About
Welcome to Saheli
Saheli is based in Balsall Heath Birmingham and also run the local Adventure Hub gym facility as well as delivering a number of programmes and projects aimed at supporting and encouraging the development of young local women through outdoor activities such as rock climbing, skiing, canoeing, horse riding, biking, quad biking, go-karting and much more.
History
Saheli started life as Saheli Womens Group; formed in 1988 through a Balsall Heath Forum resident involvement plan. The Forum set up a separate Womens Group as local Asian women were not getting involved in local decision making processes. We established the need of the local women for a women’s health and fitness facility which had to be ‘run by women, for women’.
We now deliver activities for young local women aged 13 – 18, as many young women do not have opportunities outside of school and home. The young women go rock climbing, skiing, canoeing, horse riding, biking, quad biking and go-karting and many other activities and through these activities they develop confidence to get engaged in local discussions and consultation events.
The group secured a space in the Cannon Hill Education and Training Centre, a part of South Birmingham College, to allow local women to access a small health and fitness facility piloting gender specific provision. We had over 50 women attending a day for the ‘women only’ sessions on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Wednesday was a ‘men only day’. Friday was a mixed session day. This proved that where appropriate ‘gender specific and culturally appropriate services’ for a community can and does work.
Thanks to South Birmingham College and the Healthy Living Centre initiative’s support, we secured half a £million to renovate the small gym into a fully functioning gym to include showers, toilets, changing rooms and state of the art exercise equipment. The renovations were completed in mid 2006. The Saheli Adventure Hub was officially launched on June the 24th 2006.
