Help the Holst Birthplace Museum to reopen after flooding so Holst can inspire again! #HelpHolst
Following flood damage to the Holst Birthplace Museum in June, the Holst Birthplace Trust is launching ‘Help Holst’ on July 18. The campaign will aim to raise £30,000 to help the Museum reopen. The target figure includes a budget for remedial building work not covered by the insurance.
In order to reach the £30,000 target the public are being asked to get involved in the campaign in a number of different ways, from directly donating money to the campaign, to running their own fundraising activity on behalf of the Museum. Rewards will be given to all donors for their contribution:
• ‘Help Holst’ certificate for any amount given
• £25 ‘Help Holst’ bag
• £50 ‘Help Holst’ bag and mug
• £100 Limited edition screen printed poster
• £500 Invitation to the official re-opening of Museum with wine and canapés, plus name on a permanent ‘Help Holst’ supporters’ panel
• £2,000 an exclusive recital on Holst’s piano for the donor and up to 10 family members/friends with champagne and canapés
Holst Birthplace Museum staff will tackle the 35 mile ‘Holst Way’ over two days on 19-20 August. The route from Cranham to Wyck Rissington will include overnight camping at Belas Knapp, the iconic Neolithic long barrow. The public can give money directly to the Museum for the walk or through the ‘Help Holst’ JustGiving page. Members of the public are also being asked to join staff on Saturday 20th August to walk all or part of the remaining 15 miles and for their friends and family to individually sponsor them.
There will also be a series of events and activities held across Cheltenham during the summer to raise money, but also to maintain the profile of the Museum while it is closed. Every Tuesday in the summer holidays, staff and volunteers will be running free children’s activities at Pittville Pump Room from 10am-3pm. Whilst there visitors can find out more about the progress of the building work by chatting to staff and volunteers.
Children will also be able to follow a special ‘Holst’s Helpers’ Trail, looking for ten individually knitted mice in Cheltenham town centre shops. Trail sheets and stickers will be available at Cheltenham Tourist Information Centre.
DJ 78, a guest on BBC 6 Music will be a particular highlight of the campaign. He will be at the Boathouse Cafe in Pittville Park Sunday 21 August 2-4pm and will be djing using two genuine vintage gramophones. Sponsored by John Baker, Elan Homes and Toni & Guy it will be a ‘Pay What You Think’ event with all contributions going to the ‘Help Holst’ campaign.
Other ways in which the public can get involved include buying a special ‘Help Holst’ mug or bag or even raising money themselves by running a ‘Help Holst’ fundraiser, such as a cake and bake stall. The public are also being encouraged to be part of #HolstInspires – recording a short film clip of themselves talking about how the composer has inspired them and then uploading it to the Museum’s Facebook and Twitter pages.
Laura Kinnear, Curator at the Holst Birthplace Museum says: ‘There will be a range of different ways in which the public can get involved in our ‘Help Holst’ campaign. From attending fun family events such as DJ 78 at Pittville Boathouse, to sponsoring the team as it walks the 35 mile Holst Way, to using one of our ‘Help Holst’ fundraising packs to create a fundraising activity themselves. We really want everyone to get involved in ‘Help Holst’ so we can get the Museum open and start inspiring people again with Holst’s story.’
