Joy at Lottery-funded healthcare museum for Wolverhampton
Date of release: 10 October 2023
A museum charting the history of Wolverhampton’s healthcare with fascinating exhibitions and creative community opportunities will be developed in the city centre thanks to a grant of almost £140,000 awarded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The Healthcare Heritage Centre project has been pioneered by The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust (RWT) Charity and the Arts and Heritage Group and its leading lights are “thrilled” that their vision will now take shape.
Elinor Cole, Arts and Heritage Co-ordinator at RWT
The grant of 139,792 will see the delivery of an exciting new programme called ‘Care, Create, Conserve’ and will run for 18 months, beginning in the 75th year of the NHS. At its heart will be the creation of Wolverhampton’s first healthcare museum and co-creation centre, which will be based in RWT’s Health Hub in the Mander Centre.
The Healthcare Heritage Centre will feature an exhibition of medical artefacts, photographs, and memorabilia from RWT’s collection while healthcare stories of today will be showcased through four community co-creation projects and a vibrant programme of talks and events.
Elinor Cole, Arts and Heritage Co-ordinator at RWT, said: “We are thrilled to have been successful in our bid and grateful to The National Lottery Heritage Fund for seeing the value in our vision.
“This will be an amazing addition to the city centre, connecting our communities and supporting local people to explore and share their own experiences.
“Health is universal and something we can all relate to, no matter our age, identity, belief, or circumstances, but it can also be uniquely personal. Care, Create, Conserve will seek to tell a story which acknowledges many different experiences and perspectives – a story from our history, but also from our present day.”
Ian Fegan, Director of Communications and Visitor Economy at the City of Wolverhampton Council, was among those backing the bid.
In a supporting letter he said: “The project can support Wolverhampton’s cultural ambitions including increasing engagement of local communities in arts and heritage and celebrating local heritage whilst supporting the vitality of the high street through culture and supporting our creative sector.”
Four creative residencies will be offered to local artists to explore the subject of healthcare through different perspectives.
The programme will also create opportunities for Heritage Volunteers to help manage the Healthcare Heritage Centre, as well as gaining unique opportunities for training in collections care and curation.
About The National Lottery Heritage Fund
Using money raised by the National Lottery, we Inspire, lead and resource the UK’s heritage to create positive and lasting change for people and communities, now and in the future. www.heritagefund.org.uk.
Follow @HeritageFundUK on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and use #NationalLotteryHeritageFund&
Since The National Lottery began in 1994, National Lottery players have raised over £43 billion for projects and more than 635,000 grants have been awarded across the UK.”
