£180,000 donation will allow building work to start on new education centre and studio at Lowther Pavilion

The Windmill Community Benefit Society is supporting the construction of the shell of the eagerly-awaited new facility at the theatre on West Beach by making the bumper payout towards the building costs.

It’s the biggest donation yet by the Lytham-based charitable Society, which has previously backed other community projects in the town, including more than £30,000 to a new plkay area surface at Park View 4U.

It also donated substantial funding several years ago to allow Lowther to install cinema facilities at the theatre, along with other projects there.

Roger Franklin, chairman of the Windmill Trustees, said: “The trustees see this as an exciting scheme to support. It was agreed that the scheme has many features that are consistent with Windmill’s objects – in particular, the promotion of the education and continuing development of children and young people locally and we hope that the development will be of considerable benefit to the community.”

The foundations for the building were completed last year and fundraising has but following the pandemic, but Lowther chief executive and artistic director Tim Lince said it has been “increasingly difficult to raise significant funds to move the project on”.

"This is why this donation is such a boost to Lowther’s aims to provide a first class Education Centre for all Fylde’s residents and visitors,” said Tim.

“To receive this not only shows continued support by the Windmill Community Benefit Society, who have previously supported with the purchase of cinema apparatus, outdoor screens and our streaming equipment that saw us broadcast to over 10,000 care home rooms weekly during the pandemic, but will also provide the stimulus for Lowther to receive other grant funding and gift donations towards the completion costs.

"There has never been a greater need for the new building as Lowther is already straining at the seams as it prepares work to transfer to the new education centre.

“Following the pandemic shutdown, Lowther have been like a Phoenix rising by responding to the local community’s need for more involvement in creative and well being practices.

"We have had great success with our classes for home-educated children, with a 34 per cent increase in home education since the pandemic, along with our four youth theatres and adult theatre classes as well as developing green education in Lowther Gardens.”

Teresa Mallabone, chairman of the Lowther Trust, added: “This is a tremendous show of support for Lowther and the work it does in the community. We look forward to delivering this build and providing the Fylde with a fantastic new resource.”

The new building work will go out to tender in April with work starting on site in July and the hoarding hopefully being removed in December.

The Windmill Community Benefit Society has its origins in the Housing Association movement in the early 1970s.

A money surplus began to accumulate and eventually the decision was taken to make that available for distribution to registered charities.