Quick Links: Click here to find out if you live within our area.Click on one of these links to take you to the section you would like to read Overview The Springfield Project is a community project based at St. Christopher's Church in Springfield, south east Birmingham. The Project started in 1999 and currently provides a nursery, a play & stay group, out of school clubs, and a family support team. The primary purpose of The Springfield Project is to provide support and activities for the community, encouraging access by all members and age groups. A major focus of our work is on children under 5 and their families. The Project is particularly passionate about forming bridges between the various social and cultural groups within the Springfield area. We are currently developing in partnership with Birmingham City Council a Children's Centre which is due to open in Spring 2008. Click here to find out more about Children's Centres. Return to top The Springfield Community Springfield is situated 3 miles from Birmingham City Centre on the A34 (Stratford Road). According to data generated from the 2001 Population Census there are now in excess of 29,000 people resident in the Springfield Ward. The area remains largely residential with a mix of housing and a busy shopping parade. In a large area there are levels of deprivation higher than the city average. There is a rich ethnic mix in the community, with an increasing proportion of Asian people, the majority of whom are Pakistani Muslim. There are also Hindu, Sikh, African and Afro-Caribbean people with a small number of Polish, Irish and indigenous Birmingham people. There are many young families, including single parent families. There is a significant proportion of people on various forms of benefits. The community has many needs. Springfield Ward is in the top 20% of the most deprived areas in Birmingham and has one of the city's highest infant mortality rates. Employment rates are low and poverty is high. The aim of The Springfield Project is to be active in serving the community by meeting identified needs. Return to top Aims & Objectives To provide relevant community services in Springfield To be a community focus open to all To cross social and cultural barriers To network and collaborate with other agencies To promote understanding and the common good To support family relationships
Return to top Mission Statement "Sharing God's love in our community" Return to top History of The Springfield Project A Feasibility Study was carried out in September 1998 by a consultant funded by the Digbeth Trust to consider what could be done to utilise the Church Hall facilities for the community. An Architect's Study, also funded by the Digbeth Trust, was then completed in February 1999. As a result of these studies, funding was sought for the post of Community Project Leader, the majority of which was obtained from Tudor Trust and Church Urban Fund. The Management Committee was setup, and they appointed the Community Project Leader who began work in January 2000. Hands-on involvement of the Church members mainly in a voluntary capacity has been a basis of the Project. The initial focus of the Project had been to build on the success of the pre-project child-centered services like Seedlings Play & Stay group and Boys' Club (a Saturday club for 8 - 12 year olds) and to introduce new activities in direct response to identified community needs. September 2000 saw the launch of a major new initiative under the umbrella of The Springfield Project: Mini Springers Nursery. Mini Springers began life as a 24-place preschool nursery, initiated to address the lack of provision for under fives in the community. The service received a very favourable Ofsted report in April 2001, and now holds the Gold Award in Early Years Quality Framework. A Community Profile was completed in January 2001 and more recently, Local Services produced a District Community Plan for Sparkbrook which has assisted the Project in further understanding the needs of the community, identifying gaps in services and increasing awareness of the potential for new service developments. Moving into our eighth year since the Project's conception, services have become established and accredited within the community and with our stakeholders. Return to top Further Information For more information, read our Annual Report. Return to top
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