10 Dec Mayflower 400 celebration plans revealed for Harwich
A series of celebration events and a welcome centre are planned for Harwich as part of the Mayflower 400 commemorations in 2020.
The Mayflower ship, from Harwich and captained by Harwich resident Christopher Jones, took the Pilgrim Fathers to America in 1620 in a voyage marked annually by Thanksgiving in the USA.
A whole programme of events is being planned across 11 UK destinations, including Harwich, for 2020 to mark the 400th anniversary.
Now TDC’s Cabinet is being asked to approve a budget of £135,000 to support other Mayflower 400 projects in the area.
These include £50,000 for a Welcome Centre to act as a hub for tourists visiting the area, £40,000 for a Heritage Trail to take visitors around the town and the key Mayflower sites, and £20,000 for a programme of events.
The Welcome Centre would be home to a whole raft of historical artefacts relating to Harwich and its links to the Mayflower story, and work is ongoing with partners including the Harwich Society and the Guildhall Archivists on this strand of the project.
Neil Stock, TDC Leader, said this is a significant moment in time to remember the key role that Harwich played in historical world events.
