Rustington Museum celebrates National Lottery success

Rustington Museum has received a sizeable grant from the National Lottery, making its move to a new home one step closer to reality.
Samuel Wickens centre unveiling at Rustington. Virginia Collyer, Alison Cooper, Sir Peter Bottomly MP, Jacky Wickens, Jamie Bennett (Chair parish council), Sarah Wickens. Roger Wickens, Pic Steve Robards SR1812180 SUS-180405-111521001Samuel Wickens centre unveiling at Rustington. Virginia Collyer, Alison Cooper, Sir Peter Bottomly MP, Jacky Wickens, Jamie Bennett (Chair parish council), Sarah Wickens. Roger Wickens, Pic Steve Robards SR1812180 SUS-180405-111521001
Samuel Wickens centre unveiling at Rustington. Virginia Collyer, Alison Cooper, Sir Peter Bottomly MP, Jacky Wickens, Jamie Bennett (Chair parish council), Sarah Wickens. Roger Wickens, Pic Steve Robards SR1812180 SUS-180405-111521001

Rustington Parish Council got a grant for £71,400 to fund their project to rehome the museum at the Samuel Wickens Centre in the car park behind Waitrose.

Carole Ward, clerk of the council, said: “We are thrilled to have received this support thanks to National Lottery players to rehouse Rustington Museum in the centre of the village retelling the fascinating history of Rustington.”

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The museum originated in the 1980s when historian Mary Taylor first started documenting the history of Rustington in several books.

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To display her work, the first museum was opened in 1989. Years later, it moved to the museum’s current site in Church Farm Cottages before the council announced it would be selling these premises and moving the museum into the new centre, which opened in May.

The money will go towards new displays in the centre, including residents’ stories, films and low-tech interactive displays.

The museum’s collections include 6,000 items relating to the village, such as fine art and decorative art objects, costume, photographs and postcards, archaeology, and archival documents.