Newsletter Issue 3 Restoration Phase 2 Start-Up Fund Plans have now been drawn up for the next major phase of restoration—the Turkish Baths. Go to page 3 to learn more and find out how you can help.
Meet the New VB Trustees We have some new Trustees - find out how they became involved with Victoria Baths. Turn to the page 4 to read more.
Join Us Online Keeping Friends and the wider community up-to-date with all the latest Victoria Baths information is very important to us. We regularly use social media to communicate news and event updates, plus we post and share many fantastic event, filming and wedding images. Follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook: Twitter @victoriabaths Facebook VictoriaBaths
Gin Festival March 2015
Victoria Baths – Newsletter Page 2
2015 Open Days and Events 2015 saw a packed events programme at Victoria Baths, with established crowd pullers such as the Art & Craft Fairs, Independent Manchester (Indy Man) Beer Convention and the Vintage Home Show rubbing shoulders with a number of new events, including the National Vintage Wedding Fair, Gin Festival and live wrestling with New Wave Wrestling Alliance. Details of 2016 events available here: www.indymanbeercon.co.uk www.discovervintage.co.uk www.vintageweddingfair.co.uk www.ginfestival.com
Vintage Fairs and Shows Victoria Baths hosts a range of popular vintage events throughout the year, including the Vintage Home Show, Discover Vintage Fair and the National Vintage Wedding Fair. The Vintage Home Show has been held at Victoria Baths for four years and is one of our most popular events.
without some amazing traders who save items up months in advance to bring them along to the show, as well as Victoria Baths being the perfect venue. The visitors are also brilliant, so many are regulars who come time after time and they really get it! It’s a cracking event which I really love organising.”
Show Director Keeley Harris said “I am delighted with how this event has grown. It would be nothing
2016 Vintage Events - Dates for your Diary Sunday
Event
March 13th
Vintage Home Show
March 20th
National Vintage Wedding Fair
April 3rd
Open Day and Vintage Fair
June 26th
Vintage Home Show
October 2nd
Open Day and Vintage Fair
October 16th
National Vintage Wedding Fair
October 23rd
Vintage Home Show
© Kyla Jane Photography
Stained Glass Restoration The Trust is delighted to be progressing the restoration of the stained glass windows. Thanks to the generous support of Friends and fundraising efforts by our volunteers, we have raised enough to restore the second of three large side windows in the Gala Pool. The original windows were lost many years ago and we are reinstating them based on archive images.
Baths. The ZEPHYR window appears to depict flowers in front of rocks, which we believe relates to the story of the Greek god Zephyr. The design for the ZEPHYR window has been drawn up and the window will be made and installed in the coming months.
AQUA, the central window, was restored in 2013. Next in line is the ZEPHYR window. The title and theme for each of these windows were clearly shown in capital letters in the stained glass panel. A round decorative feature at the top of each window depicts the theme, though not in a straight-forward way. AQUA depicts a sea creature, similar to those appearing in other architectural features at Victoria
AQUA window roundel, restored 2013
ZEPHYR window (archive image)
Victoria Baths – Newsletter Page 3
Restoration Phase 2 Start-Up Fund The Trust has drawn up plans for the next major phase of restoration for Victoria Baths – the Turkish Baths will be fully operational with a Health Suite facility and the former ‘Superintendent’s Flat’ will become residential accommodation. This project has many benefits; the financial security it will give the Baths and the positive impact it will have on the local area, plus it will return part of this wonderful building back to its original use. Projects of this scale come at a cost – in this case, £3.5 million. To get the development off the ground, we’ve launched our ‘Start-Up Fund’ where we hope to raise the first £75,000 as quickly as possible. This is critical to our success, as it will provide funding to complete essential architects plans and other structural surveys, without which we cannot apply to local and national grant-making Trusts and Foundations.
generous and I’d like to call on them once again to consider joining me and my fellow Trustees in making a financial gift to the StartUp Fund. Your gift will act as the catalyst for the project and enable us to leverage other major funding. No matter how large or small your contribution, every gift counts.” Plans for raising the £3.5 million are already underway, including a major application to the Heritage Lottery Fund, vital components of which will be funded through the Start-Up Fund. If you would like to make a gift to the Start-Up Fund and help us kick-start this exciting restoration project, please contact our Fundraising Coordinator, Gwyneth: Email gwyneth@victoriabaths.org.uk Tel 0161 224 2020
Wars of the Roses In June 2015, VB was the setting for a schools project based on the Wars of the Roses, run by Manchester Arts Education Initiative. M.A.E.I. creates arts projects for schools, enabling children to work with professional actors and artists and to develop their skills in drama, dance, music and visual art. VB has been the setting for the M.A.E.I. project for a number of years, and this year saw more than ten Greater Manchester Primary Schools participate, creating plays based on the Wars of the Roses and the life of Richard III. The children performed their finished plays at Victoria Baths. Various pieces of the pupils’ artwork were also displayed, including sculptures, sketchbooks and wall hangings made by the children.
Over £10,000 has already been raised. Vice Chair Jill Earnshaw explains why she made her contribution: “As Vice Chair, I knew I had to put my money where my mouth is! After all, I could hardly ask other people to contribute if I hadn’t done so myself. Over the years our supporters have been incredibly
Volunteers Needed! Volunteers play an essential role here at the Victoria Baths, enabling us to run our event programme which raises much needed funds and helping out behind the scenes. There are many different opportunities available and whether you can spare just an occasional afternoon or would like to make a more regular commitment, for most roles no previous experience is needed. Details of the different volunteering opportunities are available on our website. If you would like to help at our Welcome Desk, in our Gift Shop or Tea Room, in the office or with building maintenance or cleaning
we would love to hear from you. We also welcome volunteers with more specialised skills, for example in marketing or social media, and there are opportunities to get involved with the organisation of special events and in the management of our Gift Shop. If you would like to find out more about our volunteer opportunities, please contact our Friends and Volunteer Coordinator, Sophia: Email sophia@victoriabaths.org.uk Tel 0161 224 2020
Volunteer Tour Guide Cath, in action © Cassandra Lane Photography
Victoria Baths – Newsletter Page 4
Meet our New Trustees Juliette, Alex and Amy have recently joined the Baths as Trustees. How did they become involved? Left to right: Juliette, Alex and Amy
Tell us about yourself. What is your background? Alex: I was born in Milton Keynes but came to live in Manchester in 1999. I have worked in economic regeneration and development for over 15 years. I have recently moved to Manchester Airports Group (MAG), where I develop corporate strategy. Juliette: I am a solicitor specialising in town planning matters, and work in a real estate team, acting for commercial clients. Until recently I worked in Manchester city centre with a major law firm. Amy: I currently work as the Senior Development Executive at the Museum of Science and Industry. That’s a fancy title for ‘fundraiser’. I love fundraising – I’ve done everything from fill Wembley Arena with volunteers to attend over 20 Macmillan Coffee Mornings in one day. I felt a bit sick afterwards! How long have you been involved with VB? Why did you get involved? Alex: I visited VB soon after moving to Manchester and was wowed by the building. I subsequently became a Friend as I felt a fantastic building like this should be saved and brought back into public use. When an opening came up to become a Trustee this year I felt I had some useful skills from my professional experience that I could bring to the Baths. Amy: I joined the Council of Management in April 2015. I have Trustee experience and was looking for a role more closely aligned with my job. It’s a real privilege to be involved.
Juliette: I was appointed a trustee in March 2015—VB were looking for a solicitor to join them and requiring someone with my skills. I already knew of VB and I had followed its progress. Tell us about your role as a VB Trustee – what do you do? Alex: My area of expertise is economic regeneration and I advise the Trust on business planning, funding applications, and how to identify and approach potential partners. Like all Trustees I attend monthly Trust meetings where we discuss key issues about the operation and restoration of the Baths. Juliette: I attend the monthly meetings of the Council of Management, and I have recently been appointed to the Community Asset Transfer Task Group. Amy: Due to my professional experience, I am assisting with fundraising, Community Asset Transfer and business development/ income generation. Do you have a favourite part or feature of the building? What is it and why? Alex: I love the classic Manchester tiles and stained glass so particularly love the entrance hall and main staircase. Amy: The whole building is astonishingly beautiful (even the crumbly bits), but my favourite feature is probably the fish mosaics in the floor. Juliette: My favourite part is the stained glass windows, and I like the Angel of Purity best of all.
When you’re not at VB, how do you spend your time? Amy: I love the theatre, dance, horse riding, going to gigs, reading. I’m lucky in that one of my major hobbies is visiting art galleries and museums, and I get to do that for my day job. Alex: I like swimming though never got the chance to swim at Victoria Baths. I’m better at cycling and running and that keeps me fit. Otherwise I like films and music, especially Manchester music (oh and I might indulge in a glass of pale ale at the Indy Man Beer Convention and some other places!) Juliette: I am keen on the theatre and have been to performances in Bolton, Manchester, Salford, Scarborough and Liverpool this year. I enjoy seeing friends, shopping, and gardening. What changes are you hoping to see at VB in 5 years’ time? Alex: I hope that the Phase 2 restoration of the Turkish Baths will be complete, and that this will have kickstarted further phases of restoration of the rest of the building. Juliette: I sincerely hope that the front of the building will be back in use, subject to funding. Amy: Our Turkish Baths open! I’ll be first in the queue.
Contact us Telephone 0161 224 2020 Email info@victoriabaths.org.uk Twitter @victoriabaths Facebook VictoriaBaths www.victoriabaths.org.uk