Post by Madhatter on Oct 1, 2006 16:47:05 GMT
10:30 - 28 September 2006
Atherstone Heritage Centre will close after Dickens Night.
The Friends of Atherstone Heritage Centre took the decision to shut the centre and bookshop after a meeting last week.
The lease on the Old Surgery premises expires at the end of November and the Friends are not in a financial position to renew or take up a lease on another property in the town.
However, they have vowed to continue their work in promoting and protecting the town's heritage.
"It was a very sad day when we decided to close the centre after 10 years, especially for the 32 volunteers who man it," said chairman Eileen Barrs.
"It wasn't a decision that came easy but we simply didn't have a choice.
"We lost a lot of money on the Roman exhibition we held because lottery funding we were promised didn't materialise.
"We have kept it open six-days a week for the last 18 months but couldn't continue.
"It is a big blow but we hope to open a centre again one day."
The Friends will now concentrate on launching a website and supporting the Booktown scheme in Atherstone.
"We intend to continue in the town and, in some ways, the break from running the shop will allow the volunteers to throw their support behind Atherstone Booktown Group by organising events and producing new books for them to sell," said Eileen.
"We have a vast archive and we are also hoping to get the website up and running soon.
"There is still plenty to keep us busy."
The centre will conclude with an exhibition called 'Feisty Atherstone Women', which will include the journal of Phoebe Sheavyn, who was born in Atherstone in 1865.
She went on to become a leading academic, despite the absence of secondary education in Atherstone, and lived until she was 102.
Anyone with any contributions to the exhibition should call 01827 713191.
tamworthherald.co.uk
Atherstone Heritage Centre will close after Dickens Night.
The Friends of Atherstone Heritage Centre took the decision to shut the centre and bookshop after a meeting last week.
The lease on the Old Surgery premises expires at the end of November and the Friends are not in a financial position to renew or take up a lease on another property in the town.
However, they have vowed to continue their work in promoting and protecting the town's heritage.
"It was a very sad day when we decided to close the centre after 10 years, especially for the 32 volunteers who man it," said chairman Eileen Barrs.
"It wasn't a decision that came easy but we simply didn't have a choice.
"We lost a lot of money on the Roman exhibition we held because lottery funding we were promised didn't materialise.
"We have kept it open six-days a week for the last 18 months but couldn't continue.
"It is a big blow but we hope to open a centre again one day."
The Friends will now concentrate on launching a website and supporting the Booktown scheme in Atherstone.
"We intend to continue in the town and, in some ways, the break from running the shop will allow the volunteers to throw their support behind Atherstone Booktown Group by organising events and producing new books for them to sell," said Eileen.
"We have a vast archive and we are also hoping to get the website up and running soon.
"There is still plenty to keep us busy."
The centre will conclude with an exhibition called 'Feisty Atherstone Women', which will include the journal of Phoebe Sheavyn, who was born in Atherstone in 1865.
She went on to become a leading academic, despite the absence of secondary education in Atherstone, and lived until she was 102.
Anyone with any contributions to the exhibition should call 01827 713191.
tamworthherald.co.uk
