Isle of Portland Heritage Trust

Telephone 01305 823406

Office Hours 9:30 to 12:30

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday

Please leave message  on answer machine at other times,we will get back to you as soon as we can

Or email

stgeorgescentre@googlemail.com

Registered Charity number 283881

St George’s Centre, Reforne, Portland, Dorset DT5 2AN

Centre Manager  Jan Phillips

The Trust own the buildings and are responsible for maintaining the fabric of the structures, as well as ensuring the viability of the centre

We employ a centre manager who is responsible for the day to day running, hall hire management and liaison between the Trust and the various organisations and individuals who use the halls and workshops. The Trustees give freely of their time to assist in managing and running the Trust.

A separate  Appeals Committee raise funds by various means including a monthly bingo.

We rely mainly on hall hire and workshop fees to cover the maintenance and overheads, but donations are always welcome. If you wish to make a donation please contact, in the first instance, the Centre Manager as above

St George’s Centre in Reforne stands today almost unchanged since opening as a school on April 5th 1857. Constructed at a cost of £775, the building had for 112 years, educated in its classrooms many thousands of the Island’s schoolchildren until it closed in 1969. Despite the years of neglect, weather and vandalism taking their toll, the building has retained its original character,

In December 1981, The Island of Portland Heritage Trust was formed, with the initial target of raising £25000 in 3 months, to purchase the building from the Crown Estate Commissioners. This seemingly impossible task was achieved by local appeal and the conversion of the school into a Community and Craft Centre began.

With financial assistance from the Manpower Services Commission, a project team was appointed consisting of a building team and a research and development team, who initiated the major creative and material development work involved in the project.

The project proved to be of immediate practical benefit by creating over 50 jobs for the unemployed, who worked on various community programmes. The Trust, in conjunction with the West Country Tourist Board opened the Island’s first Tourist Information Centre to encourage visitors to appreciate the wild life and and the natural beauty of the Portland landscape.

To see some photographs St George’s School and of the restoration work click here