Back in the spring of 2019, when we began this community archive project for Fairlight, Guestling and Pett, no one foresaw the pandemic, so we didn’t expect that getting to this stage would take the best part of three years.
Now finally, we have a home for the archive, secure, wired, equipped, and furnished and we are planning for digital cataloguing of our collections to commence in the first half of 2022. We are holding an opening day at Pett Methodist Church on Saturday, February 12, so you can see for yourself.
On the day, the lord-lieutenant of East Sussex, Andrew Blackman, will formally declare the archive resource centre (ARC) room open at 11:30am. In the main hall, we will be exhibiting a collection of original artwork from significant 20th-century artists with links to this area. Haydon Luke will be giving an extended talk about this subject, at 12 noon and 2 pm. As well as the exhibition and the talks, there will be refreshments and a chance to talk to committee members about future plans and to see the ARC room. Entry is free but you will be encouraged to support us by becoming (or renewing as) a friend of the ARC under a new, annual scheme. The cost of running the ARC is modest, but it doesn’t pay for itself!
Getting to this point has required money and dedicated time, so the open day is also an opportunity to thank all those who’ve helped us make it this far: Rother District Council and our ward councillors, Roger Bird and Andrew Meir; the Isabel Blackman Foundation; Fairlight, Guestling and Pett parish councils; and the many individuals from across the area who have made donations, large and small, to our friends’ fund or who have donated equipment or their time.
We look forward to welcoming you on the day and if, when you have seen what is planned, you would like to get more involved in the project just have a word with one of the committee members or email archiveresourcecentre@outlook.com
Please note: masks may still be required on the day.
Image Credits: Fran Rogers .