When Liz Fossey first moved to Northfield, life felt very different from the close-knit community she had once known in Devon.

Liz had lived for many years in a suburb of Plymouth, where she worked as a family health worker in her neighbourhood, so life was deeply woven into the fabric of her immediate community. Liz also moved up the ranks in Girl Guiding before becoming County Brownie Advisor, all whilst running a local Brownie unit as Brown Owl. She knew people wherever she went, and at the centre of it all was her family life with her husband and children.

But when her husband sadly passed away, Liz made the decision in 2010 to move closer to her son and grandchildren in Bournville. The transition wasn’t easy! In her new neighbourhood she struggled to find a sense of belonging and some of the local groups she tried out didn’t give her the same warmth and openness she had been used to.

Although she found work in Birmingham in a similar role, Liz knew retirement was on the horizon. She wanted to feel rooted again, to have something local where she could meet people and feel part of a community. But that connection proved elusive.

Then came 2020, and with it, lockdown! For many, lockdown brought loneliness and isolation, but for Liz it became an unexpected lifeline. Online activities opened doors to new friendships and connections. She discovered groups of like-minded people and found joy in learning, sharing, and chatting with others - even through a screen.

When restrictions lifted, Liz took her first steps back into local life by volunteering at the Northfield Arts Forum Café (the NAF Caf).  It was there that she began to see the possibilities of community in Northfield. The NAF Caf became a space where she met people from all walks of life, exchanged stories, and started to feel part of something again.

Becoming Northfield’s First Over 50s Champion

The real turning point came when last year, Liz was invited to join a Community Treasure Tour of Northfield which connected her to members of the Northfield Neighbourhood Network Scheme (Northfield NNS). They recognised Liz’s energy, warmth, spirit and lived experience and invited her to become their very first Over 50s Champion.

There was no blueprint for the Champion’s role. That gave Liz the freedom to shape it herself: reaching out to others, finding ways to link people with local activities, and encouraging them to discover the assets on their own doorstep. The challenge is real - by definition, isolated people are often hard to find - but Liz is feeling her way and enjoying the journey.

Liz was subsequently invited to join the Small Heath Treasure Tour this year (2025) and encountered some unexpected cultural differences to Northfield.  She was fascinated, learning about all the multi-cultural communities living in such close proximity, sampling an array of cultural foods and snacks and seeing such a wide range of colourful fresh foods available in the local shops.

Liz draws upon her own life experiences to inspire others. For her, it’s not just about bringing people together for the first time, but about helping people to discover what’s already around them. By encouraging others to take those first steps, Liz shows that no one should feel left out, and that with the right support, community that felt lost can be rediscovered.

Her story shows how one encounter - a ‘treasure tour’ - can spark new beginnings and help us to see the treasure that already exists in our communities, and how difference grows when someone like Liz decides to get stuck in.

What’s next for the Over 50s Champion?

Bev Hardman, Northfield NNS’s Project Worker (Over 50s) will be  including the Over 50s Champion in the development of a focus/co-production group for citizens aged 50 and above. Citizens in the group will have the opportunity to identify the various barriers, challenges, and gaps in provision which the Over 50’s project has yet to address.  The information will help determine NNS priorities moving forward. 

They will also get involved in the planning and preparation of ‘pop up’ events to help raise awareness of issues - taking part in national awareness raising events, such as Dementia Action Week and Mental Health Awareness Week.

The next Treasure Tour is planned for October 2025. If you would like more information, or to attend, you can register your interest online or contact [email protected].

The next Treasure Tour is planned for autumn 2025. Treasure Tours are a Community Treasure initiative, led by Thrive Together Birmingham, supported by Birmingham's Community Development Practice Hub, and funded by Birmingham City Council Adult Social Care Directorate. If you would like more information, or to attend, you  you can register your interest online or contact [email protected]