Winter is Coming!

 It seems a while, since we've produced a blog post, but don't think for one moment that we have been sitting on our hands, we absolutely have not!

Yes, we had hoped to say that following the successful National Lottery Heritage Funding bid for restoration of the pond and surrounding area, that the council were working with us to secure the future of the building once and for all, but sadly no, in fact the silence has been deafening. 

We have, however, had a meeting with our MP Clive Betts who has maintained his support for the Spa. Through his connections with Sheffield Hallam University, we will be working with students at the Business School in the New Year to produce a business plan. We are really looking forward to this important project starting.

​To validate aspects of the business plan we will be conducting a series of surveys, the first of which is below, and which covers use of the Plunge Pool. Please click the link to complete it. Thank you.
www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/M9B9BKP

It is hoped that the first stage of the restoration of the pond will be underway soon, weather permitting. The first task is to remove the silt island that has built up where the stream from the Bath House enters the pond. Fingers crossed Mr Kingfisher won't be too put out.
 
The goals of the SCCT work are:

• To conserve the importance of the Spa building and grounds which are at risk
• To conserve/restore the grounds by working with the community to achieve this.
• Promote access for all whether this is for health reasons, educational or recreational.
• To record and rediscover the Spa, its meaning and its connection with the industrial past and its former owners the Manvers family from Thoresby Hall in north Nottinghamshire.  
• To enable local communities to understand why the building was constructed, if there was earlier evidence pre 1843, any earlier images etc, what the locations means to residents and the community, and how to conserve what is evident today.
• To enable local communities and a wider audience to learn about the heritage of their locality and promote it to the local community using suitable means that works best.
• To enable school children to learn about the history of the site from community members and those who influenced the landscape around the site.
• To create a public archive of the information.
•  To train volunteers to conduct local history research.
• To promote Lottery, NHLF through exhibitions, website and activities so others can learn from the experiences. 

During the summer holidays Friends Of Birley Spa held several events at the Spa including a Bug Hunt and Teddy Bears Picnic, great fun was had. We had a stall at the Armed Forces Day event at Frecheville Sports and Social Club, a fantastic day where we talked to lots of people, including the Lord Mayor. Then in September we held our 4th Heritage Open Days, a wonderful event where we get to share the history of our beautiful Spa, and hear other peoples memories.

We have also been lucky to receive funding from Central Eastern Co-op with which we have purchased a Talking Bench for the garden that will be a regular feature of our volunteer sessions and other events, so people can come along, sit and have a chat.

More recently we had our Halloween event two nights of spooky fun, that just keeps getting bigger. Coming up soon we have a stall at the Fairway Inn Christmas Market on Saturday 3rd December and then, for our last event of the year, our (fully booked) Christmas Trails.

​So yes, we've been busy.

If we haven't seen you this year, we hope to see you soon. To everyone who has attended a volunteer session or an event or followed us on our journey, Thank You!