Maidenhead & Windsor

The Royal Windsor and Maidenhead Borough has stepped in with grant aid for a local community project that is looking to the future because of its concern for the past.

Maidenhead Heritage Centre, currently renovating a former town centre public house to provide a permanent home for its treasures, is benefiting from a council grant of £12,000 to provide a lift that will make its new Park Street premises accessible to everyone.

Cllr David Burbage, Windsor and Maidenhead council leader, said members and friends of the Maidenhead Heritage Centre had shown remarkable determination to fulfil their dream of finding a permanent home.

He said: "We have been able to provide grant funding from the current year's budget and I am delighted we can offer practical help for such a very worthwhile project, which will add value to Maidenhead town centre.

"We have all admired the commitment and get-up-and-go attitude shown by members and friends of the centre, which at one time faced an uncertain future. We believe the council grant will be well used and will benefit people of all ages across our community."

Richard Poad, heritage centre chairman, said: "This grant from the Royal Borough is tremendous news and a great boost to the final stages of our fundraising campaign. We can now look forward to opening in the late spring and enabling local people to discover the wealth of history on their doorsteps."

The council's grants panel has recommended a further £9,000 for the heritage centre in 2008/09. A final decision on all grants for the year ahead will be taken by the full council when it meets on Tuesday February 26.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead