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City MP becomes patron of Royal Marines Museum campaign

By 28 January 2019September 8th, 2022No Comments

Portsmouth South’s Stephen Morgan MP announced as a patron of the campaign to help relocate invaluable Royal Marines Museum 

The museum was previously located in Eastney. Several reasons have made a move essential. Primarily, the safety of the invaluable collection is being threatened by the building’s disrepair. The geographical location of the Eastney site also makes it difficult to reach and the inadaptability of the building has been hindering the museum’s prospects of growth and the customer experience. At the moment, the world-renowned collection remains in storage.

On the matter Mr. Morgan said:

“Right now, the collection is hidden away. It is a huge injustice that the public doesn’t have access to artefacts that tell the story of one of the military’s finest Corps.”

Following the closure in Eastney last year, proposals were put forward for the site to move to Portsmouth in 2020. However, these hopes were dashed when the Heritage Lottery Fund grant of nearly £13 million was denied. Stephen Morgan MP and the Royal Marines Museum campaign have refused to give up this battle and are determined to raise the funds needed.

The MP has said:

“Since the Royal Marines creation in 1664 they have been involved in some of the country’s most significant battles, without them, many of us wouldn’t be here today. The least we can do is ensure that their story is heard.”

The Heritage Lottery Fund had previously awarded funding in 2016 and has already offered vital support to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.

The organisation has been a victim of an uncertain funding landscape and it is unfortunate that this has affected the Royal Marines Museum. This has done nothing to deter Mr. Morgan and the Royal Marines Museum campaign. They remain confident in their ability to secure the funding needed, but only if people are able to get behind the campaign.

Mr. Morgan added:

“The project has already raised £3 million, I have been told by the campaigners that the sale of Eastney will generate £2 million more. Now we need another £5 million.

It falls on the shoulders of those who share our passion for the armed forces to help make this move a reality.”

Mr. Morgan has stressed the importance of raising the funds as quickly as possible so that the public do not further lose out on this opportunity to learn about and experience the history of the Royal Marines.