Selsey Pavilion Trust Awarded £50,000 From Garfield Weston Foundation
The restoration of the Selsey Pavilion has just taken a big step forward thanks to a £50,000 grant from The Garfield Weston Foundation.
The restoration of the Selsey Pavilion has just taken a big step forward thanks to a £50,000 grant from The Garfield Weston Foundation. The grant is a vote of financial confidence in the Selsey Pavilion Trust's ambition to restore and revive the building back to its former glory as a showpiece on Selsey's High Street.
Since the Selsey Pavilion Trust was formed in 2017, the Trustees have concentrated on purchasing and reviving this unique building as a community arts and heritage centre. After a lot of work and determination, the Trust is nearing the first critical milestone through the support and considerable donations from the Government's Community Ownership Fund, National Lottery Heritage Fund, Selsey Town Council, and now the generosity of The Garfield Weston Foundation.
"The Garfield Weston Foundation is a major funder that gives money to support a wide range of charities across the country. To have their support at this early stage is incredible and demonstrates just how much of an impact the Pavilion can make to Selsey and the wider Manhood Peninsula," said Selsey Pavilion Trust Chairman Christian Skelton.
"We're working hard to purchase the Pavilion by the end of the year, and this grant will help us to hit the ground running with vital repairs in the spring. But there is still a way to go before we can fully open the doors to the public."
Constructed in 1913, the Selsey Pavilion, with its Art Deco façade, was the central attraction on Selsey High Street for over 60 years. Sadly, like so many similar theatre buildings, it fell into decline with the advent of television, and the doors finally closed for good in 1974.
However, miraculously, the Selsey Pavilion has survived largely intact and is today home to the very popular ‘Chaplin's Coffeehouse', which will continue as a crucial part of our plans.
‘We know we still have a long way to go until the building can welcome the community all year round, but we are delighted for the financial support and community spirit that has started us on the road from ambition to reality. From these strong foundations, we are a huge step closer to opening the doors of the Selsey Pavilion for good,' Christian added.
The Selsey Pavilion Trust is grateful for the support of The Garfield Weston Foundation and all other donors who have helped to make the purchase and restoration of the Selsey Pavilion a reality.
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Editor's information:
Further information and photography are available from:
Christian Skelton on 07894 011 385 /trust@selseypavilion.org
About the Selsey Pavilion Trust
The Selsey Pavilion Trust is a registered charity run by community volunteers in West Sussex. Established in 2017, the Trust exists to secure the long-term future and prosperity of the Selsey Pavilion for the benefit of Selsey and the Manhood Peninsula, south of Chichester.
Grant funding from the Architectural Heritage Fund enabled a project viability study in 2021 and subsequent project development work on a longer-term restoration project. In March 2023, the Trust was awarded £299,400 from the Community Ownership Fund and a further £249,400 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund in August paving the way to purchase the Selsey Pavilion from its private owners by the end of 2023.
The Trust also runs an "educate and inform" program that delivers regular talks on the Selsey Pavilion, email newsletters, and the expansion of a digital archive of over 1,000 historical records covering the Selsey Pavilion's illustrious past.
Active collaborations with other local organisations are also in place through involvement in the Selsey Community Forum, a collective of voluntary organisations, and partnerships with Selsey's schools and local organisations.
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About The Garfield Weston Foundation
The Garfield Weston Foundation is a family founded grant-maker that gives money to support a wide range of charities across the UK. In total they donate around £90 million each year.