BID Community
Say hello to Lindsey Tasker, our dedicated Community Engagement Officer, here for the community, and with the community.
Lindsey’s passion is bringing people together. From creative sessions and coffee mornings to activity meetups, she’s right at the heart of our work, helping Kidderminster thrive. She runs welcoming groups including Broadwaters Creative Communities at The Rose Theatre, Balls, Rackets, Nets & More at the Leisure Centre, and the much-loved ‘Connect & Brew’ sessions at Kidderminster Library and The Tulip Tree Centre.
Through these free sessions, Lindsey creates spaces where people can connect, make friends, share experiences, and feel supported. Her role is all about building a Kidderminster where everyone feels included, valued, and part of something special.
And she’s not stopping there, we are always exploring new ideas and activities to bring even more of our community together.
Meet Chris & Ricky – Part of Our Outreach Team
Chris and Ricky are key members of our outreach team, dedicated to improving the look and feel of Kidderminster’s town centre. Their work takes them outdoors in all weathers, combining litter-picking, de-weeding, moss removal, and general gardening to create a safer, cleaner, and more welcoming environment for everyone.
Together, they regularly clock up 50,000–70,000 steps a week as they cover key routes across the town. In recent weeks, they’ve focused on restoring pathways near the bridge at Weavers Wharf and around the college, removing weeds, clearing moss, and cutting back overgrown bushes to make these busy walkways more open and accessible.
The response from the public has been fantastic, with many people stopping to say hello and share how much they’ve noticed the difference. Chris and Ricky are always keen to hear from the community, so if you see them out on their rounds, do take a moment to say hi or suggest an area that might need some attention.
These efforts are part of our ongoing commitment to keeping Kidderminster’s streets safe, tidy, and inviting, a small but vital step in making our town centre a place everyone can feel proud of.
Free pop-up games at the Swan Centre.
As part of our ongoing efforts to connect with the community and provide free activities for all ages, we launched an exciting new initiative in August, free pop-up games at the Swan Centre. Families enjoyed giant Snakes and Ladders, Connect 4, mini basketball, classic board games, and free arts and crafts sessions delivered by Arts Etc. These small-scale events made a big impact during the summer holidays, offering children a fun, local, and completely free way to spend the day. The response from the community was incredible, with lots of smiles, laughter, and wonderful feedback from parents and children alike.
Community Spotlight Bob
Meet Bob. Bob has called Kidderminster home since 1970. He first came here for a simple reason: he needed a house. “I saw Kidderminster in the Birmingham press advertising houses at low costs,” he shared. Coming from what he calls “the underdeveloped areas of Birmingham,” Bob found Kidderminster to be a breath of fresh air. “It felt glamorous in comparison. I loved the countryside when driving into Kidderminster. I thought it was fantastic.”
Bob has led a fascinating life. Coming from a family with a strong military background, he left school at 15, worked six different jobs, and joined the Navy at 16. After leaving the Navy, he went into finance, but his love of community never faded.
In fact, Bob used to run youth fishing groups and coached football for over 11 years. Today, he’s one of our regulars at Lindsey’s local community sessions.
“These groups are a very good thing,” Bob told us. “I live alone, so apart from these groups, I don’t have any social contact. I feel like I’ve made friends here.”
For Bob, the sessions are a place where he can relax and connect with people who understand him. “The age, the people, I can relate and they can relate to me. They all come from the same area, with good values.”
When asked if he’d like to see more of these groups, his answer was simple: “Yeah, definitely. Lindsey has another group on Friday, which is a great thing for us. I wish there were these types of groups every day.”
Outside of the groups, Bob loves music. “I play all styles, fingerstyle on acoustic guitar,” he said proudly. He also used to fish regularly, a tradition that runs deep in his family. “My father and grandfather were both fishermen, and on my father’s side, they were rod makers.”
We’re proud to have Bob as part of our Kidderminster Community family, and we couldn’t agree more that these groups are for everyone. They’re a place to connect, share stories, and build friendships, no matter your background.
