Culture cash Funding given out to preserve cherished organisations
ellis.lane@reachplc.com
GLOUCESTER Cathedral and Tewkesbury Abbey will get a ‘lifesaving’ financial boost from the Government as part of the £1.57billion Culture Recovery Grant.
Across the country, hundreds of organisations will share £103million to help restart vital repair and maintenance work on cherished heritage sites, to keep venues open and to save jobs and livelihoods.
The funding is described by the Government as ‘lifesaving,’ with Gloucester History Trust and the Gloucestershire -Warwickshire Steam Railway also receiving funding.
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: “As a nation it is essential that we preserve our heritage and celebrate and learn from our past.
“This massive support package will protect our shared heritage for future generations, save jobs and help us prepare for a cultural bounceback post Covid.”
Gloucester Cathedral has been given £200,000, Gloucester History Trust received £25,000, the Gloucestershirewarwickshire Steam Railway was granted £318,000, and Tewkesbury Abbey has been given £185,300 of funding. The Cheltenham Trust has been awarded £852,161 and a total of £832,000 goes to The Everyman Theatre
Richard Winstanley, the voluntary finance director of the GWSR, said: “The grant is intended to help us continue vital maintenance, run the business and pay the bills including the salaries of our seven staff, at a time when the railway has suffered the huge financial impact of cancelling services and special events for five months, during what would have been our peak season.
“And, although we are running trains once again, fare income is much reduced thanks to the need for social distancing, which halves the capacity of our trains.
“It will be a vital boost in helping to overcome financial shortfalls as the railway emerges from lockdown, whenever that happens.
“The fund is a key initiative and I applaud the government in recognising the importance of underpinning the security of a wide range of organisations, including the GWSR, for the future.”
In addition, Gwsr-based Dinmore Manor Locomotive Group, has received a grant of £26,100 to assist with the extensive overhaul of Great Western locomotive no. 3850 at the GWSR’S Toddington locomotive works.
Of the grant for the locomotive group, Kenneth Sims, the group’s chairman said: “This will help us complete one of the most extensive steam locomotive overhauls ever undertaken in the heritage sector, at a time when because of Covid-19 work has slowed significantly. It also means that important work awarded to contractors can be completed in this £400,000 overhaul, helping to ensure the historic 1942-built Great Western heavy freight locomotive no. 3850 will return to steam as soon as possible.”
The money for the Cheltenham Trust will mitigate the impact of the significant loss of revenue, of around £1m, since Cheltenham Town Hall and Pittville Pump Room had to close in March in line with government Covid19 restrictions.
The award will help to support the ongoing recovery of both venues, the town hall has partially reopened but with reduced audience capacity.
Reduced capacities mean it is not financially viable to reopen Pittville Pump Room to the public at this time, however the outdoor Heritage Café which opened in late June continues to operate and will do so all year round.
Louis Eperjesi, chairman of the board of trustees of The Cheltenham Trust, said: “The last seven months have been incredibly difficult for the charity and while we have been proactive in rescheduling shows and hires and identifying every opportunity to generate income this has been an incredibly stressful time for everyone in managing the most challenging time that the Trust has ever faced.
“We have been working in close partnership with Cheltenham Borough Council, our lead partner, to do everything possible to safeguard the future of these iconic venues which contribute so much to the cultural landscape of Cheltenham and to ensure future sustainability of The Cheltenham Trust.”