Covid-19 Appeal Update
Donate now: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/DickensMuseumAppeal
As we are forced to close again, we need your help more than ever...
2020 has been a tough year for so many people, here in the UK and around the world.
Here at the Charles Dickens Museum, we have put our all into facing each challenge with energy and commitment, changing and changing again. Our staff and volunteers, buoyed up by the thousands of people who have visited in person or online, have worked tirelessly to adapt to new circumstances and to ensure that the museum and its wonderful collections are secure now and for many years to come.
Having been forced to close for four months earlier this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we were thrilled to reopen in July and welcome visitors back to Doughty Street. Although social distancing measures reduced our capacity, it was a pleasure to see a steady stream of visitors exploring the house in which Charles Dickens and his family lived, and engaging with the extraordinary collections that tell the story of Dickens’s life and work.
Just as we were gearing up for the festive season – one of the most anticipated and loved times of year at the Museum – the Prime Minister announced that England would be returning to another period of lockdown, forcing us to close yet again from 5th November for four weeks.
As an independent Museum that relies on visitors coming through the door to generate most of our income, this was a real blow, especially when we would normally expect to earn around £90,000 during this period.
Ride on! Rough-shod if need be, smooth-shod if that will do, but ride on!
Ride on over all obstacles, and win the race!
So, as we temporarily close our doors again, we must ask once more for your help.
We know how difficult this year has been for people, businesses and institutions everywhere, and we truly appreciate the circumstances under which everybody is living now. But we are appealing to all admirers of Dickens and lovers of the Museum to consider donating now. Your generosity will help to ensure that we can re-open again and be ready for the next stage of our journey.
As ever, thank you for your understanding, warmth and support. Good wishes to all of you and yours, and we look forward to seeing you soon.
Cindy Sughrue
Director
3rd November 2020