Winchester Heritage Centre — in the Brooks - Trust Annual Report 1983
Winchester now has a Heritage Centre! It is in the very early stages of development but thanks to the enthusiasm of committee members and representatives of the Hampshire County Education Department, the first exhibition opened on 23rd July. The exhibition is called "Winchester: A Child's View", and as the title suggests, the exhibits represent a response by local children to our heritage. It is most encouraging to have this indication that environmental awareness is not neglected in our schools, and it is very appropriate that the embryo Heritage Centre should be launched into active life by an exhibition prepared by young people. Just as young people need care and attention, so does the Heritage Centre. It will need constant time and effort to develop its full potential in the life of the City.
There are many people and organisations to whom we are grateful for their generosity, in both time and money. Hampshire County Council have provided a grant of £21,000 from their special projects fund towards the cost of renovation, many members have contributed, and several businesses and offices in Winchester have also been generous in their response to our appeals for help.
Lists of donors are displayed in the Centre, and we record our thanks.
In July a sponsored 'paint in' was organised in association with Winchester 18 Plus: John Salmon painted for 24 hours non-stop to raise funds for charity, and we benefitted by a great spurt forward in our interior decoration programme. Many people, including members, friends, and particularly members on committees who already give much of their time to the Trust, have valiantly struggled with dirty tasks to prepare and decorate the Centre and its garden. Our thanks go to them all. The Centre has also been a challenge to the special committees formed to deal with this project, and the time and careful work of these committee members has formed the framework for the project's progress. They deserve a special mention for their cheerful and tireless support.
The Centre now has to be staffed, and we are grateful to all those who willingly give up their spare time to act as Voluntary Duty Officers. We hope that while its displays increase an awareness of our heritage the Centre will also gradually become a sought-after meeting place for members.
Our second exhibition — Beloe's photographs of Edwardian Winchester — starts on 1st October. Others planned for next Spring include the Winchester Area Local Plan, Hampshire Gardens, the Countryside Heritage and Old Winchester. Whilst these exhibitions are on view a team will be formed, under a Manpower Services Commission scheme, to research and prepare the permanent exhibition which is the purpose of all such Centres.