W
L
A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR PORT SUNLIGHT
North West charity, Port Sunlight Village Trust (PSVT),
has been awarded a Resilient Heritage grant by The
National Lottery Heritage Fund towards a 12-month
project aptly named ‘Brighter Future’. The funding
supports the launch of their first five-year strategic plan,
which articulates a dynamic new vision for PSVT and the
historic village that it is responsible for.
Supported by the National Lottery, the grant will strengthen
PSVT’s income generation potential and facilitate the
development of an enhanced and sustainable offer for
visitors, village residents and the wider local community. As
a result of the project, two new staff posts will also be created
including a Volunteer Manager and Fundraising Officer.
The launch of the strategic plan will provide stakeholders
with a clear understanding of PSVT’s new direction, which
sets the course for a successful, sustainable future for the
village, building on the organisation’s successes of previous
years.
A combination of robust financial planning, diverse income
streams, improvements in the quality and scope of the visitor
proposition, sustainable conservation, superior conditions
for the workforce, and working with and for residents will
be the focus over the coming years.
The National Lottery grant represents the first step towards
realising the organisation’s new vision for Port Sunlight, ‘to
be an inspiring place to live, work and visit’.
The objectives are:
• To make the best possible use of PSVT’s heritage assets
• To maximise income potential through fundraising
and commercial activity
• To build the capacity of the PSVT workforce and
increase skills
Port Sunlight is the UK’s finest example of an industrial
worker village and early Garden City planning, attracting
300,000 visitors annually. The village was built to house
Lever’s ‘Sunlight Soap’ factory workers, but today is home
to a fascinating museum, 900 Grade-II listed buildings,
beautiful architecture, a world-class art gallery, 130 acres of
stunning parkland and a thriving community.
Paul Harris, Chief Executive of PSVT explains their
ambitious plans to secure a sustainable future for the village;
“We’re delighted that our future plans have received such
an endorsement from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
We know that our plans are ambitious. However, this is
not a solo undertaking. It is a responsibility and privilege
that we share with other Port Sunlight stakeholders.
Together we must capitalise on our shared heritage, seize
new opportunities, and display some of William Lever’s
entrepreneurial drive, flair and imagination to create a
homely, inclusive, welcoming village and an internationally
renowned, financially successful heritage site.”
For more information about the plans in full, please visit
www.portsunlightvillage.com
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