What we do
For over 100 years, Birmingham Civic Society has worked to make Birmingham a better place for everyone. We are a membership body made up of a wide range of volunteers who encourage community engagement and promote pride in our city.
We work across several areas based on our history and expertise to achieve this. Introductions to each of these areas can be reached by selecting from the list to the right.
If you would like to get involved in any of the work we do or think you have expertise you can share, then please do get in touch and, if you can, consider becoming a member so we can continue to make Birmingham a better place for everyone.
Read our latest Annual Review
Citizenship
Supporting people, especially young people, to become active citizens and contribute to positively to the city.
For over 16 years, more than 32,600 pupils from schools across Birmingham have participated in the award-winning Next Generation Awards, a free project based programme that encourages pupils to develop solutions to key issues in their communities. Find out more in this case study from 2018.
This year has seen the launch of the Birmingham Civic Society School Stars project which promotes and celebrates the fantastic work Birmingham schools are doing to help their communities across the city.
We also support Permission to Smile, an initiative promoting friendliness and community spirit through street associations and key local catalysts such as schools, churches and GP surgeries.
Heritage
Birmingham Civic Society celebrates the people and places that have shaped our city and put it on the map.
Since the 1950s, we have erected more than 100 blue plaques which recognise individuals connected to Birmingham who have made a significant contribution to their local community or excelled in their career. We also commemorate places of historical interest in and around the city. Explore the blue plaque map when you’re out and about in the city.
The Heritage Committee, made up of heritage specialists and enthusiasts, research and consider all nominations – – watch this film and learn more about the process.
Anyone can nominate someone for a blue plaque. To be eligible, an individual must have died 20+ years ago and lived in the city for at least five years. You can submit a nomination here.
Planning
Consulting on Birmingham’s built environment and its effects on those who live and work in the city.
Through the provision of professional, fair and constructive planning advice, we support sustainable development and promote high quality design.
We act as a critical friend to developers, professions, the local authority, and communities. We also engage with communities to provide support in planning matters which are a cause of concern. Find out more about how we can work with you to reduce potential friction in the planning process and achieve the best overall result for the city and all its people.
Trees
When Birmingham Trees for Life was set up 16 years ago under the enthusiastic guidance of the late Cllr Ray Hassall, tree planting was not as much a part of our community’s conscience as it is in 2022. A partnership between The Birmingham Civic Society, Birmingham City Council (BCC) and the Birmingham Trees for Life project (BTfL) has led to some remarkable milestones, which includes planting 100,000 trees in our city.
Given the changing landscape of tree planting projects, it has been vital as a matter of good governance to rethink the future of the Birmingham Trees for Life Project. After much deliberation it was decided that the project needed to evolve, and the committee ceased its tree planting and tree promotion activities at the end of the season in March 2022.
The Society and BTfL wish to honour the legacy of achievements, and to preserve and develop that legacy for the people of Birmingham, therefore we are delighted that the role of the BTFL project and remaining resources have been transferred to Birmingham Tree People (BTP) CIO.
Public Art
Birmingham Civic Society promotes and protects public art for all to enjoy.
Birmingham has a strong collection of public art across the city and we work with partners across the city to ensure it is valued as part of our heritage and future. Over the years we have led successful campaigns to restore, relocate and reinstate sculptures across the city centre. We are also involved in Birmingham Big Art project.
