The restoration and upkeep of historic baths – particularly those with Victorian heritage – is nothing new. In the age of austerity, many of these beautiful buildings with their important community services require funding. Birmingham Moseley Road Baths, one of the city’s most iconic facilities, has just received an important lottery grant of £74,100. In a bid to improve the facility’s outreach, the money will go towards a Business Development Manager and a Volunteer Development Manager. For various reasons, it’s been at threat of closure for over 20 years. That is not a good situation for the Grade II* listed Edwardian building.
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About Birmingham Moseley Road Baths
But that’s not all. As well as the long-term business sustainability of the facility, it will receive other vital improvements. Amongst them are:
- A new cover for the pool to protect it
- A new training programme for lifeguards
- Energy efficiency equipment to cut costs
The Birmingham Moseley Road Baths scheme is a victory for interested parties. As well as local volunteers in Friends of Moseley Road Baths, the facility’s charity is led by the National Trust. Alongside them include Historic England and the World Monuments Fund. Between them, interested parties are responsible for raising over £1m ensuring the long-term success of Birmingham Moseley Road Baths.
Projects such as this are often not possible without local help. That’s why is such a strong focus on volunteers. Sadly, Birmingham Moseley Road Baths is not alone in requiring further upkeep. These old buildings are protected and need extra help to allow their continuation. Lottery funding continues to demonstrate a need to relieve the stress on community projects. It also goes to show just how important lottery players are to the upkeep of some of our cherished community assets.