A special reception was held in the Garden Gallery at the Museum of Farnham on Friday 15 May to thank local civic societies and private donor Lucinda Fleming for their generous support of a fundraising campaign to help repair and restore the museum’s historic building, Willmer House.

The event brought together representatives of Farnham Town Council, the Farnham & District Museum Society, Farnham Public Art Trust, The Farnham Society and Farnham Building Preservation Society to thank them for their support of the Buy a Brick campaign, which was launched last year to help fund essential repairs to the Grade I listed building and safeguard the future of the Museum of Farnham for generations to come.

Guests who have donated at the top tier of the campaign were presented with their engraved commemorative bricks by Emma Simpson MBE of Simpson Brickwork Conservation, whose specialist work has played a key role in the restoration project. 

The Mayor of Waverley, Councillor Penny Rivers, attended the reception and gave a speech, thanking donors and local civic societies for their commitment to preserving one of the town’s most important heritage assets, commenting that: “A brick alone is a lonely brick and not of much use, but lots of bricks together can a wall or a museum make; when we work alone we are not very effective, when we work cooperatively we can do so much more…”

The Buy a Brick campaign invited supporters to contribute towards the restoration by sponsoring a brick, with the top tier donations having their name secretly engraved on a brick (only 24 available) leaving a lasting mark on the building while helping to fund vital conservation work. Other tiers offer donors their name on a special plaque inside the museum and a certificate as well as an invitation to the grand reopening launch celebration.

The funds raised are supporting repairs to the fabric of Willmer House, ensuring the museum can continue to welcome visitors, host exhibitions and celebrate Farnham’s rich local history.

Also present, Councillor Kika Mirylees, Waverley Borough Council’s Portfolio Holder for Community Services, Leisure and EDI, who has been instrumental on the project, said:

“Farnham Museum is a much-loved part of our local heritage, and the support shown through the Buy a Brick campaign has been truly heartening. We’re incredibly grateful to the civic societies and individual donors who have helped make this restoration possible. Events like this reception are an opportunity to say thank you and to recognise the community effort that goes into protecting and celebrating our shared history.”

More information about the Buy a Brick campaign and the restoration of Willmer House can be found at: https://www.waverley.gov.uk/council-updates/read-our-latest-news/buy-a-brick-and-help-restore-willmer-house.

We understand that not everyone is able to donate £50 or more, and we want everyone to feel part of this important project, so you can also make a donation of any amount by selecting the "Buy a Brick" option and use the reference "EveryBrickCounts". You can also donate in person at the Museum.

Images courtesy of Matthew Gordon