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The Community
Bromsgrove, and the communities surrounding it, are great places to live and work, combining the best of both rural and urban life. They are within striking distance of the world class amenities of Birmingham and the West Midlands, but rooted firmly in the peaceful and beautiful rural county of Worcestershire.
Bromsgrove lies some 16 miles NE of Worcester and 12 miles SW of Birmingham. There has been a settlement here since before Domesday. In recent years the community has grown as a commuter town but also has significant industry of its own. The foundation of this was the 17th century nail industry, in which Bromsgrove firms were pre-eminent and which led to specialist manufacturing and iron working. The Bromsgrove Guild of skilled craftsmen was responsible for unique examples of the iron maker’s craft, including the gates of Buckingham Palace. A major locomotive and wagon works was a significant employer in the first part of the 20th century but was closed in the 1960s. The legacy of these industries is still seen in the town.
Originally a compact town based around the High Street and St. John’s Church the development of housing surrounding the town centre of Bromsgrove, particularly in the 1950’s and ‘60’s, saw the population of the town grow to its present size of 28,000 and include the community of Finstall to the east, which though part of the town since the nineteenth century, retains its village identity. The population continues to increase as new housing developments are built.
Catshill, just to the north of Bromsgrove town and part of the District, has grown from a village into a sizable community of more than 10,000 people. Again its roots are in the nail industry and today many who live here commute to work in Birmingham and the Black Country. Increasingly the two communities of Bromsgrove and Catshill have grown towards one another and, although still distinct, together make up the main urban community of this part of Worcestershire.
Dodford is an extensive rural community a few miles to the west of the town, with just 700 people living in and around the village. In the 1840’s the Chartist Movement saw the building of a number of chartist cottages, many of which survive today. There is a thriving village community focussed around the village hall, school and church.
Local government is split between the County Council and Bromsgrove District Council, which covers most of the North East of Worcestershire, and has its council headquarters opposite All Saints’ Church. With extensive rural areas the total population of Bromsgrove District is more than 82,000, nearly half of which live within the proposed new parish.
Bromsgrove is perceived as a relatively prosperous community in the West Midlands, although this masks a considerable range of income and relative deprivation. Unemployment in March 2009 at 3.7% is lower than the regional average of 5.3%. Nevertheless the number of people claiming Jobseekers Allowance has doubled since July 2008 in line with most communities in the UK. There are three wards with indices of multiple deprivation that place them in the most deprived 30% of wards nationally.
 The town and surrounding area are well served with schools, hospitals and a busy commercial life. This area of Worcestershire has a three tier education system and, in the area covered by the new parish, there are 7 first schools, 4 middle schools, 2 high schools and 2 special schools as well as the independent Bromsgrove School. The NE Worcestershire College has a campus in the town (its other site is in the larger town of Redditch to the east). The Artrix Arts Complex is a modern centre for music, theatre, and the visual arts. Each year there is a renowned Arts Festival in Bromsgrove, which includes an exhibition in All Saints and an organ recital and concerts in St. John’s. The Avoncroft Museum of Historic Buildings, on the outskirts of Bromsgrove, houses a unique collection including a small chapel.
The Princess of Wales Community Hospital provides a wide range of health services, though not complete Accident and Emergency cover, and there are numerous local surgeries. The Primrose Day Hospice is located close to St. Godwald’s and, like the Hospital, has its own chaplain.
Bromsgrove has a busy and distinctive High Street and weekly street market and a wide range of retail businesses, including two large supermarkets with a third expected to be built in the next year or so. Bromsgrove is linked with towns in Europe and there is an active Town Twinning Association.
Bromsgrove is an easy place to get to by road and train. It is close to the M42 and  M5 with excellent links to other regions of the country and is on the main rail line between Birmingham and the South West. Birmingham International Airport is just 30 minutes away and provides easy connections to anywhere in the world.
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Community