Help us hit our £300,000 target and be part of the Fort Nelson of the future

15 October 2010

Today the Royal Armouries Development Trust (charity number 803617) launches its JustGiving page to help raise the £300,000 needed to safeguard one of Hampshire’s best-loved historic landmarks for future generations.
Funds will be used to support Royal Armouries’ projects – beginning with the transformation of Fort Nelson near Fareham – home to the national collection of artillery and cannon - into a visitor attraction fit for the 21st Century.  
The amount is the remainder still needed to complete the £3.5 million transformation at the hill-top fort. Improvements will include a dramatic new entrance gallery, displaying the collection’s most iconic cannon, including Saddam Hussein’s infamous Supergun. The transformed museum will also include a state-of-the-art education centre and facilities, featuring a new ‘classroom of the future’ and dedicated entrance.
The Armouries has already secured generous support from:
• The Heritage Lottery Fund
• Garfield Weston Foundation
• DCMS / Wolfson Galleries Improvement Fund
• Foyle Foundation
• The John Ellerman Foundation
• J Paul Getty Jnr Charitable Trust
• HISTORYTM
Sean Mannie, Head of the Royal Armouries South, said, “This is our final drive for funding and we really need the support from local businesses and our local community to secure this magnificent Victorian fort for future generations to enjoy.”
To enter the JustGiving site go to www.justgiving.com/armouries or for more details on donations contact Ellie Wadsworth, Individual Giving Manager, at ellie.wadsworth@armouries.org or call 0113 220 1966.
Please maximise the value of your support by agreeing to Gift Aid (Gift Aid means that for every pound given by a UK taxpayer, the Armouries receives an extra 25p from HM Revenue and Customs, at no extra cost to the giver).
For more information about the re-development of the Fort please visit www.fort-nelson-hlf-development.org.
The free national museum at Fort Nelson will remain open throughout the building phase in 2010, with an exciting programme of events.

Media contacts:

Catherine Kelly/Joss Loader, Primary PR Ltd.
Telephone: 01903 783832, 07704 130226, 07838 379599.
joss@primarypr.co.uk or catherine.kelly@primarypr.co.uk

Notes to Editors:

* The HLF grant to the project Fort Nelson re-development is for £1,832,000 (53% of project costs) and is a second-round pass, which means it is a confirmed award.

• The Royal Armouries at Fort Nelson houses the national collection of historic cannon and big guns. The museum houses one of the world’s finest collections with over 350 cannon dating back over 600 years and from every corner of the earth. The collection originated at HM Tower of London and has been on display in Hampshire since 1995. Website:www.royalarmouries.org.uk

• This year HLF is celebrating its 15th anniversary. Using money raised through the National Lottery, since 1994 it has not only revitalised hundreds of museums, parks, historic buildings, landscapes and wildlife sites, but has also given new meaning to heritage itself. People from every walk of life are now involved with the heritage that inspires them, making choices about what they want to keep and share from the past, for future generations. HLF has supported more than 28,800 projects, allocating over £4.3billion across the UK, including £428million to more than 3,000 projects across the South East England region alone.
Website: www.hlf.org.uk

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