What a year it has been!
It's been an exhilarating and challenging year for us all at Kitty's Launderette.
We started 2018 with our idea for a functional launderette where people could use affordable washing and drying facilities as well as have access to a community arts space.
In April we secured our premises, so we were able to introduce our plans to the wider public at our Summer get-together.
A month later on 24th May we launched our Kickstarter campaign and after a long 30 days and with so many lovely people pledging their support we raised over £20,000! The support, energy (and cash!) raised has carried us through the year, and reaffirmed our belief in what we are trying to build.
(From left to right) Ehsan, Fred, Grace, Louis and Myriam. Standing outside what will become Kitty’s Launderette!
Following our Kickstarter we have continued to develop and shape our plans with lots of new input from many generous, creative and thoughtful people in the city and beyond.
On a warm Summer evening in July we held our first Annual General Meeting outside the Launderette site. Our ever-growing membership elected our first Board made up of Grace, Louis, Britt, Sally-Anne and Ian.
In the last days of August we were awarded a Heritage Lottery Grant, enabling us to tell the story of Liverpool's forgotten wash-houses and the people that used them, we spent early Autumn recruiting for a Lead Researcher and in the New Year they'll start our exciting new project!
We have also secured additional funding (more on that in the New Year!) enabling us to expand our business plan to include an Eco-alternative to dry cleaning and purchase our washing machine set-up!
Since securing our building in April we have been working hard to gain planning permission from Liverpool City Council (a bigger than expected job!) and in June we began working with LJ Architects Ltd who have gone above and beyond to support our project.
We are delighted to announce that earlier this month Liverpool City Council granted us Planning Permission enabling our amazing lead builders Ehsan and Fred and our other wonderful professionals and volunteers to really crack on with the renovations to get our launderette open in early 2019.
Like all big projects, we have experienced a number of delays and unexpected challenges, however we have used this extra time before opening to continue to build stronger and stronger foundations by growing our team, deepening our research and visiting similar organisations across the UK.
We are really excited to be so close to opening and can't wait to get going in 2019... after a bit of rest over the Christmas holidays.
So until then, we wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
