Plea for support launched by 'Quay'
MANAGERS of the Lynn-based Wash exhibition centre, café and gift shop The Green Quay – Wash Discovery Centre have launched plans to claw in an extra £20,000 to keep it afloat while its grants are being slashed.
The centre, based at the historic Marriott's Warehouse on South Quay, is expecting to see an annual grant cut of more than 50,000 as part of West Norfolk Council's action plan to keep council tax increases down.
Green Quay Trust chairman Dr Paul Richards said thanks to the commitment of staff the success of recent years, coupled with expected growth, mean the centre can soak up 30,000 of the shortfall, but will need to find 20,000 to keep afloat.
He added: "We are cautiously optimistic we can do it, but it is going to be a challenge. The next three months will be quite important."
The centre has launched a membership scheme and is urging more people to join the 80 who have signed up.
Membership, costing 10 per year, is an opportunity to support the charity, get first refusal on tickets for events, receive an environmental newsletter and get a loyalty card to collect points with purchases toward a free 5 gift voucher.
It has also set up a table selling off donated bric-a-brac and is considering launching a community lottery.
As well as that the trust is writing grant bids and looking to its other management partners – the RSPB, Lottery Millennium Commission, Wash Estuary Strategy Group and English Nature to make up for the council cuts.
Dr Richards said: "I think it's recognised that it's an important waterside heritage venue. We had 70,000 visitors last year and it supports tourism in the town.
"The membership scheme could make a significant contribution to financial viability and be a badge of support."
The Green Quay opened in 2000 and formed a central part of a 4.1 million project to transform Lynn's waterfront.
If you would like to support the centre by becoming a member, cut out the coupon printed on page 6 of today's Lynn News and send it, together with a cheque, to The Green Quay – Wash Discovery Centre, Marriott's Warehouse, South Quay, King's Lynn PE30 5DT. Membership costs 10 per adult and 5 for children 13 and under.
Cheques should be payable to the Green Quay Trust.
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Weather for Kings Lynn
Monday 06 September 2010
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 13 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 25 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 11 C to 19 C
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