Fete Fun!

Although Queen Alexandra College is based on the other side of Hagley road we're so happy that they've made their presence known in Bearwood with the bike shop, iCycle (Three Shires Oak  Road) and the soon to be opened Coffee Junction cafe next door.

Both of these enterprises are run by the Queen Alexandra College, a college for students with a visual impairment and/or other disabilities.

  The college are having a Summer Fête on their campus in Court Oak Road on Saturday and much of the money raised will go towards the building of a new sports hall for the students.

This will be a brilliant family event - it has lots of great attractions including Dudley Zoo, penalty shootout against West Bromwich Albion Foundation’s blind football team goalie, other sporting challenges and emergency vehicle demonstrations.

There are going to be lots of stalls including cardmaking for kids who haven’t yet got their Father’s Day cards – it’s the following day!

Ironman will be there to pose for photos with kids.

There will be quality burgers and vegetarian food on sale, plus champagne and strawberries!

Admission is £1 and gets you a programme with a cash prize draw – children under 12 have free admission.

The Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Birmingham will be formally opening the Fête at 1 o’clock.

Gates open at 12.30pm (in Woodville Road) and raffle tickets will be on sale with some brilliant prizes which include: iPad mini, £100 cash, case of wine, £200 theatre break experience, afternoon tea for 4 at the Hilton Hotel in Birmingham, lunch for 2 at Turners Michelin Restaurant, meal for 2 at the Old House at Home, 4 tickets for Hatton Country World, 2 tickets for West Midlands Safari Park, and lots more! These can be purchased in advance, or on the day. Tickets will be drawn late afternoon. (Mrs B - wow!)

There will also be music which will hopefully be outside (weather permitting) in the courtyard and starts at 5pm, with great acts for your entertainment:

Rickie Chapple  I've been a QAC student twice since the 1980s. I’ve been playing keyboards for many years and I sing a wide range of well-known classics. I perform regularly for several day centres on a voluntary basis. I also have a very keen interest in animal husbandry. I dog sit & assist a Rottweiler rescue centre by short-term fostering."

Fiona Dunn with Paul Hopkins - Fiona blends self-penned work with traditional folksongs and more modern pop songs, with a particular liking for songs with haunting melodies and well-crafted lyrics. As well as her own accompaniment, on keyboard or guitar, Paul’s keyboard skills add a depth of texture to the music which makes the songs breathtakingly beautiful. Paul was a student at QAC many years ago and has been working for QAC’s All Formats since he completed his course.

Kim and Joe "We are an acoustic duo with a touch of soul. A blend of vocals, guitar and piano cover a range of different styles from Johnny Cash to Ella Fitzgerald."

East by South East(clarinet, trumpet, accordion, bass). Formed in King's Norton and play upbeat European folk music with some catchy tunes and some soulful melodies.

Singer: Laura Cort Keyboards: Lydia Yip "I have been singing for 8 years now, covering a wide range of genres including: musical theatre, soul, pop, rock, acoustic/folk, choral and sometimes my own songs. I used to perform open mic session regularly in my home city of Leicester, where I performed with a friend who played acoustic guitar. We normally covered acoustic or chart music. Lydia and I first started singing together in October 2012, when we were putting together a musical showcase for charity, and I have recently performed at a charity folk open mic night."


Tom McCann - Acoustic performer, playing contemporary and classic covers. Tom is an 18 year-old student from Rubery, studying music, drama, English and philosophy.
Singer: Lizzie Haynes Guitarist: Joe Maisey. The acoustic duo met at the University of Birmingham this year, but both have years of gigging experience in their home towns, with dreams of becoming professionals. Since their first gig together, they have been writing songs together, and their set consists of both originals and well-known covers, from a variety of genres from Motown to Musical Theatre. If you like what you hear, please like Lizzie's Facebook page to hear about future gigs.

Staple Friendly - A musical duo with warm acoustic sounds, topped with generous helpings of soul and funk. Influences drawn from every genre, so are sure to cater to anyone's

Queen Alexandra College “Registered Charity 1065794”.