Author: Stirchley Baths

December 2016 – Update

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We’ve had such great successes from the Official Opening in Jan 2016, our fantastic volunteers , the wide range of community  uses and users from A(rabic) to Z(umba) and all in between, being on telly (twice!!) and winning several local and regional awards …not bad for the first 12 months.

I would just like to take this opportunity on updating you all on a couple of things

  • Christmas and New Year Closing – We will be closed to the public from Monday  December 19th  and reopen on Tuesday January 3rd. The Main Hall Floor requires urgent attention from the original contractors. This has been a long drawn out and frustrating negotiation but hopefully now the remedial works will be done to the required standard.
  • Friends Meeting House – Many of you may have already noticed that work has started on the Friends Meeting House next to Stirchley Baths. A building company called Red Rose Birmingham  purchased the building from the Co-op and are refurbishing and converting it into apartments.  It’s great to see the building being brought back into use but please note that the sale agreement also means that the car park spaces in the centre car park  directly facing the Friends Meeting House are for their use which will reduce our available car parking spaces. I understand from Red Rose that they will be placing their container across these parking spaces as from next week and there will be skip lorries and other deliveries to site. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause but it is not within our control.
  • Lead Theft  – Unfortunately we have experienced a second bout of lead theft from the roof at the Baths. The Police have been informed and fortunately we have some good clear footage from the centre’s  CCTV system. If you see anything please let us know.
  • Christmas Giving – In previous years the Selly Oak District Office have always proactively done something for local good causes. This year at Stirchley Baths we have two collection boxes in the Main Entrance Foyer area
  • First Night Campaign – donation of items which assist families that have to flee their home because of domestic abuse. They often have little or no time to pack so items that can be used on their first night in a refuge such as toiletries, puzzles, books, crayons, pencils, chocolate
  • B30 Foodbank based at Cotteridge Church – donation of foodstuffs to provide help to people in crisis. Urgently needed food items include cooking rice, cereals, biscuits, tinned spaghetti –fruit-tomatoes, custard and sugar

I do hope you are able to support these important causes – “drop in with a tin of something, toothpaste or toiletries” . Collection boxes are in operation as of today 7/12/16.

Hope you  have a great Christmas and New Year and thank you for all your support in making this year such a wonderful success.

Our next big event will be our First Year Birthday Celebrations on January 14th 2017 and the launch of the Community Cinema Club.

Best Wishes

Karen

 

 

 

 

Stirchley Dances – Saturday 25th June 16, 1 – 4 pm

Stirchley Dances

You Could Be Dancing!

The Dancing Mat, a commissioned artwork for the Stirchley Baths Heritage Programme, is nearing its launch with an event ‘Stirchley Dances’, on Saturday 25th June 1 – 4pm. This is a free event open to all, celebrating the heritage and current day dancing in Stirchley. John and Eileen Horlick from the Stirchley Tea Dance Group who worked with me to record steps from dances that would have been danced at Stirchley Baths in the 1940’s will officially open the dancing mat at 1pm in the foyer. After this there will be dancing in the main hall by the Tea Dance Group, Swing Express and Barn Dance Fitness, the latter two who hold weekly classes at Stirchley Baths. You can either come along and enjoy watching the dancing or join in. It doesn’t matter whether you are a complete novice, enthusiast or highly experienced – this is a celebration of all things in Stirchley.

Stirchley Tea Dance Group

A terrific time was had with Eileen & John from the Stirchley Tea Dance Group last week. We traced waltzes, a jive and a tango  onto paper as the first stage in making visual part of the dancing history of the baths. All of theses dances would have been happening at the baths in the 1940’s when they covered the pool for their non stop dance events.

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I’m now working with waltz steps to make this into a design for the dancing mat that will go in the baths entrance foyer. It’s been great to meet other groups who are using the baths also – the jazz dance group – great energy! and the barn dance group; you could see what they do as a metaphor for community  – everyone is working together to make something happen. We’re starting to plan the launch for when the mat is made and in place; a celebration of dance in the baths.

Exciting New Volunteer Opportunity at Stirchley Baths

Learning Support Volunteer Poster

Are you friendly, outgoing, patient and enjoy working with children? Do you have 3-4 daytime hours each month (term-time) to spare? Would you like to be part of a team which brings alive the history of the iconic former Baths with primary schools?

Then you may be interested in our exciting new Learning Volunteer opportunity!

The award-winning Stirchley Baths is currently developing an interactive education package using its fascinating community history, its architecture, and the campaign to bring it back into use to inspire a new generation of heritage ambassadors. We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to deliver sessions both in the classroom and on site, on an ad hoc basis.

Skills and qualities we are looking for in our Learning Support Volunteers

This role would suit someone with experience of educating young minds or who would like to develop their practice and is happy to be mentored.

A passion and interest in social history

Confidence to lead sessions (including some story-telling)

Enthusiasm

Patience

Ability to be flexible and sensitive to different learning styles and abilities

Training and Support we will provide ..

Full training on workshops

Historical information and background reading

‘Out of pocket’ expenses

Mentoring by learning professionals if required

The opportunity to access social events and other relevant training

If you are interested and want to find out more …

Contact Suzanne Carter for an informal chat e: suzanne@suzannecarter.co.uk or t: 07793075737. See the volunteer role description Learning Support Volunteer Role Profile

Please contact Suzanne by 10 June in the first instance

When you can get involved …

At the end of June we will be testing the sessions with children and staff from Bournville Junior School and Stirchley Primary School – it would be great if our Learning Support Volunteers would be able to join us for these sessions – see them as ‘tasters’ and add in your own experiences to shape the final package!

The education offer will be ‘soft’ launched before the end of the summer term and marketed to schools, with bookings being taken from September 2016, so plenty of time to train and practice.

Please get in touch if you can help us!

 

This Saturday: Advance with Feathers Live Performance

This Saturday 21st May Stirchley Baths presents a very special performance, for one time only, of Advance with Feathers. The live performance is the conclusion to a year long collaboration with artist Justin Wiggan who has created new work around the redevelopment of Stirchley Baths and the themes of hope, transition and future. At the performance you will also receive a limited edition 7″ vinyl recording of the new sound piece created.

IMG_20160517_134430Saturday’s performance will be a moving sonic experience for the audience who will be part of an installation of film, building materials and balloons while award winning opera singer Suzanna Purkis fills the main hall with voice from on high in her lifeguard chair.

Justin and the ‘Centre for Curious Sonic Investigation’ worked to produce the project with Kate Andrews, and several volunteers. Participants patients from Stirchley’s St. Andrews hospital, children from Cotteridge Primary School and the local community to collect words and sounds that participants associated with hope, transition and future.

Advance with Feathers has been funded by Arts Council England and Heritage Lottery Fund. 

Book tickets here via Eventbrite, limited tickets will be available on the night but cannot be guaranteed.