An artist’s faith has been restored after he received massive support for his bid to save a Maldon gallery.

The Red Roof Gallery, in Promenade Park, will be discussed at a Maldon District Council meeting to decide its fate.

Plans to turn it into a café would mean the gallery could not continue.

Artist Tony Wilkerson said the feedback to his campaign has been “phenomenal” and he feels “energised” to do more work with the community.

Tony said: “First of all, I want to say a big thank you to everyone who supported this. It’s moved me incredibly.

“I had so many plans for the place and when they put me out to tender, I wanted to give up.

“To receive the support has made me more determined.

“We would like to get more help from the council and more funding.

“In Cambridge, there’s a project called Arts on Prescription and it works so well.

“We can do that here – there’s no reason we can’t.

“We just really need to take control and support ourselves because everyone recognised the benefits that art can give.

“I also want to get funding to lower the price and make it more accessible to everybody.

“There are some workshops in London where you pay £300.

“Art is not an expensive thing once you know how to make it, and in my 35 years of experience, it’s amazing to find you can teach people.

“It feels good to show someone how to do it.

“I am at this point in my life where I just want to give something back.

“The groundswell of opinion has made the council change its mind and discuss it.

“The eloquence I have seen in the objection letters to this is amazing.

“I am determined to make it such a success that they will never want to move it again.”

Tony’s future plans include introducing an ‘art in the park’ festival and working with health services to host workshops as a form of therapy.

He also thanked the Standard for an article earlier this year which highlighted the gallery’s plight and sparked attention from other art groups and residents.

He added: “We have had people coming from everywhere supporting us and we’ve had radio interviews too.

“I am blown away by it all.

“It taught me a lesson – I can achieve anything with the right attitude.

“It’s surprising what a little bit of spotlight can do on an issue like this.

“It we can inspire other art galleries then it will be even more worth it.

“Every park should have a gallery of this kind.”

A decision on the gallery’s future will be made tonight.