This week on Heath Talk, the two Chrises are talking Tolkien, train stations and trying (and failing) to pronounce a local artist's name correctly. Kings Heath's new train station is getting some seriously cool artwork courtesy of illustrator Charlotte Ellen Jenkins, featuring nods to local history including JRR Tolkien's Kings Heath roots and The Beatles' Birmingham debut on York Road — prints are available if you fancy some local culture on your wall. There's also a new Jamaican restaurant on York Road, Eber Kitchen, complete with an outdoor smoker doing the jerk, plus volunteering opportunities at Change Kitchen CIC and Kings Heath Community Centre for anyone wanting to get more involved locally.

Looking ahead, it's a packed week in Kings Heath, Birmingham. Hot 8 Brass Band bring their New Orleans jazz energy to the Hare and Hounds, there's a Young Engineers summer camp for kids aged 6-12, and free bus travel kicks in for under-16s throughout August. Saturday's a big one — the regular All Saints Square farmers market, a children's clothing sale at Kings Heath Community Kitchen, and a psychedelic music all-dayer at the Hare and Hounds. Highbury Hall opens its doors (and gardens) for free over the weekend, there's a cartoon and art club for kids at Loco Lounge, plus a summer holiday club at the Community Centre running every Wednesday. And mark your calendars for the partial solar eclipse on August 12th — just please don't stare directly at the sun.

Got something going on in Kings Heath? Email heathtalkpodcast@gmail.com — voice memos welcome.

Your weekly guide to what's on, what's up, and who's who in Kings Heath, Birmingham, UK. This week Chris and Chris are wading through a bumper crop of local events — starting with the Kings Heath Comedy Fest, which takes over venues across the neighbourhood all week long. There's a mobile tip truck rolling into Billesley, the Birmingham Jazz and Blues Festival kicking off city-wide, a community picnic at Dalbury Corner complete with silent disco, and an 80s murder mystery improv night that's very much worth the £16.75. Elsewhere: a meditation and ink art workshop at the Kitchen Garden Café, a police-themed family fun day with actual alpacas, and Kings Heath Park picking up its Green Flag status with a celebratory litter pick. Recurring regulars get a shout too — the Billesley Ark food pantry, Dalbury Corner's community garden, and Hare and Hounds' Wednesday quiz night. Plus last week's catch-up: free breakfast club at the Loco Lounge, a rough sleeping support resource worth bookmarking, and an update on the Kings Heath Park consultation results. Whatever you're into this week — comedy, jazz, litter picking, or just a decent quiz — Kings Heath has got you covered.

Your weekly guide to what's on, what's up, and who's who in Kings Heath. This week the two Chris's celebrate York Supplies' star turn in a BT Business video, a Kings Heathens single parent friendship group you might not know exists, and Kings Heath Community Kitchen hitting 1,000 meals served.

Then it's on to a stacked weekend: an alt rock gig at Hare & Hounds, a mobile waste centre, a secret family film night, an 80s party, the Kings Heath Cat Rescue summer fair, a dementia support info morning, kids' gardening, a local artist's exhibition, soul and disco nights, a Britain in Bloom volunteer morning, and — fingers crossed for England — the World Cup final.

Got something on in Kings Heath, Birmingham, UK? Send us a voice note or email, we'd love to feature it.

Big shake-up on the high street this week — Kings Heath's Billesley pub has shut its doors without warning, and the old Pear Tree keeps hinting at a mystery next chapter (wrestling venue, anyone?). We dig into what it means for local pubs battling the cost-of-living squeeze, then head straight into a stacked calendar for Birmingham, UK's Kings Heath and neighbouring Moseley. There's a pop-up food bank and this month's Neighbourhood Forum both happening the same day, the Moseley Jazz Funk and Soul Festival kicking off a full weekend, a free acapella set at All Saints Café, free kids' cricket sessions, the ever-popular Kings Heath Art Market, a free disco all-dayer with an England game screening at The Station, a free community climate film screening, a family fun day just over in Moneyhole, the Kings Heath Artisan Market, and a lino printing workshop at Enki. Plus a quick word on Wimbledon, England's World Cup qualifier win, and a heads-up that from next week we're switching to early Thursday morning releases. Got something on in Kings Heath we should know about? Send us a voice note or email — we're not mind readers.

Chris flies solo this week on Heath Talk — the podcast covering all the news, gossip and goings-on in Kings Heath, Birmingham, UK — while his co-host is off filming a movie. He shares a genuinely heartwarming story from Highbury Park, where a community rallied round after a bad bike accident, plus news of a new coffee shop on Station Road, Kaur Coffee Company, serving local roasted coffee, local dairy and a soundtrack of vinyl. There's also a last chance to catch the Flora exhibition at Nook Gallery before it closes on 5th July, in person or in VR. Then it's on to a packed week ahead in Kings Heath and Moseley: live music at The Station, an open mic night for homeless charities at All Saints Cafe, the ever-popular Kings Heath Farmers Market, dub legend Mad Professor at the Hare & Hounds, open days at historic Highbury Hall, live sessions at Fletcher's on York Road, and a first-of-its-kind menopause talk at Dawberry Corner Community Garden. Local news, local events, local voices — Heath Talk is your weekly guide to what's happening in Kings Heath.

It's been a scorcher of a week in Kings Heath, and Chris and Chris are back with the heatwave survival guide alongside everything you need to know about what's on. After a quick word on keeping yourselves and your dogs safe in record-breaking June heat (tarmac test, anyone?), they look back at a brilliant week that included the ever-popular Queen's Heath event — complete with stunning street photography from local snapper Mikey Evans — and a sold-out England fan zone at the Community Centre. St Mary's Moseley also opened its doors as a cool, calm refuge from the sun, proving church architecture has its uses beyond Sundays.

Then it's on to the week ahead, and there's a lot packed in. Thursday brings a relaxed art group for the 50+ crowd at Brandwood Centre and live cover music in the garden at the Station Pub. Friday is a big one: free live music and football at the King's Arms, the gloriously named Balls Out Bingo at E57 Social Club (18+, filthy comedy and four games of bingo included), and a charity quiz night for Operation Santa Trust at Moseley Golf Club.

Saturday sees a free self-defence workshop for women and girls at Brandwood Centre, plus a fermentation workshop at the Community Centre — they're after your old jam jars, so dig them out. Sunday rounds things off with Queer as the Dog comedy night at the Hare & Hounds, Moseley in Bloom's Open Gardens trail running alongside the Moseley Farmers Market, and the ever-valuable Kings Heath Community Kitchen offering free food, clothing and haircuts at New Life Baptist Church.

All that, plus some questionable opinions on what actually counts as fermentation. Stay cool out there, Kings Heath.

This week on Heath Talk, Chris and Chris catch up on the local news from around Kings Heath, Birmingham, UK — including a new café at the Brandwood Centre and the now-infamous cheese security cameras at Lidl. They also cover the results timeline for the Kings Heath Park landscaping consultation. Then it's onto a jam-packed week ahead: World Cup screenings at the Kings Heath Community Centre and the Hare & Hounds, a paint-your-own-planter night at the Kitchen Garden Café, live music at All Saints Café, the Brandwood Bash community day, a school bike sale, a quiz and curry night, the Kings Heath Art Market, a gig at the Highbury Inn, Kings Heath Pride, a jobs fair for over-50s, a community centre volunteer day, and comedy at the Patrick Kavanagh. Your weekly guide to what's on, what's up, and who's who in Kings Heath.

Heath Talk – Episode 3 Summary

Rebrand announcement – The podcast has moved on from the Kings Heathens name and is now independently operating as Heath Talk. Paul and the Kings Heathens Facebook group are given a warm shout-out, with the door left open for future collaboration. Chris Crouch is credited with the name.

What's been happening in Kings Heath:

• Muso Monday at The Station – an open mic night with a great crowd; possibly a regular event, TBC
• The old Pear Tree site (near the 50 bus stop) – new shutters and signage have appeared, the "to let" sign is gone; much community speculation about what's moving in (suggestions included pro wrestling and a Turkish barber/chicken shop combo)
• Poisoned meat in Kings Heath Park – reports of raw meat being left in the park; warning for dog owners with dogs off the lead
• New Life Food Bank – supporting B13/B14 postcodes; open Wednesdays 12–2pm and 2nd/4th Sundays 2:30–5pm at Kings Heath Community Kitchen. Donations welcome.

What's on this week:

• Tonight (Wed 10th) – Kings Heath Neighbourhood Forum, Brandwood Community Centre, 7pm. Local councillors Hamza Sheikh and Jordan Philip attending
• Tonight (Wed 10th) – Free comedy night, Patrick Kavanagh pub, Moseley, 8pm (£5–10 donation suggested)
• Thursday 11th – Sip & Paint evening at Loco Lounge, Matisse-inspired, led by artist Keelyan; 7–9:30pm, from £25.50
• Saturday 13th – Day in the Sun at Cannon Hill House, Russell Road; free entry, stalls, games, alpacas
• Weekly Tuesdays – Kings Heath Casual Board Games at Loco Lounge, 7pm; bring your own or use theirs
• Kings Heath Community Kitchen – launching Wednesday drop-in sessions seeking volunteers and organisations (housing, CAB, debt, mental health, employment etc.). Contact Adam: 07507 896218

Close – Invite for backup presenters and a researcher to help aggregate local forum posts. Contact: heathtalkpodcast@gmail.com