Chatteris Museum receives funding for a roaring new project

Chatteris Museum has been awarded a grant by The National Lottery Heritage Fund to celebrate and explore life in Chatteris in the roaring 1920s.

The Heritage Fund grant of £97,950 is for an exciting heritage project, 'Chatteris 20s'.

Made possible by money raised by National Lottery players, the project focuses on researching and recreating aspects of life in the town

during the 1920s.

Starting in March 2023, 'Chatteris 20s' will work with community groups and residents to research and curate new exhibitions and activities around the re-opening of Chatteris Museum in its new building, during the second half of 2023.

Residents and businesses can contribute to a “Who Lived In My House?” exhibition and schools and local people will have the opportunity to get involved with dance, photography and art activities in collaboration with Chatteris Midsummer Festival 2023.

As well as hoping that everyone will participate in project activities, the museum will be looking for new volunteers to join in and help to deliver the project.

Commenting on the award, Sue Spooner, the museum's strategic planning leader, said: “We are thrilled to have received this support thanks to National Lottery players and are confident the project will help us re-open Chatteris Museum with an exciting range of community led activities and exhibitions”

A spokesman for Chatteris Town Council said: “We supported this application and are delighted that the museum has been successful in its funding bid.

“In the meantime the council is forging ahead with the project to convert the former Barclays Bank into a new home for the museum, thanks to funding from the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, and is anticipating the works will be complete in late spring/early summer.”

Chatteris Museum aims to advance the education of the public through the exhibition and preservation of artefacts relating to the history of Chatteris and surrounding parishes. The museum has been temporarily closed since September 2021 as it prepares to move to its new building, scheduled to re-open in the second half of 2023.

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