The Big Sleep-Out!

Transforming Flag Lane Baths into a Vibrant 21st Century Destination!

Many employees from Assurant are donating their time and skills for the Always Ahead charity who share the vision to transform the old Crewe swimming pool building on Flag Lane into a vibrant destination, fulfilling a 21st century social function for the local community.

Always Ahead have launched a £3.5m capital campaign to get the building in to a condition which will deliver a real asset for the local community. Many residents in the local area have Flag Lane Baths placed firmly in their hearts. The vision is the building will be used as an all year-round community resource and local hub that will play a key role in delivering services for the youth and unemployed whilst preserving the heritage of the building and keeping alive memories of many Crewe residents.

On Friday 29th November from 7pm to 7am the following day, I will be part of a team of fundraisers taking part in the Flag Lane Baths Big Sleep-Out. The volunteers will be braving the freezing temperatures that many homeless people in the local area sadly face night after night. I will be sleeping out, without shelter, to raise money and awareness of the issue of homelessness and offer a small insight into what it may be like to be homeless.
FOR EVERY PERSON THAT SLEEPS OUT IN SUPPORT, A HOT MEAL AND A WARM BED FOR THE NIGHT WILL BE GIVEN TO A HOMELESS PERSON IN CREWE.

So exactly what are we doing? A sleep out is a fundraising challenge that takes place outdoors, overnight – without a tent - to raise money and raise awareness for the issue of homelessness. Sleep out events are not intended to mimic or replicate what it is like to be homeless but instead offer a small insight into what it may be like for one night.

I’ve never done this before EVER, so am extremely grateful to anyone that helps me reach my target... it’s going to be freezing and as it is in the North West of England, probably extremely wet too!

For more details on the fundraising project, please read below:

We need £3.5 million to make this vision a reality

We have submitted our proposal to Cheshire East Council and they are pleased to support us in developing the project further.

However our initial preparatory work has found that with the building in its current state, it will take £3.5 million to bring our plans to fruition. Our objective is to now source the required funds from multiple revenue streams in order complete the necessary work.

When do we want to complete the work by?

We want to complete all the required work and have the building in active use by September 2021.

This brochure contains all of the key information you need to know about how we intend to make this vision a reality including the building’s history, the detailed plans we have in place and most crucially the wide ranging support opportunities available.

The History

The Art Deco listed building has a rich and proud history. Opened in 1937 it enjoyed a lavish and grand inauguration, and was a source of great civic pride until its closure in 2016.

Such was the grandeur and excitement surrounding the opening of the building that Flag Lane was closed to traffic and policemen posted to control eager crowds. The following week the letters pub­lished in the local press record the disappointment and frustration of those who were not able to get close enough to watch the proceed­ings.

Many local residents earned their “water wings” at Flag Lane Baths with one of the most famous being Sale Sharks and England Rugby Union star, Mark Cueto MBE.

Right from the day it opened back in 1937 until now, residents have placed Flag Lane Baths firmly in their hearts – appreciating the legacy that many generations have experienced. Crewe residents alike want to see this legacy maintained.

Now

The residents of Crewe are extremely saddened by the demise of this building; they strongly articulate their dismay and are asking for it to once again become a place of benefit to the community.

The building is in danger of increased vandalism, adding to the deprivation seen across many parts of Crewe, especially the Crewe West Ward in which The Lighthouse Centre and the Flag Lane Baths are located.

The Future

Always Ahead is the newly formed charity which has been established to launch a £3.5 million Capital Campaign to transform the Flag Lane Baths into a vibrant destination for the people of Crewe, whilst preserving the heritage of the building and keeping alive the memories of many generations of local residents.

We have started this journey in recognition of the following:

The unmet needs within our community…

- The marginalised and outcast

- The misunderstood youth

- The struggling unemployed

- The forgotten elderly

- The dismissed BME communities

There’s a gap in local provision to:

- enhance existing services

- provide ‘integrated connectivity’ of service provision

- address the priorities of health and early intervention

- address family support and intervention;

- support employment, adult training and education

- improve integration work with ethnic minorities and cohesion in the service provision

Crewe has a remarkable history as a ‘town of excellence’, thriving on the growth of the railway industry and for many years it was heralded as a place bringing wealth and prosperity for its residents.

Over the many years, the industry has greatly reduced, bringing deprivation to the town. Whilst great efforts have been made to improve the local economy, and there are encouraging signs of recovery, there remain ‘pockets’ of great deprivation within the town.

In the heart of the Crewe community and within walking distance from a number of the most deprived areas within the town and England, this Community Project will be able to provide hope to a community through the restoration, re-use and regeneration of the Flag Lane Baths.

“Crewe used to be a great place to live and bring up our families. We used to support each other, there was always great camaraderie. It is such a shame there are so many problems with people these days, unemployment, health issues, homelessness. There’s no hope anymore, you wonder what could be done about it.”