£15.5 Million Christmas Boost for 140 Heritage Organisations

Nearly 140 heritage organisations in England will benefit from £15.5 million this Christmas thanks to the government’s unprecedented Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage.

This winter, sites like Alexandra Park and Palace and The British Music Experience in Liverpool will receive a share of £14.8 million in continuity support grants as part of this next round of funding.

A total of £138 million has been awarded to heritage organisations from the three rounds of the government’s £2 billion Culture Recovery Fund support package made available for arts, culture and heritage organisations during the pandemic. This third round of grants is part of the additional £300 million announced by the Chancellor at March’s Budget.

The Grade II listed Alexandra Park and Palace has been awarded £702,000. The rare surviving example of a Victorian pleasure palace is known globally as the birthplace of television. Funding will support staffing and plans to deliver a calendar of theatre and large outdoor events in 2022 to generate income.

The Silverstone Interactive Museum, based at the home of the Formula One British Grand Prix, will also receive funding with a grant of £710,700. The museum ensures that the heritage of Silverstone and British motor racing is explained and interpreted for today’s public through an exciting and interactive exhibition. The museum’s Collections and Research Centre ensures it is protected for future generations. Funding will support financial sustainability and plans to improve the museum’s visitor experience.

Truro Cathedral in Cornwall has been awarded £232,300. Over a quarter of a million visitors each year visit this Gothic Revival building, which houses some of the finest Victorian stained-glass windows in the world. The funding will safeguard roles at the cathedral, ensure that the care and upkeep of this iconic building is maintained and enable the cathedral team to develop and deliver a diverse programme of events and activities for 2022 while ensuring the best possible experience and safety for the cathedral’s visitors, volunteers, and staff.

Iconic heritage site Hoghton Tower, which lies between Blackburn and Preston, is a source of pride for the local community, many of whom are trained volunteers. The fortified hilltop manor house, rebuilt by Sir Thomas Hoghton in the 1560’s will receive a Culture Recovery Fund grant of £116,500. This will support plans for a fully opened house and garden.

Around 30 community heritage organisations will also receive continuity support grants to continue to protect and raise awareness of the heritage in their local area. This funding is going to organisations such as Manchester Histories, whose grant of £42,200 will support their work with communities to tell the often hidden histories and heritage of local people.

Almost £1 million in emergency grants will also be awarded to 12 heritage organisations struggling to survive, providing them with a financial lifeline. Investing in heritage will support COVID-19 economic recovery and make communities better places to live, creating jobs, driving tourism and improving well-being.

The Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage is administered by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, in partnership with Historic England on behalf of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.