Menai Heritage, the independent charity that runs the popular Bridges Exhibition in Menai Bridge, is planning a fundraiser by collecting £1 coins featuring the Menai Suspension Bridge. These £1 coins will soon be withdrawn from circulation, as the new 12-sided pound coin is introduced.The coins collected by Menai Heritage will support their planned museum move to Prince’s Pier, a waterfront location in Menai Bridge.
In 2005 a pound coin was minted featuring the Menai Suspension Bridge, one of a series of four bridge-themed coins. The three others in the series depict the Forth Rail Bridge, the Egyptian Arch Railway Bridge near Newry and the Gateshead Millennium Bridge. Starting this month the Royal Mint is introducing a new 12-sided pound coin, and all old coins will be withdrawn from circulation.
Menai Heritage plan to celebrate this depiction of our local landmark, by collecting as many of the Menai Bridge pounds coins as possible. They will then host a public event at Prince’s Pier where the coins will be used to recreate the outline of the Bridge itself. (Note: we will be holding this event on 9 August – see the event announcement)
Joanna Robertson, Chair of the Menai Bridge Community Heritage Trust, says “We are appealing to the public to look out for the Menai Bridge in their pockets and purses and to set these coins aside for us. We will also take any of the other bridge coins, or indeed any pound coin you wish to donate! All money raised will support our work, promoting the heritage of the bridges and area around Menai Strait.”
Collection buckets for donating the coins can be found at NatWest branches in Menai Bridge and Llangefni, and at the Menai Bridge Post Office on the High Street. You can also drop them off at the Menai Heritage office in the Thomas Telford Centre in Menai Bridge (across from Waitrose) during our office hours (mornings on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays), or when the Exhibition is open (after 5 April, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10am-5pm).
Commenting on the collection NatWest Community Banker Rachel Williams said: “My colleagues and I are delighted to support Menai Heritage’s campaign to collect rare £1 coins which feature the iconic Menai suspension bridge before they go out of circulation. There will be collection boxes in our local NatWest branches and I encourage customers and local people to drop in and donate what they can as I know that all of the money raised will be used to support the great work Menai Heritage do in promoting our fantastic town”.