A campaigner has issued an important message to anyone fighting for Birmingham's at-risk historic community spaces after securing funding to regenerate the city's oldest swimming baths: "Do not stop."
Funding Secured for Moseley Road Baths
Last week, it was announced that the future of the at-risk Moseley Road Baths in Balsall Heath had been secured thanks to a grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, sparking joy in the community. The combined £16.2m package will bring a precious building back into full public use and make it more accessible than ever before, with swimming options for disabled Brummies and a programme of activity for all, including dementia sessions and para swimming.
Campaigner's Message of Hope
Securing Moseley Road Baths was no small feat, and volunteers fought for years to make it happen, including chair of the Moseley Road Baths CIO Lucy Reid, who campaigned for 11 years. Lucy has shared a message of hope to all other groups fighting to save the old buildings they believe in after succeeding in bringing together funding support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Birmingham City Council, West Midlands Combined Authority, the Architectural Heritage Fund, Garfield Weston Foundation, the Edward Cadbury Trust, and the Saintbury Trust.
Asked what message the Moseley Road Baths campaigning team would impart to those who want to save Birmingham's old community spaces, Lucy said: "I spend a lot of time meeting with groups and trying to share what we've learned along the way by doing this and I say: Keep at it. Do not stop. I hope people will see this as some good news and encouragement to know that if we can do it at Moseley Road Baths - when swimming baths are so complicated to care for and maintain - then it's possible."
Historic Significance
The Moseley Road Baths building is so beautiful and historic that it's on the World Monuments Watch list. Consider some of the other sites that the World Monuments Fund looks out for are Machu Picchu in Peru and the temples of Angkor Wat in Cambodia, and you'll get a better idea of its importance. Preservation doesn't mean simply protecting the architecture, but securing their roles as shared safe spaces where people learn skills, make friends, find connection, and contribute positively in their areas.
Vision and Collaboration
Lucy said that succeeding had been "partly about imagination and partly about being able to tap into the right people to ask the right questions." She said: "Birmingham City Council gets a bad rap for a lot of things but they have stuck with us on this, they have put capital in and shown commitment to it. Sometimes the hardest thing is knowing how to paint the picture. I am a big believer that you have to show the alternative that's possible. You have to advocate and campaign, but also having a vision to imagine something different. It's hard to do but it's important. Birmingham deserves this. It's worth fighting for."
Other At-Risk Heritage Sites
Birmingham is home to a number of historic buildings that are at-risk, as well as entire neighbourhoods - such as Digbeth - that are now on the radar of organisations like the Victorian Society due to fears of their demise. Some, like the Methodist Central Hall, sit empty, their futures uncertain, while others are being fought for by campaigners who can envision a future for them, like the Black Sabbath boozer The Crown pub and the ailing Electric Cinema, both on Station Street. The same goes for The Friends Institute, gifted to the people of Birmingham by the Cadbury family before being forced to close due to health and safety concerns given the poor condition of the historic, once-thriving community centre.
Others have planning applications in, the wheels turning to bring them back into use. Some applications are granted (like those at the old ABC New Street Cinema, the historic Pitman Hotel with links to Gandhi) while locations like the old Borough Buildings are currently under consideration.
Future Plans
If all goes to plan, the baths will be open by the end of 2028, and Lucy says that finding the right management team is an important next step to ensure the community space is cared for correctly for future generations. The success of the campaign is proof that joined-up support from organisations investing in Birmingham can result in preserving heritage buildings at risk of being lost forever.
