Rethinking Chronic Pain with Becky + Make Your Own Wood Finishes with Ruben

Join us for a choice of two classes at Birmingham Settlement Nature + Wellbeing Centre, food and refreshments served from 5pm.

Rethinking Chronic Pain with Becky:

Becky was inspired to teach this class following her own experience of overcoming chronic pain and Long Covid after learning about ‘neuroplasticity’, the brain’s ability to rewire itself. After years of treatment and an operation, Becky shifted her focus to taking a ‘mind-body’ approach to her pain that focuses on how emotions live in the body, and now lives with minimal daily pain. While recognising that everyone’s experiences are different, Becky wishes to make the knowledge and resources that have helped her available to others. In this class, she will share her personal experience with chronic pain and introduce the concept of neuroplastic pain and approaches to alleviating it, as well as holding space for questions and conversation.

Please note: The information shared at this Neighbourhood Trade School class is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The host of this class is not a doctor or medical professional of any kind but is sharing their what they have learned from their own lived experience of chronic pain. We advise participants not to rely solely on the information provided in this class and to seek consultations from healthcare professionals to receive personalised advice or treatment where needed.

Make Your Own Wood Finishes with Ruben:

In this class, Ruben will share his journey into carpentry and joinery and interest in challenging disposable culture, encouraging us to adopt a DIY attitude and search on YouTube or ask a friend for fixing tips instead of throwing something away. We then get hands-on and learn how to sand and finish a wooden chopping board using items found in our kitchen cupboards such as coffee grounds and vinegar.

We will also joined by Glue Collective who will host a space for imaginative play for children.

Neighbourhood Trade School is based on the principle that everyone has something to share and everyone has something to learn. We invite each class host to choose items that they would find useful and delightful to receive in return for their time and experience in sharing a skill, so we invite you to explore which of our host's barter items you would like to bring along with you, if you are able to do so.

Becky's barter items:

• Conversations about chronic pain experiences
• Pickles
• Favourite book recommendations
• Plant cuttings
  

Ruben's barter items:

• Spanish language exchange - Someone to chat to in Spanish
• Your best life hacks
• Grandma recipes
• Nuts or peanut butter chocolate

Becky is a Birmingham-based creative producer who collaborates on artistic projects in all kinds of spaces across the city and beyond. From the age of 14 into adulthood, Becky lived with chronic pain, which made everyday life a challenge. Having reached a place where she is living with minimal pain, Becky wishes to share her experience, knowledge and resources with others who might find them useful.

Ruben is a carpenter and joiner currently based in B16 with a passion for restoring furniture to give it a new lease of life. Ruben has always enjoyed making things and working out how to do things in his own way. His frustration with consumerism was partly inspired by working in events industry and seeing how much gets thrown away, and he is interested in exploring how alternative approaches and spaces can be created in Ladywood. Ruben is a peer on Material Matter[s], a hands-on collective learning journey hosted by CIVIC SQUARE and Material Cultures to fundamentally reimagine our relationship with materials. Connect with Ruben on Instagram @rworth.wood.

Neighbourhood Trade School is based on the principle that everyone has something to share and everyone has something to learn.

What if we could activate the potential in our homes, streets, libraries, playgrounds, schools and more as places to exchange learning together in a kind, joyful, noble and intergenerational way that is available to all of us?

We invite you to explore how exchanging skills and knowledge of many forms can make our neighbourhoods resilient to the challenges and opportunities we will face together, now and in the future. Discover what you’d love to share or learn more about, as we shape Neighbourhood Trade School together.

You can enter the Birmingham Settlement Nature & Wellbeing Centre from either the Selwyn Road entrance which is down the access road between 77 and 81 Selwyn Road, or on foot directly from the Reservoir.

Buses run on Hagley Road, the 11 & 80 stop is on City Road (8 min walk). Five Ways train station is around a 30 minute walk away.

There is a small car park that is reserved for disabled parking only. If you haven’t yet told us that you need a disabled parking space, please let us know as spaces are extremely limited.
If you have any access needs you'd like us to be aware of, please let us know when you book.

Host or Publisher CIVIC SQUARE