 |
Birmingham Liberal DemocratsCampaigning for a Cleaner, Greener and Safer Birmingham |
 |
Staffordshire Hoard Saved
March 23, 2010 10:45 PM
Cllr Martin Mullaney has welcomed the "excellent news" that the money has been raised to keep the Staffordshire Hoard in the West Midlands. Photo by portableantiquities - http://www.flickr.com/photos/finds/
All the £3.3 million to save the Staffordshire Hoard has now been raised after the National Heritage Memorial Fund pledged nearly £1.3 million to the cause. The Anglo-Saxon treasures can now be purchased by Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery and the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery in Stoke-on-Trent.
This was described as "excellent news" by Councillor Martin Mullaney, Cabinet Member for Leisure, Sport & Culture, who said:
"It is a great achievement to secure the hoard for the West Midlands. Not only has the necessary £3.3 million to return the hoard to its rightful home been raised a month ahead of schedule but a staggering £800,000 of this has been raised by personal donations. I have been overwhelmed by the public response and can't thank enough everyone who has given and supported our campaign in helping us bringing the Hoard home."
A selection of 59 items from the Staffordshire Hoard are currently on display at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery and The Potteries Museum and Art Gallery in Stoke-on-Trent. Details on how to contribute to the fundraising campaign are available on the Museum's website at www.bmag.org.uk/support-us Further information on Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery can be found at www.bmag.org.uk.
Councillor Martin Mullaney added:
"The discovery of the Staffordshire Hoard is of huge significance - in regional, national and indeed international terms."
"Experts and specialists will want to pore over these finds for many years to come. And there has been huge public interest in the treasure. After the initial discovery of the Hoard - with the kind permission of the British Museum - a short term display of some of the finds was hosted at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery. What followed was pretty phenomenal. Over a 19 day period - some 40,000 members of the public queued up (with great patience) to see the display. Many of them contributed very generously to the appeal raising nearly £40,000. This clearly demonstrates the local passion to bring this treasure back to the West Midlands."