Kidderminster BID Community Spotlight – Bob’s Story

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.