For one night only, Colchester Odeon will be showing its support for the appeal by screening ‘Gladiator’. The film, directed by Ridley Scott and starring Russell Crowe, will be screened on Thursday 13 May at 8pm.
Tickets are £10 and must be bought in advance. Cheques payable to ‘Colchester Archaeological Trust’ can be sent to Darius Laws at 12 Lexden Road, Colchester, CO3 3NF or contact him at loveromancolchester@hotmail.co.uk.
The campaign to raise £200,000 to save Britain’s only Roman chariot horse racing track has been reached, in time for the extended deadline of 28 February.
Donations have come primarily from individuals in Colchester, together with businesses and other organisations, and from people around the world who had been inspired by the discovery of the biggest Roman archaeological monument found in Britain and Northern Europe. Over 2,300 people are following the story on Facebook.
A pledge of £30,000 by Colchester Borough Council was triggered when the appeal reached £170,000, making the total £200,000.
The appeal succeeded despite a zero budget and the fact that it was entirely volunteer led. The only costs to Colchester Archeaological Trust were in terms of their staff time and guidance, for which the appeal team are most grateful.
The appeal has even been contacted by enthusiasts from Circus Maximus in Rome, inviting charioteers from Britain’s Roman Circus to enter a team into a Roman Chariot ‘Biga’ racing event they hope to organise in Rome in their Circus.
“We are overwhelmed by the response to the appeal to Save Britain’s only Roman Circus” says Wendy Bailey, a member of the Appeal Team and Chair of Destination Colchester “people from all over the UK and the world have sent money and good will messages – via FaceBook, Twitter and through the website”.
“This puts us in a very strong position to complete the financial package now required to purchase the site of the eight Roman starting gates which lie beneath the garden of the Victorian Sergeants’ Mess” said Peter Herring, project manager for the site managed by Colchester Archaeological Trust.
The Save the Roman Circus Appeal will stay open and ongoing as news of the historic find and its future gains supporters and donations from around the world.
Please come and join us for a celebratory photocall this afternoon, Saturday 27 February, at 2pm. We’ve invited local newspapers, radio and TV to come and film the Roman Circus appeal supporters (that’s you, and lots of people like you!).
We’ll meet at the former Sergeants Mess building for about 30 minutes. Please wear wellies! It is very muddy.
To make sure that all our supporters in the local media have an equal chance to report the formal announcement of the result of the Appeal it will be embargoed until the morning of Monday 1 March, so we can’t give you the details yet. But we expect to have some very good news!
We are inviting as many people as possible who have helped us with the Appeal including politicians, journalists, donors, organisers, schools and members of supporting organisations. It is not our intention to leave anyone out so please pass on this invitation to anyone who we might have left off the list (and also to your friends!)
Football legend Terry Venables has expressed his support for the Colchester Roman Circus appeal.
He told us: “I think it’s really important to preserve this country’s history. This is the only chariot racing circus ever found in this country, and in Roman times chariot racing was as popular as football is today. So as an ex professional footballer, and football manager it seems fitting to support Colchester in saving the Roman Circus.”
Elizabeth Cannon Antiques in Crouch Street, Colchester, has this morning handed over £1000 to the appeal. Mrs Cannon raised it in just nine days through the sale of some fine small glasses.
She created an attractive window display complete with a model of a Roman chariot and with a backdrop of two 200-year-old paintings of Colchester, and a poster indicating that all sales were being donated to the appeal.
On handing over the donation this morning, Mrs Cannon was keen to thank all the people who had come in to the shop to buy the items. A Colcestrian herself, and the daughter of a former Mayor of Colchester, she said she was delighted with the warm comments that she had received from shoppers about the Roman Circus and the efforts to ensure it was saved for all to view and enjoy.
Isobel Merry (l) and Elizabeth Cannon (r) with the display raising funds for the Roman Circus appeal
In fact, she will have raised over £1,000 for the appeal as two shoppers made additional donations under Gift Aid, and there are still more glasses for sale.
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