Support the Holst Birthplace Museum

COVID-19: A message from the Chairman of the Holst Birthplace Trust, Steve Wood.

These are difficult and extraordinary times we are living through and I thought you might like to know how we are dealing with them at The Holst. We have tried to run as many activities as we can online, with some success. But recently we have had to furlough our Curator and our Learning Co-ordinator so our activities are now on hold. We have taken all the measures we can to safely reduce our costs without impacting on the heritage we are charged to protect.

But we need more. Despite the actions we have taken, and in an environment where we expect to have zero income for quite some time, down by around £2,000 per month, we need support as never before. We would all lose if The Holst could not bounce back from this: it would be a loss to Cheltenham, to the country, and to music.

This is why we would like to ask you, our supporters, to help us by donating – £20 from 100 people for example would cover just one month of lost revenue but all donations would help to keep The Holst alive for the day when we can safely reopen.

You can donate via our bank account: Lloyds Bank, Cheltenham High Street, sort code 30-91-87, account number 35101068, account The Holst Birthplace Trust. Please let us know by emailing treasurer@holstmuseum.org.uk, so that we can acknowledge your kind support.

To link your donation to a particular performance or recording, please use one of these references:

ALM (for the performance by Aaron LeMaistre)

RAS (for the performance by Robin A. Smith and Hannah Hughes)

TM (for the performance by Tsukushi Mitsuda)

VOW (for the recording of I Vow to Thee, My Country by Cheltenham College and Museum Volunteers)

AA (for the talk “Music, Friendship and the Cotswold Hills”)

For other ways to help, please see below. Thank you for making a difference.

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The Holst Birthplace Trust is a charity which exists to manage and care for the Holst Birthplace Museum. It costs over £100 a day to keep the Museum open. Donations, becoming a Friend, volunteering, registering for Easyfundraising (to raise money for us when you shop online,) and leaving a gift in your will, are all ways you can support us to ensure our much loved Museum remains open, thriving and able to offer an exciting programme of events, exhibitions, school visits and family activities.

How to make a donation to the Museum

Via online banking directly to the Trust: see details above
Use a credit or debit card (processed securely by Stripe)

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In person at the Museum
By post to: Holst Birthplace Museum, 4 Clarence Road, Cheltenham GL52 2AY. (cheques payable to ‘Holst Birthplace Trust’)
Leave a gift to the Museum in your will

Easyfundraising

It’s free, and you don’t need to submit any bank account details. Here’s a quick guide.

If you have a laptop or PC: go to www.easyfundraising.org.uk . You will see a message in the middle of the screen saying “Search for a Cause” – type in “Holst Birthplace Museum”.
Click on the pink “Support This Cause” button and create an account for yourself. Don’t worry – you don’t have to enter any financial details at all.
Once you have registered, it’s time to shop!
Instead of going directly to Amazon or wherever you want to shop, login to Easyfundraising and search that website for the retailer you want. There are loads to choose from – Amazon, M&S, Tesco, John Lewis, Waitrose etc etc.
Then you just shop online as usual. Each of the retailers registered with Easyfundraising will donate a small percentage of the price of your shop to the Museum, at no cost to you.

If you have a tablet, you can download the Easyfundraising app, and register / login as above.

Become a Friend of the Holst Birthplace Museum

Full details are available here.

Join us at one of our events

Details of upcoming Museum and Holst related events appear on our regularly updated What’s on page.

Become a trustee

Would you like to join a board of enthusiastic and dedicated trustees who ensure that a unique Cheltenham museum continues to be an asset to the town?

Watch this space for details of vacancies.

Become a volunteer

The Holst Birthplace Museum welcomes volunteers as an essential part of our organisation. Our volunteers join us to make friends, to pursue an interest, to further their careers or just for fun! No prior knowledge of Gustav Holst or Victorian history or music is needed. Volunteer at the Museum.

Spread the word

Visit our Facebook page and Twitter account. Share them with your friends.

How support has helped the Museum

The ‘Help Holst’ campaign

The Museum suffered water damage during torrential downpours in June 2016. This caused severe damage to three of the Museum’s period rooms. Although much of the damage was covered by insurance, a £30,000 ‘Help Holst’ fundraising campaign was launched to fund repairs not covered by insurance, and crucially loss of income during the six month period of closure. Thanks to the generosity of the public, the Holst Foundation and Cheltenham Borough Council, the Museum raised the required amount to reopen.

Isobel Holst by Millicent Woodforde

Enhancing our collections

The Museum has approximately 3,000 items, including a significant archive. A few years ago, it added to its important collection of Holst-related material by acquiring at auction a portrait of Isobel Holst (Gustav’s wife) by the artist Millicent Woodforde. It was purchased with Art Fund support and the generosity of individuals. The portrait is now on display at the Museum.