By Anonymous, 23 May 2016, 13:48PM
Today, Madeley Town Council has received £7,600 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for an exciting project, which will train the ACT (Anstice Community Trust) Trustees in good management practices and prepare a Business Plan that will prepare the Anstice for re-opening with a secure and financially viable future that will once again serve the people of Madeley and beyond
Thanks to National Lottery players the project will enable the Trustees, who are all local people, to visit other projects and learn from other people who have taken on similar building based work. They will also be trained in the responsibilities of being a Trustee and their role in the future of the Anstice Memorial Hall and the custodians of this much loved building in the heart of Madeley. The building was originally conceived to commemorate John Anstice a respected local industrialist and owner of the Madeley Wood Company. Its purpose was to provide educational and social facilities for the local population and ACT and the Town Council are working together to once again fulfil this. The building will have a strong community focus and will be open to all but it needs to survive financially in the current economic climate and for that, a robust business plan is needed. A professional will be commissioned to work with ACT and the Town Council to provide such a plan
It is vitally important that throughout this process the unique character and heritage of the Anstice is preserved. Many people know about the beautiful ballroom with its sprung floor but not many people know about an exciting recent find; the original Maws tiles in the downstairs foyer, hidden under several layers of lino.
Commenting on the award, Kath Petty, Clerk to Madeley Town Council said: "We are thrilled to have received the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund. The funds they have provided will help this project grow and give the volunteer Trustees the confidence to move forward and implement the project, it will support people of all ages to be active citizens with pride in their Heritage."
Explaining the importance of the HLF support, the Head of HLF West Midlands, Vanessa Harbar, said: "Good governance is key to the success of every small organisation, and to all the projects we fund, so we are delighted to support the Trustees of ACT in developing key skills and experience, which will put the Trust in a strong position for the future, and help save this historic and much-loved building".
