Guests gathered at the Lady Lever Art Gallery in Port Sunlight, Wirral, to mark the centenary of the laying of the gallery’s foundation stone by King George V in 1914.

Attendees were welcomed by National Museum Liverpool’s Chair of the trustees, Phil Redmond (TV’s Brookside creator) and Director of Art Galleries, Sandra Penketh. The event was an opportunity to reveal plans for £2.8m improvements to the venue that include 500 square metres of gallery space being transformed and returned to its original architectural design. The Heritage Lottery Fund already has given the project a first round pass, which includes a development grant of £149,400.

Sandra Penketh said: ‘We are delighted that the Heritage Lottery Fund has accepted our first round application. This project will transform the gallery and breathe new life into the collections. It will also mean improved accessibility for our visitors and greater educational resources for local schools and the community.’