HANDSWORTH HELPING HANDS

Handsworth Helping Hands is a voluntary group committed to improving the quality of life in Handsworth. This may be by carrying out environmental work such as street clean-ups, clearing and planting public spaces, or by helping residents with jobs they can’t or don’t have the means to do for themselves.

It relies mainly on grants and donations to cover the cost of insurance, purchase of tools and running the group’s van.

Simon and Linda Baddeley and friends have over 150 years of residence in Handsworth between them, so they know many people across the community. They tend to take work by word of mouth, then check that the person who needs help meets criteria for vulnerability.

Simon: ‘It’s amazing how many young people with smartphones get in touch with us that way about vulnerable neighbours/parents’.

They advertise their regular skip-it-don’t tip-it days where they meet people who suggest others who might need help. The next one is in Church Vale on 10th March, then in Charles Road on 17^th March, 10am-3pm.

They are justifiably proud of their contribution to the local environment but don’t want to over-egg the cake by prompting demand they can’t meet.

You can get in touch with Handsworth Helping Hands:

via their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/334430036631024/?fref=ts
through any of the councillors in East Handsworth and Lozells: Hendrina Quinnen, Waseem Zaffar and Mahmoud Hussain, as well as their MP Khalid Mahmood.
or come to one of their regular street clearance days (posters in local shops and in their Facebook page).

See photos of Handsworth Helping Hands at work on http://www.flickr.com/photos/sibadd/sets/72157630460913966/