Severn Valley gets £1m in second Culture Recovery Fund lifeline
THE Severn Valley Railway has received £1,012,900 from the third round of the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage to help the organisation recover from the financial impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The railway, which was handed £906,000 in the first round in October 2020, was among five other heritage lines and nearly 140 other organisations to benefit from a share of the £16.5 million latest round of awards from the £1.57 billion Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sports survival pot.
This latest grant, announced in December, will fund salaries and running costs from October 1 to January 31.
The railway’s chairman, Mike Ball, said: “We are delighted to receive a grant of this significance; it is an acknowledgement of the importance of the SVR as one of the largest heritage railways in the country and one of the region’s leading tourist attractions.
“The funding will make a huge difference to our recovery and will allow us to plan positively for 2022, retaining our vital heritage railway skills and supporting our operational programme as we work towards operating normally and sustainably from April.”
SVR’s managing director, Helen Smith, added: “The last 20 months have been some of the most difficult in the railway’s history.
“We have suffered huge losses. Without the support we have received from the DCMS Cultural Recovery Fund, we may not have survived.”
It had been said that before the railway reopened in August 2020 after lockdown, it had been losing about £500 million a month.
Heritage Minister Nigel Huddleston said: “I’m delighted that this vital funding from our unprecedented Culture Recovery Fund is giving so many brilliant heritage organisations a helping hand this winter.
“I want everyone to enjoy what our fascinating and diverse heritage has to offer, and with this money we’re safeguarding these organisations for generations to come.”
Ros Kerslake, chief executive of the National Lottery Heritage Fund, which administers the Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage, added: “This latest round of the Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage provides a welcome boost for heritage organisations.
“With the situation changing daily, the funding will be crucial in helping heritage sites navigate their seasonal activities, and ensuring the safety of their visitors and their communities.
“The grants will also support organisations in implementing business plans as they work round the challenges for the coming year, helping financial sustainability, and driving tourism so that we can look to a bright future for our heritage sector.”
Historic England chief executive Duncan Wilson said: “We are delighted that the Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage grants continue to keep so many heritage organisations going. From major historic buildings to small community organisations promoting local heritage – all deserve this support to continue to open up to everyone the opportunities that our shared history creates.”
This third round of grants are part of the additional £300 million announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak at March’s spring budget. It took the Government’s investment in the arts and cultural sectors to nearly £2 billion since the start of the pandemic.