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28 June 2023

Museum launches new fundraising campaign

Love it, don't lose it! With its unique collections and community focussed initiatives, the Museum is a major contributor to the cultural heritage of Fenland. However, its future is at risk.

The Museum is an independent museum and a registered charity. Whilst it has succeeded in gaining a number of one-off grants to support specific projects and capital works, none of that money has been available to keep the lights and heating on, collections cared for, and the small team of professional staff paid.

The refurbishment and the new entrance were entirely funded by one-off capital grants, the lion's share of which - £667,500 out of a total of £868,000 - came from Historic England, which declared in 2017 that the building was at risk.

The terms of all those grants barred the Museum from spending any of the money on its running costs. Every penny went on saving the building and creating an accessible new entrance and courtyard.

The cost-of-living crisis has hit the Museum hard. It needs to raise £90,000 a year to continue to keep it open four days a week and maintain its vibrant day-to-day programming.

The Museum faced a similar situation in 2017, when Fenland District Council withdrew its £60,000 annual grant. At that time, Wisbech Town Council generously stepped in and supported the Museum by awarding it £20,000 per annum until 31 March of this year. The Museum currently awaits a decision as to whether the grant will continue.

In 2017, the Museum was also supported by those who signed-up to its ReFounders scheme, with members each pledging at least £1,000 a year for five years, totalling £35,000 annually.

With the support of the ReFounders and Wisbech Town Council, alongside income raised from shop sales and donations, the Museum survived.

The ReFounders Scheme ended on March 31, 2023 and its donors are commemorated on a plaque in the new reception area (See photo).

Now, the Museum urgently needs to find new sources of funding if it is to survive.

Museum chairman Steve McGregor said:

“To keep going we need businesses, charities and individuals who recognise what damage the loss of the Museum would cause the town to join our new Patrons' Scheme.

“And for most people who can't spare so much but could afford to commit from £5 to £20 a month to keep a precious resource for the whole community, to please consider joining our Supporters Circle.”

Your financial support will help the Museum to keep the doors open, innovate, engage new audiences in new ways, programme vibrant community activity that brings the collections alive, and safeguard and grow the Museum for future generations.

For details of the many ways in which you can help, see the Donate page on our website, telephone or call in at the Museum.