Chris Crouch is back from Mallorca, tanned, rested and immediately plunged into the climate crisis. Spooky season in Kings Heath, Birmingham, UK starts here.

First, a big thank you to Scarlett from Enjoy Kings Heath for co-hosting last week. Then Chris reports back from the National Emergency Briefing screening at Kings Heath Community Centre: stark, a bit scary, but full of practical solutions. Worth a watch (16+), and maybe worth a letter to your MP.

Book now: Blowwater Café and Screen B14 host a Secret Film Supper Club on Thursday 12 November – mystery film, matching food, vegan Japanese curry rice included. If you work out the film, please tell us.

All week: find participating houses on the Trick or Treat Map, and donate duvets, towels and blankets to the Birmingham Christmas Shelter appeal (collections every Sunday until Christmas). Plus the last of our All Saints Youth Project round-up: home education support, male carers group, half-term family fun, transgender parent/carer support and an adoption support brunch.

The half-term and Halloween line-up is huge: a fancy-dress roller disco at Cocks Moors Woods, Birmingham Tree People volunteering, family cooking and growing at the Community Centre, a Harry Potter Halloween day for SEN families, poetry and a Halloween quiz at Loco Lounge, a knitting meet-up, a paranormal book launch at Kings Heath Library, swing and jazz with Martin Leonard, a Celebrity Traitors finale watch party, a Halloween ceilidh with a live aerial act at Circus Mash, tree walks in Highbury Park, sip and paint, Coco and soup at the Community Centre, Halloween parties at the Hare & Hounds, Thrive in Kings Heath Park, Mr Scruff on Sunday, a new Queer Musical Collective, Tony's Tots drama sessions and The Lost Notes at the Red Lion Folk Club.

And one important ask. Heath Talk takes a lot of time to make, so we want to know if it's worth carrying on into 2027. If you listen and want more, email heathtalkpodcast@gmail.com and say so. If we get 10 emails before the new year, we keep going. That's all it takes.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro

02:12 Last week: National Emergency Briefing

07:03 Book now and all week

15:24 Wednesday 28 October

18:15 Thursday 29 October

23:42 Friday 30 October

30:27 Saturday 31 October (Halloween)

39:19 Sunday 1 November

40:00 Monday 2 November

41:44 Tuesday 3 November

42:53 Wednesday 4 November

44:34 Should we carry on? Email us

Events, voice notes and "please don't stop" emails: heathtalkpodcast@gmail.com

Heath Talk is a weekly community podcast about what's on in Kings Heath and Moseley, Birmingham, UK – local news, events, gigs and family activities.

Chris Crouch is off this week, so Chris Smith is joined by Scarlett from Enjoy Kings Heath – someone who spends more hours on the high street than anyone, whether she likes it or not. And it’s a packed one, with half term and Halloween arriving in Kings Heath, Birmingham, UK.

Looking back, the Station has turned its function room into a games room with interactive darts and a pool table, the H Mall is getting closer to opening, and Scarlett reports from a spooky pottery painting night at a local craft club. There’s a new bar in Kings Court, open Friday to Monday so hospitality workers finally have somewhere to go on their day off. Nook Gallery also has a new bookable workshop space.

Our All Saints Youth Project spot covers part one of their family support offer, from drop-ins and parenting groups to SEND support and a home education group.

Book now: a kids’ Halloween pizza class at Loco Lounge, and the Kings Heath Cricket & Sports Club fireworks on Sunday 8 November – early bird prices end Sunday 25 October.

Then the week day by day: lino printmaking, a beginner-friendly 5K run club that ends at the pub, a beaded message hoop workshop and the Red Lion Folk Club on Wednesday; a sewing circle on Thursday; a glow-in-the-dark silent disco at Dawberry Corner (Friday, and again on Wednesday of half term) and a People’s Emergency Briefing screening on Friday; baby and child first aid, velvet pumpkins, pumpkin carving in Kings Heath Park and some touring theatre at the community centre on Saturday; Halloween candle painting and Hair of the Dog Comedy’s fourth birthday on Sunday; surplus food bags, half-term activities and drink and draw on Monday; terrarium making at Kitchen Garden Cafe on Tuesday; and more folk at the Red Lion next Wednesday.

Got an event, a story or a voice note? Email heathtalkpodcast@gmail.com.

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
01:49 Last week in Kings Heath
08:30 All Saints Youth Project
10:35 Book now
13:46 Wednesday 21st
19:04 Thursday 22nd
20:51 Friday 23rd
24:41 Saturday 24th
30:22 Sunday 25th
33:02 Monday 26th & half term
36:44 Tuesday 27th
38:03 Wednesday 28th
38:46 Outro

Your weekly guide to what’s on in Kings Heath, Birmingham, UK – with Chris Smith and Chris Crouch.

This week starts with a recap of last week’s single grain whisky night and the Arts Market, plus some good news: listener numbers are up 18%. We’d like that to keep going, so we’ve got one small job for you (it involves texting three friends).

We’re also trying something new this week: a look further ahead at events likely to sell out before we’d normally mention them. First up is Hare of the Dog Comedy’s 4th Birthday Bonanza at the Hare & Hounds with Barbara Nice (yes, there’s cake). We also give our now-regular shout-out to the All Saints Youth Project, which runs weekly sessions for young people aged 10 to 19 – and is badly in need of a jingle.

Then it’s day by day through the week. Lino printing at the Kitchen Garden Cafe and folk music at Top Banana. Kung Fu Kickboxing at Kings Heath Community Centre. Drag at Loco Lounge and a charity céilí at the Irish Centre. The Birmingham Fungi Festival at Highbury Hall and an outdoor Super Mario screening at Dawberry Corner. A free World Menopause Day talk at All Saints, a Sunday jam session at Cartlands, collage at Nook Gallery and a watercolour workshop. Spooky ceramic painting, velvet pumpkins and, to round it off, A Nightmare on Elm Street at the Hare & Hounds Movie Club.

Plus Chris Crouch is getting replaced (only for a week, while he’s on holiday) by Scarlett from Enjoy Kings Heath.

Use the chapters to jump straight to the day you’re listening on.

CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
01:48 Last week
04:50 Book ahead: Hare of the Dog Comedy 4th Birthday
07:35 Every week: All Saints Youth Project
10:22 Wednesday 14th
13:25 Thursday 15th
15:22 Friday 16th
18:38 Saturday 17th
22:33 Sunday 18th
28:27 Monday 19th
29:17 Tuesday 20th
30:41 Wednesday 21st
33:40 Wrap-up

Got an event, a story or a voice note for us? Email heathtalkpodcast@gmail.com – and please share the show with anyone in Kings Heath, Moseley or wider Birmingham who’d enjoy it.