<![CDATA[Corsham Area Heritage & Information Centre - News]]>Thu, 24 May 2012 23:28:49 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[CORSHAM CAMPUS MODEL ON SHOW AT ARNOLD HOUSE]]>Thu, 17 May 2012 08:35:08 -0800http://www.corshamheritage.org.uk/1/post/2012/05/corsham-campus-model-on-show-at-arnold-house.htmlFollowing its excursion to the Diamond Jubilee Celebration Event in Salisbury’s Cathedral Close on 1 May 2012 – where it took centre-stage in the Corsham Area Board’s Jousting Tent – the Campus model is now back in Corsham.

The Friends of Corsham Area Heritage Centre have provided the model with a temporary home in their Heritage Room at Arnold House in the High Street. We urge you to come and see it – and the other items we have there, including the Display Board we commissioned especially for the Jubilee Event. We were put in charge of co-ordinating the Corsham Area’s contribution to the Event around a heritage theme. We really went to town on it!

The model has seen a few improvements since you may have seen it previously during its “Roadshow” perambulations. It now enjoys enhanced labelling so that you can better appreciate where the Campus is to be located and what services it is to provide. There is also a pile of information leaflets accompanying it. Please feel free to take one.

At this stage we don’t know how long it will be with us, so grab the opportunity and drop into the Heritage Centre to view Model in this convenient location. Our staff will be delighted to explain it to you.

Wiltshire Council's Strategic Planning Committee, at its meeting held during the morning of 16 May 2012 at the Council's Offices in Bradley Road, Trowbridge, granted Planning Consent for the Corsham Campus, subject to expected conditions.]]><![CDATA[THE BEST OF CORSHAM FOR HER MAJESTY'S HAMPER]]>Tue, 08 May 2012 02:27:46 -0800http://www.corshamheritage.org.uk/1/post/2012/05/the-best-of-corsham-for-her-majestys-hamper.htmlThe Corsham Area Heritage Centre was asked to co-ordinate the contributions being offered by the various organisations who participated in the Corsham Area Board's "jousting tent", erected on Salisbury's Cathedral Close for the visit of Queen Elizabeth on 1 May 2012, marking her Majesty's Diamond Jubilee.  The theme was to be "Corsham Area's Heritage".  We mounted a new display of images of such things as quarrying, the wool industry, Corsham and the military and Brunel.  We've brought it back to Corsham - where it can be seen in our Heritage Room.  A lot easier than driving down to Salisbury!

As part of the complete Corsham Area offer, a Hamper was assembled, for presentation to Her Majesty.  We ensured that the products of two of the providers of the locally-made goods to our TIC were featured in the Hamper.  They were a spectacular crown, made entirely of chocolate by the Corsham company Lick the Spoon and some jars of the scrumptious marmalade by another Corsham company, Annie's Kitchen.  

We hope Her Majesty enjoys both of them.  You can, too - by dropping into our Centre at Arnold House in the High Street and buying some.  But don't expect to find the crown there for sale.  Lick the Spoon made only the one of those.  However, we have plenty more of that company's other confection on offer.  It makes a wonderful treat.  Fit for a Queen!]]><![CDATA[CORSHAM SCI-FI FAMILY FUNDAY FULL LINE-UP ANNOUNCED]]>Mon, 02 Apr 2012 03:29:23 -0800http://www.corshamheritage.org.uk/1/post/2012/04/corsham-sci-fi-family-funday-full-line-up-announced.html
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]]><![CDATA[FRIENDS OF CORSHAM AREA HERITAGE CENTRE LAUNCHED]]>Fri, 09 Mar 2012 05:40:02 -0800http://www.corshamheritage.org.uk/1/post/2012/03/friends-group-launched.htmlThe future of the CADT’s combined Area Heritage & Information Centre is uncertain at this time – to say the least. In the past it has been maintained by the funding it has received from our local councils, where the prime interest has been in supporting tourism. In this respect, the traditional TIC function has taken centre stage.  

Things have changed.  It is now clear that the Corsham Area Heritage Centre must be developed into a visitor attraction in its own right if we are going to secure the level of grant-support to keep ourselves viable. Evidence of support from the local community is essential if the quest for such funding is to succeed. Hence the formation of a “Friends” group.

Work on this project began in late summer 2011. We now have 60+ signed-up members – a mixture of Individual and Corporates. A committee was appointed in February and its first meeting will take place in March 2012. We’re on our way!

We need more members. We will never have too many of them. Do you take pride in your local history and heritage and want to see it displayed to a wider audience? If you are interested then act now by completing the information form here. You’ll find yourself amongst true “friends of Corsham”.

]]><![CDATA[OUR FUTURE IS IN THE BALANCE]]>Mon, 30 Jan 2012 08:18:56 -0800http://www.corshamheritage.org.uk/1/post/2012/01/our-future-is-in-the-balance.htmlOur business is at a very critical point. We have received all the funding we are going to receive during the present financial year. Local authority councils are now deciding how much they will support us through their next financial year. Things do not look encouraging. Our future looks bleak. Closure is a possibility.

We will make a small loss this financial year. Funding from our main local authority source had been cut significantly. Donations and severe cost-cutting were our salvation. Funding from that main local authority source will shrink further this coming year. While Corsham Town Council will continue to allow us rent-free use of Arnold House and maintain its funding as in recent years, it cannot be expected to do more.

We are not alone. All of Wiltshire’s TICs are in a similar position. Some of the 16 have already gone under.

Corsham Area Development Trust Ltd (CADT) runs the Corsham Area Heritage & Information Centre. It has since October 2006. The CADT started with 2 directors – Ian Storey and Peter Tapscott. Last summer Peter decided to concentrate on the Heritage Centre part – and to make room for somebody else to assist Ian in fighting Corsham TIC’s corner. It had become clear that establishing the Friends of the Corsham Area Heritage Centre as a standalone organisation was in Corsham’s best interests.

With his considerable knowledge of Wiltshire Council, Ian set out to get the best deal he could for Corsham’s TIC. Then, in late November, Ian sadly passed away.

]]><![CDATA[CIVIC DAY 2011]]>Fri, 15 Jul 2011 06:26:33 -0800http://www.corshamheritage.org.uk/1/post/2011/07/civic-day-2011.htmlSaturday 25 June marked the launch of a new national event: Civic Day. Centrally co-ordinated by Civic Voice, the CADT had joined forces in February with Corsham’s Civic Society to register the town’s interest.  

It happened to be the day upon which Corsham’s Twinning Association had run its French Market Morning for several years.  We asked them if they would join forces to make Civic Day an event for the whole community and they jumped at the idea.

A programme of seven activities was devised with the Twinning Market taking centre stage. The High Street was closed, the bunting was resplendent and several town centre shops took the opportunity to set up stalls outside their premises, including the Heritage & Information Centre. The weather cooperated and townsfolk turned out in their hundreds. BBC Wiltshire Radio sent a roving reporter. Duncan Hames, MP, dropped in.

James Methuen-Campbell led a guided walk for primary school children around the gardens of Corsham Court. Two Toddler Workshop sessions were held at the Methuen Arms Hotel, and The Pound Embroidery Group staged a marvellous exhibition of its contribution to the 14,000 pennants being made for the 2012 Olympics by “Quilts 4 London”. The Question is … Can we do even better next year?  Saturday 23 June 2012 is its Civic Day.

]]><![CDATA[CORSHAM WELCOMES THE NEW METHUEN ARMS HOTEL]]>Fri, 17 Jun 2011 06:23:04 -0800http://www.corshamheritage.org.uk/1/post/2011/06/corsham-welcomes-the-new-methuen-arms-hotel.htmlThe Methuen Arms Hotel is now fully open after an extensive refurbishment – providing a major boost to Corsham as a visitor centre.

After an unwelcome period of closure, The Methuen was bought by the local Still Family in April last year. They have since embarked on a total refurbishment to restore this historic inn back to its crucial position as the social hub of the Corsham community.

In addition to the bars and restaurant areas that reopened just before Christmas, 12 individually-designed bedrooms are now available to the public.

Designed with an emphasis on British-made furnishings, each bedroom has a King or Super King size bed (three of which are four posters), Egyptian cotton sheets and luxurious blankets.

Several attractive outside spaces, including gardens and seating areas, are also opening throughout the summer.

The Methuen was recently awarded an impressive 5* AA assessment for its Rooms and a superb 2 Rosettes for its Restaurant. Well done to Martin and Debbie!

]]><![CDATA[FRIENDS OF THE CORSHAM AREA HERITAGE CENTRE LAUNCHED]]>Fri, 08 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0800http://www.corshamheritage.org.uk/1/post/2011/04/friends-of-the-corsham-area-heritage-centre-launched.htmlA Group has come together to form a support organisation for Corsham Area Heritage Centre, the facility that is co-located with the Corsham Information Centre at Arnold House in Corsham's High Street.  The Group will operate outside of the Corsham Area Development Trust and its Corsham Area Heritage & Information Centre.  It will have its own structure and constitution.

These elements have yet to be put in place.  Instead the emphasis has been on attacting the membership from which officers will be appointed and through whose efforts a range of member-benefits will be developed.  One of the key intentions is to be the source of funding beyond the local authority grants upon which the survival of the Heritage Centre remains to this day - and upon which reliance there must continue to be an expectation, however marginal that might be made to become.

To this end, a recruiting flyer / sign-up form has been devised.  Copies are being located at various sites in and around the Town.  The process is extremely simple.  Registration to be a member requires only the completion of the form, the writing of a cheque to value £20 to cover the first year's membership, and the handing-in of the form and cheque to the CAH&IC at its office in Arnold House, 31 High Street.

The flyer / sign-up form is additiuonally available as a .pdf here, alongside the "Expression of Interest" form which has been there for some weeks.  (This new sign-up form is the natural 'next step' in the process of establishing the Friends.  We thank all of you who have responded to the Expression of Interest invitation.)  The sign-up form can be printed off quite readily.

]]><![CDATA[FUNDING CADT THROUGH 2011/12 – BELIEF REMAINS]]>Fri, 04 Feb 2011 01:38:05 -0800http://www.corshamheritage.org.uk/1/post/2011/02/funding-cadt-through-201112-belief-remains.htmlWe chose to await the outcome of Wiltshire Council’s Cabinet meeting scheduled for 25 January before putting the latest edition of Arnold’s News to bed. We prepared the rest and resolved to write this lead story straight after returning from attending the Cabinet meeting. Anything could happen.

The Council had prepared the ground well. We had been advised of a fundamental change in the way it would be addressing the county’s tourism industry. VisitWiltshire (VW) was to be set up as a separate company, dependent upon significant funding from the Council. Its
role was to promote Wiltshire as the place to visit. TICs were to be regarded as having a role only when the visitors were here – at which point it was the local economy that benefited, and would be expected to bear the cost of supporting its TIC.

Being one of five TICs in the county that have been supported by Wiltshire Council, we had been told that our 2011/2012 funding from WC would be cut. We set about some serious lobbying. We pointed out that we were different. We had adopted the ‘Big Society’ 4 years
before the term was first heard in the Westminster Village! We made sure our local town and parish councils were aware of our plight. We had already cut our costs to the bone.

25 January was to be our Day of Destiny. We listened. Routes to other Wiltshire Council funding were revealed when other service-provision was being discussed. We were given our opportunity to address the meeting. We took it.

The result? Our situation is the subject of ongoing discussion. We are now in consultation with the Service Director for Economy & Enterprise and the Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Planning and Housing to investigate the feasibility of securing local funding.

]]><![CDATA[CENTRE CELEBRATES TENTH ANNIVERSARY ]]>Fri, 31 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0800http://www.corshamheritage.org.uk/1/post/2010/12/centre-celebrates-tenth-anniversary.htmlCorsham Information & Heritage Centre has recently achieved 10 years of serving the public; residents and visitors alike. It opened its doors in the summer of 2000 – a fact recorded on the plaque to be found on the inside wall of the Heritage Room.

To mark the occasion, the twosome who originally opened the Centre reconvened at Arnold House on September 23rd to celebrate the event. The very same Lord Lansdowne and Roger Fido were on hand to recognise the successes of those ten years and to wish “many more” to those presently entrusted with the running of the Centre – ourselves, the CADT.

It was fitting that the Centre had just been recognised by Mystery Shoppers from Enjoy England as performing better than ever before. Enjoy England assessed 322 TICs in England in 2010. We were rated 17th overall – and 3rd in Wiltshire’s 18, behind Salisbury and Swindon.

The shoppers had telephoned, e-mailed and actually visited the Centre, rating it on its speed of response, the warmth of its welcome, the degree of local knowledge exhibited by its staff and their eagerness to promote the area to their visitors. Now that really is service. Thank you team!

As well as books, maps and souvenirs relating to Corsham, the Centre books local accommodation. Taken together with evening meals, this is conservatively estimated to put over £20,000 directly into the local economy.

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