Food & welcome
Community meals & food support
Freshly cooked hot meals prepared in our kitchen and shared with families, elders and anyone going through a hard week — plus food parcels when times are tight.
✓ Charity reporting up to date · Charity Commission
A community centre where every neighbour belongs.
From warm meals and English classes to youth arts, advice and wellbeing — Smart Citizens Charitable Foundation has been a home from home on Chesterton Road, Birmingham, since 2019.
Serving children & young people, elders, people with disabilities and families across Balsall Heath, Sparkbrook & Sparkhill.
A Warm Welcome Space ♥
Who we are
Rooted in Chesterton Road, open to everyone
Smart Citizens Charitable Foundation runs the Smart Citizens Community Centre in Birmingham B12 — a safe, friendly space where families learn, eat, celebrate and find support together, whatever they’re facing.
Our doors are open to children and young people, elders, people with disabilities and families from every background. Sessions run in the languages our community actually speaks, led by people who live here too.
- ✿ A dedicated community building with training rooms, IT suite, kitchen and wellbeing facilities
- ✿ Free and low-cost services: meals, classes, advice, activities and celebrations
- ✿ Part of Birmingham’s Warm Welcome network of winter spaces
- ✿ Run by 5 trustees and a growing team of local volunteers — no trustee is paid
What we do
Seven doors into one community
Every programme started with a neighbour asking for help. Here’s what happens inside our centre each week.
Learning
ESOL & adult learning
Friendly English classes for adults building confidence in reading, writing and everyday conversation — with childcare-friendly sessions so parents can learn too.
Youth & arts
Youth clubs & creative workshops
Henna design, drawing, crafts and skills sessions where young people express their culture, make friends and stay busy in the holidays.
Digital inclusion
Free SIMs, data & IT help
Free National Databank SIM cards, help getting online, and drop-in support with phones, forms and digital services for those cut off by data poverty.
Health
Wellbeing & fitness
Culturally sensitive fitness and wellbeing sessions — including women-only exercise, health check-ups and gentle activity for elders.
Advice
Advice, advocacy & information
One-to-one help in your own language with housing, benefits, health appointments, letters and forms — plus signposting to trusted local services.
Winter & beyond
A Warm Welcome Space for Birmingham
We’re proud to be part of Birmingham City Council’s Warm Welcome network — free, heated, friendly spaces where anyone can come in from the cold for a hot drink, a meal and good company. No referral needed. Just come in.
Find our opening timesLife at the centre
Real moments, real people
Every photo below was taken at our own sessions — no stock images, just our community doing what it does best.
Our impact
Small centre, big footprint
What our community achieved together this year — with almost every pound raised going straight back into local services.
6
community programmes running at the centre every single week
What we do1,000+
hot meals cooked and shared from our community kitchen this year
Food programme5
volunteer trustees govern the charity — none receive any payment
Governance4+
registered volunteers, plus dozens of session helpers across the year
Our peopleCommunity voices
What our neighbours say
My daughters look forward to the workshops all week. It’s the only place nearby where they can be creative, be themselves, and I know they’re safe.
S
ShabanaParent, Balsall Heath
I came for the English class and stayed for everything else. The teachers are patient and I’ve finally got the confidence to speak at my GP appointments myself.
N
NasreenESOL learner
The free SIM card meant I could call my family and sort my appointments. It sounds small but it changed my whole situation.
D
DelroyDigital inclusion drop-in
Get involved
Three ways to stand with us
Volunteer
Cook, teach, translate, welcome people at the door or help with events. A few hours a month makes a real difference — no experience needed, full support given.
Join the teamDonate
Every pound helps keep the kettle on, the kitchen cooking and the classes free. As a registered charity, we can claim Gift Aid on eligible donations.
Give todayPartner with us
We work with councils, funders, schools and local organisations. If your organisation shares our values, let’s build something for the community together.
Start a conversationContact us
Come and say salaam
Drop in, call or write — our multilingual team will get back to you in the language you’re most comfortable with.
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Visit usSmart Citizens Community Centre
52 Chesterton Road, Birmingham B12 8HE
52 Chesterton Road, Birmingham B12 8HE
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Phone0121 000 0000
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Opening hoursMonday – Saturday · 9:30am – 5:30pm
Warm Welcome sessions run through winter
Warm Welcome sessions run through winter