Our history
About Sähëlï Hub

The group met on a fortnightly basis and discussed the needs of local women. The group identified a need for a ‘women only facility’ where women could meet and could become involved in health and fitness sessions and healthy lifestyle activities. In October 1999 the group commissioned a feasibility study through The Digbeth Trust to look into the establishment of a women’s centre in Balsall Heath.
The study by Lynne Howells with 236 local women (through questionnaires and two organised meetings) confirmed local women overwhelming wanted a local facility that took into account the culturally sensitive needs of local Muslim women. The study identified the primary activities in the women’s centre should be:
Health and fitness sessions
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History and Development
In 2004 Sähëlï piloted an exercise and fitness program through the Healthy Living Centre initiative to see if ‘women only’ exercise classes and activities would work. The activities started one day a week in the Learning Library space in the newly launched South Birmingham College – Cannon Hill Training and Education Centre. By September the sessions were so popular that Sähëlï operated Monday to Friday on site.
In 2007 SWG secured a grant from Sport England’s – Active England fund (£218,252 for capital costs to extend the Learning Library into a fully functioning gym and £159,00 for staff and running costs over 3 years) the “Adventure Hub” was launched on the 26th June 2006. The Adventure Hub had a fully functioning health and fitness facility with over 20 pieces of exercise equipment, changing rooms, a wooden sprung floor for exercise classes, showers and toilets.
In 2016 Sähëlï moved its services and activities into the Calthorpe Play Centre. The site was renovated through Birmingham’s Wellbeing Service to house our BeActive Plus program.
Sähëlï Hub has grown into a strategic partner working with The Active Well Being Society and its partners to ensure all women have more opportunities to take part in exercise, fitness, sport in our great city. In 2018 Sähëlï are pioneering Social prescribing to provide a wider service for the women Sähëlï support in Balsall Heath, Sparkhill and Sparkbrook, in B8 – Alum Rock Bordesley Green, Small Heath, Ward End and now in Handsworth, Birchfield and Lozells.
Sähëlï Women’s Group became Sähëlï Hub a Company limited by guarantee (number: 8373929) and a Registered Charity (number: 1153202) as of April 2016.