Just like the area that it represents, Enjoy Kings Heath will always be welcoming of innovation, no matter how eccentric. So it may have come as no surprise when the BID announced that its next networking event would be taking place at a funeral home. Having first established itself in Kings Heath during the 1950s, Ambler Brothers funeral services will be a familiar landmark to most locals, but not one that many will have visited. Indeed, the majority of us will never set foot inside a funeral home until the very moment that we require its services, making it the perfect location for a networking event.
After a brief overview of the site’s history, Teresa Goldie, the home’s funeral director, started by summarising her role for attendees, as well as the way in which it has evolved over the past few years. As society begins to explore alternative ways of remembering their loved ones, so too does the team at Ambler Brothers: on the request of one family, Teresa recently attended a funeral dressed as a Peaky Blinder! Equipped with a new understanding of the work being carried out by Teresa and her colleagues, attendees were then invited to take a full, guided tour of the premises. Walking through the funeral home, a quiet peace descended on the group, which in turn facilitated a refreshingly candid conversation about the practicalities of bidding goodbye to those we love.
Upon our return to the main room, attendees took a moment to settle back into their seats, before hearing from Siobhan Sadlier, a representative from West Midlands Combined Authority. While Siobhan was able to reassure the group that Kings Heath Train Station is still on track to be completed by September 2025, she was keen to understand how Transport for West Midlands might better engage with the local community in the meantime. This led to a healthy discussion around the various ways in which a productive dialogue could be established going forward, with attendees suggesting leaflets, email updates and better online visibility. Encouraged by the group’s response, Siobhan then handed over to Carrie Weekes and Fran Glover from independent funeral business, A Natural Undertaking.
Carrie told attendees how A Natural Undertaking had been founded upon a shared belief that, while right for some, the traditionally sombre, and often impersonal, funeral ceremony might not necessarily be right for others. She went on to explain that death, like life, is an acutely individual experience and should be recognised as such. Along with organisations like Ambler Brothers, A Natural Undertaking helps to ensure that funeral options are as diverse as the lives that they commemorate and, having celebrated its tenth birthday just two weeks ago, the success of the business speaks for itself.
As the first part of the evening drew to a close, it was finally time for Matt Powell, BID manager at Enjoy Kings Heath, to take to the stage. Matt was tasked with the exciting, if a little daunting, job of revealing the BID’s new branding to local business owners for inspection. With bated breath, the group waited as Matt ran through the various designs that the BID had considered before agreeing on its final look. However, any worries were quickly put to rest the moment that they set eyes on Enjoy Kings Heath. Vibrant, dynamic and contemporary, the new brand epitomises all that it is to be a part of this marvellous community.
The ice now well and truly broken, attendees spent the rest of the event mixing amongst themselves, making new connections and nurturing old ones. Alas, all good things must come to an end, and as we said our goodbyes to the wonderful Teresa and her colleagues, another successful networking event reached its conclusion.
If you own a business in Kings Heath or the surrounding area, get in contact to find out when and where we will be running more events like this one. See you there!