The National Lottery Heritage Fund Acknowledgement Stamp

Littlehampton Town Council awarded grant by The National Lottery Heritage Fund to transform Littlehampton Museum

 

Littlehampton Town Council has been awarded a £127,913 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to transform the collections of Littlehampton Museum and strengthen the foundations for the Museum’s future development. Using money raised by National Lottery players, The National Lottery Heritage Fund supports projects that connect people and communities with the UK’s heritage. Transforming Littlehampton Museum is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we will be able to revitalise Littlehampton Museum by developing a more representative and inclusive collection, ensuring the best use of resources and strengthening community ownership. A special exhibition in 2028 will celebrate both the Museum’s centenary and its transformation.

Littlehampton Museum has been at the heart of the town’s cultural life for almost a century. However, a 2024 community consultation highlighted the need for the Museum’s collections and displays to better reflect the current diversity of the town. A review of the social history collections also revealed that around half of the objects held had no direct relevance to Littlehampton or the Museum’s wider collecting area. Without this funding, the opportunity to reshape the collections and ensure they remain meaningful, inclusive and sustainable for future generations would not be possible.

This project will enable the Museum to work closely with the local community to co-develop its collections and displays, increasing access, participation and representation. Key activities will include:

  • Contemporary collecting with residents to reflect the town’s evolving diversity.
  • Responsible dispersal of items not relevant to local history, finding appropriate homes elsewhere.
  • Volunteer training to record new oral histories, including from local businesses and Body Shop employees past and present..
  • Digitisation of historic cassette tape oral histories for long term preservation and access.
  • New community displays, release of newly recorded stories, and free oral history/film events.
  • A major 2028 exhibition marking the Museum’s 100th anniversary and showcasing the project’s impact.

The project will also build strong foundations for the Museum’s long-term sustainability. A specialist consultant will be appointed to explore future funding opportunities and potential governance and housing models, ensuring the Museum is resilient, well-managed and ready for the future.

All activities will culminate in a centenary exhibition in 2028 celebrating 100 years of Littlehampton Museum and its evolution into a more inclusive, outward-looking and community-led organisation. Updates and event details will be shared via the Museum’s website.

The project has also been supported by  Museum Development South East who have awarded a grant of £615 as match funding, to enable the training of volunteers in oral history interviewing. They also provided valuable advice and support during the application process. 

Councillor Freddie Tandy, Chair of Littlehampton Town Council’s Community Resources Committee, said: “We are thrilled to have received this support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, this project will revitalise Littlehampton Museum by transforming how and what we collect, creating a more representative and inclusive collection. It will remove barriers to participation, ensure the best use of resources and strengthen community ownership, culminating in a special exhibition in 2028 to celebrate both the Museum’s centenary and its transformation.”

 

Stuart McLeod, Director of England - London & South at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “We’re delighted to support Littlehampton Town Council in this important project to re‑energise the Museum’s collections and put local people at the heart of shaping its heritage. Thanks to National Lottery players, the Museum will be able to share the story of Littlehampton, reflecting the town as it is today as well as its long and distinctive heritage, for generations to come.”

 

The National Lottery Heritage Fund is the largest funder for the UK’s heritage. Using money raised by National Lottery players we support projects that connect people and communities to heritage. Our vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future. From historic buildings, our industrial legacy and the natural environment, to collections, traditions, stories and more. Heritage can be anything from the past that people value and want to pass on to future generations. We believe in the power of heritage to ignite the imagination, offer joy and inspiration, and to build pride in place and connection to the past.