Engine Shed News May03            

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The Wivenhoe Encyclopedia

 
Engine Shed Project Gathering Momentum

£75,000 grant awarded from Railway Heritage Trust

 In the last several months, the Project team has:

 -            Submitted a planning application for the restoration of the existing building and the construction of a major extension at the rear. This was after discussions with the Planning Dept to see what they might support for this Grade ll listed railway building on the edge of Wivenhoe’s Conservation area. Hopefully it will soon go before the Planning Committee.

-            Recruited Anthony Everitt, John Ashworth, Auriol Stevens and Gerry Poulson as Project Ambassadors, all Wivenhoe people with strong connections with the Arts, who will help us with ideas and add credibility to the Project.

-            Won the support of officers in Colchester Borough Council Leisure Services Department who are now actively working with us, as the Engine Shed Project fits very neatly into the Council’s new arts policy for the Borough.

-            Recruited as Project Partners, the University of Essex, the Adult Community College and Essex County Council Area Youth Services as bodies all keen to run activities in the building when ready.

-            Defined the building as an Arts Centre with a strong emphasis on learning activities, as well as for performance and static art events.  Social inclusivity will be at the core of our strategy to ensure greatest possible use and benefit.

-            Been conducting research that shows huge potential demand for arts space for exhibitions, performances, rehearsals and classroom activity by a diverse range of organisations and bodies.

-            When completed, apart from the building having a performance space capable of seating up to 200 people and with a modular stage, there will be four large rooms suitable for a wide variety of activities, from dance, music, film, acting, painting, singing, puppetry, poetry, photography, lectures and exhibitions.

-            Won a major grant of £75,000 from the Railway Heritage Trust towards the restoration costs of the first phase. 

-            Organised by the Borough Council for us, spent a day in a workshop with Arts Consultant Peter Thornton to help prepare our business case for Lottery bids to the Heritage Lottery and the Arts Council.

-             Refined our original vision document to produce a more sharply focused business plan.

As you can see, a lot of work has been going on and exciting progress is being made. Peter Cook has been working with the Railway Heritage Trust and on Project planning; Bob Wills, the design of the building, costings and planning application; Izzy Bennett, the business plan and Borough Council arts development; Jacqueline Thomas, research and liaison with Borough Council arts activities; Pat Smith and her great team, concentrating on local fund-raising.  Overall there are about 20 people involved in the many different aspects of the Project.

With the active participation of the Borough Council, we can be much more confident this Project will happen. Of course, raising in excess of £500,000 is not an easy task.  We have to prove this will be a worthwhile investment, and to people who do not know Wivenhoe and the richness of artistic talent in our community.  We have to demonstrate this is a Project of value to Colchester and that we have the management skills to make it a significant arts facility benefiting as many people as possible

We are getting these messages across, and the grant from the Railway Heritage Trust means, with other money already raised, we now have the first £100,000, which is probably the hardest but most important step to take.

A 999 year lease to Wivenhoe Town Council has been offered by the railway property company for a nominal £1. Under an arrangement with the Town Council, the Wivenhoe Community Association, a registered charity, will manage the building, hiring it out to various groups and organisations to run a diverse range of arts activities.  We are particularly committed to the idea of encouraging new groups to form and use the building, especially those for young people and people with disabilities.

For more information call:

Peter Hill, Chairman, Wivenhoe Community Association             01206-823073          

Last updated:
07 May 2006