Raise Our Roof designermakersCIO fundraising appeal

designermakersCIO 2024 Fundraising for essential Building repairs and improvements.

Thanks to the generosity of our many supporters we have been able to purchase 21 St. Nicholas street – the Home of designermakers21.

We now enter the stage of our fundraising campaign where we try to raise the necessary match funding to release that part of the Community Ownership Fund grant that is reserved for essential building works.

H.M. Government’s department for Levelling Up have offered us £46,000 towards a total of £92,000 – the other £46,000 being our match funding.

So far we have raised £20,000 so our target is now £26,000. We are planning a number of fund raising events, these will be publicised through the designermakers21 website, Facebook and instagram pages.

We welcome donations via JustGiving. If you pay tax then you might also think about ‘GiftAiding’ your donation, JustGiving handle all the ‘paperwork’, just follow the instructions.

We have ambitious plans for designermakers21’s future, but for now the essential repair & improvement works we are aiming at include:

  • Central heating
  • Electrical upgrade
  • Fire safety measures
  • Ceiling repairs
  • Re-surfacing of yard
  • Window repairs

We sincerely thank all our donors for their unwavering support for designermakers21, the Home of designermakersCIO. The highest hurdle (purchasing the building) has been cleared, we can now stride on to a future full of creative potential, we do hope you’ll come along with us.

Raise Our Roof building fund for designermakers21, Diss, Norfolk
members of designermakers21 standing outside 21 St Nicholas Street
Members of designermakers21 outside 21 St Nicholas Street
designermakers21 save our story fundraising campaign

‘Save Our Story’

February 2023

We have launched our ‘Save Our Story’ Appeal to raise £350,000 for the purchase and improvement of 21 St. Nicholas street. 

21 St Nicholas street is to be sold in early 2024, our charity designermakersCIO has the one-off chance to buy this unique Victorian building, ensuring the public have access to learn about crafts and craft skills, inspiring creativity for generations to come.

Owning the building will enable designermakersCIO to secure the future of designermakers21 for Diss, as a dynamic centre of excellence, promoting creative practice, providing employment and business opportunities and attracting tourists from East Anglia and elsewhere. 

We plan to raise funds through a combination of grants and fundraising. Attending our events and visiting designermakers21 demonstrates your support for our venture and sends a clear message to our funders.

If you wish to contribute to our ‘Save Our Story’ campaign then please click on the Just Giving image below and you will be redirected to our online Giving page.

save our story just giving link button

Breaking News – May 2023

foyle foundation

designermakersCIO continues to push forward

At the beginning of May this year we received the much welcome news that The Foyle Foundation has pledged £50,000 towards our Save Our Story Campaign.

Along with some other sizeable donations, grants and the generosity of our many supporters, we are now closing in on our target of £350,000. We can do this, we will Save designermakers21!

department for levelling up housing and communites logo

March 2023

designermakersCIO is pleased to announce that our bid for the Levelling Up Community Ownership fund has been successful!

Dehenna Davison MP: “We are delighted to inform you that your application has been successful, and to approve the award of a COF grant of £171,750 capital funding …..to the designermakers21 building purchase to help save your treasured community asset and support the ambitions of your community.”

This is a tremendous boost, but we still need grants, donations etc. to match fund the COF grant up to our target of £350,000. How you could help

Meet the members

Members are crafts people who have a studio at designermakers21, and display work in our galleries. They make their products when the centre is closed to the public. Our members run workshops and are on the premises during opening hours – Thursday to Saturday – pop in and watch them working, ask them a question or even commission something from them. (Click the names below to visit their page)


Meet the Associates

Associates of designermakers21 don’t have studio space on the premises, they make their products elsewhere but have some display space in the gallery. (Click the names below to visit their page)


Meet the Guest Members

Guest Members are designer/makers with a temporary studio space at designermakers21. They are with us for 3-6 months, and are on the premises during opening hours Thursday-Saturday. Guest Members are often early career makers, or established makers focusing on a change of direction in their practice. (Click the names below to visit their page)

Tabitha Day

Sally Watson

Alison Couchman