Strengthening our plans
14 July 2022
Changing landscape
In 2020 the National Lottery Heritage Fund, which we expect will be our main source of funding for the restoration, suspended all new applications. When the programme of funding opened again in February 2021, the grant criteria had changed; the Heritage Fund now has fewer resources and competition for the funds is even stronger.
It is no longer enough to ask for funding to renovate a building, no matter how historically significant the building is. The Heritage Fund also wants to know how the project is going to reach wide audiences, how it will improve people's skills and wellbeing, how it will improve the local area, and how the local economy will be boosted. We need to show what activities will take place, either in the building itself, or because the building exists, which will fulfil at least some of the above criteria.
The proposal for the development of Plas Gunter Mansion must be driven by the business needs of the organisation, not just the physical needs of the building. Essentially, what goes on in the building, the needs of the organisation and the needs of the people it will serve will be of greatest concern to the Heritage Fund, in addition to the historical significance of the building and the events that took place there. In other words, we need to give confidence to our funders that their investment will be safe for many years to come.
The vision of restoring Plas Gunter Mansion as a place for local businesses, a visitor attraction and a centre themed around tolerance, understanding and dialogue immediately suggests a way of meeting the mandatory outcome of the Heritage Fund to involve a wider range of people in heritage. This broad concept has the potential to elevate our proposals for the project to the levels we will need to compete for the £1.6 million we will request from the Heritage Fund.
Despite the strength of the idea, the work we have done over the last year suggests that that more work is necessary in order to build a business case for the operation of Plas Gunter Mansion in the long-term.
Clarifying the plan
Our fundraising consultants have advised that the Trust needs to undertake a small development project to strengthen our application which will:
- Engage with the local community to understand how Plas Gunter Mansion will meet current and future needs,
- Establish who our potential partners might be in delivering the capital development, and more importantly,
- What kind of activity might be delivered when the newly refurbished building is up and running.
The three main strands for such a project are:
- Volunteer engagement
- Community consultation
- Project management
We recently discussed this approach with the Heritage Fund and they have encouraged us to apply for one of their small grants to do this work. We are also likely to approach a number of other funders to contribute to this small project. Our aim is to apply for funding within the next couple of weeks and run the project over the summer.
We want to explore aspects such as:
- How wide an area volunteers and visitors will come from.
- What exactly we can offer in the small mansion space.
- How we can establish digital and other links to other projects, illustrating how the area and local people dealt with oppression and intolerance, e.g. other visitor attractions like Hay Castle or small museums which record local religious or ethnic tolerance and oppression in the past.
- Drawing up alternative business plans, including one which doesn't rely on acquiring the land behind the house – the present owners are reluctant to enter into a sensible conversation with us and have expressed their intention to sell it elsewhere.
- Making sure there is no clash between our plan and those of other local developments to avoid duplication.
- Mapping voluntary organisations who might be involved, e.g. refugee organisations, young people’s services, religious bodies of various denominations, etc.
- Establishing whether we want to offer free access (and how we raise income if so), charge for access, or a combination of both, e.g. charge for guided tours, but not unaccompanied ones.
- How and what we might sell to raise income.
Partners so far
We have started to form partnerships with organisations we believe will make Gunter accessible to the wider community. They will also help us address the Heritage Fund criteria. Two of those partners are below, but the development project will allow us to form other relevant partnerships:
Supporters will be aware that in 2018 and 2019 in partnership with King Henry VIII School in Abergavenny, we ran a Year 7 Humanities Study Day about Gunter (history, tourism, regeneration), which included a pupil visit to the mansion and meeting with our volunteers. We are delighted that post-pandemic the school has confirmed a wish to continue this partnership.
We are also forming a partnership with Contemporancient Theatre, a professional theatre company which explores the history of Wales, engaging communities in their own stories, past and present. They are in the early stages of developing a piece about the story of recusant Catholics hiding in Gunter in the early 17th century, as well as looking at the stories and experience of contemporary refugees from Syria who are finding support in the the town today.
In conclusion
Like the project's supporters, the trustees want to see progress with the main renovation project, not least because the building is still deteriorating. However, unless we strengthen our business plan with the evidence outlined above, it is unlikely we will be granted the amount of funding required for the restoration and use of Plas Gunter Mansion.
We are grateful for the encouragement, ideas and contributions made by many people, including supporters with knowledge and expertise in developing the religious and multicultural aspects of our vision. If you have knowledge or expertise and would like to give a few hours a month to the project, we would love to hear from you.
We will of course keep you posted as the development project progresses. In the meantime, the trustees thank you for your patience and if you have any questions about what you have read above, please email administrator@plasguntermansion.org.uk.
The Trust is absolutely over the moon that the Welsh Government fund, Local Places for Nature, has awarded us £246,000 which will enable us to buy the land behind Gunter. We have also secured £38,000 in match funding from Abergavenny Town Council, the Civic Society and supporter donations. The funds must be used to purchase the land, clear and decontaminate the ground, implement an interim landscape scheme and improve biodiversity so the former gardens can be enjoyed by the community. This is such exciting news as the land plays a pivotal role in our efforts to restore and activate Gunter. Without it the Trust won’t be able to restore the historic building as sensitively as we would like. Subject to negotiations with the current landowners, we will purchase and transform the derelict land into an urban green space for the community with enhanced biodiversity, and reconnect the town’s heritage between Cross Street, Tithe Barn, and St Mary’s Priory. Combined with our Heritage Fund grant the land purchase investment represents a £4.5m regeneration initiative for lower Cross Street - potentially one of the largest regeneration projects the town has seen in recent years. Although this is a separate project to that of the building, the land purchase will allow us to create an extension at the rear of the house. It will enhance the accessibility of the building and give us the opportunity to install green utility options such as an air source heat-pump. We are right at the beginning of the process and conveyancing will take several months but as plans develop we'll keep you posted!
We are thrilled to announce the start of the Plas Gunter Mansion restoration project. This ambitious initiative is largely funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and aims to transform our historic site into a vibrant business, community and visitor hub. The Trust has appointed a distinguished team of professionals to lead the project: World-renowned conservation architects, Purcell , have been appointed to head up the design team. Purcell bring experience of working on a vast range of heritage projects, large and small. The Bristol-based team impressed the trustees not only with their understanding of heritage buildings, but with their collaborative and community-centred approach. Other appointments include the Funding Centre who will support the Trust with business planning and fundraising, and Headland Design Associates who will lead on activities & audience development and interpretive design. Local marketing agency, The Media Agency will be writing our marketing communications strategy. The project's vision is to preserve the rich history of the 17th century Plas Gunter Mansion in Cross Street, Abergavenny while creating a new visitor experience driven by community engagement. The initiative includes plans for a mix of visitor centre, interpretation, and retail spaces, as well as flexible office space on the first floor. Owen Davies, Chair of the Trust, expressed his excitement: "We are embarking on a journey to not only preserve a historic landmark but to also create a meaningful and engaging space for the community. This project is a testament to what can be achieved through collaborative efforts and shared passion for heritage." Plas Gunter Mansion is grateful for the National Lottery Heritage Fund's support, and particularly to National Lottery players who have made this project possible. However, additional funds are crucial to meet the project’s goals. The Trust continues to seek donations, volunteers, and community support. Contributions, whether financial, voluntary, or through sharing the mansion’s story, are vital for the project’s success. For those interested in supporting the Plas Gunter Mansion project, please visit www.plasguntermansion.org.uk or contact our office at info@plasguntermansion.org.uk for more information on how to donate, volunteer, or spread the word. Together, we can ensure that Plas Gunter Mansion remains a cherished part of our heritage for future generations to enjoy.
“One person’s clutter is another’s treasure”, as the saying goes … well, sort of. And this was nowhere more apparent than at the auction of unwanted items to raise money for Plas Gunter Mansion (PGM) and Mind Monmouthshire in early May. The Abergavenny Ladies Business Association (ALBA) and Anna Roberts, one of our long-standing volunteers, organised the event at the King’s Arms Hotel who offered the venue free of charge. As you'll know, we've recently been awarded a development grant of £220,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to start the ball rolling to conserve and transform the house into a fascinating visitor experience. The grant won't cover our everyday running costs though and the funds raised by the auction will go towards much needed regular expenses. Items donated for the sale included 3 beautiful hand-crafted patchwork throws (from Dragonfly Antiques), an antique washing bowl and potty set, a solar powered torch, several framed pictures, empty picture frames, a 70-year old Egyptian embroidered shawl, jigsaw puzzles, a lower body exerciser, handbags and as well as the more usual bric-a-brac. The big sellers of the evening were a guided tour of Rockfield Studios for 2 people, donated by Jane Wyatt and a chimney sweep, donated by The Tidy Sweep and Stove Installers, an Abergavenny-based business. ALBA also organised a raffle and the prizes were donated by local businesses and individuals: The King’s Arms; Kirsty at Headroom, Feodora Hairdressers, Chris Jones, Mary Davies, Trading Post, Pink Angels Office Services, EH Accountancy, Cooks’ Galley and Bailams & Co. At the end of the auction, attendees were invited to browse through what was left and make an offer for items. Proceeds from the night reached £1,116, 70% of which will go to Plas Gunter Mansion and the remaining 30% to Mind Monmouthshire, ALBA’s charity of the year. Any items that did not sell were taken to a charity shop in town the following day. Our Chair, Owen Davies, said: “We are so grateful for the support of ALBA at this year’s auction. The impressive sums raised will make a huge difference to the day to day running costs of Plas Gunter Mansion. “Our Heritage Lottery Funding has to be spent on very specific preparatory work for the building’s restoration, whilst the charity's running costs continue to grow. I was personally delighted to have an enjoyable evening and successfully bid for the Tidy Sweep and a few other bargains.” Event auctioneer, Anna said: “It was a win-win situation,”. “People had the chance to get rid of their clutter, raise money for a good cause and take away items that they wanted or needed more than items they’d donated. “We were astounded by how much we managed to raise from people’s unwanted items. It’s another form of community recycling!” Don't forget that Abergavenny residents and visitors can see a temporary exhibition of the history of the Plas Gunter Mansion and plans for its renovation on the ground floor of the building at 39a Cross Street in the town. Run by volunteers it is open on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 10.30am till 4pm between March and December. ALBA (Abergavenny Ladies Business Association) meets on the first Thursday of every month at the King’s Arms.
Pick up some bargains and raise money for charity! Abergavenny Ladies’ Business Association (ALBA) is offering the the chance to get rid of your quality clutter and bid for bargains at an auction that will raise money for Plas Gunter Mansion and MIND Monmouthshire, the latter being ALBA’s charity of the year. Wednesday 1 st May 2024 Doors open 6.30pm for 7pm start (ends 9ish) King’s Arms Hotel Atrium (back) room, 29 Nevill St, Abergavenny NP7 5AA Tickets on the door: £7 (includes a glass of wine, beer or soft drink) All bargain-hunters welcome – even if you have nothing to donate - because we need buyers! 70% of proceeds to Plas Gunter Mansion* & 30% to MIND Monmouthshire The King’s Arms is kindly providing the venue for free for this charity event. Items for auction must be in good condition and full working order where applicable and things that sell well are antiques, small electricals, ornaments, jigsaws, pictures, picture frames, vouchers for services, unopened toiletries, gift sets, handbags, hats & scarves (etc). NB: no clothes, shoes or books. Drop-off points on the day (or bring along on the night): EH Accountancy: 1 Horsington’s Yard, Lion St, Abergavenny NP7 5PN King’s Arms: 29 Nevill St, Abergavenny NP7 5AA Please bring along plenty of cash! A card machine is available but this will incur charges and reduce the amount going to charity.
Our recent successful application to the National Lottery Heritage Fund means the Trust can get on with developing restoration plans for the building. But the month by month task of maintaining it and making sure Gunter's regular financial outgoings are covered continues. That's why we've launched the Gunter Jackpot! Pay £2 a month to be entered into a monthly prize draw and you could win £40. The Jackpot! is open to anyone and you can buy as many tickets as you like. The monthly prize draw will take place at the end of every month. Find out all the details and buy your tickets by clicking on the link to Gunter Jackpot! Good luck!
Plas Gunter Mansion has been awarded a £222,340 development grant by the National Lottery Heritage Fund to start the ball rolling to conserve and transform the house into a fascinating visitor experience. Plas Gunter Mansion Trust is receiving initial support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to develop plans for a major project to renovate the 17 th century town house located in Cross Street in Abergavenny. Made possible by National Lottery players, the grant will allow the Trust to create detailed restoration plans, develop ideas, including events and activities, which engage more people in the heritage of Gunter Mansion whilst strengthening ties with the local community. It will also be used crucially, to seek over £600,000 of match funding to help deliver the overall vision. By carrying out targeted preparation the Trust will make a full application for a Heritage Fund delivery grant of £3.3m by December 2025. If successful, the delivery grant will enable the full project to begin. This will include essential conservation work and the creation of an exhibition space which will bring the mansion’s fascinating history alive for the community and visitors to Abergavenny. Two commercial spaces for local businesses in the building will also be upgraded so that they generate an income, helping the building to become financially sustainable. Physical work on the building is still over two years away, but eventually there will be a range of educational and social activities, including training for volunteers to act as guides for the exhibition, and the opportunity for an apprenticeship in traditional building crafts and conservation. At present it is anticipated that the refurbished building will re-open in 2027. Commenting on the award, Owen Davies, Chair of Plas Gunter Mansion Trust said: “The potential of our project to engage more people with heritage, boost the local economy and make Abergavenny a better place to live, work and visit is considerable. We will open the most historic parts of the building to the public for the first time and reveal a capsule of stories from the past 400 years. Local, national and international visitors will be able to learn more about the history and cultural identity of Abergavenny and its relevance to the wider themes of persecution, tolerance and sanctuary which are particularly pertinent today”. He added: “I’d also like to thank the local organisations which have supported us including Monmouthshire County Council, the Town Council, Our Lady and St Michael’s and St Mary’s churches, King Henry VIII School and teams of committed volunteers who have helped keep alive the dream of restoring the mansion for our community.” Andrew White, Director of Wales for The National Lottery Heritage Fund said: “We are delighted to support Plas Gunter Mansion Trust with this initial grant to help with the preservation of this important heritage building. Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, this project will enable the Trust to work towards safeguarding this important local landmark for future generations and provide opportunities for its story to be shared.”
The Trust's Annual General Meeting & Presentation took place on 16 November 2023. It was well-attended by around 30 supporters. The formal business of the AGM was followed by a presentation from the Trust's Chair, Owen Davies. He reviewed activities during the past year and gave the audience a glimpse of what the building may look like after the restoration. To find out more about what was discussed and for a glimpse of what the restored building may look like, click on the links below: AGM minutes Presentation and discussion
We are waiting for the Heritage Fund's decision about our £3.1 million application which we should receive in December. In the meantime, the Trust's attention has turned to our everyday finances and we've recognised that we need to do some serious fundraising. Context Costs are going up for the day-to-day running of the Trust, e.g. insurance costs, and our income is not keeping up with expenditure. There have also been a few unexpected one off costs, such as necessary electrical work. This is our immediate focus and we need to raise additional funds to cover our costs. If we are successful and get Heritage Fund funding, we will have to find match funding of around £600,000. We may also need more professional support, such as bookkeeping to manage the large sums of money. This is our longer term goal. We will go out to Trusts & Foundations as part of our fundraising plan but we will also need community support and we need to get into the habit of fundraising as a matter of course. A fundraising group made up of trustees and volunteers had its first meeting last week and discussed a range of suggestions including a lottery, merchandise, events and a social media campaign. We are in the process of firming up some of the ideas, but if you have any experience or interest in helping, or you have a brilliant idea, please get in touch at info@plasguntermansion.org.uk . One of the ways you could really help is by giving the Trust a regular monthly donation. You can do this easily at www.plasguntermansion.org.uk/donate .
The Trust is thrilled to announce that a full application to the National Lottery Heritage Fund has now been submitted! The application was extremely detailed with the Heritage Fund wanting to know what physical work we are planning and what activities we intend to run. We also had to demonstrate how we will include diverse audiences, what economic benefits the project will generate and how the project will continue to be sustainable after the funding stops. Fortunately, the work we did in the first half of the year looking at business planning, funding, audience development and interpretation answered all these questions and more. If you're not familiar with the plans, the building will be divided into four spaces: A visitor centre and exhibition, starting on the ground floor and taking in the most historically significant parts of the building on the first and second floors, including the ornate plasterwork ceiling and attic chapel. One commercial unit on the ground floor. One commercial unit on the ground and first floors. A flexible space on the centre of the first floor which can either be used commercially or by the Trust for various activities. There will also be a range of activities which may be run from the building or from other venues, aimed at bringing the Gunter story to groups of people who might not ordinarily be interested in this type of building. We want Gunter to be well-used locally and an essential tourist attraction for people visiting the town. The total cost of the development is now £3.1 million with us needing to raise around £600,000 from other sources and we will have to wait until December to find out if the application has been successful. Our consultants, Headland Design Associates and The Funding Centre , who were extremely helpful when we were putting together the application, have assured us that we are much better prepared than the majority of applicants, but of course there are no guarantees. If we are successful, we will go into a funded development period of about 18 months during which our plans will be finessed and finalised. We will commission a Conservation Plan which will advise us how to treat the building and how to maintain it after development, detailed architectural plans will be drawn up, exhibition interpretation will be explored and finalised, and activities will be tested and refined. We understand that development applications are often not successful the first time, but this is further than the project has ever got before so we will continue to prepare with all fingers and toes fully crossed.
We are eagerly awaiting the performance of Sanctuary: The Secrets of the Gunter Mansion , a new play by Contemporancient Theatre currently in rehearsal. You can see it at the Borough Theatre Abergavenny from 21 to 24 June.
