By Sylvia Hixson- Andrews, Museum Director.
Things have been moving very quickly on this project!
First, I would like to thank the many members and supporters who have answered the call and pledged financial support to see it happen. It is so important to us and we are very grateful for the value you have all placed on the museum and its plans.
Second, we are taking only pledges at the moment so that we do not have to return money, in case we cannot carry out our plans. BUT the pledges are very important! They allow us to gauge community support and this in turn allows us to tell potential funders how valuable the museum is to the community.
For this reason, I would like anyone considering donating money to the project, to please let us know in the form of a pledge. We can literally list this as community support on our grant applications.
Where are we at? We have already made a conditional offer for the entire Bere’s Yard property, subject to two conditions:
- that we are able to obtain a Condition Survey and a Quantitative Survey on the Bastard House, and
- that we granted the time to raise the money.
Based on an Expression of Interest to the Architectural Heritage Fund, we have been invited to submit an application for the surveys and feasibility work for the project. If we are successful in carrying out that work, we can then apply for two additional grants totally £600K for the project. This is to carry out necessary repairs, not to purchase the property.
There are several other sources of grant money we are in a good position to apply for, but all require the survey information. Once we have these in hand, we will be in a good position to move forward.
For more background and details on the project, and how you can support it and/or make a pledge, please visit this page.