An exciting new chapter in the life of the Beckford Centre in Cowes is about to dawn as the result of a merger of the centre’s Cowes Voluntary Community Group with Cowes Heritage.
Welcoming the merger, Jon Matthews, chairman of the new Cowes Heritage and Community Group, said:
“At last, two well respected organisations can look forward to a more sustainable future – and Cowes Heritage will have a permanent presence in the heart of the town, where it should be.
Article continues below this advertisement “While the Beckford Centre has been used by a steady stream of enthusiasts, it has not been utilised to its full potential. This merger ‘ticks all the boxes’ and elevates Cowes Heritage to charitable status as the new group becomes a Charitable Incorporated Organisation.”
Jon added:
“To accommodate the archives of Cowes Heritage a new extension at the rear of the Beckford Centre is being built. Planning approval has been obtained and funding for the building works secured, with a significant contribution from Cowes Town Council. These works, to be undertaken by Medina Construction, are due to commence in mid-March, and complete in June. There will some disruption during the work, most of which will be while usage of the Centre is curtailed because of Covid restrictions; however, existing users of the Beckford Centre can look forward to continuing their pursuits in mid- summer just as they used to do before lockdown.”
Equally enthusiastic is Cowes Heritage chairman George Chastney, who has said:
“We want to play our part in making this centre even more popular for those in the local community with specific interests,” he said. “The work of Cowes Heritage can only become better known and appreciated in such a permanent town centre location, a situation already enjoyed by heritage organisations at other Island towns, including East Cowes, Freshwater, Ryde and Ventnor.”
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The new charity draws its trustees from both organisations. It has a new logo and a new website (www.chcg.org.uk) is under development.
