I grew up half in Birmingham and half in Manchester – why the second city debate is pointless Saturday, March 28, 2026 birmingham manchester culture community upbringing citylife balti sohoroad northernquarter debate Just under 80 miles separate Birmingham and Manchester. A swift hour-and-a-half drive down the M6 gets you from one city to the other faster than you can watch Titanic twice. Yet, online debates rage endlessly over which city … Read More
The Four Words That Make Brummies Uncomfortable: A Deeper Look at Identity in Birmingham Wednesday, March 25, 2026 birmingham identity diversity racism culture community heritage ethnicity inclusion youth If I asked you, “Where are you from?” what would your answer be? It seems like such a straightforward question, yet over the past few weeks, I’ve noticed how much weight those four words carry—and how they can make people … Read More
Henna Artist Embraces Tradition as a Universal Art, Not Cultural Appropriation Saturday, March 21, 2026 henna mehndi culture tradition art birmingham community inclusivity eid appreciation “Henna is for everyone,” asserted 18-year-old Alisha Khan as she carefully traced elaborate designs on the back of my hand in the age-old art of mehndi. A Birmingham native, Alisha has been honing her henna skills … Read More
Exploring Peaky Blinders Film Locations in Birmingham: Then and Now Friday, March 20, 2026 peakyblinders birmingham filminglocations bsafactory calkeabbey thegarrison montaguestreet digbeth history culture For the first time ever, scenes from the Peaky Blinders film franchise have been shot in its home city of Birmingham. The new movie, The Immortal Man, predominantly filmed at Steven Knight’s Digbeth Loc studios, also … Read More
Discovering Soho Road: Birmingham’s Vibrant Heartbeat Tuesday, March 17, 2026 sohoroad birmingham community culture heritage handsworth diversity stories identity connection “Be safe,” were the words whispered to me just moments before I stepped into my Uber and headed towards what has been dubbed the “most hated street in England.” As the cityscape of Birmingham’s … Read More
I Quit India for the UK – And Discovered a Backward Country Friday, March 13, 2026 immigration culture britain india multicultural upbringing birmingham tradition identity adaptation Rani Rawji, 56, from Handsworth Wood, vividly remembers her first day in the UK after relocating from Mumbai, India, in August 1988. For her, the journey wasn’t just a physical move but a deep cultural shock. Raised in the … Read More