Whitehall Museum in Cheam village is an hidden historic gem. The Tudor building is a rare and important survivor from a different age; so it seems sad that many local people are unaware of its existence. We’d like to change that! With the support of the London Borough of Sutton and the Friends of Whitehall, we are applying to the Heritage Lottery Fund for a major investment in this iconic building. The funding will completely refurbish the museum, improve access, introduce new exhibitions, upgrade our visitor facilities and enable us to launch new activities and local events.

The final project has 3 distinct elements – knowing, sharing and saving Whitehall.

Knowing – learning everything we can about Whitehall and its 500 year history. Learning about the people who lived and worked here, about Cheam Village and its community. Who built Whitehall – and why? Was the building originally a Tudor farmhouse, a meeting place, or a local inn?

Sharing – encouraging more people to visit Whitehall, to volunteer and to get involved in our local history and heritage. At present the building is difficult to negotiate for anyone with a physical disability. We aim to make it easier to get around the house, and to ensure the exhibitions are as interactive and accessible as possible.

Saving – restoring the building to the best possible condition, upgrading its services and facilities, and ensuring Whitehall will be able to open its doors to thousands of visitors for many years to come.

How you can get involved and help:

* We want to hear from local businesses. What do you think we could do at the museum to attract more people to the village – more visitors for us and more customers for you? If you have any ideas or would like to talk about our plans in detail, please contact Jane or Jon (details below)

* Many people living in the village have told us that they don’t know about Whitehall and have never visited. Help us get the word out – Whitehall is free and fascinating! Could you display a few copies of our ‘What’s On’ guide for your customers? Or visit our website: https://www.sutton.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1909

* The funding for the project is coming from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the borough. The Friends of Whitehall are also committed to making a major contribution. But the work needed to make Whitehall a great local attraction is expensive and we still need to attract more sponsorship and donations. Could you make a donation towards the project? Donations large and small will be welcome – there’s a donation box inside the museum. Or would you pledge to sponsor some of the resources we’ll need when we re-open? A new bench for the garden or restoration of a painting perhaps? If so, please get in touch with Jane (details below)

* The Friends of Whitehall support the museum in many ways – they provide volunteers, bake cakes, run events, raise money. They are a fabulous local charity. Please support them – either by joining them or by going along to one of the events they work so hard to organise in and around the village. You can find out more information by visiting their website at: http://www.friendsofwhitehallcheam.co.uk

Their next major event is at the Mistletoe Market in the Parochial Halls on Saturday 22nd November 2014 from 10am-4pm. Drop in, buy some Christmas presents, treat yourself to cake!

If you want to know more or think you can help contact: jane.allen@sutton.gov.uk or jon.ward@sutton.gov.uk