VIRIDOR has given the Brunel Institute Founders’ Campaign a £250,000 boost.
The award, from Viridor Credits Environmental Company, is operated through the Landfill Communities Fund.
The ‘Brunel Institute - conservation and learning centre’, is due to open in 2010.
Managed by the ss Great Britain Trust, it will be sited in the Great Western Dockyard next to the ss Great Britain.
As well as becoming home to a national Brunel Archive, and a maritime library of international significance, the Brunel Institute will deliver outreach education programmes and pioneering initiatives such as the ‘Future Brunels Programme’.
Working with schools, the Brunel Institute will identify, nurture and provide schoolchildren with unique opportunities and experiences, designed to help them become the nation’s ‘Future Brunels’.
To date the Trust has secured more than £3.9 million towards the £6 million target.
The award from Viridor Credits Environmental Company represents the biggest gift received by the Trust through the Landfill Communities Fund, which is regulated by ENTRUST.
Fundraiser for the ss Great Britain Trust, Vanessa Edwards, commented: “We are delighted with the £250,000 award from Viridor Credits Environmental Company. It represents a major investment in the nation’s future, as well as the past – through the Brunel Institute’s education programmes, the archive and library.
“This funding provides a major boost for the Brunel Institute Founders’ Campaign, and will help the ss Great Britain Trust create a conservation and learning centre which Bristol and the nation will be proud of, and which will be a fitting legacy to Isambard Kingdom Brunel – the UK’s greatest engineer.”
Patrick Capper, Chief Executive Officer, of Viridor Credits Environmental Company, said: “We are delighted to be able to assist in this initiative that will preserve and indeed further the knowledge base of one of the world’s greatest engineers.”
The ss Great Britain Trust’s fundraising team will be approaching grant-making trusts, corporates and individuals for their support over the next few months.
The Viridor award follows the Heritage Lottery Fund grant of £640,000.
The largest corporate donation to date, of £60,000, has been from Linden Homes Western which is sponsoring the Brunel Institute Founders’ Campaign.
As part of its ground-breaking partnership with the ss Great Britain Trust, Linden Homes is redeveloping the old dockyard site alongside Brunel’s famous ship on Bristol’s harbourside.
Linden Homes will build the shell of the Brunel Institute, as part of its development at the Great Western Dockyard that also includes 145 one and two-bedroom apartments.
The ss Great Britain Trust is also working with partners, including the University of Bristol and Bristol’s City Museum and Art Gallery.
Bookmark this page
What's this?