
Wellington Quiz Creative Round 20.4.2025
For this Wellington Quiz, the opening round is a creative round. This term the opening round is to design a film. What will the plot be? What genre will it
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For this Wellington Quiz, the opening round is a creative round. This term the opening round is to design a film. What will the plot be? What genre will it

I’ve been interviewed by fellow Co-operator Paul Robinson for the “Listener Owned” Podcast. Paul and I are both members of Co-op Group’s National Members Council, which is a governance committee

Community Energy Birmingham’s Home Energy Advice Service (Enquiry form for a free Home Energy Advice Survey from Community Energy Birmingham) A brief introduction I’m a director of Community Energy Birmingham.

The Artefact Christmas Party This year the Artefact Christmas party happened at South Birmingham Studios as the new home of Artefact is still being built as part of Stirchley Community

Introducing the Central Co-op Songwriting Group The Central Co-op Songwriting Groups meets once a month in Stirchley in South West Birmingham. We write songs and try out new ideas in

What is Supersonic Festival? Supersonic Festival is an experimental music festival that occurs in Birmingham every year. The music festival includes electronic music, doom metal and other music outside

I met Dr Vicky Dunn earlier this year at Co-op Congress, where we both talked on a panel about Community Energy. Vicky works for Community Energy Grimsby, who currently have

I had played with The Artefact House Band in the 2023 edition of the Woodland Games. It was great fun, and I was overjoyed to have the same opportunity in

The opening round of the Fairtrade Quiz will be to design a Fairtrade product and supply chain. You can pick any product, such as chocolate, footballs, coffee or a new

Co-op Congress in Birmingham Co-op Congress is a yearly conference for the professional Co-operative movement. I’ve attended on behalf of several organisations in the past five years. This years Co-op

On Saturday the 8th of June I participated in an event with Central Co-op and Better Streets for Birmingham. The event took place on Northbrook Street. The end of Northbrook

The sporting summer is with us. We have Euro 2024 at the moment with plenty more sport on the way, including Wimbledon, and the Olympics. For the creative round this

On Saturday May the 25th I had the joy of supporting Birmingham Pride with Central Co-0p. Central Co-op has supported Birmingham Pride for a number of years, and I’ve attended

Create your own election manifesto Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak surprised everybody, including his own party, by calling a General Election for Thursday the 4th of July. He stood

Green Home Makeovers with Birmingham Green Doors Birmingham Green Doors are holding open days at properties in the able to pay market that are going through or have gone through

Design your own home! You’ve been given a big field to build your dream home on. You can build whatever you like with an unlimited budget. Draw what you

The home of the British co-operative movement As part of a Central Co-op learning event, I got the chance to visit the Rochdale Pioneers Museum. The museum is in 31

Tom has seen a lot of adverts for holidays, especially those to Disneyland. If you were given a lot of money to design your own theme park people could go

An Artefact introduction I am a member of Artefact, a workers Co-op based in Stirchley. Until recently Artefact had an art gallery/ performance space on Stirchley High Street. This closed

My Background I am a resident of Northfield Constituency in South West Birmingham. I have been working in the energy efficiency sector for the past 12 years first as a

On November the 14th 2023, I participated in Central Co-op’s Men’s Voices Event. This event was about giving men an opportunity to talk and take part in activities that affect

Design Your Own Video Game The trailer of much-anticipated GTA 6 was finally officially released after it was leaked. If you enjoy video games, it hopefully stirred your imagination…

An introduction to the Woodland Games September the 9th 2023 saw the second iteration of the Woodland Games; a nature based, family sports day at the Hazelwell Park in Stirchley

As we all know, the German Christmas Market is back… but if you were given the chance to design your own market or fair, what would your theme be? What

For this weeks creative round please explain the meaning of life. This could be in word form, picture form, or interpretive dance. What is the meaning of life? Why do

The task for the opening round of the quiz this week is to write a poem. It could be a Sonnet, a Haiku or follow a newly invented poetic structure

The Edinburgh Fringe festival is about to end. The aim of this round is to write something funny. It could be a knock knock joke, your favourite joke as a

With it being Jubilee weekend for this performance round you have to design your own country. Your country needs a name, a flag and three laws. Will your country

Inspired by me joining the Art Co-op Artefact in Stirchley this edition of the creative round is about creating a piece of art. The art can be in whatever form

Digging Holes Yesterday I cycled to Digbeth Community Garden to help out. Stalwart Adam was joined by Fabio and me. We dug holes. As we dug these holes, I listened

Opening round Rather than a picture round. The opening round is a creative round. You have to design a political party. A name for the party. A logo, A

A new Destination in Longbridge Town Centre Herbert’s Yard is the new permanent installation for a food and drinks court in Longbridge Town Centre. Previously it was a pop up

Thousands of people march through Birmingham City Centre demanding Climate Justice

Instead of a picture round, the first round is a song /poetry writing round. The song/ poem must be a protest song/ poem. You can protest against anything you want

Shaz discovers a bike that is approximately 100 years old

Shaz visits the Co-op Principles Art Exhibition at Artefact that he helped organise

Shaz survives the rain and has a good time exploring Cotteridge Park with the help of Geocachers.

The Second Kings Heath Critical Mass was enjoyed by everybody who took part.

Birmingham Film Co-op held an online film festival with an in person awards ceremony at the Warehouse Cafe

Elaine Dean who is the current Vice President of Central England Co-op (amongst many other Co-op leadership roles) was interviewed by Rebecca Harvey from Co-op Press and Sarah Alldred from

Shaz has been elected to the Co-op Group’s National Member’s Council

Shaz enjoys riding a new hire bike in Birmingham City Centre

Community Energy Birmingham have developed a new strategy for the post Feed In Tariff world.

Shaz writes about the decision to scrap the A38 Bus Lane between Selly Oak and Northfield.


Shaz cycles through a new Underpass in Longbridge Town Centre

Shaz attended the #KillTheBill Protest in Birmingham City Centre on March 20th 2021

Shaz writes about why he is opposing a government bill that would limit our freedom to protest.

Shaz writes about his history with Fair Trade and why it matters to him.

Shaz attempts to grow an apple tree in his garden once more.

Shaz writes about how his choice of bike afects his cycling experience.

Shaz evaluates how well the first year of Shaziety.com has gone.

A brief look back from our Treasurer as to the impact that CEB has had.

Shaz writes about how his housing estate is a Low Traffic Neighbourhood

Shaz visits York Road to see how a few bollards, planters and seating have turned a road from a car park to a public space that lots of people can

Birmingham and Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTN) Low Traffic Neighbourhoods have become a controversial topic in Birmingham over the past six months. There were LTN’s in Birmingham already. like this one

I’ve written before about the A38 Bus lane between Selly Oak and Northfield. I performed a dramatic U turn in my thoughts about it. I went from being anti the

A brief history It is a not well known fact that Birmingham has an incinerator located in Tyseley. What an incinerator does is take waste and burn it to produce

More Consultation Fun! There is currently a live government consultation about changes to the Highway Code. These changes are designed to help those deemed to be more vulnerable road users.

Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTN) Low Traffic Neighbourhoods are now being implemented all across the country. They have existed for decades in various forms, but have found themselves in the spotlight

Shaz visits Romulus FC to watch non league football and to see CEB’s solar array

Shaz writes about some of the spectacular vegetarian/vegan food that he has eaten recently

Shaz writes about why we need to support the new Bus Lane on the A38 between Selly Oak and Northfield

What is an EPC? In my day job I complete Energy Performance Certificates. An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) measures the energy efficiency of a property. If you buy, sell a

Shaz picks his favourite set of trees for Birmingham Friend’s of the Earth’s “More Trees please!” Campaign

Shaz responds to a consultation on pavement parking.



Shaz reflects on visiting Hiroshima the site of a nuclear bomb attack in 1945

Shaz writes about a Birmingham Friends of Earth Campaigns Meeting

Shaz is elected as Chair of Community Energy Birmingham

Shaz responds to a consultation about cycling infrastructure but is actually about a bus lane.

Shaz is interviewed for the August 2020 edition of Coop News

Shaz tests rides an E bike to see if they can be a realistic alternative to a car in the city

Shaz writes about how Greta Thunberg is an inspiration to Climate Activists

Shaz argues that free parking has a high societal cost using the NHS as a case study

Shaz cycles to Moseley Village to eat Avocado on Toast

Shaz Chairs Birmingham Friends of the Earth’s virtual Members Meeting.

Shaz evaluates how Co-ops have adapted by holding their AGMs online

Shaz writes about his near ten years of experience in the Co-op movement

Shaz holds a virtual tour of his Garden for the Central England Co-op Gardening Club

Tom Pratt and Shaz Rahman explore the #SpeakingOut scandal that has rocked professional wrestling

In a new experience for him, Shaz wins a contested election.

The Second Black Lives Matter Protest On the 19th of June the second Black Lives Matter protest took place in Birmingham City Centre. Unlike the first protest, which took place

On the year anniversary of it opening Shaz finally gets round to cycling on the A34 Cycle Path

Shaz stands for election in the world of Co-op Press

Shaz writes about how campaigning for him has changed under Lockdown

Shaz attends the Black Lives Matter protest in Birmingham.

Shaz visits The Real Junk Food Project Birmingham’s new allotment plot.

Shaz offers guidance to those buying their own bike for the first time.

Shaz offers advice for adults thinking about learning to ride a bike.

Shaz visits Kings Heath to see the updated active transport infrastructure

Shaz provides an update about what is happening with active transport infrastructure across the Country.

Shaz explores the effect that learning to ride a bicycle has had on his life

Shaz tracks the fast moving world of cycle campaigning and what has changed in the past week.

Shaz writes about his experiences of volunteer campaigning with BFOE

Shaz asks about what is happening with cycling currently and what may happen post Covid 19

Shaz appears on the podcast again to discuss how we can grow the Co-op sector

Shaz talks about turning his garden into a nature friendly ecosystem.

Shaz discusses his changing relationship with food.