Winchester Heritage Centre - Trust Annual Report 1988
At the 'Strategy Meeting' held in April 1987 and attended by representatives of Hampshire County Council, Winchester City Council, the Southern Tourist Board, Winchester Cathedral and others, we were urged to approach Winchester City Council in order to discuss our future. The wheels of bureaucracy grind somewhat slowly but it is satisfactory to report that over a year later, in July 1988, we were able to get into discussions with representatives of the Council. The upshot of these is not known, but we feel that the opportunity to have a full discussion was a valuable one. The Heritage Centre has no lease from the City; it is held rent-free on a licence renewable annually. The lack of any security of tenure, coupled with the fact that some capital expenditure, particularly on the roof, is required in the near future makes planning difficult, but we hope that our discussions with the city will resolve some of these problems.
The Brooks Dig continued to have an adverse effect on attendances by casual visitors and tourists. However, we have done well with visits by schools and organized groups, and altogether some 4,000 people a year visit or use the Centre for one purpose or another.
A decision by British Airways to show our video 'Winchester Heritage' on its jumbo jet 'City of Winchester' represented a considerable achievement, and is providing valuable publicity for Winchester although as yet, it is of no tangible benefit to the Heritage Centre. It was particularly pleasing that we were able to give permission for the showing in time for the video to be carried on the flight which took the Mayor of Winchester on his visit to the USA earlier this year.
The Heritage Centre continues to aim at self-sufficiency, raising funds by entrance fees for the standing exhibition and audio/visual, and by any other means that it can devise. Shop sales are on the increase, another successful second-hand book sale was organised by John and Eunice Balchin, and a new greeting card is now available. This is illustrated in the Report. The drawing is by Michael Carden from an original water-colour in the possession of Mrs Carpenter Turner.
Great credit is due to the Hon. Manager, Alan Cooke; his Deputy, Ray Eaglen, and the voluntary stewards who man the Centre. Thanks are due also to Mrs Joan Eaglen, who has been Hon. Secretary of the Heritage Centre Management Committee since February 1987, but who has now decided to stand down.