Copies are available (while stocks last) from Stirchley Baths (closed from 19 December), P Cafe (closed from 22 December) and the Co-Op. More leaflets will be available from the New Year, but why not grab yours quick to enjoy over the Christmas break.
Stirchley History Group invites you to help shape our future! At our next meeting on Wednesday 7 December we plan to become a formally constituted organisation so that we can operate our own finances, join national networks, apply for external funding and plan for the long term.
The group began 18 months ago as a heritage project of Stirchley Baths, and we intend to continue that close relationship. We produced a history leaflet and acted as tour guides when the building opened, and have taken part in other events such as Splash Back In Time and the Fun Palace day. Stirchley Baths is an everyday reminder of the connection between past, present and future, and that’s something worth celebrating.
Through excellent guest speakers we’ve learned about the history of swimming and washing baths and how to research the history of our own houses, and have become more observant of “ghost signs” – the relics of adverts painted on walls around the area. We’ve established a social media presence and collected material for some local walking tour leaflets… and we want to do so much more to discover and promote an awareness of our past.
Everyone is welcome to come along on 7 December and be part of our continuing journey.
Volunteers Yuemei and Barbara will be on hand to guide you through the folding and cutting of a variety of decorative designs, which you can hang from a tree, or turn into a Christmas card. You can make and take these home, and/or help decorate our Stirchley Baths Community tree.
The workshops run from 3.30pm until 6.30pm on Tuesday 13th and Wednesday 14th December at Stirchley Baths (room to be confirmed) and are completely free. No need to book.
A Christmas gift from Stirchley Baths, to you…
Hope to see you there!
During October half term we welcomed back film maker Scott Johnson to run some more film challenges as part of the Heritage Programme here at the Baths. This time we opened the opportunity up to a younger age group too, and worked with children aged between 6 and 16 to create two animated films which depict the history of two periods in the Baths’ history timeline; setting the scene for their construction and opening (1903-1911) and the war years (1939-45).
Scott showed us films from the the early days of shadow puppet animation back in the 1920s; looking at how the first animations were made, and Suzanne briefed them on the history of the Baths. Inspired and understanding the challenge they had been set, our young participants then started to develop characters, plots and narrative in order to tell the story. This was followed by a few creative hours cutting out the shadows and backgrounds for the scenes. Then the stop motion animating began…
Here is a gallery of pictures…
There were:
The challenge was then thrown into Scott’s court with two days to edit the films, add the sound effects and recorded narration ready to premiere at our red carpet celebration event on the Friday evening. It was great to see most of our participants and their families enjoying the popcorn, movie and Q & A session with the young animators.
The adults want to know when they can have a turn!
Another gallery of pictures, this time of the evening…
Thank you to Scott for superb facilitation and working his ‘movie magic’ with the films, and to everyone involved in the sessions; especially to volunteers Esther and Alex who supported the workshops.
It was wonderful to see so many new faces at our STEAM event as part of the Big Draw Festival 2016 on 23 October. We were delighted to see people had travelled across the city, from as far as Ward End to join us. We had two rooms full of activity and 150 people through the doors at a steady, and very chilled pace. It was also great to welcome some more local residents who had come to the Baths for the first time.
This event was a collaboration with Birmingham Society of Botanical Artists, who have their base at the Baths once a month. Great people to work with and VERY talented artists. We also had workshops with Leaf Creative Arts and Natalia, a local resident, who specialises in movement and dance. 
You’ll see from the pictures that many families came to enjoy the activities; it was also noticeable how many adults re-discovered their own talent for drawing and appreciated being able to relax with a sketch book and take some time for themselves to be creative with the botanical artists.
A fun and creative afternoon, and the last big event this side of Christmas to be run as part of the Stirchley Baths Heritage Programme. It’s been a very busy couple of months!
A massive thank you to our team of volunteers on the day; our own fantastic crew at the Baths and also volunteers from Birmingham Society of Botanical Arts.
