About us – Moseley Road Baths (original) (raw)

We are Moseley Road Baths CIO, a charitable organisation formed in 2018 with a clear and dedicated purpose – to safeguard the historic and iconic Moseley Road Baths swimming pool; we are the only Baths in the country built before 1914 to have continuously hosted swimming since opening in 1907.

The coalition has come together to identify a sustainable way forward for the Baths. This excellent combination of community knowledge and heritage sector expertise, has resulted in a blueprint that not only saves the Baths but also adds value to our offer through connecting internally with our neighbours Balsall Heath library.

Since being included in the Heritage at Risk register in 2005, the campaign to ensure that Moseley Road Baths is recognised not only for its heritage value but also for its fundamental importance in remaining a public swimming pool for our communities of Balsall Heath has been extensive.

In June 2022, Moseley Road Baths was awarded significant funding to deliver a major £32.7million restoration and capital redevelopment project called ‘Diving In’. This 7 year project which includes Moseley Road Baths and Balsall Heath Library, will repair, restore and transform these two civic heritage buildings which sit at the heart of the Balsall Heath community in South Birmingham. The capital project is divided into two distinct phases which will take place between now and 2028.

The first phase of works (2022-2025) is underway, fully funded by the Government’s Levelling Up Fund, Birmingham City Council, Historic England and World Monuments Fund. This phase brings forward some of the most urgent repairs that represent an immediate risk to the Baths, adaptations such as a new café and gym space as well as remodelling of the Library. This is all alongside the development of a range of complimentary activities which explore the budlings heritage with a key focus on leisure, health and wellbeing.

Integral to the Diving In initiative is an organisational development process, ensuring that the CIO (Charitable Incorporated Organisation) is equipped and confident in managing new activities, handling larger budgets, catering to a significantly larger audience, and achieving sustainability. Accompanying this project is a creative, inclusive, and life-enhancing programme of community engagement, supported by thorough community consultation and the piloting of various activities.