2017 & The Heritage Trust
For The Heritage Trust 2017 has been an exciting year with progress being made with the Bretby Art Pottery Showroom project and the organisation gaining new members.
Towards the end of 2016 we received the fantastic news from the Heritage Lottery Fund that we had been successful in gaining funding for the Trust via their Start-up Grant with £10,000 being awarded to strengthen the organisation and to carry out further investigations into a new use for the Bretby Showroom project.
During 2017 we have used this funding to:
Recruit new trustees
Provide training for all trustees
Reviewed the legal structure of the Trust
Carry out research into similar projects
Develop a business plan
Produce a fundraising strategy
Carry out community consultation
Develop a framework for a friends group
Strengthen the options appraisal for the Showroom
At events that we have held in 2017 including Heritage Open Days and the Antique Valuation Day kind donations were received with money raised allowing for the temporary repair of the roof at the Bretby Art Pottery Showroom. Though not a permanent solution with some water still getting in, it should be enough to prevent further rapid decay of the historic fabric. We have also received donations in-kind from local businesses and some fantastic support from individuals who have given us some of their time.
However, preserving what remains, carrying out the essential repairs and converting the building to a sustainable new use is still a priority and in 2018 we are hopeful of securing further funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund along with other grant providers to take our plans for the building to the next stage.
We would like to say a VERY BIG THANK YOU and a Happy New Year to everyone who attended our events, made donations, gave their time and supported us during 2017.
