Word from the Chairman
For me, last month was all about BYPY - what a night! My heartfelt thanks and congratulations to the BYPY Committee for all their hard work in putting together such an amazing event. Many congratulations also to all our finalists and winners especially our new BYPY 2008, Anthony McCourt from Wragge & Co! Well done Anthony. I look forward to seeing some of you at our Big City Plan joint event with Birmingham Forward and OAS on 11 June where we will have an update on progress with the Masterplan for Birmingham city centre from Clive Dutton, director of planning and regeneration at Birmingham City Council and Kelvin Campbell from masterplanners Urban Initiatives. I'm afraid that event has sold out but we do still have spaces for another exciting event on 25 June - our Second City Debate on Brand Birmingham. It is vitally important that young professionals' views are heard on this issue so please do come along click here to book tickets and/or if you would like us to voice an opinion or pose a question on your behalf, please feel free to email me: alex.bishop@shoosmiths.co.uk. Finally, we are delighted that MP Liam Byrne has agreed to answer our questions for our second "Future Focus" feature below - I particularly liked his thoughts on the role Birmingham Future members can play in shaping the future of this city.
Best wishes Alex Bishop
News & Events
Future Focus with Liam Byrne…
We are thrilled that Liam Byrne MP, Minister for the West Midlands and Minister of State for Borders and Immigration has agreed to answer our questions in the second of our bi-monthly features - Future Focus.
- What is the key role of your job as Regional Minister? An extra pair of hands to help us close the wealth gap between Britain’s regions – by creating an agenda for ambition on skills, science, transport, trade and the region’s reputation. I have described myself as the minister for banging heads together – and together we need to turn ideas into action.
- You have described a vision for the Future of Birmingham – how would you summarise it? Bold and ambitious: Strong leaders for today and tomorrow as in the past. An exporter of ideas and innovation that any major city in the world would be proud of. A global hub, comfortable in its diversity, capitalising on the strong links that exist between our communities and the world’s fastest growing economies. We need to strengthen the city’s fabric; using new wealth to create new communities for a twenty-first century city.
- If you had a lunch hour to show a visitor around the city, where and what would you do? An hour is not enough! I would have to show them Birmingham past, present and future. I’d start at Victoria Square, at the majestic Council House and Town Hall - a powerful symbol of why Birmingham in the 20th Century was seen as the best governed city in the world. Then a stroll pass Bullring, one of the most successful and visually stunning city redevelopment projects this country has ever seen, creating over 8,000 jobs and then I’d end at the site of Eastside, the largest physical regeneration project in Birmingham, transforming, revitalising and regenerating the areas of Eastside, Digbeth and Deritend through multi-billion pound investment by a wide range of organisations and businesses.
- What do you think makes Birmingham a great place to live and work? It has the feel of a big city with all the diversity and opportunities that offers, combined with strong community atmosphere. Unemployment has fallen by over 15% since 1997 and wealth per head is above the regional average. Birmingham is home to 3 of the country's top Universities making it an attractive and vibrant option for students and providing fantastic business and career opportunities to keep some of the UK’s greatest talent here when they’ve graduated. I’m proud my children are growing up here.
- What is the most memorable experience you have had in Birmingham? Probably my by-election campaign in 2004 – we moved house, had our third child and I got elected as the Member of Parliament for Hodge Hill by 450 votes!
- What did you want to be when you grew up? A journalist.
- What do you feel are the key characteristics of Birmingham? Birmingham is a city with a strong history of leadership and innovation. We need to reignite the passion of Brummies to become the leaders of the future - leaders in science and technology, particularly sustainable technologies, and leaders that will drive the city forward to become a strong global hub that knows its strengths and capitalises on them.
- If you had to sell/summarise Birmingham to an international visitor in 3 words, what would you say? Ingenuity, Diversity, Energy.
- You have described the benefits and need for the city to form partnerships to realise our ambitions. What role do you feel an organisation such as Birmingham Future can play? Young professionals have a significant role to play in the aspirations of Birmingham. We need the leaders of tomorrow to make an impact today. The decisions that are taken in the city now will affect how we do business in the future and young professional people in Birmingham need to make sure that those decisions are forward looking and reflect the dynamism and energy of our city. Ultimately, it is about ambition – this city, and this region, should be amongst the best; not just nationally, but internationally – and Birmingham Future’s members need to be central to this happening.
- Villa or city? City
If you have an idea for a potential Future Focus interviewee, please send your suggestions to Rob Langley from the Future marketing committee: rob-l@clarke-associates.co.uk
Membership benefits
The membership committee have been working tirelessly on our behalf to secure a number of fantastic deals and discounts throughout the city with the Birmingham Future partners. Simply by flashing your Birmingham Future membership card, you could benefit from deals such as two for one tickets at the Electric Cinema, ten per cent off CBSO tickets, twenty per cent off all food and drinks at Asha’s and fifty per cent off the joining fee at Edgbaston Priory. There is a complete list and details of all membership benefits on the website, so to find out more please click here.
Recent events
Each year we say it, but this year’s Birmingham Young Professional of the Year awards sponsored by Cobbetts really were the best yet! The venue was magical, the food mouth-watering, the speeches enlivening, and as for the compere, anyone who bore witness to the captivating and completely unique performance of Trevor Beattie will know he was the perfect Brummie for the job. The winners were, as ever, stellar. Our six category winners, Charlotte Crossley, Deepak Parekh, Claudia Santillo, Anthony McCourt, Nick Morgan and Emma Whigham did their firms proud. Special congratulations must go to Anthony McCourt, our first class overall Birmingham Young Professional of the Year, who gave an inspirational speech despite his astonishment, and to Peter Rees-Steer, who after one of the closest fought races in history, took the Inspiring Leader award in a live vote ahead of David Richardson and Mark Ball.
Winning Presentations - Birmingham’s young professionals were treated to a taster session on how to make great presentations by the head of the specialist training organisation which coached the successful London 2012 Olympic Bid Team. John Underwood, executive director of fast growing PR and marketing communications group Freshwater UK, whose team worked with Lord Coe and his colleagues both in London and Singapore, was the key speaker. Hosted by international property consultancy EC Harris at its new state-of-the art offices in Baskerville House, the sell-out event was a chance for young professionals to draw on Mr Underwood’s wide-ranging expertise.
Over 45 Birmingham Future members attended the Birmingham Quiz Evening which took place on Wednesday 28th May. The event was held at bluu on Summer Row. Imogen Noons did a sterling job as quiz master and lead the teams through six gruelling question rounds and one 'famous faces' picture round. In keeping with our Chair's aim to encourage members to get to know our city better, the quiz tested the teams knowledge (or lack of) Birmingham including rounds on history, food and drink, sport, film and TV, geography and general knowledge. The event was a success and is something we would look to do again in the future. However, one thing is for sure; a few of you need to brush up on your knowledge of our city!! Congratulations to the winning team 'Scrummy Brummy' who each won bluu gift vouchers.
Dates for your diary - Future's future events
Mon 16th June - Birmingham’s Public Spaces – the new Venice or Barcelona? Acclaimed Architect Andrew Taylor from Patel Taylor Architects (Eastside Urban Park) with an invited panel, will discuss how European Cities showcase their greatness through their parks and public spaces. In the splendor of the refurbished Town Hall, Andrew will discuss the nature of cities as public places, comparing Birmingham to Venice and Barcelona. This will be followed by a panel discussion chaired by Philip Singleton, Acting Assistant Director of City Centre Development & Design at Birmingham City Council, with questions invited from the audience. Places are available for this event at £14.69 incl and can be booked on-line here or e-mail Isabel here.
Wed 25th June - Is Birmingham A Second City? The Big Brand Debate. Birmingham was the original hotbed of entrepreneurialism, innovation and cutting-edge technology, our ‘City of 100 Trades’ was a proud forerunner in the Industrial Revolution. Since then, we have suffered an image crisis. So what can we, the next generation of city leaders, do to change these outdated perceptions of our city? Is the Second City banner, coveted by a number of other English cities, a positive or negative for Birmingham? In this, the second Big Future Debate, you decide! Join your fellow Future members, our panel of influential and passionate ‘Brummies’ and those charged with marketing our city to have your say on the image of our city locally, regionally, nationally and globally. Places are available for this event at £17.63 incl and can be booked on-line here or e-mail Martina here.
Thurs 26th June - Successful Development - "How to increase your client base". Are you nervous about making sales? Does approaching customers make you uncomfortable? Would you like to be able to sell more effectively? If so then come along to the Birmingham Future “How to increase your client base” workshop. You will find out how you can achieve increased revenues through a more efficient strategy, using techniques and attitudes to challenge the traditional perception of how sales should be made. Places are available for this event at £23.50 incl and can be booked on-line here or e-mail Martina here. Thur 17th July - Birmingham Future AGM & Power50 - 6.00pm onwards, further details coming soon.
Out and about in Birmingham
For the second in our series of places to try in the city, Lise-Ann Brennan, member of the Marketing Committee tells us of her experiences in one of the city’s hidden gems…
The Warehouse Cafe, 54 - 57 Allison Street, Digbeth Birmingham - VEGETARIAN Family Friendly www.thewarehousecafe.com
In an attempt to escape the hustle and bustle of Saturday lunchtime in town, Sophie and I went in search of a haven of tranquility. Hidden away in Allison Street at the back of Moore Street Car Park, just 2 minutes walk from Bullring, is one of Birmingham’s best kept secrets. The Warehouse Café in Birmingham’s Friends of the Earth building deals in all things Vegetarian & Vegan.
Food is all freshly prepared on site in the small kitchen, which you pass on your way to the dining room, the specials menu is changed daily and the choices are or can be made vegan. Don’t let this put you carnivores off however as the meals are substantial and will satisfy even the most blue blooded meat eaters amongst you.
Sophie opted for the Special salad of the day whilst I went for the Falafel Platter, both washed down with warm spiced apple juice. The food was excellent and the apple juice was like Christmas in a cup!! If you have room they also offer a brilliant selection of homemade desserts and cakes which looked divine! With good service and outstanding food at very reasonable prices the Warehouse is a great venue at anytime of the day
Alternatives:
Siblas (at body and Being) www.sibilasrestaurant.co.uk
Manic Organic Café - 46 Poplar Rd, Kings Heath, Birmingham, B14 7AG (0121 441 3802)
A new perspective
Birmingham Civic Society have recently launched their brand new quarterly magazine – Birmingham Perspectives – which takes an informed and educated look at key issues facing the city of Birmingham, with interesting features and articles about the region.
Birmingham Future chair, Alex Bishop was asked to contribute a page column to the magazine, which will become a regular feature in the publication under the title – Future Voice. Copies of the magazine will be available at forthcoming Birmingham Future events, but if you would like to receive a copy directly simply email - bhamcs@googlemail.com
Little steps... big difference!
Give as you go - Ask the people in finance about this. Admit it - you've always wanted an excuse to go up and talk to that strangely attractive person who joined a few months ago. Tell them you want to opt into a payroll giving scheme. If you do this, they're gonna be thinking: 1) you're a nice person, 2) you're good at maths, and 3) you're earning enough money to be able to be generous.FYI: A monthly £10 payroll donation could cost as little as £6. See www.payrollgivingcentre.org.uk
Practise mobile manners - We've all seen - and, worse, heard - the people who offend against this. Probably most of us have been guilty of it ourselves. But the etiquette of using a mobile is pretty simple, really - just keep it quiet and short. FYI: There are currently about 50 million mobile phones in use in the UK compared with around 25 million in 2000 and 4.5 million in 1995.
Birmingham... did you know?
The longest straight road in Birmingham is City Road, Edgbaston, linking Dudley Road and Sandon Road. The road is not – as has sometimes been suggested! – straight because it’s Roman.
There has long been a slightly strange rumour that Birmingham’s recently restored Town Hall was built on a foundation of mother-of-pearl! During the work which has restored the Town Hall to its former glory in recent years, workers did indeed find “shards” of mother-of-pearl in the building, used as “spacers” to keep joints apart and level before the mortar was introduced.
New members
The Membership Committee would like to extend a warm welcome to all 8 new members who have joined us in May! We are pleased to offer a membership benefits card and membership pack to all our Birmingham Future members. Details of the participating companies in the scheme are available on the website here. The membership cards have now been posted out so look out for those packs on your desks!
Birmingham Future, One Victoria Square, Birmingham, B1 1BD
Telephone: +44 (0)121 632 2200 Fax: +44 (0)121 632 2201
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