Part of national Talk Money Week, the event aimed to encourage conversation around people’s personal finances, with sessions including on money misinformation.
Residents in Birmingham have come together for a special event to tackle financial exclusion and engage in discussions around the future of their city.
To mark the beginning of Talk Money Week, Birmingham City Council launched Brum Financial Futures, a free event at Birmingham City University’s STEAMhouse, which involved panels, workshops and stalls all around helping people open up about their personal finances.
Additionally, and in line with Birmingham’s ambitious vision for development across the city, 60 schoolchildren were invited to learn more about the diverse range of future career opportunities within the local housing industry and engage in a ‘Youth Zone’ where students could ‘Design their Own City’, sponsored by the housebuilder, Lovell.
Alongside the community, local councillors and partner organisations such as the Local Housing Involvement Board joined the event to help facilitate workshops throughout the day.
Cllr Karen McCarthy, Cabinet Member for Finance, said:
“This event is really important for us to engage with people, including young people, so we can hear their voices and show we’re reaching out to them.“We are proud to work with services such as the Money and Pensions Service to help people manage their finances. It’s great to see the event was such a success.”
Courtney Ballard, Assistant Headteacher at Lindsworth School, said:
“We didn’t really understand the lengths people go to in order to make things better for people. So, for our students it opens their eyes to what’s going on.” A student from Lindsworth then added: “It has been a great event. I didn’t realise how many jobs there were in the building industry such as the amount of managers.”
Simon Wingate, Regional Partnerships Director at Lovell, said:
“At Lovell, we recognise the importance of inspiring the next generation, so it’s important we tap into their interests whilst showcasing the benefits of careers in the industry.
“Thank you to the schools and students who provided invaluable feedback during the workshops, and to Birmingham City Council and AND Capital Projects for allowing us to sponsor this exciting event.”
Notes to editors
Lovell was behind the first Birmingham Housing Week in 2024, which focused on giving local residents a greater say over the future of their communities.
They also launched initiative in Birmingham called We’ve Got You, developed with youth homelessness charity, St Basils, to help young care leavers get access to training, job opportunities and a secure home.
About Lovell:
Lovell, part of Morgan Sindall Group plc, is a national partnership housing specialist that delivers multi-tenure communities and provides innovative residential construction, regeneration, and retrofit solutions across England, Scotland, and Wales. It is driven by the fundamental belief that home is the essential foundation for people to live their best life, and it works in partnership to make a lasting positive difference everywhere it builds.
To find out more about Lovell, visit: https://www.lovell.co.uk/
