Shademakers, in partnership with the Isle of Wight Council, has been awarded almost £250,000 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to support the transformation of Department, Ryde.
This funding will enable the repair and conservation of parts of this important Grade II listed building — including the façade and garret rooms which are of great heritage value.
It will also record, catalogue and celebrate the building’s social history.
The project will transform the first and second floors of this Grade II listed former department store into high quality spaces for the community and creatives, echoing the building’s history over the past 150 years.
It will celebrate the heritage of the building from when it was the hardware and electrical store Woods and Wilkins in the 1800s through to the late 1960s when it became Packs & Culliford department store and latterly the Elizabeth Packs clothing shop.
As part of this funding, an exhibition of artefacts discovered during building renovations will be on display when Department reopens next year.
This will go alongside a collection of oral histories and a performance inspired by the building’s past.
This will be collected through working with the community and local history groups as well as public open days.
Department will become a new cultural space in the heart of Ryde town centre, offering a space to dream big, create, display, perform, learn, and exchange skills.
As previously announced, the transformation of the building has received funding from the Department of Culture Media and Sport as part of their Cultural Development Fund also in partnership with the Isle of Wight Council.
Sharon George, Creative Director of Shademakers said:
“The Department, Ryde has always been more than bricks and mortar. Its story has been tucked away behind floorboards, wallpaper, false walls and hidden in the photo albums and newspapers of the local community."
"This project will allow us to work with wide range of community volunteers and groups to unpack its historical timeline and reveal fully its heritage for the first time.”
Stuart McLeod, Director of England - London & South at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said:
“We’re delighted to support this exciting project that will transform a Grade II listed building into a new space for Ryde’s community."
"This project is a great example of partners coming together to create a new and usable space, that will share the hidden stories of its past with new archive collections and exhibitions."
"This investment will be felt across the community, bringing heritage to life and allowing this building to thrive once more.”
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