Some Unfortunate News for the Museum
The UK’s National Motorcycle Museum applied for a grant from the Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage, and it recently received news that it will not get that grant.
The museum has been hit hard by the impacts of COVID-19, and this is especially dire because the museum typically receives no external funding whatsoever according to its website.
It is funded by visitors to the museum and income from the conference business and two sister hotels. With no large gatherings happening, this means the museum is without the funds it needs to operate.
The grant sought by the museum would help it resume allowing visitors to come and visit. However, According to an email the museum received, it “did not meet the criteria for the programme, and the board has decided not to award a grant through the Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage.”
MoreBikes reported on this unfortunate turn of events and shared the museum’s correspondence. The museum noted that it applied for funding in the under-£1-million category. These funds would have been used to retain the expert team and preserve the collection of British motorcycles, which is the largest in the world.
Now the museum is providing two options in an effort to raise the £500,000 needed just to break even. First, you can donate to the museum. Second, you can enter a raffle. The raffle will go to help the museum but it will also enter you in a chance to win one of three motorcycles shown in the picture above.
The first prize will get a 1977 Norton commando 850cc motorcycle. The second price will get a 1948 Ariel NG 350cc Motorcycle. The third prize will get a 1959 BSA B31 350cc motorcycle. The drawing will take place on Monday, December 21st, 2020.
Note that only UK residents can participate in the raffle due to gambling laws. However, anyone can donate, and I’d love to see motorcycle lovers from around the world donate.