Just over four years have passed since Stirling Moss set the wheels in motion for the Rootes Archive Centre Trust to raise £185,000 towards a new building in which it could preserve the history of the Rootes Group, and now it’s almost paid for.
The Rootes Archive Centre Trust is a registered charity with the primary object of protecting, preserving and promoting original material from the Rootes Group and its associated companies. With the support of Rootes car clubs and many individuals, the trustees have worked tirelessly to raise funds for the new building to house its artefacts and documents. This, coupled with some key supporters agreeing to loan larger sums of money on a five-year, interest-free basis, meant the trust was able to commit to buying a new archive building in Wroxton, just outside Banbury.
The trust took possession of the new building in December 2017, with the official opening ceremony performed by three generations of the Rootes family in April 2018. Since then the trust has worked hard to fit the building out into a working archive, which has been enjoyed by many classic car enthusiasts. During 2019 it hosted 47 events and meetings, so is already established as hub for enthusiasts of all marques.
Thanks to the continuing hard work of the trustees, there is now only £28,000-worth of loans to repay, so the trust is well ahead of their target when it comes to owning the building outright. Whilst thanking the classic car community for its support to date, the trust is appealing for everyone to keep the fundraising activity at the forefront of their minds so the remaining amount can be repaid as quickly as possible.
Trustee Andy Bye said: “We are immensely proud of what we have achieved so far with our supporters and with a final push on the fundraising front we can get the building fully paid for, at which point we know the heritage of the Rootes Group will be safe forever.”
To help the trust reach its objective, contact Andy via andybye@rootesarchivecentre.org.
