A project by: Peter Swift
Fountains Hall is getting refurbished in Summer 2017. We will have more music rooms, a multimedia studio, and an increase in capacity and utility for the main hall. Alongside this, we would like to improve disabled access to the space, to provide it with a disabled toilet and shower, and a lift between the ground floor and upper level. Since this is a Grey project, the College has to raise money to put towards the refurbishment and we’d love your support to see it become accessible to all.
Steve Gregory and I, Peter Swift, are running this project with support from the Grey College Projects’ Officer, Nathan Young. I am the Vice-Master of Grey College, a former student and College Trustee. During my time at Grey, I benefited from Fountains Hall and would like to see that benefit available to a wider group of people. Steve Gregory is also an alumnus and College Trustee – he founded the Grey Business Angels scheme, which helps students contact Alumni working in fields of interest to them. Nathan is supporting this crowdfunding platform as a whole, as well as having followed crowdfunding for a number of years and getting into the finals of the Durham University Blueprint Award, a business competition.
Fountains Hall is a tremendously valuable space to Grey College. It has a chapel, music rooms and main hall – which serves as a theatre, event venue, badminton court and exhibition space. Fountains Hall is used by the Christian Union, Cheerleaders, Boat Club, Choir, numerous music groups, Grey In The Community, Arts Committee, and theatre groups, most notably Grey’s own Phoenix (formerly Fountains) Theatre Company.
Fountains Hall was opened in 1971, when Grey had just over 300 students. Now we have over 1000. It was and is a tremendously valuable space, but the refurbishment will make sure it maintains that usefulness in the future. The Chapel will not be changed at all, but in the rest of the building, we are increasing the number of music rooms as well as creating a multimedia room and an arts studio. One of the music rooms will function as a green room for the main hall, which has now been expanded and will meet fire regulations so as to seat a much larger number of people. We’ve planned these changes, discussing them with members of Grey and then fund-raised in partnership with the College, Durham University and Grey Junior Common Room. It’s been a long process so far, but we aren’t finished.
New planned layout of Fountains Hall
We want to make this new space available to all, and a key part of that will be disabled access. In order for disabled people to access the religious, musical and artistic opportunities the building presents, they should be able to reach all the rooms and have a toilet suited to their needs. The presence of the toilet is required by law, but we would like to go further – we want to work with you, particularly in relation to this new crowdfunding platform, to fund a disabled toilet, shower and a lift to the upper level of the building. The Grey College Trust has set aside £1500 in matched funding so that the first £1500 you give will be doubled. In supporting this project, you will help our community in becoming more accessible.
You can share this page, give money, or contact us if you would like to help, so please support the project today.
There are three elements to this project, for which the budget estimates are as follows:
But that’s over £10,000
Correct. Since the toilet is a legal requirement, there is some money put aside for that already, so £10,000 is the minimum required to the get Fountains Hall to be accessible to our desired standard.
What if you raise more?
More money will go to improving the fixtures and fittings of Fountains Hall above our minimum specification.
What if you only raise £3,000, or somewhere in between?
If we only raise £3,000, we will just buy the disabled shower and toilet. There is a little extra money for contingency. Anywhere between £3,000 and £10,000 and we will make a decision as to what will leave Fountains Hall best for disabled people, likely putting preference on the lift, if we raise enough money.
What if you don’t raise £3000?
You won’t be charged anything and the project will not happen. We will build a disabled toilet only, using money already set aside.
How often will I be updated?
We’ll keep everyone updated regularly once the build starts, with monthly updates for those who give to at least the £10 level.
One of the key ways crowdfunding is different to other types of fundraising is that it is easy to give a little reward to each person who donates. We’ve picked some fun thank-yous for those who choose to give to this project.
Please follow us on social media to keep up to date:
Twitter https://twitter.com/grey_college
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/greycollegejcr/
We need all the help we can get. Please share this project on social media, tell your friends about it and tell us of any other media connections you may have. Projects like this succeed when many people get on board, so you don’t need to give financially to give a big hand – a share on social media is said to be worth about £10 of future donations! That said, if you can give, please do, because we want to see this project succeed.
Fountains hall is a wonderful space and soon will be even better. Please make it available to all and support us today!