London a suburb of Birmingham – the HS2 Report

As many members will know, the latest report on HS2 (the high speed rail network) was released on 11 March 2010. Damien Byrne, chair of the city centre committee, gives his thoughts:

“The announcement that Birmingham will be involved so early in the HS2 project is certainly to the city’s advantage. The new station at Curzon Street will put Birmingham just 45 minutes from London and there will also be much improved links to Manchester, Leeds and other city regions as well as Scotland when the scheme is extended in the future.

“The barriers are already coming down but this has obvious benefits in terms of promoting quick and easy travel for both work and play. It may take time to change perceptions but, perhaps, we’ll see people travelling up from London for a weekend to enjoy the cultural offering of Birmingham – world-class shows at the Hippodrome, ICC, NEC and so on.

“This increased connectivity should also promote graduate employment and professional relocation to the city – something which Birmingham Future is obviously keen to support.

“Today’s young professionals are the people who will be using and benefiting from high speed links between Birmingham and London from 2026 onwards. But, we must all engage with the public consultation in Autumn 2010 to make sure that our views are heard. We all have a role to play in making sure that this project is exactly what we want and need it to be.”

Birmingham Future will be providing further information on this public consultation and how to make your voice heard in due course.

The Puppini Sisters Christmas Special – Lise-Ann reviews…

To stop me whining about a lack of festive cheer, my friend Gemma took me to the Town Hall on the 10^th December to see the Puppini Sisters Christmas Special in an effort to get me in the Christmas Spirit.

  

Now despite my office being less than 100yrds from the Town Hall I had never, prior to this evening, been further than their little cafe but now I know what I’m missing I can assure you I will be making a nuisance of myself at the Town Hall more often in 2009!!

  

Re-opened in October 2007, following a £35m renovation, the Town Hall has been lovingly and painstakingly restored to its original neo-classical design which dominates the City’s Victoria and Chamberlain Squares.  Inside, the Grand Hall more than lives up to its name, offering a modern music venue in a beautifully historic setting.  

 

To Next Year…

On Sunday, the Birmingham Future Half Marathon team successfully took part in the city’s first attempt at the 13.1 mile event.  Sunday’s weather was far from perfect, with rain and strong winds, but all of the Future team made it round safely.

The ‘undulating’ course took its took on some of the runners legs, with the first six or seven miles being predominately uphill!  Matt Taylor, Future’s current chair, was delighted to part of the the day: “The blood, sweat and tears were all worth it in the end as I crossed the line, beating my previous half marathon time by a full five minutes.  I was delighted to be running for Birmingham Foundation, and want to thank all the members of Future who took part”.

Geoff Guerin, of BHSF, and Jason Norris of Deloitte, both hit the metophorical wall during the race.  For Geoff, it was at the 9 mile mark: “Once I hit the 7 mile mark I knew I was on the way back, unfortunately my body didn’t think the same… and after pushing through the wall at 9 miles I got back into the swing of things at 11 miles and headed for home”.

For Anthony McCourt, of Wragge & Co and current BYPY, it was a first half marathon experience, and a positive one finishing in 1 hour and 46 minutes.  “It was a challenge, but with hindsight, a fantastic thing to be part of.  I really enjoyed running through, in, out and across our city… though I will never think of Hagley Road in the same way again”.

Also running for Future was Neil Murphy, of Lloyds TSB who was surprised and encouraged by the support all the way around the course, and is already looking forward to taking part next year.  

In all, the Birmingham Future team raised over £1,000 for the Birmingham Foundation, with more money still to collect.  The whole team are extremelly thankful to everyone who has donated to date, and remind you that should you wish to recognise the acheivements of the team, you can still make a donation to the team.

So here is to next year… where again, Birmingham Future will be entering a team in a run through the city… will you be part of that team?