31 January 2024
This is the weekly-ish newsletter from Loaf in Stirchley, keeping you abreast of our bakery and cookery school, and other news we think you might be interested in.
This week it's a community news special! We haven't included any Stirchley bits and bobs for a while, so this week the newsletter is dedicated to them.
Scroll down for this week’s lunch menu and cookery school classes.
🍞 Pre-order your bread and pastries 🥐
We’ll have plenty on the shelves all week, with lunches served from noon on weekdays.
Our opening hours are:
Wed - Fri: 12-6
Saturday: 8-1
1421 Pershore Road, Stirchley, B30 2SA (map)
Artefact need testimonials
As part of their move into our new building, our sibling coop Artefact are undertaking what we might call an "operational transformation" from a wholly volunteer-run organisation to something more sustainable, building on all the good work they've done over the last decade. They've started this process with some help from Coops UK and are applying for a substantial amount of funding to get them over the line.
We know there's a significant overlap between Loaf customers and Artefact patrons and if that includes you, please consider writing a few lines for their funding application. Specifically they're looking for evidence of Artefact's benefit to the various local communities of the area, and how activities there encourage creativity and mental wellbeing.
Please send your comments to artefactstirchley@gmail.com or simply reply to this email and we'll pass them on.
🐰🌊🍽️ As foodies we're quite excited that Riverine Rabbit has opened in Stirchley, next to Couch in Artefact's old venue. Check their IG.
🔟🍞4️⃣ If, like us, you were wondering what Adam of Ten Four Bakehouse was up to after he sadly closed his bakery in Stirchley last year, you'll be happy to hear he's taken over the bakery at Hampton Manor in Hampton in Arden.
🌳🍎🥜 We regularly donate a few loaves to Fruit and Nut Village to feed the volunteers who look after the trees planted around Birmingham, a number of which are in Stirchley. There are loads of sessions coming up so if you fancy learning about tree care, see their website.
Work the Woodland Games
You may remember last summer Jonny Graney was camped out in Hedge's new space, next door to Loaf, making all manner of oddities for The Woodland Games, culminating in a day-long festival in Hazelwell Park with a parade and trebuchets!
The Woodland Games will be returning this year and Jonny is recruiting people to work it, from running workshops to volunteering at events. It's an extremely "Weird Stirchley" occasion and well worth getting involved with. Email hipkissandgraney@outlook.com if you'd like to take part.
💌🏘️👩💻 We can't do a local news roundup without mentioning Kerry Leslie's marvellous Old Post Office newsletter. Coming out weekly it's ostensibly promoting the excellent co-working space of the same name, but also has an invaluable roundup of links to local events and news which we often pillage for the Weekly Loaf. View past issues here and subscribe here.
🧑🎨🎨🖼️ Stirchley Art Club has quietly been growing into a really valuable part of the local fabric. Hosted thrice weekly at the library it attracts people with a wide range of abilities and experience looking to learn new techniques and share their work.
🗞🕵️♂️✍️ The Birmingham Dispatch is an attempt to plug the gaping hole of professional news coverage in this city using the free/paid newsletter approach. We met up with one of the team (whose family has been in Stirchley for generations) and have a good feeling about it.
Save Birmingham
It seems decisions will be made soon on how to dig Birmingham City Council out of the financial hole that forced them into special measures last year and there's a real danger of a "fire sale" of assets which could include things we hoped to always take for granted.
Save Birmingham is a campaign to register community places like parks and libraries so they can't easily be sold to private interests. There are a few in Stirchley listed on the website and you can help by filling in a short form to show your support – numbers will mean everything here.
✍️🌻🧑🎨 Our lovely neighbours Hedge are hosting the monthly Stirchley Drawing Club on Feb 25th. Book here.
🤣🎭🍺 Mirth is a comedy night at Birmingham Brew Company which comes recommended.
☠️🧔🏻♂️☠️ We're delighted to say that the Badass Skeletons of Independent Bham Instagram account is back.
Send us your news!
If you have an event or some local news you think Loaf customers would be interested in, especially if it's a bit different to the stuff above, please send it to newsletter@loaf.coop and we'll consider it for future newsletters!
Cookery school classes
The following classes have spaces as of this newsletter being posted. There's not much left - thanks!
We hope to have dates for April onwards in the next fortnight. You can sign up to alert lists for specific classes here.
Loaf’s all-day classes:
- Bread — Back to Basics: returns in spring
- Simply Sourdough: returns in spring
- Sweet Breads and Viennoiserie: returns in spring
- Baking with Heritage Grains returns in summer
- Wholegrain Baking with Tom Baker: returns in summer
Haseen’s evening classes:
Lap’s all-day classes:
- Sausage & Charcuterie: Sat 24 Feb
- Seafood Masterclass: sold out
Lap’s evening classes:
- Thai: returns in spring
- Sushi: returns in spring
- Ramen: returns in spring
- Dumplings: Tue 12 Mar
- Knife Skills: returns in spring
Lunches this week
Wednesday
- Tarka daal with sourdough (Ve)
Thursday
- Soup: Roasted cauliflower with sourdough (Ve)
Friday
- Curry: Potato, chickpea and kale with sourdough (Ve)
- Salt beef on challah bun
Wed - Fri
- Sourdough pizza: Mushroom, olives, rocket pesto and mozzarella (V)
- Ham and cheese croissant
- Tomato, spinach and cheese croissant (V)
Wed – Sat:
- Sausage rolls
- Vegetable rolls (V)
Lunches are made fresh weekdays for 12 noon.
Our menu for the week — with ingredients and allergens — is on the website.
Thanks for all your continued support. See you next week!
Team Loaf: Molly, Michael, Mina, Martha, Dave, Pete, Sarah, Neil, Rach & Dorit
Address: 1421 Pershore Road, Stirchley, B30 2SA - map
Website: loaf.coop
Socials: Instagram / Mastodon / Threads / Twitter / Facebook