BOSSES at Avoncroft Museum have admitted the coronavirus crisis has left the institution's future 'on shaky ground' - and are appealing for donations to help keep it going.

The Advertiser reported in October that the museum, which closed last month in the face of the pandemic, had lost almost £50,000 during the last financial year.

Those in charge of the museum say they have been 'bowled over' by the support they have received from the community but also conceded that the museum needs financial assistance to survive.

Avoncroft representatives are frantically applying for grants to ease the burden but say that a small donation from past and future visitors would go a long way to helping.

Donations can be made at https://avoncroft.org.uk/make-a-donation/ or by sending a cheque, payable to Avoncroft Museum to: Avoncroft Museum, Stoke Heath, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, B60 4JR.

The museum, which houses more than 30 different historic buildings and structures that have been rescued and re-built on its 19-acre premises, released a lengthy statement addressing its situation.

It said: "The Covid-19 pandemic is a tragedy against which the uncertain future of one museum in Worcestershire seemed a small matter, however passionately we care about it.

"In the event, we have been bowled over by the messages of support from friends and supporters in the community who look forward to us reopening, as do we all.

"Avoncroft Museum is not only a nationally important collection of historic buildings, it represents the collective memory of Midlands communities and our relationship with the built environment over time.

"In uncertain times, people need more than ever to cling onto that sense of shared identity, to believe in ourselves as a community and to care for each other.

"Obviously, we now have a problem. Well, two problems actually. First, we must cover our expenditure while we are closed.

"We have radically cut our costs but as Avoncroft Museum makes well over half its income from admissions and events, without that money, we are likely to be on shaky ground.

"Trustees and a small new team of core staff are currently trying to establish which of the Government streams of support are open to us, and what effect it will have on our budget.

"Second, our reserves will be severely depleted by the time we are able to re-open and so we will need a more major injection of funds before that point.

"We are applying for major grants as we speak. If each person reading this contributed at least £5 each, right now, it would make a massive difference to the immediate problem."