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| Save Our Museum & Art Gallery |
Monday, December 22 2003 @ 05:56 PM GMT
Author: Dan.
Views: 140
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Do you want to lose millions of years of local history, one of the UK's largest historical costume collections and the only place to regularly exhibit contemporary arts in Worthing?
Worthing Museum & Art Gallery has a collection of over 200,000 artefacts, costumes and works of art. Worthing Borough Council have announced that they are considering the closure of the Museum & Art Gallery, to save under �130,000 annual running costs, and if they do, they will dispose of the collection.
The Save Worthing Museum & Art Gallery Campaign was launched outside the Museum & Art Gallery on Christmas Eve - with a huge turnout, including representatives from all the leading local arts groups and a number of local artists. Councillor Tom Wye and Councillor James Doyle, The Mayor of Worthing and Tim Loughton MP added their political support and nearly 300 people signed the petition.
Click Here to find out how to tell Worthing Borough Council your views.
Click Here for a full list of individuals and groups supporting The Save Worthing Museum & Art Gallery Campaign
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| Author: Anonymous on Monday, December 22 2003 @ 08:18 PM GMT |
| Are you aware that the staff of Worthing Museum have been told that they are out of work as from 1st April 2004? They were told of their sacking last Wednesday (17th) but are sworn to secrecy. Pam Wright [ Reply to This ]
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| Author: Dan on Monday, December 22 2003 @ 08:19 PM GMT |
Well, it looks like the barbarians are at the doors. Please join us and help to save a unique collection of art and thousands of interesting artefacts.
We're planning protests, a petition and letter-writing. But as well as that, we'd like your messages; leave them here (by clicking the 'reply' button below) and we'll send your words of support to the staff at Worthing Museum & Art Gallery; and your words of protest to Worthing Borough Council. ---
Dan Thompson
RAG [ Reply to This ]
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| Author: SteveC on Monday, December 22 2003 @ 09:20 PM GMT |
| It sickens me that the authorities can even
consider closing down our museum. To me it
is a jewel at the heart of the community and if
the coucil are interested in people it should be
valued and preserved.
How can you put a price on such a thing? I
have had so many great times there and the
staff have become friends.
When I was told about the proposed closure I
became very sad and angry, but the correct
course of action is to divert our feelings into
action and tell the council that we are not
going to let them take away our town's heart
and soul.
I would encourage all who read these words
to stand alongside us in the battle to save
Worthing Museum and Art Gallery! [ Reply to This ]
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| Author: Dan on Monday, December 22 2003 @ 10:30 PM GMT |
Thanks for all the messages of support. Here's a choice few...
"The council have gone seriously and totally barmy. The museum and art gallery is such a special place to visit (I for one go there regularly and can�t think of a comparable gallery) but this is so typical isn�t it? They always try to get rid of the unique and special." Micki
"I was born and brought up in Worthing. I have good memories of the Museum and Art Gallery in the 1930's and 1940's. I would be appalled if the Council decided not to support these organisations any longer.
Each time I visit Britain I see deterioration of the British Heritage as if the local politicians are no longer proud of the past. They should be ashamed of facing the taxpayers and citizens with this choice." Peter, Toronto, Canada
"It is so important that a town the size of Worthing has a museum. It would be outrageous if it were to close. They should invest more money it in not less." Clare - outraged of Heene Road
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Dan Thompson
RAG [ Reply to This ]
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| Author: Admin on Tuesday, December 23 2003 @ 08:53 AM GMT |
| Author: suehockleyford on Tuesday, December 23 2003 @ 12:05 AM GMT |
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I must admit I was completely bemused to find they are considering closing the museum, they seem to be keeping very quiet about it, and I don't blame them.
My children have all regularly visited the museum with their schools, as well as with us, and, if we're honest, how often would the majority of children get to experience this if there were no museum in their own town? For a fair sized town like Worthing, it seems ludricrous to even contemplate this closure. What sort of message is this sending out to people?
I imagine one of their excuses is that there isn't a high enough demand among the public, and so I would urge everyone (myself included) to make more use of this excellent resource. Let's not accept any 'dumbing down' on our own doorstep - we pay our council tax and we should have some control over how it gets spent.
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purple sue | ---
Administrator
Artists & Makers [ Reply to This ]
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| Author: Dan on Tuesday, December 23 2003 @ 11:26 AM GMT |
| This morning, West Sussex Writers Guild, Rainbow Theatre and the Worthing Camera Club have joined the Save Worthing Museum & Art Gallery campaign. To find out who else has added their support click here ---
Dan Thompson
RAG [ Reply to This ]
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| Author: Anonymous on Tuesday, December 23 2003 @ 03:15 PM GMT |
Politics and money again no doubt � disgusting!
The museum and art gallery is the only place in Worthing where young and old alike can come into contact with old and ancient artefacts alongside contemporary art work.
I run a youth centre in Wick, Littlehampton, the young people I work with love the arts and would kill for a museum and gallery the calibre and size of the one in Worthing. Don�t get me wrong Littlehampton Museum is excellent and innovative but a town the size of Worthing needs this place. There is so much history to share and Worthing is finally promising so much for future generations. Not having the museum and art gallery will throw this all away.
You don�t know what you have got until you loose it � wake up Worthing Borough Council!
Duncan Thrussell
Project 82 - Littlehampton Town Council
82 Wick Street, Wick, Littlehampton [ Reply to This ]
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| Author: Admin on Tuesday, December 23 2003 @ 04:35 PM GMT |
I think its absolutely disgraceful that Worthing Museum & Art Gallery be closed and the historical collections of both national and local treasures be sold off.
You may certainly add my name of support, as an historian and author.
Regards,
Rob Blann ---
Administrator
Artists & Makers [ Reply to This ]
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| Author: Ron Ham on Tuesday, December 23 2003 @ 10:08 PM GMT |
Dear all concerned,
To close Worthing museum would be an act of madness. I first went there 60 years ago and in the mid-1970s my Wireless collection was displayed in the Hargood Room for a month. That collection now belongs to and is exhibited by, the Amberley Industrial Museum. The point I make is that the public and other museum folk saw it first in Worthing.
Museum's don't open and close like retail outlets or office blocks. They develop over decades with the loving care of expert staff and untold thousands of hours put in by volunteer helpers. If this museum is closed then all this past effort would have been wasted.
In my view, the money the authorities spend on museums is not just an expense added to the debit side of a balance sheet, but an investment for the future. Is all the money spent over past decades to develop Worthing museum to be thrown away?
Close it and it's gone for ever and a great loss to people of all ages.
Please think again Councillors before you axe this fine establishment.
sincerely,
Ron Ham, Chairman of Storrington and District Museum [ Reply to This ]
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| Author: Admin on Wednesday, December 24 2003 @ 02:34 PM GMT |
Thank you for your email on the possible closure of the Museum. I agree totally, that closure would be a disaster for Worthing.
I can assure you I shall be fighting this suggestion every step of the way.
Cllr. Peter Welch, Goring Ward. ---
Administrator
Artists & Makers [ Reply to This ]
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