, but as a…read morecommunity venue it has local businesses based there, and rooms available to hire out for conferences with all the usual shenanigans you might expect. What is AWESOME about this particular station is the 'Red Hot Education Centre' which I managed to have a quick look around when I was doing some work in Handsworth. They've built a pretend house inside the station which you get to explore to try to identify the risks of fire - and after trying to identify them, you get to witness through windows looking in what actually could happen to such a house. Scary, and exciting, and totally engaging! Definitely worth a visit - particularly if you're doing work with groups about fire safety in the home. Plus the guys who work there are really very friendly and helpful (though don't be surprised if they pester you incessantly about getting a smoke alarm test done!)