New hope in campaign to keep historic pool open
THE historic Moseley Road Baths has taken a major step towards securing its future, thanks to donations from hundreds of locals.
Moseley Road Baths Action Group have raised £36,000 to train lifeguards and cover the day-today costs of keeping the pool open.
Almost 350 people chipped into an online Crowdfunder campaign which raised £17,745 in just 54 days. This has been topped up with a £10,000 grant from the National Lottery Awards for All fund and £8,750 from Birmingham City Council’s Community Innovation Fund.
The campaign to save the grade II* listed building has been backed by a range of celebrities including comedians Barbara Nice, Joe Lycett, Adil Ray and Coronation Street actor Annette Badland.
Kat Pearson, who led the crowdfunding campaign said: “We are overwhelmed by the final Crowdfunder total and at the level of support we’ve had throughout 2017.
“This isn’t just about the money we’ve raised, it is a demonstration of the strength of feeling throughout Birmingham and further afield that this pool is an asset which needs to be kept open.
“We are incredibly fortunate to have received the Awards for All grant which will enable us to start training lifeguards and other volunteers as soon as possible.”
The Baths, opened in 1907, had been earmarked for closure by the cash-strapped city council – but it agreed to hand the historic building over to the Moseley Road Baths Action Group if it could secure funding and a viable business plan.
The Action Group joined forces with the National Trust and Historic England and has formed the Moseley Road Baths Community Interest Company which will run the pool from April. There is also a wider campaign to secure the estimated £23 million to fully restore the baths to their former glory.