‘Messiah’ Award goes to Museum of Royal Worcester
In 2025, inspired by the philanthropic origins of Handel’s Messiah, WCF partnered with Worcester Festival Choral Society to create a Messiah Fund. Funds raised from their annual performance of Messiah will support local causes for children and young people, education, health and wellbeing.
The Museum of Royal Worcester is one of the first recipients of this new Fund.
Kate Travers, Museum Director said:
“We are truly delighted to receive the award from the Messiah Fund. This will go towards our creative outreach programme with early years and schools in deprived areas, supporting our communities to connect, create and thrive, through clay and heritage.”
About the Messiah
Handel premiered his Messiah in Dublin in April 1742 which benefited several local charities. It inspired the creation of The Rotunda Hospital, the world’s first purpose-built maternity hospital, still in operation today. Handel continued this charitable association by conducting annual performances of Messiah at London’s Foundling Hospital, a charitable institution for abandoned children. These concerts raised substantial funds and increased public awareness of the hospital’s mission, which included Handel overseeing the musical education of the children in its care.
About the Museum of Royal Worcester
The Museum celebrates Worcester porcelain’s world-class art and design, skill and innovation. They involve people in hands-on heritage experiences, from pottery painting to discovering clay workshops, and skills-sharing by original Royal Worcester artists. Through their public and outreach programme they inspire creativity, community connections and wellbeing.
2026 marks the 275th anniversary of the founding of the porcelain factory.
Visit our Messiah Fund page here.
To find out more about the Museum of Royal Worcester go to: https://www.museumofroyalworcester.org/
For more information about the Worcester Festival Choral Society go to: https://www.wfcs.online/
