The campaign, also known as the 125 Campaign, was launched on 21 October, and its goal is to raise the required £125,000 within 125 days – in time for the Foundation’s 125th anniversary on 23 February 2016.
The Foundation, which is a registered charity, will then use the money to conduct the required building surveys and detailed plans to renovate its historic premises on St Bride’s Lane in London. Central to the renovation will be improving disabled access to the building, which has 16 staircases and 41 separate rooms over five floors.
“The Heritage Fund loves what we do, they love the building, but what they need us to do is come up with a plan to share the heritage of the Foundation with more people and to do that we need the support of the print industry and the other sectors we support,” said St Bride Foundation chief executive Glyn Farrow.
He hopes to achieve the Foundation’s fundraising target though a combination of corporate and individual sponsorship.
The first two corporate sponsors, Imprint MIS and Clicks Print, have already signed up to the campaign.
“Anyone associated with print must be fascinated by both the historic building and the amazing collection of books and artefacts at St Bride - and the curators are still enthusiastically unveiling more," said Imprint director Glennys Bourne.
“We’re proud and excited to be associated with the Foundation and to support the restoration of St Bride and its contents. It isn’t often that one gets a chance to personally influence the protection and development of such a valuable and relevant heritage."
The initiative is also supported by leading agency Splash Worldwide, which has designed the creative for the campaign.
Organisations looking to sponsor a book can contact St Bride Foundation marketing consultant Alison Harper by emailing alison@sbf.org.uk for more information.
But Harper added the Foundation is just as keen for individuals to get involved.
“We’re more than happy to welcome individual donations, so if people want to donate £10 or £20, or whatever they can afford, then they can simply visit our MyDonate page,” she said.
For more information on the campaign or to get involved, visit the Foundation’s MyDonate page.
For more information on the Foundation, what it does and its plans for the future, see our interview with chief executive Glyn Farrow.
