Western Morning News (Saturday)
‘Lifeline’ cash boost for Westcountry heritage
HERITAGE organisations across the Westcountry are celebrating after being given a financial boost from the Government to help them through the coronavirus pandemic.
In total £103million funding will support 445 organisations in England to carry out repair and maintenance work on cherished heritage sites to keep venues running.
Those benefiting in the South West include visitor attractions such as Devon’s Garden House, The Lost Gardens of Heligan, the South Devon Railway, Bodmin & Wenford Railway and Morwellham Quay.
Organisations have welcomed the funding as an “essential lifeline” to ensure sites survive the financial impact of Covid-19 restrictions.
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: “This massive support package will protect our shared heritage for future generations, save jobs and help us prepare for a cultural bounce-back post-Covid.”
Grants are between £10,000 and £1million, with a further round of up to £3million due to be announced imminently from the Government’s £1.57billion Culture Recovery Fund.
The Garden House at Buckland Monachorum has received £97,000 from the Government fund to maintain operations, keep it open and help the business start to grow again. Trustee Ian Douglas said: “We are absolutely thrilled at this result. This is wonderful news – the funds couldn’t have come at a better time and will enable us to stay open for the local community and visitors to Dartmoor.”
South Devon Railway, a popular tourist attraction, will receive a grant of £332,000 which will help the sevenmile former GWR branch line recover from enforced closure since March. Trust chairman Jon Morton said the organisation was “bowled over” to have received the grant that will provide a “vital financial lifeline needed for the railway’s continued survival”. He added: “From all sources, we have now raised or received a wonderful total of financial help all told of £831,432 and we are still raising money to try and get to our next target of £1million.”
The popular heritage attraction Bodmin & Wenford Railway, which carries around 60,000 visitors a year, has secured an “absolutely vital” award of £260,000, while West Somerset Railway has received £865,000. David Nelson-Brown, chairman of the Bodmin & Wenford Railway Plc, said: “There are still many challenges ahead but we’re delighted that the railway has been recognised as an invaluable heritage location.”
Other recipients included on the Department for Culture, Media and Sport list include St Dominic Church, Cornwall, which received £10,800; Bodmin Jail Museum, £202,000; Cornwall Aviation Heritage Centre, £53,200; Dean and Chapter of Exeter, £739,800; Exeter Historic Buildings Trust, £42,700; Great Dorset Steam Fair, £236,200; Helston Railway Preservation Company, £76,100; Jubilee Pool Penzance, £49,000; Lynher River Barge CIC, £62,400; Lynton and Barnstaple Railway, £79,300; Morwellham Quay, £400,000; Pendeen Community Heritage, £186,300; Plym Valley Railway Company, £27,900; St Andrews Church Cullompton, £52,000; The Lost Gardens of Heligan, £606,400 and Truro Cathedral, £146,900.