Dewsbury Corporation bought the Crow Nest estate including a large Victorian merchant's home and 74 acres of surrounding parkland for the benefit of the people of Dewsbury back in 1893. For 120 years since 1896 the building commonly known as the Park Mansion has been home to Dewsbury museum and the focal point of Crow Nest Park - the only Victorian landscaped park in Dewsbury.
The building is Grade II listed and you can find all the historic background of the Park Mansion and of Crow Nest Park on the Historic England website.
In October this year Kirklees Council decided to close the museum and dispose of the building - triggering a powerful reaction by the local Dewsbury community including a petition that produced more than 1,200 signatures.
And on 10 November 2016 the people of Dewsbury launched the Friends of Dewsbury Park Mansion community group as the first step in securing the imposing Grade II listed building for future generations of the Dewsbury community.
Friends of Dewsbury Park Mansion
The Friends of Dewsbury Park Mansion organisation is intended to be the organisation through which the community will deal with Kirklees Council.
The Council wishes to dispose of the building and while it is offering a Community Asset Transfer process to the community it is simultaneously offering the building for commercial sale if the Friends group is unable to develop a robust business proposal.
The group may subsequently be modified into the most appropriate legal form to take forward any business plan which is adopted.
The Draft Constitution was approved. Click the PDF image to the right to download.
Nominations and Proposals
In order to spread the net as wide as possible and ensure that as many willing community residents as possible were:
- made aware of the situation
- had the opportunity to volunteer (or be volunteered!)
..... a further meeting was agreed for voting and the election of officers.
Friends of Dewsbury Park Mansion
Election of Officers
The meeting for election of Officers is on
November 22nd at 10:00am at the Mansion.
The Committee
Nominations are required of those willing to serve on the Committee. It was agreed that the elected committee would then elect the Officers of Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary and Treasurer.
Working Groups
Working Groups are envisaged for:
- Property & Business
- Engagement & Marketing
- Fundraising
- Legal & Regulatory
If you have any experience or skill in any of these areas - or are simply willing to help by giving some of your time or effort to any of these areas then please
Message the Friends through their FB page
and provide your name, email and phone number - together with a brief idea of what you can contribute.
Pending the formal election of Officers, the meeting agreed that the current group of volunteers drawn from the Friends of Crow Nest Park, The Dewsbury Partnership and individuals would continue to manage the process.