Digital Native Academy

Following the official launch of the Handsworth Heritage Trail by Handsworth Wood Councillor Paulette Hamilton at Soho House on 11^th March it’s great to see that this vibrant urban neighbourhood is being put on the map for all the right reasons. Blighted by past events and the unduly negative press coverage which followed this brand new heritage trail captures a journey through Handsworth’s rich past as well creating a pleasant and healthy work for residents and visitors alike.

Commissioned by Handsworth Neighbourhood Management and designed by the team here at DNA Studio the brochure production process was overseen by a group with representation from English Heritage, Soho House Museum, Handsworth Historical Society and local residents as well as from those heritage assets featured in the brochure such as St. Mary’s Church and Handsworth Old Town Hall. It also features some outstanding pictures from our creative colleagues at Outroslide Photography.

More information is available on the Hands on Handsworth blog and printed copies will be available at a range of outlets including Handsworth Library, Soho House Museum and tourist information points.

You can download pdf copies of the trail brochure here (Side 1) and here (side 2).

After several months of concerted effort a group of Handsworth residents who were recruited as community health researchers have presented their findings at a launch event in Handsworth Library. Commissioned by Birmingham’s Neighbourhood Programme as part of the Handsworth Health and Heritage project the researchers looked at health issues of particular interest to them, their family or the wider neighbourhood. This included diabetes, mental health, maternity care, disability & access, food & nutrition and the health experiences of immigrants to the area.

Expert guidance was provided by Jonathan Reinarz from Birmingham University’s History of Medicine Unit and from Amanda Smith, the Patient Public Involvement Officer at the Heart of Birmingham Teaching Primary Care Trust.

DNA project managed the group and supported the researchers with their research activities part of which involved interviewing other Handsworth residents about their health experiences both currently and as they remembered it from the past. It also supplied the digital equipment for capturing oral history and created the digital repository for the health research findings.

Pictured below at the final event are Ava Johnson (left) and Sharon Chambers, two of the local residents who enjoyed their time as community health researchers.