There has been some controversy about the proposal for the City Council to transfer the Gloucester Life Museum (formerly the Folk Museum) to Gloucester Civic Trust. One of the reasons for some of the concerns expressed may be a lack of understanding of who the Civic Trust is.

In fact, the proposal is to transfer the building to Gloucester Historic Buildings Ltd, a joint City Council and Civic Trust company which has the ability to bring in funding to secure the preservation of this important listed building. The Civic Trust would then use it as a base for its activities, whilst maintaining public access to the building and displays. The property is also known as Bishop Hooper’s Lodging, due to the fact that the Protestant martyr spent his final night there before being burned at the stake. The charred remains of the stake are still on display!

Set up in 1972 in response to the loss of some of Gloucester’s heritage

The Civic Trust was set up in 1972 in response to the loss of some of Gloucester’s heritage at that time – a time when developers and politicians were perhaps less concerned about heritage than I like to think we are today.

Gloucester Historic Buildings has during its time been responsible for restoring some of Gloucester’s most important heritage assets – from the Dick Whittington pub to Ladybellegate House. The Civic Trust itself also took on St Michael’s Tower on The Cross, which was empty for over a decade, restored it and now use it as a heritage centre.

The Trust also run the guided tours of the city, undertaken by volunteers who have to pass a rigorous test – something my own mother is training for at the moment. They scrutinise and comment on planning applications, acting as the city’s heritage watchdog. The Council and Civic Trust don’t always agree but there is a healthy respect from each side.

It is the Civic Trust’s impressive base of volunteers that leads us to believe they could successfully take on the Life Museum building and make more of it than we do today. In 2013 they were presented with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service by the Duke of Gloucester (on my 40th birthday as it happens) and Robin Morris, their Chairman for more than 25 years, has since been awarded the MBE.

There is always more that can be done

Their range of activities covers more than I could fit into this column – see www.gloucestercivictrust.org for more details. Although their volunteer pool is large, there is always more that can be done, so do contact them if you can help.

At the time of writing, nothing has yet been agreed on the Life Museum proposal. But if there is any organisation whose record and purpose is fitting for such a task it is the Civic Trust.