Heugh Battery Museum 'very stable going forward' after fundraising success

Heugh Battery Museum at the Headland in Hartlepool.
Picture by Jane ColtmanHeugh Battery Museum at the Headland in Hartlepool.
Picture by Jane Coltman
Heugh Battery Museum at the Headland in Hartlepool. Picture by Jane Coltman | Johnston Press
Council chiefs declared they are ‘very pleased’ with the position of the Heugh Battery Museum going forward after past financial troubles.

The historic site on the Headland was saved from closure last year after museum bosses launched a fundraising campaign to pay the bills and keep the doors open.

They began with an initial target of £5,000 but in the end raised over £32,000 after support flooded in following an SOS that the museum was in dire straits.

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The community and high-profile supporters rallied round, with the Mail launching its Battery Charge campaign to galvanise support for what is the First World War battlefield site in the UK.

Speaking at the Hartlepool Borough Council Regeneration Services Committee, Coun Jim Lindridge asked council officers what position the museum was in now and for the future.

David Worthington, head of culture and information on the council, and council representative on the museum board, said they remain in a very stable position going forward and have plans for further future fundraising campaigns.

He said: “The Battery had a major fundraising campaign last year and earlier into this year, that fundraising campaign has meant they are now very stable as an organisation going forward.

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“They plan future fundraising campaigns to make sure they remain in a stable condition.

“I’m very pleased with the way they are going forward now.”

Mr Worthington added the council continues to support the museum, although not financially, as they look to develop plans for the future.

He added: “Part of my role as trustee is to ensure they work within budgets and they now have a much stronger board as well and I feel confident they will manage their assets going forward in a robust way.”

The Heugh Battery was built in 1860 to help defend the port of Hartlepool.

It played a key role in defending the town during the bombardment of Hartlepool in 1914.

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