EVESHAM’S Almonry Museum’s restoration project has received a welcome funding boost thanks to £393,219 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The development grant will enable two years of planning for the interpretation of its collections alongside the completion of urgent building repairs which are due to begin shortly.
The money will help progress plans for the museum’s future, enabling an application for a full grant of around £1.5million at a later date, although there is no guarantee a further bid will be successful.
The views of volunteers, community groups, schools and individuals will be integral to this element of the project as the museum co-curates with local communities to identify the themes, events and activities that will interpret the shared histories of the Vale.
Almonry Museum manager, Ashleigh Jayes, said: “We are thrilled to have received this initial support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
“Thanks to National Lottery players we can now develop our plans to re-imagine the Almonry, improve our collections care, our displays, the gardens – everything.
“The opportunity to work so closely with our communities is unprecedented in the museum’s history – I’m really looking forward to sharing ideas and taking inspiration from them.”
The funding will enable the Almonry Museum to carry out essential collection care and conservation work, including cataloguing of collections, and providing new museum-standard storage and new display cases.
The museum will be investigating the potential for creating a new learning space for schools or groups and utilising sustainable materials to build and furnish the area including rainwater harvesting tanks.
Alongside this, the gardens will be redesigned and planted to reflect the history of the building and the Vale, reflecting the biodiversity of the area.
Work to save the fabric of the 14th Century timber-framed building, which is owned by the town council is supported by £2.1m from Arts Council England’s Museum Estate and Development Fund.
This being undertaken by Vale historic building specialists DA Cooke of Dumbleton. Getting this grant now means the two pots of funding work alongside each other.
Councillor John Clatworthy, mayor of Evesham, added: “This is excellent news for Evesham and everyone who values our local heritage.
“The Almonry Museum is a much-loved part of the town, and this funding will help make it an even more welcoming place to visit.
“I hope it encourages more residents and visitors to get involved and enjoy everything the museum has to offer.”
The Almonry was built around 1390 and has been an important part of the town for centuries, serving as a home, offices, possibly an inn and even a tearoom in the early part of the 20th Century.
The museum will be running a series of community events, activities and sessions throughout the development phase of the project. See almonryevesham.org for details.
