Priti Patel, Member of Parliament for Witham, has welcomed a major £241,000 National Lottery Heritage Fund award to Earls Colne Heritage Museum, following her longstanding support for the campaign to secure the museum’s future at the historic Water Tower.
Priti visited the Earls Colne Heritage Museum to meet Chairman Gordon Brown and hear about the next stage of the museum’s plans following the successful funding award. Since Earls Colne became part of the Witham constituency following the 2024 General Election boundary changes, Priti has worked closely with Gordon and the museum’s trustees to support their efforts to protect the museum and secure its long-term future.
Priti first visited the museum after becoming the village’s Member of Parliament, meeting trustees and volunteers and hearing directly about the challenges they faced as the lease on the Old Water Tower approached its end.
Following that visit, Priti continued to support the museum’s campaign and its efforts to secure funding, including after an earlier National Lottery Heritage Fund application was unsuccessful. She also helped put the museum in contact with Debbie Thomas to provide further support and advice as the trustees developed their plans.
The museum has now secured £241,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund for its Our Tower: Our Story project. The funding will allow the charitable trust to purchase the Water Tower for £110,000, invest approximately £50,000 in its renovation and spend around £80,000 transforming and reimagining the museum for the future.
The award provides long-term security for the museum following a three-year campaign by its trustees and supporters and will help safeguard the historic Water Tower and the museum’s collections for future generations. Earls Colne Heritage Museum plays an important role in preserving and celebrating the history of the village and surrounding area. The museum is supported by dedicated trustees and volunteers and has developed a range of local heritage initiatives to ensure the stories of Earls Colne continue to be researched, preserved and shared.
Following the visit, Priti Patel MP said:
“This is absolutely fantastic news for Earls Colne and a tremendous achievement for Gordon, the trustees, volunteers and everyone who has worked so hard over the last three years to secure the future of this wonderful museum.
“Since Earls Colne became part of the Witham constituency, I have been proud to support their campaign. When I first visited the museum, Gordon and the team spoke to me about the uncertainty surrounding the Water Tower and their determination to find a way to secure it for the future. I have continued to support them throughout this process, including following the disappointment of their previous funding application.
“Their perseverance has now paid off. This £241,000 investment means they can purchase the Water Tower, renovate this important historic building and transform the museum so that it can continue serving Earls Colne for decades to come.
“Our local heritage matters enormously and Earls Colne has a rich and fascinating history which Gordon and his team have worked tirelessly to preserve. I am delighted to see their hard work recognised and supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, and I look forward to continuing to work with them as they take forward this exciting new chapter for the museum.”
