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The Goldsmiths’ Company has contributed £250,000 to a new project at London’s Westminster Abbey.
The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries, which are set to open in 2018, will display the Abbey’s silver plate and other key treasures reflecting the building’s “rich and varied history”.
The gallery sits 70ft above the abbey floor and has been hidden from the public for 700 years.
The contribution is the first donation The Goldsmiths’ Company is making in the decade running up to its 700th anniversary in 2027. It plans to donate at least £70m over the next 10 years to support the goldsmith and silversmith trade, apprentice training and other charitable causes.
One of the UK’s most famous places of worship, Westminster Abbey is independent from the Church of England and receives no support from the church, the Crown or the government.
The building relies on visitor income for its day-to-day running costs and major projects are supported through fundraising.
