A SEARCH has been launched for memories of Droitwich Brine Baths over the past 80 years for the town’s Heritage Centre.
The appeal for stories, photographs and memorabilia has been launched by Save Our Brine Baths (SOBBS) which is campaigning to bring back the attraction.
When the last bath at the town’s private hospital was opened in 1985, it was heralded as ‘Britain’s biggest Spa development this century’.
But a recent survey of children in Droitwich suggested 70 per cent of them knew nothing of the town’s brine heritage.
The Brine Memories project hopes to reverse that by encouraging older people to share their memories of salt water bathing with youngsters in the town.
A team of volunteers is working with the Droitwich Heritage Centre, Westacre Middle School and others who remember the baths.
They want to hear from anyone who regularly bathed or worked at the St Andrew’s Baths in Droitwich prior to their closure in 1975, and at the ‘new’ baths at the private hospital which opened in 1985.
It is hoped people will also come forward who remember the attraction in the war years when the Royal Brine Baths on the edge of Vines Park were still open.
The project is supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Anne Jenkins, National Lottery Heritage Fund director of the Midlands and East England, said: “We are delighted to support this project, which thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, will mean that more people will be able to get involved with, protect, and learn about the exciting heritage right on their doorstep.”
Anyone who has memories of brine bathing or who could talk to relatives to share theirs should email [email protected] or call the brine memories team on 07434 366720.
