2024 - There might be Giants..

As the year draws to a close we take a look back on what we've achieved over the last 12 months.
We had stalls at the Heritage Fair in the Millennium Gallery in January, Frecheville Carnival in June and Beighton Gala in July.
We gave History Talks in Todwick, Norton, Crystal Peaks and Frecheville Library, with Todwick and Mosborough History Groups coming to the Spa for a Tour.
Our events over the year, Easter, Heritage Open Days, Halloween and Christmas, all well attended with great feedback from our visitors.
As part of the NHLF funding through Sheffield Countryside Conservation Trust we have held Coppicing Workshops with Adrian, a Dawn Chorus Bird Walk with Jim Clarke and Photography Workshops with Alex Hyde. There are more activities in the pipeline. 
In time for Heritage Open Days we worked with SCCT to produce booklets on the History of the Spa, and there are leaflets currently in production.

Work, by Sheffield Countryside Conservation Trust, has started on the pond restoration with silt clearance near the outflow from the stream to the pond. A gabion wall is due to be installed soon. The weather has not been kind to us, the phenomenal rainfall we have experienced has slowed down the work and created additional problems with a large hole having appeared at the bottom of the pond caused by the excess water eroding the bank. Hopefully this will be resolved in the new year. 

Our fantastic volunteers have been working away on our gardening sessions through the seasons, we are so grateful for their help. We just wish there were more of them so we could make a bigger difference.

In August we welcomed Scowerdons Youth Club to Birley Spa. We had a great time doing a Bug Hunt. Leading on from this the children carved pumpkins for our Halloween event and decorated Christmas trees for our Grotto. Thank you so much to Amanda Adlington for making this happen, it was a very important step for us. 
As a group, we have long wanted to create a project that would engage our children and grandchildren, to give them a sense of ownership and belonging, to what is , their Birley Spa. As we have been building relationships with Scowerdons Youth Club and Birley Spa Primary Academy, we now think the time is right to bring this project to life. Following consultations with Parks and Countryside Dept, and Stoneface Creative, we are delighted to announce that we have permission to have a Sleeping Giant in the Spa grounds. We hope to involve local schoolchildren and youth club members with the naming of our Giant and creating his 'body'. We have submitted an application to the Ward Pot for partial funding, if successful, this will be a major boost to our fundraiser, but we will still need to raise the rest. 
All donations will be gratefully received.

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As for our aims for the building , progress over the year, has been mixed. Following our email to Kate Josephs, Chief Executive, SCC we were referred to an officer from the Local Area Committee, the head of Housing and the Heritage Champion, Councillor Janet Ridler. 
Our newest group member Maria has submitted a provisional business plan for the Spa, we hope to meet with Janet to go through it in the New Year.
We have had several meetings with our MP Clive Betts, who has been supportive throughout, he is keen to see our plans being allowed to progress. We have also met with the South East Liberal Democrats, who were very supportive. Although not represented in our Ward, we believe that the importance of the Spa and its future, transcends ward and party political boundaries. We believe that this Grade 2 Listed Victorian Bath House, is of national importance, and should be treated as such. And, let's face it, we need all the support we can get!

The Bath House was subjected to a period of vandalism and anti social behaviour earlier this year which left us feeling  hopeless and made us realise that the current situation, being in perpetual limbo, cannot continue. The building continues to be allowed to deteriorate and we are powerless to stop it.
We have put on our events this year, trying to build a bigger experience than the previous years, but it's been very hard. We desperately need more people to get involved. The events are so well attended, it would be heartbreaking to have to scale them back, but we may have no choice. 

We have almost 2,700 followers on Facebook, with interest from various parts of the globe, along with our Instagram followers and those who happen on our website, there must be some who would like to be more involved? If so, step up and come get your hands dirty, literally or figuratively. Birley Spa needs you. We need you.

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year, and thank you for your continued support.

Let's make 2024 the year the Giant, that is Birley Spa, wakes up!


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