"Raising The Roof"

A Fundraising Exhibition

May 24th - June 22nd 2003

In 2003, Walford Mill Crafts was awarded a South West Arts' Regional Arts Lottery Programme (RALP) grant of £41,000 for our "Raising The Roof" project. We needed to raise £10,000 matched funding.

We had already been supported by East Dorset District Council, Dorset County Council, Lloyds TSB and help in kind from JP Morgan and Microsoft and further fundraising took place through the 'Raising The Roof' auction exhibition at Walford Mill Crafts.   This remarkable exhibition consisted of a wonderful and diverse range of contemporary craft work generously donated by over a hundred well known local and national craftspeople. Many pieces were especially made for this project. All the work on show were auctioned throughout the exhibition and bids could be made on any item throughout the exhibition.

Walford Mill produced a high quality catalogue describing the work in this exhibition with an introduction kindly written by John Makepeace, furniture designer.

We would like to thank all of those who have kindly helped us with the "Raising The Roof" project. We raised £10,148.50 through this auction exhibition which was used towards the feasibility study of the new proposed building.