A POPULAR museum dedicated to the 'father of vaccination' has raised enough funds 'to survive'.

In April, it was revealed that the future of Dr Edward Jenner’s House, Museum and Garden in Berkeley was under threat as it faced a funding collapse during the Covid-19 lockdown.

The house and museum of the 18th century scientist who discovered the vaccine for smallpox virus normally relies on visitor income and donations to cover 70% of its £206-a-day running costs.

A £35,000 fundraising campaign was launched to keep the venue, which charts the history of “one of the pivotal events in world history”, afloat.

Now museum manager Owen Gower has announced that, thanks to support from the community, the fundraising target has been met and the immediate future of the Jenner Museum is secure.

Mr Gower said: "We are delighted to announce that our community crowdfunding campaign to support Dr Jenner’s House through the COVID-19 emergency has met its initial target of £34,490.

"I want to make it clear, however, that this is not a case of Dr Jenner’s House being ‘saved’. "Together we’ve achieved something quite wonderful that will make a huge difference to the museum this year and allow our team the time we need to start rebuilding, but without significant and sustained investment Dr Jenner’s House will always be just one unexpected repair bill away from disaster.

"We continue to pursue other avenues of funding and will still need to lean heavily on government initiatives, such as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

"The Jenner Trust operates on a shoestring and with a very small team of staff and volunteers. It is quite likely that for years to come we will be operating in a changed environment, one where physical distance is of vital importance and, quite frankly, one for which a country doctor’s family home is ill-suited.

"Through crowdfunding we have raised enough money to help us to survive another year, however in order to thrive, to truly fulfil the potential that we have as the home of vaccination and to develop our work so that Dr Jenner’s House is as easily accessible to people who are unable to visit in person as it is to those who are, we still need your help.

Our crowdfunding page remains open until 17:00 on Thursday 4 June, please continue to visit crowdfunder.co.uk/drjennershouse and purchase tickets to be used when the museum is able to reopen or leave a donation towards our work.

"Please write to your MPs, to people in positions of influence who may be able to stand up for us and see that our work is appropriately and sustainably funded.

"And please tell your friends about us and about the story of the country doctor who changed the world.

"Because now more than ever, the world needs to know about Edward Jenner, his remarkable legacy, and how the world came together to defeat smallpox.”