“One day, when inviting people to a meeting at our house and describing it as “the house with yellow, peeling paintwork” I was told that Jericho [0121 440 7919] would give us a quote for repairs and decorations. Jericho is a social enterprise, based in Balsall Heath, that offers a range of services, including training, work experience and employment for people who are disadvantaged in the labour market. They had already provided us with a solar panel and a new, efficient boiler (replacing one that was over 30 years old) and we were delighted with the care and skill they used in this further work.”

Esther Boyd, writing on the Birmingham Mail website.

Read and comment on the full article here.

“Based in Sheldon, Lambread Ltd offers a full range of hemp products ranging from food (produced from the seed of the plant) clothes, bags, shoes and insulation from the plants fibre and building materials derived from the inner core of the hemp plant to clients throughout Birmingham. Established in 2007 the company has 10 years research experience in the sustainable human and environmental development hemp market. Hemp, low carbon products. Healthy for people and healthy for the planet.

“The firm offers comprehensive negative carbon emissions building and insulation advice via its suppliers in Southern Ireland to businesses, Birmingham City Council and the general public, which is intended to be satisfying and rewarding, cost effective and more than meet current regulations for everyone. With a retail outlet shortly to be opened at 8 the High Street Erdington, the business also has friendly staff enabling clients to live a healthier lifestle.

“Featuring in excess of 25, 000 products, the long lasting hemp products that are manufactured both nationally and internationally are essential in order to lower the carbon footprint of the West Midlands region. Available at a reasonable prices, the products are all environmentally sustainable and can be enjoyed by everybody.

“With two enthusiastic entrepreneurs at the helm, with 10 years of research in the field Lambread Ltd has an expanding and educated workforce. Lambread Ltd has an expanding potential customer base, located in and around Birmingham, including the City Council who have shown interest in the building of negative carbon emission private and social housing. The company is managed by Colin Preece and Osborne Douglas who have been involved in research into the Hemp Products market for many years. Both Colin and Osborne envisage a rapid growth in the production of hemp products regionally and are currently networking with Advantage West Midlands with a view to establishing hemp paper, textiles and food factories in the Birmingham area.”

www.lambread.co.uk/
4 Rodborough Road, Sheldon, BIRMINGHAM, B26 2QB
T : 0121 743 3443

Thanks to www.freeindex.co.uk for this (undated article).

A female answer to Jamie Oliver has just launched her own healthy eating business spreading the five-a-day message to school kids, the homeless and people on low incomes.

Birgit Kehrer of Birmingham is the owner of BSustained – an ethical community scheme using mostly locally produced food, including her own home grown organic produce.

Birgit takes her fresh fruit and vegetables to schools and community centres giving cookery emonstrations that teach people how to prepare and eat healthy food on a budget.

She explained: “My main passion is healthy living and especially the five-a-day message for people on a budget. I work with all sorts of groups from homeless people who have recently been re-settled, to single parents, people on low incomes right through to schoolchildren and their parents.

“I suppose I’m a female version of Jamie Oliver; trying to connect to people from all backgrounds . I choose not to drive so when I go to the workshops, I walk there and wheel all the food in my trolley – or my moving office as I like to call it.

“It is possible to eat good, healthy food on a low income and this is what I teach. I do cookery demonstrations for primary and secondary school level – which is also part of the national curriculum – and teach the importance of a healthy diet. I’m looking at doing after-school clubs as well, where the parents come in and learn how to cook healthily rather than relying on the quick-fix, convenience meals.”

Birgit has worked with some of the schools to set aside plots for the children to grow their own vegetables and has found allotments to grow the food for her other community groups – such as the homeless, single parents, the recently re-housed and people on low incomes.

“I grow all sorts of vegetables, but I’m particularly fond of growing pumpkins and seem to have quite a talent for it!”

“I‘ve been gardening since I was five and a vegetarian cook for about 20 years so I know what I do inside out.”

“Birgit is hoping to expand the business and take it to even more schools and disadvantaged community groups. She’s also in the process of turning it into a social enterprise to attract funding and cast her net even wider.” More importantly, Birgit is hoping as a social enterprise she can put something back into the community rather than taking all the profit out.

If you want to get in touch with Birgit at BSustained, see bsustained.co.uk (a website designed by GreeninBrum.