Stories Unite is a project bringing together neighbours, from all different cultures and ethnicities, to chat about their personal stories of moving to and living in the area. The aim of the project is to help build trust and new friendships around the neighbourhood.

 

What happened in the project?

We brought a group of Kings Heath and Brandwood residents together around a table to talk for the first time. We ran an event, inviting people to sit on the ‘story sharing’ sofa, and two workshops. These were filmed. 

We have been touring a ‘pop up’ cinema around the neighbourhood to invite people to come out and watch the film and connect with some more of their neighbours.

After the community film ‘pop ups’ around the area, the documentary will be shared as an educational resource to build trust and friendships and inspire more neighbours to connect with each other.

 

Watch the documentary

Watch poetry inspired by stories

Working together

This project is being delivered by Our Scene CIC in partnership with volunteer-led group Kings Heath United Against Racism.  

KHUAR was established as a response to a racist and Islamophobic attack on an elderly Muslim man going home from the mosque on York Road. They quickly galvanised volunteers from the local community and artists to hold a weekend of music, art and spoken word to challenge the narrative of hate, racism and Islamophobia.

We commissioned Rajab Mahmood (known as RJ) and his film production company Local Arts Blueprint CIC to make the documentary. This non profit was set up to represent and support Birmingham’s aspiring black and southeast Asian creatives.

 

This project is funded by Near Neighbours who bring people together in communities that are religiously and ethnically diverse, so that they can get to know each other better, build relationships and trust, and collaborate together on initiatives that improve the local community they live in.