Lecturer’s poem featured in new urban square

The new £660,000 square in Kings Heath, south Birmingham, was spearheaded by All Saints Community Development Company, in collaboration with All Saints Parochial Church Council. The square has been funded by the Big Lottery, Birmingham City Council and King’s Heath Centre Partnership.

A poem by Senior Lecturer in English, Dr Rosie Miles, is etched into a paved swirl feature in a walkway leading into a labyrinth in the new square, which was officially opened this month.

The inscription of the poem came about after Rosie met Worcester-based artist Alison Ogle who was commissioned to create mosaic inlays in the labyrinth. Rosie’s poem is titled ‘You Enter’ and is inspired by walking a labyrinth.

Rosie, who was shortlisted for the Birmingham Poet Laureate role in 2010 and was recently awarded a prestigious National Teaching Fellowship, said: “It’s a great honour to have something of my own writing etched into my local community in this way. I’m very proud to be associated with such an ambitious and beautiful project designed to benefit an entire community.”

Dr Rosie Miles has gained a national reputation for e-learning, inspiring hundreds of students and academics at both Wolverhampton and across the country.

She was recently recognised by the Higher Education Academy (HEA) with a National Teaching Fellowship for her exceptional contribution to learning and teaching.

The new square was officially opened by the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Anita Ward, and the Bishop of Birmingham, the Rt Rev David Urquhart, and Rosie read her poem to a crowd of 500 people at the ceremony.

The Village Square brings together three separate areas of ground into a place for meeting and relaxing, and a regular programme of events and activities will be held.

The group that masterminded the development secured a £430,000 grant for the square from the Big Lottery’s Community Spaces Fund, managed by Groundwork UK, £210,000 from Birmingham City Council and £20,000 from Kings Heath Centre Partnership.

ENDS

Picture: Rosie Miles reading her poem at the opening of the square. Photograph by Peter Kettle.

For more information please contact Vickie Warren in the Media Relations Office on 01902 322736