Laurence Ramsay, known as Loz to the customers and staff at Beeches Pool & Fitness Centre near Great Barr, is saying goodbye to the centre on January 9th next year after over 40 years of service.
Loz, who’s now 61, joined Beeches back in 1983, starting as a lifeguard and working his way up. He’s had various roles over the years, from Senior Leisure Attendant to Duty Manager, but he’s now come full circle in his career.
With his retirement in sight earlier this year, Loz (second right in pic) decided he wanted to finish off his time at Beeches in the role he started it in, and once more donned the distinctive yellow lifeguard shirt. “I knew I was soon to retire, and I wanted to take my foot off the gas a bit at work. Lifeguarding is a pressured role, but it’s a different kind of pressure to being a Duty Manager, and it’s something I always enjoyed when I did the job as a younger man.”
Jack Pyatt, Partnership Manager for Birmingham Community Leisure Trust (BCLT), which manages Beeches and eight other facilities in Birmingham in partnership with Serco Leisure, said: “It’s going to be a sad day at Beeches when Loz does his final shift in January. Sad for the team there, sad for the thousands of customers he’s served over the years and for BCLT as a whole.
“You’ve earned your retirement Loz – all the very best from everyone across the Birmingham contract.” Loz and his wife will be moving to Ilfracombe in the New Year, a plan many years in the making.
“For me and my wife, it’s always been a dream we shared to one day move to be near the sea. That dream is soon to come true. Our new house is a 10-minute walk from the beach.
“You dream, you plan, you spend years thinking about it, and now it’s coming true – we’ve made it. It’s an exciting time for us.” Loz is mad-keen on all things mod, and his retirement will give him more time to get out on his scooter, a Vespa GTS 300.
“I’ve been into mod clothes, music and scooters since the late 1970s. I’ve had various Vespas over the years, including a GS 160 Mark 1, which was my pride and joy. That scooter lasted me for over 10 years, and it was actually built in 1962, the year I was born. I loved it but had to get rid eventually and buy something a bit more reliable.”
Reliability has been a hallmark of Loz’s time with the centre. A place he’s called home for over 40 years.
“While I am looking forward to retirement, I will miss the people here,” he said. “I’ve been lucky to work with some amazing colleagues over the years.
“You can’t help but form bonds with people over that period of time. I’ll miss the many friends I’ve made and the customers we have at Beeches. It’s a great little centre.”
Fortunately for his many friends at Beeches, Loz will be back in the area regularly, as he plans to continue watching his beloved West Brom. “It’s a long drive from Devon to the Hawthorns, but nothing will keep me from following the Baggies!”
Beeches Swimming & Fitness Centre is managed by the BCLT in partnership with Serco Leisure, and on behalf of Birmingham City Council.
