Campaign launched to save Friends Institute in Birmingham – Post
"Moseley blogger Barnard Hobbit, who is organising a campaign to save the Institute on the social networking site Facebook, said: “Its days seem to be numbered and when boarded up and vandalised this will no doubt be the nail in the coffin of yet another historic Birmingham building.” Barnard has a blog? [link]
Hi bounder
Thanks for the mention – and yes I do have a blog but it needs a little more work on it before it is allowed to make me look silly – but this week it should come out of the shadows
Yes the Friends’ is 110 years old while the Moseley Road has 26 listed buildings it is the only historical building on the road that is not listed
At the Birmingham Mail points out the Hall Green Constituency is thinking of closing it up for the winter as the boiler is past it’s sell by date and would cost £25,000 to replace, this in a city that has a £3 billion a year turnover
Up to 40 originations within the creative and educational sector some having been based there for decades may loose their home they love this includes the excellent Matchbox Café’ that is run by adults with leaning disabilities
Why not pay it a visit for lunch ?
Please visit and join the Facebook group “Friends of Friends”
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=35549285165
Tomorrow sees that second meeting of the users and friends at 5:30 pm all are welcome
Barnard
More here on Salma’s campaign to save the Friends Institute:
http://birminghamrespect.wordpress.com/2008/09/27/salma-yaqoob-defends-birminghams-friends-institute/
Nice to see Respect having a blog, whatever the political machinations tho’ it seems to the outside observer that the credit in this campaign belongs to Mr Hobbitt and his fb organised campaigners.
Glad to see the building and it’s current use preserved.
Having tasted the really good food at The Match Box Cafe recently I would like to see them continue their good work for the food which I would recomend to everyone, but also for the Community they serve and of course for the building, which as someone has rightly pointed out, will be boarded up and left empty and negleted. The Cafe have been paying rent since 1991, I think the cost of new heating system would be a small price to pay compared to the cost of letting the whole area deteriorate.
I also would like to say how much the staff at the Cafe enjoy their work. Who will look after them if the cafe closes?