Help to create Tamworth Heritage Centre

Tamworth is an incredible town with a rich history, and we need your help to celebrate it with a community-run, inspiring state-of-the-art Heritage Centre in the heart of our town.

We are launching a crowdfunding campaign to create a Heritage Centre that will allow people to explore the fascinating stories of Tamworth's past.

From the ancient Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia to the industrial revolution and beyond, Tamworth's history is something to be proud of, and we want to ensure it is preserved for future generations. We want to encourage people to take pride in their community and to better understand each other through telling their stories.

Many of Tamworth’s historical treasures remain hidden away due to a lack of exhibition space. Our goal is to bring them into the spotlight, ensuring they are preserved and appreciated for generations to come. We want to foster pride in our community and help people connect through the stories of our town.

Together with Tamworth Castle Museum, we aim to make history more accessible by showcasing the best of Tamworth. The centre will feature an extensive collection of art, artefacts, relics, and historical finds—many of which have never been displayed before.

Why it's a great idea:

The new Tamworth Heritage Centre will provide a dedicated, sustainable space where history can be explored and celebrated. This centre will serve as a museum and art gallery and a hub for education, tourism, and cultural activities, enriching the local community and attracting visitors from around the world. It will also increase visitor footfall to the town centre, boosting the local economy.

The funds raised will go directly to:

- Establishing the heritage centre in a prime town centre location.

- Creating interactive, inspiring exhibits showcasing the best of Tamworth's history.

- Curating educational programmes for schools and local groups.

- Developing a space that hosts workshops, talks, and events.

- Creating a digital archive for people to access Tamworth's history from anywhere.

The centre will bring to Tamworth:

Interactive Exhibits: Dive into the town's Anglo-Saxon roots, the legacy of Tamworth Church and Castle, and the role the town played during the Industrial Revolution and beyond. Interactive displays, digital time-lines, and engaging exhibits will bring history to life!

Museum Spaces: Dedicated galleries showcasing historical artefacts and collections which have never before been exhibited to the public - plus rolling exhibitions of other collections from across the region.

Community Learning Zone: A space for educational programmes, talks, and workshops where people can learn about and value their heritage - plus a research area where people can directly access Tamworth's extensive historic archives.

Virtual Access: A digital archive for those who cannot visit in person, offering access to exhibitions, collections, and research materials online.

Our vision: a heritage hub for everyone

The centre will feature:

- over 150 square meters of permanent and temporary exhibition space

- a dedicated art gallery - the first of its kind in Tamworth

- research rooms for archival and historical research, available to to the general public

- two self-contained offices, designated for community groups and start-up ventures

- bookable meeting space for use by the wider community

- over 100 square meters of museum-standard archival storage space

- completely accessible facilities

We would love you to be a part of this story. We are looking to raise funds to help meet costs associated with purchasing the centre; fitting out and converting it into a state-of-the-art heritage resource. We are looking to complete fund raising by July and opening the centre in December 2025.

Any donation, large or small will help make this vision a reality - and makes your mark in history!

As a thank you for your support we are pleased to offer the following exclusive rewards!

Donate £50+ - receive a special thank you letter plus unique Heritage Centre badge

Donate £150+ - the above plus an exclusive invitation to the grand opening ceremony

Donate £300+ - the above plus get your name printed in a special commemorative souvenir booklet when the Centre opens

Donate £1000+ - the above plus your name on a special donors board in the Centre to record your generosity for posterity

There are also corporate sponsorship opportunities available - please get in touch for further details.

This is a collaborative enterprise between St. Editha's Church, Tamworth; Tamworth Castle and the Tamworth and District Civic Society. This fund-raiser is being managed by the Tamworth Town Centre Forum on behalf of St. Editha's Church, Tamworth, who are processing the donations for this project.

More details can be found at our website - www.tamworthheritage.co.uk

Rev. Andrew Lythall, Vicar of Tamworth, introduces the exciting prospect of a Heritage Centre in Tamworth.

Lara Rowe, Tamworth Castle and Archives Manager, explains what the Heritage Centre will bring to the town.