Work can start on vandalised Hillsborough Memorial in Port Sunlight after £23,000 raised PORT Sunlight’s Hillsborough Memorial will be rebuilt in the New Year after a fundraising appeal raised £23,000.The total is £3,000 short of the appeal target of £26,000 but means contractors can be hired and materials ordered.
The memorial and surrounding garden should be restored to their original condition by Spring.
Pledges of free labour, publicity materials and cash donations have flooded in since vandals destroyed the stonework surrounding the memorial in June. A handful of fundraising events will take place early next year.
Manager of Port Sunlight Museum Kath Lynch said: “The support from within the village has been especially pleasing. We have received sizeable donations from various groups and businesses. Other village attractions have held fundraising events on our behalf and individuals have assisted with raffle ticket sales and bucket collections.
“The funds raised will contribute towards the cost of replacing the damaged ballusters, installing a CCTV camera in the garden and an interpretation panel on the importance of the memorial garden.”
The Trust will pay for further improvements to the garden including the re-pointing and cleaning of an arch and the replacement of fibreglass ballusters – not damaged by vandals – with Portland stone.
A re-dedication ceremony will be held when the project is complete.
Appeal backers included Gerry Marsden, who drew a raffle and switched on the Christmas lights at Port Sunlight Museum. The original memorial was built by Unilever shortly after the 1989 disaster.
Chief executive of Port Sunlight Village Trust Lionel Bolland said: “This fundraising campaign has had incredible support. The whole community has come together and the generosity of people has left us quite staggered.”
THE ECHO
