Introducing Swindon Heritage Preservation – otherwise known as the Mechanics’ Institution Trust.
The Mechanics’ Institution Trust has rebranded with a new public-facing name: Swindon Heritage Preservation. Our new slogan is ‘Conserving What Matters to Our Community’. Along with our new logo, we’re working with a local graphic designer to develop a new visual identity. An identity that includes all the buildings we currently operate, as well as some important heritage buildings and features of Swindon railway village and the WORKS area.
Introducing Swindon Heritage Preservation – otherwise known as the Mechanics’ Institution Trust.
The Mechanics’ Institution Trust has rebranded with a new public-facing name: Swindon Heritage Preservation. Our new slogan is ‘Conserving What Matters to Our Community’. Along with our new logo, we’re working with a local graphic designer to develop a new visual identity. An identity that includes all the buildings we currently operate, as well as some important heritage buildings and features of Swindon railway village and the WORKS area.
We’ll be rolling this branding out over the coming months, so watch this space…
Introducing Swindon Heritage Preservation – otherwise known as the Mechanics’ Institution Trust.
The Mechanics’ Institution Trust has rebranded with a new public-facing name: Swindon Heritage Preservation. Our new slogan is ‘Conserving What Matters to Our Community’. Along with our new logo, we’re working with a local graphic designer to develop a new visual identity. An identity that includes all the buildings we currently operate, as well as some important heritage buildings and features of Swindon railway village and the WORKS area.
Branding
Our new brand is important because it represents our identity, current operations, and future ambitions. Since our formation in 1995, we’ve transformed from a campaign group focused exclusively on the Mechanics’ Institution into a building preservation trust. An organisation dedicated to championing Swindon’s heritage and empowering our community.
Our new name also reflects our status as Swindon’s only building preservation trust. The Trust combines building restoration, conservation and history. And also community spaces, social enterprise, and private hire. We further operate various events, activities and groups, including:
- Our award-winning global gardeners programme
- Annual heritage open days
- Educational visits to the railway village museum
- Heritage lectures
- Tours of the railway village
- A model-making club and much, much more.
Our buildings
We currently operate four Grade II listed buildings in the railway village. They are:
- Central community centre
- The railway village museum
- the Cricketers …
- … and the Bakers
Further we remain a powerful advocate for the rescue and restoration of the Mechanics’ Institution. We aspire to grow even further. With significant progress achieved in the past five years, we’re well-placed to play a leading role in the regeneration and reuse of Swindon’s heritage across the borough.
Why Swindon Heritage Preservation?
‘Swindon’ places us geographically. It connects us to our town and community. It also reflects our commitment to offering advice and services across the town and championing all communities and people.
‘Heritage’ represents our core identity. It further establishes the parameters of our work. It’s our firm belief that heritage includes natural and built landscapes. Also buildings, memories and ideas. Not forgetting art and expression, artefacts and books, and traditions and conservation. We’re interested in collecting, celebrating, sharing, promoting and preserving Swindon’s rich and diverse history and heritage.
‘Preservation’ signifies the work we do to conserve, protect, restore and promote all aspects of Swindon’s heritage. And the preservation of our buildings serves as our main priority.
The Mechanics’ Institution
Our trust formed in 1995 with one sole purpose: to save the Mechanics’ Institution as a community heritage asset for the future generations of Swindon. Since then we’ve championed the conservation of the Mechanics’. We believe that, with commitment and perseverance, we cn secure the sustainable public reuse of the building in the near future.
Changes
In the past five years, the Trust has undergone significant changes. We’re now a building preservation trust with ambitions to grow our future operations in, and beyond, the railway village conservation area. Yet we remain committed to the rescue and restoration of the Mechanics’ Institution. We continue to work with our strategic partners, including Swindon Borough Council, Historic England, and the Theatre’s Trust to secure a sustainable future for the building.
We’re much encouraged by the Council’s recent cabinet paper entitled A Route Map for the Mechanics’ Institution. It sets out three steps for unlocking the restoration of the building:
1. reviewing and updating the 2020 viability study
2. Identifying an achievable funding strategy …
3. … and addressing the ownership issue.
Backing the strategy is an initial budget of £110,000, with an option to raise a further £100,00 if needs be.
It’s our belief that the cabinet proposals are the best chance that Swindon has had to deliver a restored Mechanics’ in many, many years. Hence we’ll continue to work closely with the Council to ensure the implementation of the route map, and the long-awaited restoration of the Mechanics’.
Bob Wright, Acting Chair of Swindon Heritage Preservation, said:
‘The decision to adopt Swindon Heritage Preservation as our public-facing name represents an important moment in the history of the Trust. We’ve grown from a campaign group with a sole focus to a community-focused organisation. One tasked with championing all Swindon’s unique heritage for the benefit of all Swindonians.
We’re proud to be playing a leading role in the regeneration and conservation of Swindon’s historic Railway Village and have aspirations to grow further. We remain dedicated to the rescue, restoration and reuse of the Mechanics’. We believe that a resolution on the building’s sustainable future is within reach.
Whether it be:
- Our work in restoring the historic Cricketers building
- Or our community-led programme of events and activities or …
- … our package of educational and skills-based opportunities, we’re turning words into action and bringing back Swindon’s heritage.’
Find out more and get involved
You can find out more and get involved in our work by visiting our new-look website at https://mechanics-trust.org.uk/.
If you share our passion for heritage, and want to be a part of our journey, you can become a member from as little as £1 (plus donation) per year or join us as a volunteer.
For further information, please contact info@mechanics-trust.org.uk.
See also:
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