Recent grant awards
We want to share and showcase all the projects and work we support. Learning about previous grants can be useful for potential grantees. We award our grants quarterly at our Trustee meetings. New grants are uploaded on this page after each meeting and announced in News.
You can explore the grants we’ve awarded in the current year below. For historic grants, please look at our Annual Reports and 360Giving data.
Preservation and Conservation
Bootham School
Purpose of Grant: Specialist surveys to assess the repair and conservation needs of the school observatory. Built in 1901 and still in use by both Independent and state school students, a leaking roof is putting the historic Cooke telescope at risk.
Amount awarded: £12,000
Location: York
Date awarded: June 2026
Bungay Town Trust
Purpose of Grant: Conservation repairs to the timber frame of Bungay’s historic 1689 Grade 1 Butter Cross, helping to preserve one of Suffolk’s most recognisable historic landmarks.
Amount awarded: £20,000
Location: Suffolk
Date awarded: June 2026
Chelmsford City Council
Purpose of Grant: Conservation of significant archaeological artefacts from the Iron age, including items from the Great Baddow Coin Hoard, in preparation for display.
Amount awarded: £3,575
Location: Chelmsford
Date awarded: June 2026
Churches Conservation Trust
Purpose of Grant: Urgent conservation work to strengthen and stabilise the structure of the crypt of St John on the Wall, a Grade I listed 14th century church built into the city wall gate in Bristol.
Amount awarded: £25,000
Location: Bristol
Date awarded: June 2026
The Friends of the Painted Church
Purpose of Grant: To fund the textile conservation of a Dossal altar curtain, central to the display of altar textiles at Grade l listed All Saints’ Church.
Amount awarded: £5,000
Location: Cambridge
Date awarded: June 2026
Gateway Studio
Purpose of Grant: Towards repair and conservation of two exceptional c1895 Atkinson Bros stained glass windows in the Grade 1Trinity Centre building.
Amount awarded: £19,500
Location: Gateshead, Newcastle
Date awarded: June 2026
Heritage of London Trust
Purpose of Grant: Conservation of two significant pieces of historic public art: a mural by Fred Millet and a mosaic by Anthony Hollaway. Both pieces were commissioned by the London County Council as part of their pioneering post-war Patronage of the Arts Scheme.
Amount awarded: £40,000
Locations: Roehampton and Southwark
Date awarded: June 2026
Inverness Museum & Art Gallery
Purpose of Grant: Conservation of a portrait of Miss Grace Lockhart by leading 19th century Scottish portrait painter, Sir Henry Raeburn, for display in the Museum’s permanent gallery.
Amount awarded: £11,000
Location: Inverness, Scotland
Date awarded: June 2026
Lappan & Laidhay Trust SCIO
Purpose of Grant: To help restore the structure of the at risk, A listed cruck-thatched Laidhay Barn, which is a rare example of crofting heritage in the Highlands.
Amount awarded: £15,000
Location: Caithness, Scotland
Date awarded: June 2026
Media Archive of Central England
Purpose of Grant: To help fund architectural design fees to assess the viability of reusing an at-risk historic building to house this significant screen heritage archive.
Amount awarded: £22,000
Location: Lincoln, Midlands
Date awarded: June 2026
Melin Daron
Purpose of Grant: To help fund detailed professional advice to support the restoration of this 19th century Grade II listed water-driven rural corn mill, with the aim of bringing it back to full working order for community benefit.
Amount awarded: £10,000
Location: Aberdaron, Llŷn Peninsula, Wales
Date awarded: June 2026
Solas Eige SCIO
Purpose of Grant: Designs and specialist surveys towards redeveloping the historic 1862 St Columba’s Church, into a cultural community hub.
Amount awarded: £25,000
Location: Isle of Eigg, West Scotland
Date awarded: June 2026
The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
Purpose of Grant: Urgent stabilisation work to Grade 1 listed Hall’s Croft built in 1613 and associated with Shakespeare and his family.
Amount awarded: £29,000
Location: Stratford Upon Avon
Date awarded: June 2026
Stanley Arts
Purpose of Grant: Towards structural and other site investigations and development of full repair designs for this Grade II landmark cultural hub.
Amount awarded: £20,000
Location: Croydon, Greater London
Date awarded: June 2026
Temple Newsam
Purpose of Grant: To fund expert accredited textile and paper conservators to carry out conservation work on the Designated fine and decorative art collections, housed in this Grade 1 listed country house.
Amount awarded: £25,000
Location: Leeds
Date awarded: June 2026
Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust Ltd
Purpose of Grant: Cleaning, restoration and reframing of a set of 13 paintings on canvas by Gerard Seghers (1591-1651)
Amount awarded: £5,000
Location: Rotherham, South Yorkshire
Date awarded: June 2026
The 2874 Trust
Purpose of Grant: To help fund the materials, casting and components for the final phase of the restoration of the 1918 built Great Western Heavy Freight locomotive Number 2874.
Amount awarded: £10,000
Location: Gloucestershire
Date awarded: March 2026
Barrow Hill Engine Shed Society
Purpose of Grant: Condition survey of the Grade II Roundhouse, the last operational railway roundhouse in the country.
Amount awarded: £5,000
Location: Barrow Hill, Derbyshire
Date awarded: November 2025
The Bronte Spirit
Purpose of Grant: To replace the north side windows of the Grade II Old School Room in which all of the Bronte family siblings once taught.
Amount awarded: £3,000
Location: West Yorkshire
Date awarded: March 2026
Bursledon Brickworks Museum Trust
Purpose of Grant: Preservation of the drying sheds at the Grade II* Bursledon Brickworks Museum, site of one of the first brickmaking factories in the UK, built in 1897.
Amount awarded: £15,000
Location: Southampton
Date awarded: March 2026
Colchester and Ipswich Museums Service
Purpose of Grant: To conserve a rare Greenland kayak, part of Ipswich museum’s original collections acquired around 1850. The conservation work includes repairs of tears and fragile woodwork, and construction of a new internal frame to enable safe display when the museum reopens later this year.
Amount awarded: £20,000
Location: Suffolk
Date awarded: March 2026
The Company of Merchant Taylors of the City of York
Purpose of Grant: Repair and preservation of 1701 ‘Queen Anne’ window, by Henry Gyles, a glazier credited with revival of pictorial glass painting. Specialist conservation work will prevent the risk of further damage and protect against loss of original material.
Amount awarded: £8,000
Location: York
Date awarded: March 2026
Crail Preservation Society
Purpose of Grant: Urgent repair works to two Crail Kirkyard Mural Monuments XVI & XIX both Category A, dating back to 16C and 17C.
Amount awarded: £10,000
Location: Fife, Scotland
Date awarded: March 2026
Dulwich Picture Gallery
Purpose of Grant: Conservation of ‘An Italian Seaport’ (1670) by Johannes Lingelbach. The painting is suffering from flaking paint, discoloured varnish, and obscured details. . Following specialist conservation work this important painting will be protected and available to the public again.
Amount awarded: £6,500
Location: London
Date awarded: March 2026
Friends of Stretford Public Hall
Purpose of Grant: To help stabilise the building fabric and improve safety and accessibility of the community-run, Grade II listed Stretford Hall. Work includes restoration of the roof, repairs to external stonework, restoring timber-frame windows and conserving ironwork.
Amount awarded: £30,000
Location: Manchester
Date awarded: March 2026
Lakeland Arts
Purpose of Grant: Urgent repairs to the roof of the Grade I Blackwell – The Arts & Crafts House, protecting the interiors and collections against further water ingress.
Amount awarded: £20,000
Location: Cumbria
Date awarded: March 2026
National Galleries of Scotland
Purpose of Grant: To support the research and conservation of the ethnographic collection associated with Surrealist artist Roland Penrose, including a three-month conservation internship. The project will enable the Penrose collection to be available for display and further research.
Amount awarded: £15,000
Location: Scotland
Date awarded: March 2026
PK Porthcurno (Museum of Global Communications)
Purpose of Grant: Detailed specification of works to help ensure Grade 2* WW2 Tunnels are preserved and remain open.
Amount awarded: £5,000
Location: Penzance
Date awarded: March 2026
Plas Gunter Mansion Trust
Purpose of Grant: Repairs and conservation of the decorative plaster ceiling in the first-floor Parlour of the c1630 Grade II* Plas Gunter Mansion House.
Amount awarded: £30,000
Location: Abergavenny, Wales
Date awarded: March 2026
Robert Burns Ellisland Trust
Purpose of Grant: To enable technical designs to be completed in support of further fundraising, to help conserve and protect Ellisland Farm, the home Robert Burns built and lived in from 1788.
Amount awarded: £25,000
Location: Dumfries, Scotland
Date awarded: March 2026
St Andrews Parish Centre Trust
Purpose of Grant: Urgent stonework repairs to prevent water ingress in a Grade II* historically important redundant church, now used as a community centre.
Amount awarded: £4,500
Location: Pershore, Worcestershire
Date awarded: March 2026
Tyne and Wear Building Preservation Trust Limited
Purpose of Grant: Conservation and repair of the sundial and plaques, including a memorial plaque, on the front elevation of the Grade II* Keelmen’s Hospital building. The 1701 building is in the process of being restored and developed.
Amount awarded: £30,000
Location: Newcastle
Date awarded: March 2026
Warwick Bridge Corn Mill Ltd
Purpose of Grant: To commission a specialist condition survey of the headrace, sluice and overflow and specialist advice on the hydro-electricity of Warwick Bridge Corn Mill, protecting the future of this Grade II* historic corn mill.
Amount awarded: £12,000
Location: Carlisle
Date awarded: March 2026
Worthing Theatres and Museum
Purpose of Grant: To support the conservation of four key paintings which have strong links to the local area ready for display again in the new gallery.
Amount awarded: £4,968
Location: Worthing
Date awarded: March 2026
York Minster Fund
Purpose of Grant: The conservation of York Minster’s Chapter House doors. Each door features 13th-century decorative ironwork, exceptional in both its quality and rarity. Both the woodwork and ironwork require treatment to conserve and stabilise the doors which are of outstanding historical importance.
Amount awarded: £25,000
Location: York
Date awarded: March 2026
Your Trust – Rochdale Boroughwide Cultural Trust
Purpose of Grant: To stabilise and conserve 200 copper alloy Egyptian objects from the Flinders Petrie collection at Touchstones Rochdale museum. Once stabilised, digitization and on-line access will allow future research on a collection of which little is currently known.
Amount awarded: £15,000
Location: Rochdale
Date awarded: March 2026
Cambo Heritage Trust
Purpose of Grant: Repair of the historic walls of Cambo Walled Garden, part of the B listed designated landscape.
Amount awarded: £5,000
Location: St Andrews, Scotland
Date awarded: November 2025
The Charleston Trust (Bloomsbury in Sussex)
Purpose of Grant: Conservation of the painting studio created by Vanessa Bell, Roger Fry and Duncan Grant at Charleston House.
Amount awarded: £30,000
Location: Firle, East Sussex
Date awarded: November 2025
Colchester City Council
Purpose of Grant: Urgent conservation works to the Anglo Saxon Tower of the Grade I at risk Holy Trinity Church in Colchester.
Amount awarded: £30,000
Location: Colchester, Essex
Date awarded: November 2025
Delapre Abbey Preservation Trust
Purpose of Grant: Restoration of the C19 apples store into a social hub
Amount awarded: £5,000
Location: Northampton, Northamptonshire
Date awarded: November 2025
The Egypt Exploration Society
Purpose of Grant: Protection of the Society’s archive and collections in secure, climate-controlled storage during a major redevelopment project to create an accessible heritage centre.
Amount awarded: £30,000
Location: London
Date awarded: November 2025
Friends of Friendless Churches
Purpose of Grant: Conservation of medieval wall paintings at Grade II* St Lawrence’s, Gumfreston
Amount awarded: £30,000
Location: Gumfreston, Pembrokeshire
Date awarded: November 2025
Friends of the Mint House
Purpose of Grant: Investigative works into the wall paintings, dating back to C16, of this Grade II* at risk house.
Amount awarded: £13,500
Location: Pevensey, East Sussex
Date awarded: November 2025
Hearth Historic Buildings Trust
Purpose of Grant: Conservation of Riddel’s Warehouse as part of its transformation into a flexible performance, exhibition and event space.
Amount awarded: £30,000
Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland
Date awarded: November 2025
The Heritage Trust for the North West
Purpose of Grant: Emergency repair works to Grade II* Grane Mill Chimney, a local landmark at 160ft tall and part of the former weaving mill.
Amount awarded: £25,000
Location: Haslingden, Lancashire
Date awarded: November 2025
King John’s House and Tudor Cottage Trust
Purpose of Grant: Commissioning of a Statement of Historic Significance in order to underpin a masterplan for the historic site
Amount awarded: £5,000
Location: Romsey, Hampshire
Date awarded: November 2025
Manchester Historic Buildings Trust
Purpose of Grant: Urgent repair works to Elizabeth Gaskell’s House.
Amount awarded: £13,000
Location: Manchester
Date awarded: November 2025
North Craven Building Preservation Trust
Purpose of Grant: Development work to find new uses for the redundant Dr Buck’s House, a Grade II C18 merchant house.
Amount awarded: £10,000
Location: Settle, North Yorkshire
Date awarded: November 2025
Parish of English Martyrs, Reading
Purpose of Grant: Restoration of historic Holdich organ.
Amount awarded: £15,000
Location: Reading, Berkshire
Date awarded: November 2025
Pembrokeshire County Council
Purpose of Grant: Repair of Penrhos Cottage, Pembrokeshire’s last surviving tŷ unnos (one-night house).
Amount awarded: £20,000
Location: Maenclochog, Pembrokeshire
Date awarded: November 2025
Scottish Historic Buildings Trust
Purpose of Grant: Urgent stabilisation works as part of the first phase to restore the Grade A at risk Bernat Klein Studio designed by Peter Womersley.
Amount awarded: £30,000
Location: Selkirk, Scotland
Date awarded: November 2025
Scottish Jewish Archives Centre
Purpose of Grant: Conservation and digitisation of unique early C20 Glasgow Yiddish newspapers.
Amount awarded: £4,120
Location: Glasgow, Scotland
Date awarded: November 2025
Ashmolean Museum of Art & Archaeology
Purpose of Grant: The Conservation of Domenico Fetti’s “A Bacchanal”
Amount awarded: £4,500
Location: Oxford
Date awarded: September 2025
The Ashmolean Museum has recently acquired Domenico Fetti’s significant panel painting, ‘A Bacchanal’. It is an important addition to the museum’s early 17th-century Italian painting and courtly culture collections, an area currently underrepresented in British public collections.
Our grant is for extensive conservation work, including repairing historic wood beetle damage and splits in the wooden panel. Once conserved this artistically significant painting will go on display for the first time, for the public to enjoy.
Bailiffgate Museum & Gallery
Purpose of Grant: Restoration and Repair of Northumberland Hall
Amount awarded: £30,000
Location: Northumberland
Date awarded: September 2025
Bailiffgate Museum & Gallery is dedicated to preserving the heritage and culture of Alnwick and Northumberland. The Museum is housed in a former church, but the ambition, is to restore Grade I Georgian Northumberland Hall creating a new home for the museum.
The Georgian ornate plasterwork in the assembly room of the Hall features three ceiling roses with a Greek key pattern to the outer ring followed by acanthus leaves and an eight-pointed star in the centre as well as decorative cornice features. Restoration work is needed due to water ingress, over painting, cracks and paint loss. Our grant of £30,000 is for the conservation work of this special feature.
Birmingham Conservation Trust
Purpose of Grant: The Golden Lion Restoration Project
Amount awarded: £20,000
Location: Birmingham
Date awarded: September 2025
The Birmingham Conservation Trust works to preserve Birmingham’s threatened architectural heritage. They are planning to conserve and bring back into use the Golden Lion Inn as a community facility.
The 16th Century, grade II timber-framed Golden Lion Inn is an extremely rare survival of a late-medieval building and a pioneering example of architectural conservation practice. Originally built as a town house in Deritend in Birmingham city centre it was saved from demolition in 1911 by the Birmingham Archaeological Society and relocated to its current home in Canon Hill Park.
The building is at risk of destruction due to structural failure, water ingress and arson. Our grant of £20,000 will help towards repairs to make the building structurally sound, so that it can be utilised as an important community asset for local people.
Birmingham Diocesan Trust
Purpose of Grant: Stained glass window repairs
Amount awarded: £5,000
Location: Staffordshire, England
Date awarded: September 2025
Known as “Pugin’s Gem”, St Giles’ is considered to be the finest of all the churches built by the celebrated nineteenth century architect and designer A.W.N Pugin. It was completed in 1846 and is Grade I listed. Almost all the furniture and fittings were designed by Pugin, the windows were the work of William Wailes to Pugin’s instructions.
A recent expert inspection of the stained-glass windows reported most were in good condition but recommended some work was necessary. Broken or missing tracery panels need to be repaired or replaced; vulnerable glass breaks need work; some re-leading is necessary; and new support bars need to be installed.
Charnwood Borough Council
Purpose of Grant: The Old Rectory
Amount awarded: £5,000
Location: Charnwood
Date awarded: September 2025
Used as a museum since the 1960’s, displaying archaeological finds and local history, the Old Rectory is a Grade II* building on the Heritage at Risk register. Dating from late 13th to early 14th century, the site consists of two bays of the original medieval hall, with one end of the site rebuilt as the museum.
Owned by Charnwood Borough Council and managed by Loughborough Archaeological & Historical Society, the building is in need of urgent repair and repointing work as well as better water drainage. Our grant will go towards survey and investigation work to prioritise the conservation and structural repairs needed to support this important local landmark.
Chatham Historic Dockyard
Purpose of Grant: Conserving ‘Mars surrounded by an assembly of Gods’
Amount awarded: £25,000
Location: Chatham, Kent
Date awarded: September 2025
Chatham Historic Dockyardis a large independent museum and maritime heritage attraction situated in Chatham, Kent. It was a national facility for shipbuilding and repair for the Royal Dockyard for 400 years until it was decommissioned in 1984.
Our grant of £25,000 is towards the conservation of the 1701 ceiling painting, attributed to Sir Thomas Highmore, ‘Mars surrounded by an assembly of Gods’. In 1723 it was installed above the central staircase of the Grade I Commissioner’s House, the most intact naval residence in Britain. The painting has been damaged through water ingress and has layers of surface dirt, cracking and discoloured varnish. The conservation work, which will need to take place in situ, will stabilise, clean and repair the ceiling painting in time for the public to enjoy when the building reopens in the summer next year.
The Food Museum
Purpose of Grant: A new life for the Food Museum Medieval Barn
Amount awarded: £25,000
Location: Stowmarket, Suffolk
Date awarded: September 2025
The Food Museum, based in East Anglia, is Britain’s only museum dedicated to food. Their mission is to connect people with where their food comes from and the impact of our choices on the environment, society, health and wellbeing.
Our grant of £25,000 is towards repair and conservation of a Grade II* Medieval Barn, Stowmarket’s oldest secular building, which lies at the entrance to the Museum. The Barn will be transformed into a year-round usable community space; and will enhance the museum visitors’ experience.
Grosmont Town Hall
Purpose of Grant: Grosmont Town Hall and Community Hub
Amount awarded: £10,000
Location: Grosmont, Monmouthshire
Date awarded: September 2025
Grosmont Town Hall is a Grade II well preserved early c19 town hall. The council and a group of local volunteers (Grosmont Futures CIO) want to tackle the problem of social isolation by upgrading facilities and transforming the town hall into an accessible community hub.
Our grant for £10,000will go towards repairs to the windows, doors and floor boarding.
Liliesleaf Trust
Purpose of Grant: Archival Display for Europe’s first Anti-Apartheid Museum
Amount awarded: £23,000
Location: London
Date awarded: September 2025
The Liliesleaf Trust is a Black-led organisation, aiming to ‘advance public knowledge of Britain’s central role in the international movement to end apartheid in Southern Africa from the 1960s to 1994’. The Trust is developing Europe’s first Anti-Apartheid Museum in the building of the former headquarters of the African National Congress (ANC) and the centre for British anti-apartheid activities at 28 Penton Street, Islington.
The Trust is requesting funding towards the conservation, storage and display of some objects, photographs and ephemera including, three museum grade cases, a bespoke ‘memory box’ and an archivist’s specialist time. The objects for conservation and display are an adapted suitcase used by the activist group, the London recruits, correspondence between key activists (including Nelson Mandela), and photographs of leading activists.
Our grant of £23,000 will help make anti-apartheid materials accessible to the public for the first time. The objects will be displayed safely and within environmental standards.
London Borough of Hackney
Purpose of Grant: Conserving Portrait of a local icon
Amount awarded: £3,430
Location: Hackney, East London
Date awarded: September 2025
Hackney Museum is a local authority run community history museum celebrating the worldwide roots of the people who live and work in the borough.
Local icon and horticulturalist George Loddiges (1786-1846), was a second-generation German immigrant who introduced numerous exotic species
into western cultivation and built what was then the largest tropical hothouse in the world, in Hackney. He also landscaped much of Abney Park Cemetery in Stoke Newington and his influence spread internationally from Russia to Australia.
Our grant will go towards appointing an accredited expert to conserve an early 19th century painting of this local icon. Conservation work will allow the painting to be included in a new permanent exhibition at Hackney Museum in early 2027 relevant to people who live, work and learn in the borough.
MacDougall of Dunollie Preservation Trust
Purpose of Grant: Historical Structure Remediation
Amount awarded: £12,000
Location: Oban, Scotland
Date awarded: September 2025
Dunollie Castle is a scheduled monument, dating from the 13th century, it is located on a cliff north of the town of Oban, on the west coast of Scotland. Barmkin Wall, the medieval wall which surrounds the castle and the cliff face on which the castle sits is in need of urgent repair.
Our grant of £12,000 will go towards expert reports including from geologists and heritage architects to identify remedial options to stabilise the site.
Making it Out
Purpose of Grant: Transforming Tithe Barn at Buncton
Amount awarded: £15,000
Location: Wiston, West Sussex
Date awarded: September 2025
Based in Brighton and Hove, Making it Out is a charity set up to support vulnerable people including ex-offenders and those at risk of committing crime, dealing with a range of challenges from homelessness to addiction and mental health issues.
Having successfully transformed a dilapidated barn to expand their premises a few years ago they now have been offered the chance to develop another barn at the Grade II Buncton Manor Farm, Wiston in West Sussex. Most of the repairs will be carried out by staff and service users building in skill development, qualifications and experience of heritage construction.
Our grant for £15,000 is for early preparatory work. The long-term outcome is a ‘centre for wellbeing through making’ bringing great social benefits and transforming one of the few historic structures remaining in the village of Buncton.
National Museums Scotland
Purpose of Grant: The Peebles Hoard Conservation
Amount awarded: £20,000
Location: Scotland
Date awarded: September 2025
A hoard of Bronze Age artefacts unearthed by a metal detectorist near Peebles in the Scottish Borders had lain undisturbed for 3,000 years before it was discovered in 2020. Dating from between 1,000BC and 800BC, the hoard has been described as one of the most significant ever found in the country, and important for research and understanding Bronze Age life in Scotland.
The collection, which contains over 500 objects and fragments, was acquired by the National Museums Scotland in 2024, Many of the fragments will not survive without conservation. Our grant of £20,000will help to stabilise and preserve the hoard and enable it to be on public display in the future.
Norwich Historic Churches Trust
Purpose of Grant: Consolidation of the tower at Saints Simon and Jude Church
Amount awarded: £5,000
Location: Norwich
Date awarded: September 2025
The Norwich Historic Churches Trust is responsible for protecting, preserving and finding new uses for 18 medieval churches in Norwich – from arts venues to theatres, antiques centres and charities.
They are seeking support for urgent repair work to the tower of St Simon and St Jude Church Norwich, which was decommisoned in 1892 and since then has had a range of community uses. The Grade I Church is on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register.
Extensive vegetation growth on the tower is severely compromising the fabric, accelerating decay and loosening mortar. Our grant will go towards remedial action to ensure public safety, protect the structural integrity of the tower, and prevent further deterioration ahead of the winter season and support its ongoing community use.
Presteigne and Norton Community Trust
Purpose of Grant: Norton Community Hub Clock Restoration
Amount awarded: £10,000
Location: Powys, Wales
Date awarded: September 2025
Presteigne and Norton Community Trust has helped transform, St Andrews in Norton, Powys, Wales, a redundant church into a busy community asset offering a wide variety of events and activities for all sections of the community to enjoy. Now known as Norton Community Hub, the Grade II* former church is a near complete example of the rural work of St George Gilbert Scott’s office.
Our grant of £10,000 is for specialist complex restoration of the turret clock. The flatbed striking clock dates from 1887; it has not worked for a couple of decades, the clock faces and dials are damaged. Once restored, the village will have a working clock at its heart again.
Tectona Trust
Purpose of Grant: Conservation and maintenance of Heritage Wooden tall Ship Tectona
Amount awarded: £5,000
Location: Plymouth
Date awarded: September 2025
The Tectona Trust helps people of all ages through the experience of sail training activities in traditional sailing craft, including their maintenance and conservation. Founded in 2009 and based around the heritage wooden tall ship Tectona, which it aims to preserve and maintain, the Trust offers lifechanging voyages to those most in need in particular young people, people with mental health issues and those in recovery from addiction.
Tectona was built in 1928 in India of solid Teak, hence the name. It is on the National Historic Ship register. Despite a recent full refit some additional restoration work has been identified. Most of the work will be done by volunteers working with skilled shipwrights and costs will cover equipment, materials and parts, as well as volunteer costs and fees for the shipwrights.
Our grant will support the work ensuring the long term preservation of the vessel enabling the project, which has both heritage and social benefits, to continue.
Tylorstown Welfare Hall
Purpose of Grant: Tylorstown Welfare Hall preservation project
Amount awarded: £20,000
Location: Rhondda Fach Valley, South Wales
Date awarded: September 2025
Tylorstown Welfare Hall, Rhondda Fach Valley, is a Grade II listed building, built in 1933 with contributions from local coal miners, and actively used by the community as a library, dance hall, snooker hall and meeting space. It is the last remaining Miners Hall in the Rhondda Fach area, and the only community space in Tylorstown.
Our grant of £20,000 will go towards the first phase of repairs to the external fabric of the building to help make it watertight. Once the much larger renovation work takes place, the long-term use and preservation of this historic community asset will be secured.
Ushaw Historic House, Chapels & Gardens
Purpose of Grant: Ushaw Libraries – Condition Survey
Amount awarded: £20,000
Location: County Durham
Date awarded: September 2025
Ushaw Historic House, Chapels & Gardens is an accredited museum and venue for cultural events with a series of interlocking buildings and extensive grounds in County Durham.
Established in 1808 as St Cuthbert’s College Ushaw, it is a former Catholic Seminary (closed 2011) with 13 chapels, designed by Augustus Pugin. The main college chapel, St Michael’s is Grade I listed, with various other parts of the complex being Grade I, Grade II* and Grade II.
Ushaw is seeking funding for a condition survey of their Grade II listed library wing to understand the conservation needs of this part of the building. The library has an exceptionally important collection of over 50,000 items, including early manuscripts and rare editions including a first edition of Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species and the Nuremburg Chronicle of 1493.
Our grant of £20,000is for a condition survey of the library wing to understand the conservation needs of this part of the building.
West Horsley Place
Purpose of Grant: Preservation of the west range gabled roof
Amount awarded: £10,000
Location: Leatherhead, Surrey
Date awarded: September 2025
Made famous by the BBC’s Ghost series, West Horsley Place, is Grade I listed and dates from the 15th century and currently on the At Risk register. The west range gabled roof of the manor house has developed a serious structural issue making it unstable. If the roof tiles fail, the 15C wattle and daub structure in the attic would be threatened. Our grant of £10,000 is for urgent repairs which will also ensure public access.
West Midlands Historic Buildings Trust
Purpose of grant: Sustainable futures for St Michael’s Place and the Master’s House
Amount awarded: £15,000
Location: Saltisford, Warwick
Date awarded: September 2025
The West Midlands Historic Buildings Trust finds sustainable futures for listed buildings at risk. It plans to convert two Grade II* buildings, St Michael’s chapel and the timber-framed Master’s House (on Historic England’s At Risk Register), into affordable housing. It will also preserve the remains of an 11th century Leper Hospital, a Scheduled Ancient Monument, below ground on the site.
Our grant of £15,000 will go towards this work which will help find sustainable uses for this important heritage site
Annan The History Town Group
Purpose of Grant: Annan’s Motte and Bailey: Preserving the Monument project
Amount awarded: £10,000
Location: Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland
Date awarded: June 2025
Annan The History Town Group aims to preserve and promote Annan’s history by organising historical events, educational programmes and community projects.
The group has permission to restore and preserve the Motte and Bailey, a 12th century scheduled monument which is currently in a state of neglect.
Our grant will be used for vegetation clearance and pathway restoration to prevent further deterioration and enable conservation volunteers and maintenance teams safer access to the site.
Archbishop’s Palace Conservation Trust
Purpose of Grant: Archaeological investigations for main restoration project
Amount awarded: £10,000
Location: Otford, Kent
Date awarded: June 2025
The Archbishop’s Palace was built in 1514. All that remains today is part of the North Range – including the North West corner tower. The palace was at one time owned by Henry VIII, but this scheduled ancient monument is now on the Heritage at Risk Register.
Our grant is for archaeological investigations to inform the plans, helping to secure the future of this historic building.
Ballinderry War Memorial Hall Management Committee
Purpose of Grant: Restoration and Regeneration of Ballinderry War Memorial Hall
Amount awarded: £20,000
Location: Northern Ireland
Date awarded: June 2025
Ballinderry Hall is the only remaining WW1 community war memorial in Northern Ireland. Officially opened in 1924, and built in an Edwardian Free Style, the Grade B1 listed hall is on the ‘at risk’ register.
This important community asset is regularly used but a condition report states that it is in terminal decline unless work is carried out. Key works include conservation of the historic fabric, restoring architectural details and repairing and conserving the memorial tablet.
Our grant of will go towards the long-term preservation of this architecturally important Hall.
Comrie Development Trust
Purpose of Grant: Cultybraggan Camp Jail Block Museum Roof Restoration
Amount awarded: £30,000
Location: Perthshire, Scotland
Date awarded: June 2025
Cultybraggan Camp is the last remaining Prisoner of War Camp in Scotland and considered one of the three best preserved purpose-built WWII camps in Britain. Built in 1941, it housed around 4,000 prisoners of war and provides important evidence of the ways in which they were detained.
Our grant will help restore the roof of the jail block.
Friends of the Broadway Prestwick
Purpose of Grant: Phase One Architectural Development
Amount awarded: £15,000
Location: Prestwick, Scotland
Date awarded: June 2025
The Broadway cinema first opened its doors in 1935. The Art Deco style building is C listed and is ‘at risk’.
The plan is to develop the building into a multi-functional space, with cinema/performance auditorium, café, museum and community space.
Our grant will go towards surveys to develop the architectural plans to RIBA Stage 4.
Friends of Goadby Marwood Village Hall
Purpose of Grant: Preserving Goadby Marwood Village Hall
Amount awarded: £5,000
Location: Leicestershire
Date awarded: June 2025
Grade II, Goadby Marwood Village Hall was built in 1861 as the village school until its closure in 1942. Since then, it has been run as a village hall supporting vulnerable and disadvantaged residents.
Architecturally, the hall is notable for its Victorian design and strong ecclesiastical influences. Constructed from locally quarried, coursed ironstone with stone dressings, the building features stone mullioned, lattice-glazed windows and a tiled roof.
The building is facing structural issues (cracking) alongside outdated and inaccessible facilities. Our grant is for a full structural survey supporting the wider aim to renovate and protect the future of this ‘cornerstone of village life’.
The Friends of Stewart Fleming School
Purpose of Grant: Conserving the story of Stewart Fleming Primary School
Amount awarded: £5,000
Location: London
Date awarded: June 2025
The Parent-Teacher Association of Stewart Fleming Primary School would like to conserve two historic documents which represent the only surviving archives of the school.
The school plan and school logbook date from the 1930s, are in poor condition and cannot be used for teaching. Our grant will pay for both documents to be conserved and stabilised. The plan will be reframed; the logbook will be properly stored. Digitisation of both documents will allow new ways for the pupils and local community to learn from these important historic items.
Glasgow Building Preservation Trust
Purpose of Grant: Rejuvenating the Whitevale Baths
Amount awarded: £15,000
Location: Glasgow, Scotland
Date awarded: June 2025
Whitevale Baths in Gallowgate, first opened its doors in 1902.
The historic B listed building is at risk. The Baths are owned by the council, but Glasgow Building Preservation Trust will be handed temporary ownership until restoration is complete.
Once transformed the Baths will become a new home for the children’s charity PEEK (Possibilities for Each and Every Kid) and a welcoming hub for the Gallowgate community.
Our grant will go towards survey costs as part of the early development phase works.
Gracemount Mansion Development Trust
Purpose of Grant: To allow the partial re-opening of Gracemount Mansion
Amount awarded: £20,000
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
Date awarded: June 2025
Gracemount Mansion Development Trust aims to develop and reopen the Georgian Grade B listed Gracemount Mansion and surrounding grounds.
The now derelict mansion is on the Scottish Buildings At Risk register with the condition of the built fabric declining rapidly.
In advance of full reopening in the future, our grant will go towards emergency repairs to allow Gracemount Mansion to partially re-open and begin to serve its community again.
Hay Castle Trust
Purpose of Grant: Preserving Hay Castle’s Medieval Curtain Wall
Amount awarded: £5,000
Location: Hay-on-Wye, Powys
Date awarded: June 2025
Following a successful major restoration project Hay Castle has reopened as a centre for arts, literature, heritage and culture.
The surviving section of the Castle’s medieval curtain wall (Scheduled Ancient Monument) is in a deteriorating condition. Our grant will go towards vegetation clearance, archaeological investigations, structural engineers and ecological surveys to better understand the construction and condition of the wall. A costed conservation report will inform future plans to protect this important relic of the medieval landscape for future generations to enjoy.
London Borough of Lewisham
Purpose of Grant: Foxborough Gardens murals conservation project
Amount awarded: £8,000
Location: Lewisham, South-east London
Date awarded: June 2025
Foxborough Gardens Tenants and Residents Association are keen to restore and conserve two William Mitchell murals featured at the entrance of two blocks of flats, owned by Lewisham council, on the Foxborough Gardens Estate.
Our grant of will support the repair and conservation work of this important public art allowing the artworks to continue to enrich the local community.
Loftus Town Council
Purpose of Grant: Loftus Town Hall Heritage Improvement Project
Amount awarded: £15,000
Location: Cleveland, North Yorkshire
Date awarded: June 2025
Loftus Town Hall is a Grade II listed building dating from 1879, in the centre of Loftus. It is home to the Town Council and an Assembly Room used by the community.
Our grant will go towards restoring the heritage features of this significant town landmark.
Norfolk Historic Buildings Trust
Purpose of Grant: Waxham Great Barn Roof and Floor renovation
Amount awarded: £20,000
Location: Norfolk
Date awarded: June 2025
Built around 1570, Waxham Great Barn is the largest barn in Norfolk. The Grade I listed scheduled monument is home to a successful café and events venue.
The ridge of the thatched roof needs renewing as the sedge has decayed, and the floor also needs renewal, replacing the chalk with a limecrete floor.
Our grant will go towards the roof and floor renovation, preserving this outstanding historic barn.
Ross of Mull Historical Centre
Purpose of Grant: Urgent Repairs to the Old Corn Mill
Amount awarded: £5,000
Location: Isle of Mull, Scotland
Date awarded: June 2025
The Ross of Mull Historical Centre acts as a museum, archive and local history centre, promoting the cultural history and natural environment of the Ross of Mull, the south-west peninsula of the Isle of Mull.
Adjacent to the heritage centre stands the 18th century corn mill which is C listed, at risk, and currently in a partial ruinous state. Our grant will go towards stabilising the corn mill and securing it as a heritage asset which will enhance the site, adding an important resource for the local community and schools to enjoy.
Royal Society of Sculptors
Purpose of Grant: Protecting the Society’s archive
Amount awarded: £20,000
Location: London
Date awarded: June 2025
The Royal Society of Sculptors is a membership organisation founded in 1905. It supports and connects sculptors throughout their careers and hosts exhibitions and events.
The Grade II listed building where the society is based lacks suitable archive storage facilities for the society’s nationally important archive. Our grant will go towards creating a purpose-built archive space in the basement securing the future of this important historic archive.
Sainsbury Centre (University of East Anglia)
Purpose of Grant: To restore the St Etheldreda panels
Amount awarded: £10,000
Location: Norfolk, Norwich
Date awarded: June 2025
The St Etheldreda panel is a rare mid-15th century pre-reformation English panel painting depicting the life of the female saint Etheldreda (d.679). It is due to be exhibited next year as part of an exhibition on Benedictine rule.
The Sainsbury Centre intends to borrow the paintings from the Society of Antiquaries in London. The panels are unable to travel without conservation work to stabilise them.
Our grant will go towards the conservation work enabling these historically important and culturally relevant paintings to be seen outside of London for the first time.
St Ives Community Land Trust
Purpose of Grant: Design development work
Amount awarded: £14,000
Location: Cornwall
Date awarded: June 2025
St Ives Community Land Trust aims to transform a redundant historic Grade II Methodist chapel into community arts hub. The chapel, built in 1824, will be repurposed into St Peter’s Street Studios, creating eight affordable art and craft studios for local people.
Our grant of is for design development work up to RIBA Stage 4. This will help support the ambition to transform a redundant historic chapel into a thriving arts hub for local people to enjoy.
The T & M Greg Trust
Purpose of Grant: Westmill Village Hall roof repairs and energy performance improvements
Amount awarded: £15,000
Location: Hertfordshire
Date awarded: June 2025
Westmill Village Hall, owned by The T & M Greg Trust, is the only community building in the small Hertfordshire village of Westmill. It is used for exhibitions, events, meetings as well as being home to the local nursery.
Originally a C17 barn, it was converted into the village hall in 1900. The hall and its adjoining cottage are Grade II listed.
Our grant will go towards repairs to the roof and improvements to the building fabric, of the hall and adjoining cottage.
Toys Hill Village Hall and Chancel
Purpose of Grant: Toys Hill Hall Restoration
Amount awarded: £5,000
Location: Kent
Date awarded: June 2025
Toys Hill Village Hall and Chancel was set up in 1909 in the small hamlet of Toys Hill in Kent. The hall, the only public space left in the hamlet, contains the village archive as well as spaces for meetings, lectures, and entertainment and the occasional religious ceremony.
Our grant will help conserve and renew the fabric of the Grade II Arts and Crafts Hall and go towards upgrading facilities, securing the future of this important historic community building.
Whiston Parish Council
Purpose of Grant: Thatched roof repair – Whiston Manorial Barn
Amount awarded: £20,000
Location: South Yorkshire
Date awarded: June 2025
The Whiston Manorial Barn is Grade II* listed and dates back to the early 13th century.
The eight bay, aisled, timber-framed barn is used as a community events venue and hosts heritage open days.
A recent condition survey of the thatched roof identified the need for remedial works. Our grant is for urgent repair work, helping to secure the future of the historic barn.
The Arkwright Society
Purpose of Grant: Development work and structural surveys
Amount awarded: £30,000
Location: Derbyshire
Date awarded: March 2025
The Arkwright Society is dedicated to the preservation and reuse of Cromford Mills, Derbyshire.
The Grade I listed complex consists of a range of buildings, three of which are on the At Risk register. Our grant will support the critical development phase for ‘Building 1’, including structural surveys, monitoring and design work.
Arnos Vale Cemetery
Purpose of Grant: Conservation Management Plan and listed building inspections
Amount awarded: £10,000
Location: Bristol
Date awarded: March 2025
Arnos Vale Cemetery is a 45-acre Grade II* park and garden situated in a Conservation Area in Bristol. Managed by Arnos Vale Cemetery Trust, it is often seen as an exemplar of a cemetery restoration.
Our grant of is for a new Conservation Management Plan and building inspections of the four Grade II* listed buildings on the site.
Bourne Town Hall Trust
Purpose of Grant: Building restoration and conversion into a vibrant Community Arts Centre
Amount awarded: £20,000
Location: Lincolnshire
Date awarded: March 2025
Bourne Old Town Hall is a Grade II listed Georgian building in the former market place in the centre of Bourne, Lincolnshire. The volunteer-led is aiming to save the Old Town Hall and transform it into a vibrant Arts and Heritage hub.
Our £20,000 is for specialist conservation work to the Shambles, (the original market area). The longer-term aim is to transform the Shambles into a multi-purpose social space for talks, events and markets for the community to enjoy.
The Bowes Museum
Purpose of Grant: ‘Creating the Conditions’ (CTC) for a vibrant and sustainable museum
Amount awarded: £25,000
Location: County Durham
Date awarded: March 2025
The Bowes Museum manages the French inspired, purpose built, Grade 1 listed, Accredited Museum and 22 acres of parkland in Barnard Castle.
Our grant of will go towards the essential works to fire doors and electrical systems, helping to safeguard this historic Grade 1 listed building, and important cultural resource for the North East.
Braziers Park
Purpose of Grant: Urgent maintenance work and commissioning surveys
Amount awarded: £20,000
Location: Oxfordshire
Date awarded: March 2025
Established as an adult education college in the 1950’s Braziers Park is a community and residential college occupying a Grade II* listed mansion house in 55 acres of woodland in South Oxfordshire.
The house dates back to the 17th century and is an example of a Strawberry Hill Gothic style, modelled on the original Horace Walpole design. Our grant is for urgent water ingress repair and maintenance work and to produce a historic significance survey.
Chiltern Open Air Museum
Purpose of Grant: Repairs to the Georgian Toll House
Amount awarded: £10,000
Location: The Chilterns
Date awarded: March 2025
Chiltern Open Air Museum is a charity that protects the built and cultural heritage of the Chilterns by rescuing threatened historic buildings, which would otherwise be demolished, and rebuilding them.
The Georgian Toll House was first built in 1826 in a neo-Gothic style. Our award will go towards urgent exterior repairs to the roof slates, stone, brickwork, windows frames and sills, enabling visitors to enjoy this historically significant house once more.
Commonwealth War Graves Foundation
Purpose of Grant: To preserve the archive of photographic negatives and glass plates.
Amount awarded: £10,000
Location: Berkshire
Date awarded: March 2025
The Commonwealth War Graves Foundation aims to engage and educate people about the men and women who sacrificed their lives in the two World Wars. The foundation, which is the charitable arm of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), is aiming to preserve the Commission’s archive collection of photographic negatives and glass plates.
Our grant will go towards the repackaging and freezing of the collection to halt further deterioration.
The Friends of Abingdon Abbey Buildings Trust
Purpose of Grant: Abingdon Abbey Buildings Enhancement Project
Amount awarded: £30,000
Location: Abingdon
Date awarded: March 2025
Abingdon Abbey Buildings are the only surviving remains of the medieval Abbey of Abingdon. Grade 1 listed and cared for by The Friends of Abingdon Abbey Buildings Trust the buildings house the town’s only theatre.
The buildings are in poor condition and need urgent repairs to make them watertight and weatherproof. Our grant will go towards the repair and conservation element, helping to secure the long-term sustainable future of the historic site.
Friends of Campsie High Kirk
Purpose of Grant: Iconic ‘A’ Listed Heritage Revitalisation Project
Amount awarded: £5,000
Location: Scotland
Date awarded: March 2025
Built in 1828 and regarded as a masterpiece of Gothic Revival and classical design, Campsie High Kirk is the only A-listed church designed by David Hamilton, Scotland’s most prolific architect and known as the father of Scottish architecture.
The Friends of Campsie High Kirk aims to restore and repurpose, this outstanding historic building, into a community hub and space for local residents.
Our grant will go towards a condition survey and feasibility study.
Galloon Hall
Purpose of Grant: Returning a historic building back to community use
Amount awarded: £4,500
Location: Northern Ireland
Date awarded: March 2025
Galloon Hall, the former mid-terrace Market House, listed B2, with a fine sandstone and limestone façade has fallen into a state of disrepair.
Our grant is for condition surveys of the wider site including two adjoining terrace houses and Trinity Hall, situated in the rear courtyard. Galloon Hall Management Committee aims to restore and repurpose the historic Market House and adjoining unlisted buildings allowing the site to be opened up for social and recreational community activities and enjoyment.
The Gregynog Trust
Purpose of Grant: Safeguarding Gregynog’s iconic historic house
Amount awarded: £30,000
Location: Powys, Wales
Date awarded: March 2025
Gregynog Hall and Estate is a 750-acre estate. Owned by the The Gregynog Trust, the estate is on CADW’s Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales (Grade I), and includes the Grade II* listed Hall, William Emes designed gardens, along with a National Nature Reserve and arboretum.
The main hall roof of this iconic half-timbered Grade II* historic house is in a critical condition. Our grant will go towards surveys and investigative works, enabling a programme of urgent temporary works to prevent water ingress as well as informing a more permanent solution.
Meigle and Ardler Community Development Trust
Purpose of Grant: Conservation and repair of the bowling pavilion
Amount awarded: £20,000
Location: Perthshire
Date awarded: March 2025
Meigle and Ardler Community Development Trust is a charity focused on driving rural regeneration, enriching cultural heritage, environmental stewardship and providing recreational opportunities in the rural villages of eastern Perthshire.
The Trust has ambitions to restore Meigle Old Pavilion, a 19th century timber bowling pavilion dating from 1897 which has fallen into disrepair.
Our grant will help conserve and repair the building which will become a community gathering and event space and a historical attraction for visitors.
Moor Pool Heritage Trust
Purpose of Grant: Moor Pool Hall toilet roof repairs
Amount awarded: £5,000
Location: Birmingham
Date awarded: March 2025
Moor Pool Heritage Trust is a community-based charity, set up to conserve the historic Moor Pool Garden Suburb in Harborne, Birmingham. The charity is aiming to ensure the Grade II listed Moor Pool Hall remains open.
Our grant is for repairs to part of the Grade II listed roof over the toilet/cloakroom facilities at the Hall to stop the water ingress and improve energy efficiency, enhancing the facilities for the community and wider public to enjoy.
Norwich Historic Churches Trust
Purpose of Grant: St James Pockthorpe porch and nave cill repairs
Amount awarded: £5,000
Location: Norwich
Date awarded: March 2025
The Norwich Historic Churches Trust preserves and maintains local redundant medieval churches which are of historic or architectural value. Under its management is St James Pockthorpe Church. Grade I and on Historic England’s Buildings At Risk register it has been repurposed to house the Norwich Puppet Theatre, the last remaining marionette theatre in the country.
Our grant is for urgent repairs to the fabric of the porch and nave cills. This will help to stabilise the building, allowing its continued use while long-term plans for its restoration are established.
Nottingham Cathedral
Purpose of Grant: Restoration of original Gothic decorations
Amount awarded: £20,000
Location: Nottingham
Date awarded: March 2025
Designed by the renowned architect Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin, Nottingham Cathedral is a Grade II* listed building in the heart of the City Centre.
Our grant will support the restoration and recreation of AWN Pugin’s 1844 rich neo-Gothic decorative scheme to the Cathedral’s east end.
Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage
Purpose of Grant: Refurbishment of Gothic Revival Victorian front and internal doors
Amount awarded: £15,000
Location: Leicester
Date awarded: March 2025
The Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage increases understanding of the arts and cultural heritage of the African Caribbean diaspora, through dance, history and arts and digital. They have recently moved into a Grade II listed, building dating from 1865.
The original carved oak doors are a particular rare feature. Our grant will go towards the intricate refurbishment of the front doors and three internal Victorian doors.
The Spitalfields Historic Buildings Trust
Purpose of Grant: Stabilising the Great Hall at Charing Archbishop’s Palace
Amount awarded: £4,500
Location: Kent
Date awarded: March 2025
The Spitalfields Trust has been working to restore the former Archbishop’s Palace in Charing, Kent. The fascinating medieval palace complex, with the original palace site dating back to the 8th century, is now on the Building At Risk register – category A – at immediate risk.
Our grant will go towards the Great Hall, which is scheduled and Grade I listed,
helping to stabilise the building’s condition sufficiently to allow the Spitalfields Trust the time to explore further funding options.
The Tywi Gateway Trust
Purpose of Grant: Walled Garden project- delivery phase
Amount awarded: £20,000
Location: Carmarthen
Date awarded: March 2025
The Tywi Gateway Trust is a community led charity that looks after Parc yr Esgob – the Bishops’ Park – in Abergwili, Carmarthen, Wales. This grade II registered historic park and garden of Special Historic Interest includes formal gardens, walled garden, ancient semi-natural woodland, and a visitor centre.
Our grant will go towards the restoration of the historic walled garden. Once restored the ‘secret garden’ will become accessible to the public and available for horticultural workshops.
The Charleston Trust
Purpose of Grant: Conserving Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant’s Studio
Amount awarded: £3,000
Location: Firle, East Sussex
Date awarded: November 2024
Since 1980, The Charleston Trust has worked to protect Charleston, the Grade II* home and studio of Bloomsbury group artists Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant. It is the only fully intact Bloomsbury-designed interior in the world.
The environmental conditions at Charleston require urgent attention. Our grant is for a specialist Building Environmental Performance Assessment (BEPA). The aim is to explore the environmental challenges impacting both the building and its contents. This early investigative work is crucial to lay the foundations for a campaign to conserve the studio building and its contents.
Cheddleton Flint Mill Industrial Heritage Trust
Purpose of Grant: Repairs to roofs on two water mills
Amount awarded: £5,000
Location: Cheddleton, Staffordshire
Date awarded: November 2024
Cheddleton Flint Mill is the only mill in Europe with two working parallel waterwheels. The Grade II* mill complex has been looked after by the Trust since 1967. Both mills are in need of roof repairs. Our grant will pay for an experienced historic buildings expert who will replace any damaged tiles with reclaimed identical ones.
The preventative work will ensure the roofs are waterproof avoiding further deterioration.
Chesham Town Council
Purpose of Grant: Refurbishment of the Chesham Town Tapestry
Amount awarded: £3,500
Location: Buckinghamshire
Date awarded: November 2024
Inspired by the nine-hundred-year-old Bayeux tapestry, the Chesham Tapestry celebrates the history of Chesham and the surrounding area. The 3.4-metre-wide embroidery, created in the 1970s, depicts Chesham’s built heritage and representations of local trades.
Owned by Chesham Town Council, the tapestry is in need of specialist cleaning and a custom designed frame to protect it from further damage. Our grant will ensure the tapestry is in better condition and displayed in a way that will secure its long-term preservation.
Compton Verney House
Purpose of Grant: Stabilisation work to Compton Verney’s historic Loggia
Amount awarded: £15,000
Location: Warwickshire
Date awarded: November 2024
Compton Verney House in Warwickshire is a Grade I listed mansion, art gallery with 120 acres of parkland. As well as putting on exhibitions it runs an extensive educational programme for schools and community groups. Our grant of £15,000 is to carry out urgent stabilisation work to Compton Verney’s historic Loggia, using specialist conservators.
Cranleigh Heritage Trust
Purpose of Grant: To help fund development plans for the first Cottage Hospital in England
Amount awarded: £20,000
Location: Cranleigh Surrey
Date awarded: November 2024
From 1859, Cranleigh Cottage Hospital was the first cottage hospital of its kind in England to offer medical services free at point of use for those that could not afford to pay.
The volunteer led Cranleigh Heritage Trust aims to restore the Grade II building, turning it into a community hub providing a flexible space for health and wellbeing sessions, community meetings and for local school visits. Heritage displays and a digital archive will record its important place in the history of the Cottage Hospital movement.
Culmore Community Partnership
Purpose of Grant: Restoration of Culmore Fort
Amount awarded: £13,500
Location: Derry City, Northern Ireland
Date awarded: November 2024
Culmore Community Partnership supports urban and rural regeneration in Culmore. They now have an opportunity to take on the lease for Culmore Fort which will help to preserve a local landmark, constructed in 1600-1649, and create additional community space.
The derelict, Grade B1 listed building will be used primarily for the delivery of mental well-being support for young people and the wider community.
Culture Perth and Kinross
Purpose of Grant: Reglazing Pre-Raphaelite and Old Master paintings
Amount awarded: £13,000
Location: Scotland
Date awarded: November 2024
Culture Perth and Kinross is a charitable trust that has taken on the responsibility for museums, libraries, archives, local history and creative learning in partnership with Perth and Kinross Council. The Trust manages over 500,000 objects in both the Perth Art Gallery and the new Perth Museum which opened Easter 2024 in the old City Hall.
Our grant of £13,000 is for cleaning, documenting and reglazing of 17 old Master paintings and two Pre-Raphaelite paintings currently on display in the gallery with low reflective, high UV filtration glass to improve visibility and reduce the risk of light damage. The Gallery’s ICON accredited conservator will carry out the work and the project would also support a three-month conservation internship from Glasgow University.
Derby Museum
Purpose of Grant: Conservation of two ancient Egyptian mummified people
Amount awarded: £11,750
Location: Derby
Date awarded: November 2024
Derby Museum has collections of natural history, archaeology and industrial history, as well as a Designated collection of Joseph Wright of Derby, the 18th century Enlightenment artist.
Our grant of £11,750 is for the conservation of two Egyptian mummies, a 26th Dynasty priest named Pypy-u in a wooden coffin and an early Ptolemaic male Pa-sheri in a cartonnage case. Both have been in the museum collection since 1859. The cleaning and scanning, which will be done in partnership with the University of Lincoln, will reveal inscriptions and colours and help develop knowledge and understanding of the mummies, whilst ensuring their long-term survival and ability to be displayed for the public to enjoy.
Ditchling Museum of Art and Craft
Purpose of Grant: Dream Revealed: conservation for major textile work by Tadek Beutlich
Amount awarded: £13,000
Location: South Downs
Date awarded: November 2024
Ditchling Museum of Art and Craft in the South Downs, showcases local artists dating back to 1900, as well as displaying the work of contemporary artists and craftspeople. Artists featured in the museum include Eric Gill, Edward Johnston, David Jones and Ethel Mairet.
Our grant of £13,000 is to conserve a textile work by Tadek Beutlich, entitled ‘Dream Revealed’. The Polish émigré artist lived in Ditchling. The large piece (225cm x 230cm) represents a bridge between Beutlich’s tapestry weaving and ‘off loom’ textiles and is one of the few examples of this type in the UK. Following conservation, the work will be displayed, for the first time since 1969, in Ditchling museum for six months as part of a Tadek Beutlich retrospective exhibition.
Diving Museum
Purpose of Grant: Redevelopment of the Diving Museum
Amount awarded: £15,000
Location: Gosport, Portsmouth
Date awarded: November 2024
The Diving Museum, Gosport, Portsmouth holds a collection of diving equipment (military, scientific and commercial), including the prototype of the Deane brothers’ first diving helmet. It delivers a varied and well-attended in-house and external talks programme and supports many local community projects. It is housed in a Grade II* listed Victorian military battery which was built in 1861 as part of a defensive system called Palmerston’s Folly.
The Battery has issues with damp penetration, condensation and deterioration of brickwork, concrete, steels and stone. Our grant of £15,000 will support the substantial redevelopment building works.
Faringdon Folly Tower
Purpose of Grant: Essential Repairs to Faringdon Folly Tower
Amount awarded: £30,000
Location: Oxfordshire
Date awarded: November 2024
Built in 1935 by Lord Berners as the, “last major folly built in the British Isles”, Faringdon Folly Tower stands 100ft tall perched on the 300 ft high Folly Hill in Oxfordshire. Grade 11 listed, Farringdon Folly Tower is built in the style of an Italian campanile, it can be seen from more than five miles away.
A recent condition survey has identified the need for the re-pointing of the brickwork and stonework; repairing the roof; and restoring all the windows to prevent further water ingress and damage. Our grant of £30,000 will go towards essential repairs so the local community and tourists can continue to enjoy this much-loved local landmark.
The Friends of the Painted Church (FOPC)
Purpose of Grant: Conservation of ‘Our Saviour Blessing the Bread’
Amount awarded: £2,600
Location: Cambridge
Date awarded: November 2024
Richard Bankes Harraden’s oil painting, ‘Our Saviour Blessing the Bread’ dates from c 1821 and is a copy of the popular painting by Carlo Dolci (1616-1687).
The painting is housed in All Saints’ Church, a Grade l listed building considered by many as a triumph of 19th century English Gothic architecture. The Church, also known as, the Painted Church, has exceptional, vibrantly coloured, hand-painted walls and spectacular stained-glass windows by leading artists, William Morris, Edward Burne-Jones, Ford Maddox Brown, and C.E. Kempe.
Around 1864 the painting was reframed, featuring an ornate Arts and Crafts gold and black holographic design. Both painting and frame, which have been in storage for the last 30 years, show signs of significant deterioration. Our grant will ensure the painting is conserved so it can be displayed securely, attracting more visitors to the church.
Great Torrington Commons Conservators
Purpose of Grant: Preserving the Conservators’ Deposited Plan
Amount awarded: £3,000
Location: North Devon
Date awarded: November 2024
Great Torrington Commons Conservators are a group of elected trustees that protect and manage over 300 acres of common land surrounding the historic civil war town of Great Torrington in North Devon. The Conservators have a duty to resist encroachment and to protect the natural aspect of the common as a significant natural habitat and essential recreation space for current and future generations.
The protection is enshrined in The Great Torrington Commons Act 1889 which was accompanied by three copies of a ‘deposited plan’ which detailed the extent and boundaries of the common land. It is thought the conservators’ plan is the only remaining copy, essential for evidencing the boundaries of the commons. Our grant will fund specialist conservation work, digital reproduction and storage, preserving this important document for future generations.
The King’s Theatre
Purpose of Grant: Conservation of the John Byrne dome at the King’s Theatre Edinburgh
Amount awarded: £25,000
Location: Edinburgh
Date awarded: November 2024
The King’s Theatre opened in 1906. It is a Grade A listed building located in the heart of Tollcross in the southwest area of Edinburgh. Managed by the Capital Theatres, charity King’s Theatre is now closed for refurbishment and set to reopen in 2026. The theatre features a mural painted by one of Scotland’s most ‘inventive and versatile modern artists’, John Byrne (1940-2023). The colourful design filled with theatrical motifs and quotes was painted onto the domed ceiling of the theatre in 2013. It is the largest surviving mural (78.5 sq/m) by Byrne.
The mural has been surveyed and inspected by specialist conservators. The paint layers are showing delamination and cracking and lifting. Our grant of £25,000 will support the stabilisation and conservation work safeguarding John Byrne’s last surviving mural within the King’s Theatre for future generations to enjoy.
Longfield Hall Trust
Purpose of Grant: Damp proof membrane replacement to Longfield Hall
Amount awarded: £4,500
Location: Camberwell, London
Date awarded: November 2024
Grade II Longfield Hall in Camberwell, London, is an historic cultural venue which was home to the UK’s first publicly funded black theatre company, Dark & Light Theatre (1969-73). It provides space for recreation, classes, education, cultural events, training and gatherings.
The Hall, originally commissioned by William Minet, opened in 1889 and hosted lectures, concerts and community events aimed at ‘the moral and intellectual improvement’ of local people.
Our grant is for a replacement damp proof membrane to offset the rising water table and avert the risk of damage to the building’s foundations. The historic building will be protected providing an important community space for local people.
MacDiarmid’s Brownsbank
Purpose of Grant: Brownsbank Cottage Restoration
Amount awarded: £15,000
Location: Scotland
Date awarded: November 2024
MacDiarmid’s Brownsbank is a Scottish charity set up to restore Brownsbank Cottage, near Biggar, the former home of the poet Hugh MacDiarmid, acknowledged as Scotland’s greatest poet of the twentieth century. He lived there from 1951 until his death in 1978. The aim of the charity is to restore and upgrade the Grade A Listed Building cottage, re-establish a writer in residence programme, and to promote the work of Hugh MacDiarmid through educational and community creative involvement.
Our grant of £15,000 will go towards professional fees to enable the charity to draw up a detailed costed schedule of works of repairs, with the aim of securing the future of this considerable cultural and socially significant cottage.
The National Museum of Labour History
Purpose of Grant: Building a sustainable future for the Pump House
Amount awarded: £4,500
Location: Manchester
Date awarded: November 2024
The People’s History Museum in Manchester celebrates the radical history of people coming together to demand a fairer society. It cares for a collection of over 60,000 historic and contemporary objects relating to democracy and social justice movements, including the Chartists, the suffragettes and Black Lives Matter.
It is housed in a Grade II Edwardian Pumphouse with a newer extension built in 2010. The largest of the heritage spaces in the Museum, the brick and terracotta Engine Hall features vast arched windows, a vaulted glass roof and other original features including colourful Pilkington Tiles.
Maintenance challenges and utility cost increases have resulted in a shift to seasonal use. Our grant is for foundational building surveys to give the Museum the information needed to determine a longer-term sustainable plan.
Nottingham Roman Catholic Diocesan Trustees
Purpose of Grant: Stained Glass Window Condition & Costings Report
Amount awarded: £2,100
Location: Grimsby
Date awarded: November 2024
St Mary on the Sea in Grimsby is a Grade II Roman Catholic Church built in 1879-83 in a gothic revival style. It was saved from closure in 2018 following a campaign led by Save Britain’s Heritage who wanted to preserve the architectural and artistic features of the church including the marble altar designed by Pugin and Pugin and impressive stained-glass windows.
Our grant is for a survey and condition report of the stained-glass windows which require urgent attention.
Spalding Gentlemen’s Society
Purpose of Grant: Window repairs for the Spalding Gentlemen’s Society Museum
Amount awarded: £18,000
Location: Lincolnshire
Date awarded: November 2024
Founded in 1710, Spalding Gentlemen’s Society, is said to be Britain’s oldest surviving provincial learned society. Its earliest collections acquired in the 18th century are a resource for the history of museums and collecting and provincial life in the Enlightenment. Artefacts include early prints, maps, ethnographic collections, textile and costume, 2000 glass plate negatives and medieval manuscripts.
The society is based in a Grade II listed building in central Spalding, in Lincolnshire. It was purpose-built by members in 1911 to house the Society’s collections and includes a museum, library and archive. The museum is closed as funds are being raised for demolition work and replacement new extensions. Our grant of £18,000 is for repairs to the original leaded windows and secondary glazing.
Thaxted Windmill Trust
Purpose of Grant: To repair the Windmill building and its millwrighting machinery
Amount awarded: £25,000
Location: Essex
Date awarded: November 2024
Thaxted Windmill has been described as, ‘one of the ten most significant Tower Mills surviving in the UK’. This Grade II* listed red brick tower Windmill was built in 1804 and it was in operation for around 100 years. The Windmill is At Risk, suffering from extensive internal damp caused by eroded brickwork and open joints, which is causing widespread mould on internal walls, and the interior of the building has had to be propped.
Volunteer led, Thaxted Windmill Trust looks after the windmill and encourages young people to train in heritage building and millwrighting skills, sharing expertise with other windmills in the area. Our grant of £25,000 will go towards repairing the windmill building and its millwrighting machinery.
Trinity Community Arts
Purpose of Grant: To help save Jacobs Wells Baths
Amount awarded: £30,000
Location: Bristol
Date awarded: November 2024
Trinity Community Arts empowers communities by providing a diverse programme of arts, heritage and cultural projects, activities and events with a focus on improving quality of life, especially for those facing multiple disadvantages. The charity, which has successfully transformed the Trinity Centre, into a successful arts venue is now looking to restore Jacobs Wells Bath into a sustainable hub for youth, arts and community activities.
The redundant At Risk Grade II 1889 building and former public swimming baths, was built c1877. Its striking lively red Cattybrook brick facade represents the ornate Queen Anne Revival style making it a key feature in Clifton’s Conservation area. Our grant of £30,000 will go towards repairs to help stabilise the building.
Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust
Purpose of Grant: ‘Saving Alfie’ – Conservation of Dockyard Apprentice painting
Amount awarded: £5,000
Location: Kent
Date awarded: September 2024
Chatham Historic Dockyard is a large independent museum and maritime heritage attraction situated in Chatham, Kent. It was a national facility for shipbuilding and repair for the Royal Dockyard for 400 years until it was decommissioned in 1984. Its historic fabric of listed buildings and Scheduled Ancient Monuments is the highest concentration within the county. Our grant is towards the conservation of the painting of a Dockyard apprentice, Alfie Merryweather, dating from 1930, by the deaf artist P V Jarvis. The painting is in need of urgent conservation work including, cleaning, relining, retouching and reframing. Our grant will fund a specialist accredited conservator.
Once restored the painting is set to feature in the Disability Trailblazers project – a disabilities histories trail at Chatham Dockyard.
Crystal Palace Park Trust
Purpose of Grant: Restoration of listed dinosaur sculptures
Amount awarded: £30,000
Location: Crystal Palace, London
Date awarded: September 2024
The Crystal Palace Park Trust was set up in 2018 to protect and restore the 80-hectare Crystal Palace Park. It is Grade II* and is on the At Risk register. There are plans for a wide-ranging programme of improvements supporting the park’s regeneration plan. Our grant of £30,000 is towards the restoration of the extraordinary and ever popular Grade I listed dinosaur sculptures. They were designed by the pioneering palaeontologist Professor Sir Richard Owen in 1854 and were the first attempt to render dinosaurs scientifically and at full scale.
The Dean and Chapter of St Asaph Cathedral
Purpose of Grant: Repair of St Asaph Cathedral clock
Amount awarded: £1,270
Location: Denbighshire, Wales
Date awarded: September 2024
The only public clock in the Welsh city of St Asaph dates back to 1794 and is on the clock tower of the Grade 1 listed St Asaph Cathedral. Our grant will go towards repair work to the movement of the clock which is coming to the end of its life. Smith of Derby will carry out the work securing the future of this historic clock to tell the time and for the local community to enjoy.
Friends of the Mint House
Purpose of Grant: Wall Paintings 1580-1600 Environmental Survey
Amount awarded: £5,000
Location: East Sussex
Date awarded: September 2024
Friends of the Mint House is a small volunteer led charity which runs a range of community activities. They have recently taken on the lease of Mint House, Pevensey, a Grade II* At Risk C16 timber framed hall.
Our grant will fund an urgent environmental survey by ICON-accredited conservators of all the wall paintings, dating from 1580-1600, in the Painted Room and the Great Chamber to find the source of recent damage to the wall plaster. The work will help the charity to understand better the house and strengthen their fund-raising ability.
The Garden Museum
Purpose of Grant: A project Director for Benton End
Amount awarded: £45,000 (£15,000 pa over three years)
Location: Suffolk
Date awarded: September 2024
The Garden Museum explores and celebrates the art, history and design of British gardens. The Museum has an opportunity to restore Grade II* Benton End, Suffolk – once home to the East Anglian School of Painting and Drawing set up by Cedric Morris and Arthur Lett-Haines – and to create a new learning, art and horticultural centre.
Our grant of £45,000 (£15,000 pa over three years) will help fund a project director to lead on the development.
Garlogie Beam Engine Trust
Purpose of Grant: Specialist survey for building renovation works
Amount awarded: £4,500
Location: Aberdeen, Scotland
Date awarded: September 2024
Garlogie Mill is a former textile mill which contains the oldest beam engine (dating from c 1830) in its original location in Scotland. The recently established Garlogie Beam Engine Trust aims to develop a museum based around the former mill and its beam engine exploring the evolution of power and the rich social history of the mill and textile manufacture in Aberdeenshire.
The building fabric has naturally deteriorated with crumbling lime mortar, slipping slates, water ingress, rotting timber resulting in a damp atmosphere. Our grant will fund specialist surveys to gain better knowledge of the building, and the Trust will be in a stronger position to approach other funders.
Kingswood Arts CIC
Purpose of Grant: To protect and preserve Kingswood House
Amount awarded: £13,000
Location: Southwark, London
Date awarded: September 2024
Kingswood Arts CIC plans to offer a range of free and affordable creative activities at Kingswood House, a community and arts centre, located in a Southwark housing estate. Our grant of £13,000will help fund a detailed condition survey to identify the major historic internal decorative elements of significance within the building including, plaster ceilings, wooden panelling, fabric wall hangings; and some renovation works to the interior of the Grade II former home of the inventor of Bovril and locally still known as Bovril Castle.
Lancashire Mining Museum
Purpose of Grant: To repair Astley Green Colliery Winding House
Amount awarded: £25,000
Location: Lancashire
Date awarded: September 2024
Lancashire Mining Museum is located on the former Astley Green Colliery site. The former mine is home to Lancashire’s only surviving headgear and engine house. Our grant of £25,000 is for repairs to the Grade 2 listed Winding Engine House, to stabilise the building and prevent further damage.
Ouseburn Trust
Purpose of Grant: Exploration to locate Victoria Tunnel Tracks
Amount awarded: £1,500
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne
Date awarded: September 2024
The Ouseburn Trust aims to regenerate the Ouseburn valley district in Newcastle upon Tyne. It oversees event spaces, learning programmes and heritage projects. One of the sites it looks after is the Grade ll Victoria Tunnel coal waggonway, which stretches 2.5 miles underneath the city. It was used to deliver coal from the Leazes Main Colliery to the Tyne River. The colliery closed in 1860 and the tunnel was abandoned until WW2 when it was converted into an air raid shelter.
There is huge curiosity about whether the original tracks still exist following the conversion into an air raid shelter. Our grant will help fund a specialist metal detecting survey to try to locate the historic rail tracks beneath the concrete floor. A small piece of exploratory work could help inform future plans potentially leading to the discovery of the historic tracks.
The Scottish Fisheries Museum
Purpose of Grant: West Elevation Pantile Roof Replacement: for an A-listed museum building
Amount awarded: £15,000
Location: Fife, Scotland
Date awarded: September 2024
The Scottish Fisheries Museum tells the story of Scottish fishing from the earliest times to the present. It houses a nationally recognised collection of vessels and artwork, in the fishing harbour of Anstruther in Fife. The museum buildings are weather-worn and in need of repair. Our grant will go towards roof repairs of the 18th Century, A-listed Merchant House building, stabilising it and making it wind and watertight. The environmental improvements will also enable future use of the space by community groups.
The Silk Heritage Trust
Purpose of Grant: Condition survey and urgent roof repairs
Amount awarded: £29,000
Location: Macclesfield
Date awarded: September 2024
The Silk Heritage Trust is the only heritage service in Macclesfield, once the world’s largest producer of finished silk and home to 5,000 looms and 71 factories. The Trust manages several buildings and collections including Paradise Mill, a Grade II building with a designated collection of Jacquard silk handlooms. Our grant of £29,000 is for a detailed condition survey of the Cartwright & Sheldon archive, the last company to own Paradise Mill and the last in the UK to weave silk on Jacquard handlooms alongside urgent structural works to the archive space.
Sir John Soane’s Museum
Purpose of Grant: Conservation of William Hogarth’s, A Rake’s Progress
Amount awarded: £15,000
Location: London
Date awarded: September 2024
Sir John Soane’s Museum houses a large collection of sculptures, drawings, architectural models and paintings, including William Hogarth’s 18th century showpiece of social satire, A Rake’s Progress. A series of eight paintings telling the riches-to-rags story of fictional character Tom Rakewell (A Rake) who squanders his inherited fortune through excess, luxury and vice, which in turn leads him to debt, degradation and eventually madness. The canvases are of different dimensions and are painted in oil.
Due to their degradation, remedial action is needed to prevent severe losses. Our grant of £15,000 –will support the conservation costs of one painting in the series.
Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome
Purpose of Grant: Structural and ground survey investigations
Amount awarded: £7,000
Location: Chelmsford Essex
Date awarded: September 2024
Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome in Essex houses the most complete surviving group of Royal Flying Corps buildings on a First World War aerodrome in the country. The site was largely untouched after it went out of military use in 1919. Its 24 original buildings are listed Grade II* and all are on the At Risk register. Our grant of £7,000 will help towards expert investigations of the site to inform longer-term development plans.
Whitstable Maritime
Purpose of Grant: Restoration of ‘Gamecock’ – historic 1906 oyster yawl
Amount awarded: £5,000
Location: Whitstable, Kent
Date awarded: September 2024
Whitstable Maritime is a charity that aims to raise awareness and promote the connection of Whitstable to the sea through educational programmes, a coastal trail, sail training programmes and the restoration and operation of a 43 foot 1906 oyster yawl, the Gamecock.
The Gamecock is one of the remaining Whitstable oyster yawls, built in 1906. Our grant will pay for some materials and support the restoration work which will be carried out by a Shipwright using tradional skills in line with National Historic Ships guidelines.
Women’s Aid – Armagh Down
Purpose of Grant:
Amount awarded: £25,000
Location: Armagh, Northern Ireland
Date awarded: September 2024
Women’s Aid – Armagh Down provides support and accommodation to women and children impacted by domestic and/or sexual abuse. Since Covid, they have received a 72% increase in referrals. They are aiming to expand their services by renovating an adjacent historic building which has lain vacant for over a decade. Our grant of £25,000 will help to refurbish the Georgian windows.
Barwell & Earl Shilton Lions Club
Purpose of Grant: To repair Toon Clock
Amount awarded: £1,500
Location: Leicester
Date awarded: June 2024
Barwell & Earl Shilton Lions Club is part of Lions Clubs International, which was founded in 1917 in response to social and economic problems created by the First World War. The club aims to help the local community through fund raising, service work, and welfare projects.
The club would like to repair Toon clock which is displayed in the town centre but no longer works. It was originally sited on the Premier Works of Toon’s Factory (a hosiery factory), erected in 1920 by Alfred C Toon in remembrance of all his workers who were killed and injured during the First World War.
Our small grant of £1,500 will help restore the clock to tell the right time again for local people to enjoy.
The Boston Preservation Trust
Purpose of Grant: Conservation repairs to Fydell House
Amount awarded: £27,500
Location: Lincolnshire
Date awarded: June 2024
The Boston Preservation Trust was founded in 1935, to protect and improve the architectural heritage of Boston and the local area in Lincolnshire. Its main asset is Fydell House, a Grade I listed Queen Anne House which it took over in 1935 at the point when it was threatened by demolition. The house consists of several ground floor rooms (American room, Dining room, Library and Garden Room), upper floor and a Royal Horticultural Society award-winning garden.
Described by Nikolaus Pevsner as ‘the grandest house in town’, it is one of the earliest surviving 18th century houses in Britain but is now ‘at risk’. The Trust intends to conserve, restore and increase access to Fydell House, including conservation and fabric repairs, and access improvements such as ramp, toilets and access to the garden, developing a heritage attraction and community hub. The repairs include work to the original and rare solid plaster ceiling with papier-mâché́ mouldings in the North Hall and Staircase described by the conservation specialist as being of outstanding craftmanship and, one of only a handful of surviving examples made in this way – with solid plaster of either lime or gypsum reinforced with animal hair.
Our grant of £27,500 will go towards these conservation repairs.
Cromarty Harbour Trust
Purpose of Grant: Restoration work on the original inner stone harbour area
Amount awarded: £15,000
Location: Cromarty, Scotland
Date awarded: June 2024
Cromarty Harbour Trust is a trust port, a not-for-profit run for the benefit of its stakeholders and the community. The harbour is one of a handful of remaining harbours designed by the renown civil engineer Dr John Smeaton and gives insights into the engineering practice in the late C18th, his working methods, and the evolution of harbour design as well as showing distinctive aesthetic qualities.
Our grant of £15,000 will help towards the final phase of restoration work on the original inner stone harbour area (the East Pier).
Friends of Highgate Cemetery Trust
Purpose of Grant: To open up eight of the vaults in the Grade I Circle of Lebanon
Amount awarded: £25,000
Location: Highgate, London
Date awarded: June 2024
Friends of Highgate Cemetery Trust was established in 1975 to rescue Highgate Cemetery, a 36-acre Grade I listed funerary landscape At Risk. The site is an active burial ground and heritage attraction. It welcomes 100,000 visitors a year
The Circle of Lebanon has been a principal attraction at Highgate Cemetery since it opened in 1839. The entrance is an Egyptian archway framed by a pair of obelisks, leading into an avenue flanked by sixteen private burial vaults. This leads into the Lower Circle, an inner ring of twenty vaults surrounding a large Cedar of Lebanon thought to have been over one hundred years old when the Cemetery opened. On the far side an imperial staircase led up to the natural ground level fifteen feet above.
Over time, many of the burial vaults in the structure have become inaccessible, due to corrosion of the doors, locks, frames and hinges. In the Inner Circle, one vault has been accessed, revealing structural concerns which can only be properly assessed by opening further vaults. Eight have been identified to give this wider context. Following the full structural survey work can begin to conserve, repair and reinstate the doors.
Our grant of £25,000 will be used to open up eight of the vaults in the Grade I Circle of Lebanon to allow a full structural survey and key conservation work.
Guild of St Mary’s Centre Lichfield
Purpose of Grant: Tower, Spire and Bells Renovation
Amount awarded: £12,000
Location: Lichfield, Staffordshire
Date awarded: June 2024
The Guild of St Mary’s Centre, Lichfield is a well-established multi-use heritage & arts centre located in a Grade II* former C19th church building. situated in the Market Square. It offers performing arts, gallery space, cafe and exhibitions to the inhabitants of the city as well as the library on its ground floor.
This project will see necessary repairs and refurbishments to the spire, bells and clock, which in turn will enable the Hub to re-instate the once popular “Tower Tours”, to ring the bells again, to establish a Bell Ringing Learning Centre and return the tower clock to its former glory, complete with hourly strike.
Our grant of £12,000 will go towards work to the tower bells allowing them to be rung again and helping the Guild establish a Bell Ringing Training Centre.
Gwrych Castle Preservation Trust
Purpose of Grant: Work on the West Wing to secure the future of Gwrych Castle
Amount awarded: £30,000
Location: Conwy, North Wales
Date awarded: June 2024
Gwrych Castle Preservation Trust was set up to rescue the grade 1 listed At Risk castellated mansion set in 240 acres of listed gardens, parkland and woodlands in Conwy, North Wales. It was built by Lloyd Hesketh Bamford-Hesketh between1820s-40s. After decades of use as a visitor attraction the castle was abandoned in 1994, suffered from a succession of absentee owners, and the interior was asset-stripped. The castle also suffered a fire and now is roofless.
The aim of the charity is to see the castle buildings restored, the gardens and structures in sound condition and the site becoming self-sustaining as a heritage visitor attraction. The first phase of restoration work will involve reinstating the flooring levels and roof to the entire house, providing structural stability. The West Wing serves as the main entrance and houses the state rooms. It contains three of the finest interiors and is at risk of collapse due to unstable masonry, decaying timber beams and lintels.
Our grant of £30,000 will go towards the works to the West Wing which will help ensure the structural stability of the Castle.
The Harris Museum
Purpose of Grant: Conservation and redisplay of the Alexander Frieze
Amount awarded: £20,000
Location: Preston, Lancashire
Date awarded: June 2024
The Harris Museum, owned by Preston City Council, is a Grade I listed Greek Revival building in the centre of Preston, Lancashire. It houses fine and decorative social history and fashion collections. The museum is Lancashire’s most significant museum and largest library.
Our grant will be used to conserve, clean, and redisplay the Alexander Frieze. The plaster frieze is a C19th copy of the 1812 frieze by Danish neoclassical sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen. This copy was brought to England in 1862 by the Danish Commissioners for the International Exhibition in London, as a supreme example of Danish art. It has become a visitor favourite over the years. It depicts Alexander the Great leading his army to Babylon after defeating the Persian king. The frieze will be mounted in a prominent, publicly accessible place where some 450,000 visitors per year will be able to view it.
Our grant of £20,000 will help fund the conservation and redisplay of the Alexander Frieze, stabilising and safeguarding it for the future.
Heron Corn Mill
Purpose of Grant: Help fund a twelve-month bursary for a millwright trainee.
Amount awarded: £12,000
Location: Cumbria
Date awarded: June 2024
Heron Corn Mill is a well-established industrial heritage site based in Milnthorpe Cumbria. It runs a Grade II* listed working watermill, producing specialist flours, and a community barn, re-purposed as an educational, arts and rural workspace with several well-established educational projects for the elderly, children, teenagers and community baking groups. The site now also houses a 100kW hydropower Kaplan turbine, producing green energy, situated on the weir of the River Bela, on which the mill stands.
Millwrighting is on the Red List of Endangered Crafts. The Mill proposes to pilot a training programme for one year and will then seek further funding from other sources. The trainee will be taught by the Millwright. They will undertake a wide range of repair and maintenance at the Heron Corn Mill and occasionally they will spend some time at other North West watermills, gaining work experience, supporting volunteers and undertaking condition surveys.
Our grant of £12,000 will go towards the cost of a twelve-month training bursary for the millwright trainee.
Historic Churches Scotland
Purpose of Grant: Emergency stabilisation and repair works to mitigate the risk of closure.
Amount awarded: £30,000
Location: Braemar, Scotland
Date awarded: June 2024
Historic Churches Scotland saves redundant historic churches at risk and tries to secure a sustainable future for the buildings. They own the Sir Ninian Comper masterpiece, St Margaret’s Church in Braemar, which has operated as a successful performance and arts and music venue. This is becoming increasingly challenging due to the poor condition of the building which is now At Risk Grade A.
Described by Historic Scotland as “a remarkable example of a late Gothic Revival church”, it is considered to be “a rare survival of Comper’s work in a substantially unaltered state”. Specialist surveys and studies to understand the construction of the building revealed that work in the 1990s had failed catastrophically due to poor understanding of the structure, specification, and techniques. Water ingress is a key problem exacerbated by climate change.The first phase of works will allow for urgent repairs. The research and development work is critical to ensure the repairs do not fail as they did in the 1990s.
Our grant of £30,000 will help towards the first phase of emergency stabilisation and repair works to mitigate the risk of closure.
Kepier Trust
Purpose of Grant: Restoration and Repair to Kepier Hall
Amount awarded: £17,000
Location: Sunderland
Date awarded: June 2024
Kepier Trust is responsible for the Grade II* listed Kepier Hall in Sunderland. It was founded as Kepier Grammar School in the late 1500s. The building today mostly dates from the 18th century, the school closed in 1922. It is currently run as a community resource providing activities for the local community.The project will enable the Hall to safeguard against water ingress. Secondary double glazing and upgrade of lighting system will improve the energy efficiency of the building.
Our grant of £17,000 will go towards works to the roof, chimney and guttering.
Mid Antrim Museum
Purpose of Grant: Conservation of a wedding dress for Rites of Passage exhibition
Amount awarded: £2,750
Location: Co Antrim, Northern Ireland
Date awarded: June 2024
Mid Antrim Museum is a small local authority museum in Co Antrim, Northern Ireland. Collaborating with two other museums, the Museum Service is planning a Rites of Passage exhibition, structured around four main themes: birth, initiation, marriage and death. Our small grant will support the conservation of a wedding dress from the 1950s. It belongs to a local woman and is representative of the period in which it was made.
North Lewis War Memorials Committee
Purpose of Grant: Urgent Repairs to North Lewis War Memorials
Amount awarded: £5,000
Location: Isle of Lewis, Scotland
Date awarded: June 2024
The North Lewis War Memorials Committee is a small charity based on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. Its main activities are to maintain the two War Memorials which were erected in 2000 to commemorate those who gave their lives in the service of their country.
The memorials require extensive remedial work due to cracked mortars (cement based) and open joints to the coping stones resulting in water ingress. Our small grant of £5,000 will go towards improving and stabilising the condition of the memorials allowing the public to visit them again.
Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic church
Purpose of Grant: Organ preservation with dehumidifier installation
Amount awarded: £3,000
Location: Brixton, London
Date awarded: June 2024
Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church runs an active music programme including three organists, alongside its religious services. In 2021 we awarded a grant of £5,000 to address problems with the organ which was built in 1867.
Our small grant of £3,000 will pay for the installation of a new humidifier for the organ to preserve that repair work and reduce future maintenance expenditure.
Shoscombe Parish Council, Somerset
Purpose of Grant: Shoscombe Parish Historic Cast Iron Fingerposts Restoration Project
Amount awarded: £1,000
Location: Somerset
Date awarded: June 2024
Shoscombe is a small rural parish of 400 residents, located south of Bath. The Parish Council looks after the village amenities and local environment. They would like to restore four traditional cast iron finger posts dating from the inter-war period. Apart from their local distinctiveness, the Parish Council highlights their functional navigation value.
Our small grant will go towards the work which will be carried out by a local forge and supported by local volunteers who are qualified in historic building conservation.
Stanley Arts
Purpose of Grant: Conservation of historic decorative tiling with training for an emerging conservator
Amount awarded: £15,000
Location: South Norwood, London
Date awarded: June 2024
Stanley Arts is a community-led charity in Croydon which runs wide-ranging and inclusive cultural programmes in South Norwood. It is regarded as one of South London’s premiere arts and performance venues. Our award will fund the conservation of the historic decorative tiling of the Grade II Stanley Halls alongside a ten-week programme of on-the-job training for an emerging conservator. The building is an early and important example of philanthropic civic architecture and is the only building by the well-known inventor and philanthropist William Stanley.
The building’s decorative, colour-glazed, dust-pressed ceramics, both flat and moulded, are an important example of an early C20th interior tile scheme. The project is focused on the Assembly Room performance space and its foyer area. The project will trial and establish the best conservation methods and treatments. Skills in ceramics conservation will be passed on to the next generation.
Our grant of £15,000 will go towards the conservation of historic decorative tiling, with training for an emerging conservator.
St Peter’s Scottish Episcopal Church
Purpose of Grant: Repairs to bell
Amount awarded: £3,000
Location: Isle of Lewis, Scotland
Date awarded: June 2024
St Peter’s Scottish Episcopal Church was established in 1738. The church houses what is believed to be the only surviving relic of St Lennan’s Church (now demolished) and would have rung during the Cromwellian occupation when troops used the church. The bell can no longer be rung; the clapper and fittings are badly corroded.
Our small grant of £3,000 will go towards preserving the historic bell in its current location allowing the bell to be rung again for services and special occasions.
Spike Island Artspace Ltd
Purpose of Grant: Conserving Donald Rodney: Visceral Canker
Amount awarded: £5,000
Location: Bristol
Date awarded: June 2024
Spike Island is a centre for the development of contemporary art and design. In 2024–25, it is presenting the first major retrospective on the late Black British artist Donald Rodney (1961–98) in collaboration with Nottingham Contemporary and Whitechapel Gallery, London. The touring exhibition will highlight the significance of Rodney’s work for contemporary audiences, addressing themes of racial identity, chronic illness, Black masculinity and Britain’s colonial past.
Our small grant of £5,000 helped conserve three of Rodney’s seminal artworks to stabilise them so that they can travel and be displayed. Without conservation, these works would have had to be excluded due to their fragility.
Winchcombe Arts & Community Hub
Purpose of Grant: Restoration and conservation of stained-glass windows
Amount awarded: £6,500
Location: Winchcombe, Gloucestershire
Date awarded: June 2024
Winchcombe Arts & Community Hub was established in 2023 to save the former Winchcombe Methodist Church building for community use and repurpose it as an arts, youth and community hub.The former chapel is located in a conservation area and an area of outstanding national beauty. It is built from Cotswold stone. The exterior is largely unaltered since its original construction in 1885. The striking stained-glass windows which are the focus of our grant are original but are in need of work due to missing, broken and cracked coloured glass and failing lead work. The restoration of the stained-glass windows will enhance the heritage value of the building and its architectural distinctiveness.The wider project will bring back the building into a fully productive use as a social and cultural community hub – particularly increasing facilities for the young people of the town.
Our grant of £6,500 will go towards restoration of the Victorian stained-glass windows.
York Museums & Gallery Trust
Purpose of Grant: Restoration of York Debtors Prison Clock
Amount awarded: £2,500
Location: York
Date awarded: June 2024
The York Museums & Gallery Trust has three main buildings in its care including York Castle Museum. Positioned on the central tower of the Castle Museum (formally York Debtors Prison) building is the original one-handed clock by John Terry of York, dated 1705. The clock, which is regularly wound by a dedicated team of volunteers, still functions for public use yet is deteriorating rapidly.
Our small grant will halt further deterioration of the clock face, and the public will be able to appreciate this historic feature again.
Aberdeenshire Council
Purpose of Grant: Repair & Rebirth of St. Brandan’s, Inverboyndie
Amount awarded: £6,500
Location: Inverboyndie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
Date awarded: March 2024
St. Brandan’s Church & Graveyard lie on the Moray coast, west of Banff and are in the ownership of Aberdeenshire Council. Records date back to the early 13th Century when the site was designated a place of worship but it may have earlier origins. The upstanding ruined church dates from the 17th century.
A condition survey of the church, vault and boundary wall established the need for extensive engineering work to underpin and stabilise the historic site as a whole. Funding has been secured from a range of other sources. Our grant of £6,500 will go towards the repair costs to improve the condition of this Scheduled Ancient Monument making it safely accessible to the public again.
The Chapter at Wells Cathedral
Purpose of Grant: Conservation and repair of the medieval Vicars’ Close
Amount awarded: £20,000
Location: Wells, Somerset
Date awarded: March 2024
Dating from the late 12th century, Wells Cathedral is frequently described as “the most poetic” of English Cathedrals, it is said to be Europe’s first truly Gothic structure. Not only a place of worship and pilgrimage, it is also a thriving heritage attraction, a venue for concerts, exhibitions, and new music.
The medieval Vicars’ Close situated within the precinct of the cathedral was built between 1348 and 1430 to house the Vicars Choral of Wells Cathedral. The Close comprises 27 Grade 1 listed houses, a communal dining facility (Vicars’ Hall and medieval kitchen), a Treasury Block and the Close Chapel and Library. It is the most complete medieval close in Europe. Our grant of £20,000 will help support the conservation and repair work focusing on buildings which are key to illustrating the development of the close and which will be open to the public.
City of Doncaster Council
Purpose of Grant: Acquisition of the Sprotbrough Estate Map
Amount awarded: £4,000
Location: Doncaster
Date awarded: March 2024
The Sprotbrough Estate Map was drawn for Godfrey Copley, the then owner of the Sprotbrough and Cadeby estate (near Doncaster) in 1728. The map provides a wealth of information shedding light on the estate’s appearance centuries before 1728. It shows the arrangement of the estate possibly mid way through enclosure which makes it an unusually valuable visual record of the estate at a turning point in its history. The map is the missing companion to the main body of the Copley estate papers, which were deposited at Doncaster Archives around thirty years ago. Our small grant will help towards purchasing the map to complete the set; and digitisation and display costs.
Cloughey Heritage Group
Purpose of Grant: To support development and design work
Amount awarded: £20,000
Location: Co. Down, Northern Ireland
Date awarded: March 2024
Cloughey Heritage Group was set up to prevent a former local church, in Cloughey seaside village, falling into a state of dilapidation. The aim is to create a community space, reduce rural isolation and to attract more visitors to this seaside village in Co. Down on the Ards Peninsula.
The small stone-built Presbyterian Church was built in 1841 and is part of the Grey Abbey Estate. The estimated cost of the capital work is £800,000. To apply for the capital grant, the Group needs to reach RIBA Stage 4 in design. Our grant of £20,000 will help support this further design work to put the charity in a better position to apply for capital funding.
Compton Verney House Charity
Purpose of Grant: Further investigations of Loggia and Hall Floor
Amount awarded: £4,500
Location: Warwickshire
Date awarded: March 2024
Compton Verney is an independent, Grade I listed art gallery and park which opened to the public in 2004. In addition to exhibitions, it runs extensive educational and engagement activities. Increased visitor numbers, the age of the building, and the disruption of maintenance due to the pandemic means that urgent repairs are required.
Our grant will fund specialist further investigations of the external loggia and the Adam Hall marble-tiled floor; repairs will follow ensuring regular public access can continue.
Cullercoats Watch House
Purpose of Grant: Help towards the wider renovation costs.
Amount awarded: £25,000
Location: North Shields, Tyne and Wear
Date awarded: March 2024
Cullercoats Watch House in North Shields, Tyne and Wear is a volunteer led charity set up to help restore and preserve the Grade II Watch House, conserve its heritage and create a community venue/heritage hub for all to enjoy. It was originally erected in 1879 to act as a lookout for the newly formed Cullercoats Volunteer Life Brigade, drawn from the local fishing community. It also served as a social venue for the local community. Its exposed position on the clifftop promontory means that major structural works are now required. Its distinctive roof and quirky clock tower make it an important landmark as does its association with the American painter Winslow Homer, who lived in Cullercoats in the 1880s.
The aim of the project is to repair and restore the building so that it can become once again a social hub for the community increasing access for socially isolated people and those with wellbeing issues or additional needs. Our grant of £25,000 will help towards the restoration costs.
Derby Museums
Purpose of Grant: Condition survey report of two ancient Egyptian mummified people
Amount awarded: £2,500
Location: Derby
Date awarded: March 2024
Derby Museum and Art Gallery hosts significant collections of natural history, archaeology, and industrial history. Our grant is a contribution towards a condition report for two Egyptian mummified people within its collection. These are a 26th Dynasty man named Pypy-Iw, in a wooden coffin; and an early Ptolemaic (c.300 BCE) unnamed man in a cartonnage case. They have been in the museum collection since 1859, and have been on almost permanent display since the museum opened in 1879.
Forres Heritage Trust
Purpose of Grant: Conservation of two historic paintings
Amount awarded: £5,000
Location: Moray, Scotland
Date awarded: March 2024
Forres Heritage Trust is a volunteer led charity, which owns Tolbooth, the most historic building in the town centre, built in 1839. The building is used by local groups for meetings, exhibitions, lectures and recitals. Our grant is for the conservation of two paintings, by Thomas Cranmer, The Riding of the Marches and The Tournament, both dating from 1840 are of significant and historic interest. Once conserved, these paintings which will be hung in Tolbooth’s recently refurbished Courtroom.
Foundation for Jewish Heritage
Purpose of Grant: Condition survey of Middle Street Synagogue
Amount awarded: £10,000
Location: Brighton, East Sussex
Date awarded: March 2024
The Foundation for Jewish Heritage works to preserve Jewish built heritage at risk, with a focus on historic synagogues. The Foundation seeks to find sustainable new purposes for Jewish heritage sites at risk, with an educational and inter-cultural emphasis to benefit the local community.
Middle Street Synagogue, grade II* listed, opened in 1875, was once the heart of Brighton’s Jewish community. It was designed by the Victorian architect, Thomas Lainson. The building has an opulent interior, with stained-glass windows, elaborate floral column capitals, wrought iron details, mosaics, stencilling and gilding, a black and white chequered floor of Italian marble, and original pews.
The building is now largely unused, with its condition deteriorating. Our grant of £10,000 is for a condition survey, to help the Foundation’s aim to repurpose the building, bringing it back into regular use to serve the wider population of Brighton and the South Coast.
Giroscope Limited
Purpose of Grant: Towards a future viable community use for West Park Palace cinema
Amount awarded: £5,000
Location: Hull
Date awarded: March 2024
Giroscope is a charitable organisation which buys and renovates empty properties and lets them out to not-for-profit organisations and people in need of affordable housing. They recently acquired West Park Palace cinema from Hull City Council, on a 150 year lease. Built in the Classical style in 1914, the Edwardian cinema is locally listed.
The group plans to bring the cinema back into use as a multi-purpose venue with a bar and café; an area for independent films, theatre and music; and a base for employability skills training. The building was recently damaged by fire last year adversly affecting their plans. Working with an architect and local people our grant will enable them to refresh the design so the cinema can be transformed into a thriving community asset.
The Landmark Trust
Purpose of Grant: To carry out survey work into the archaeology and ecology of the site, alongside the production of a conservation plan
Amount awarded: £40,000
Location: Midlothian, Scotland
Date awarded: March 2024
The Landmark Trust exists to save extraordinary historic places in jeopardy and to promote the public enjoyment of historic places by making its buildings available for people to stay in and to enjoy.
Mavisbank, Midlothian, Scotland, is a building of outstanding importance to Scottish and British national heritage dating back to 1723-27. Listed Category A (Grade 1) it is widely recognised as ‘arguably the most important single example of early eighteenth-century Scottish architecture’ and ‘a building of European significance’. It is at immediate risk of irretrievable loss.
A fire in 1973 and willful neglect and abandonment has left the building roofless and largely floorless; it is on the Buildings at Risk Register categorised as ‘High Risk’ and in ‘Ruinous’ condition. It was saved from demolition in 1987 thanks to a public outcry but remains highly precarious.
There are ownership and access issues which need to be resolved so the house can be acquired, made accessible and stabilised. If this is achieved, Landmark will then seek to raise the funds for the second phase to reroof and refloor the buildings, restore them internally, and give them new uses, as self-catering accommodation and for other public activities.
Our grant of £40,000, will help fund essential surveys needed for phase one, while further fundraising efforts continue.
Leanchoil Trust
Purpose of Grant: Saving Leanchoil and its heritage by returning it to community ownership
Amount awarded: £15,000
Location: Forres, Morayshire, Scotland
Date awarded: March 2024
Leanchoil Trust is working to bring the former Leanchoil hospital site back into community use and create an innovative health and wellbeing facility and veteran’s activity centre. The cottage hospital opened in April 1892, and served the communities of the Forres area for over 125 years. The overall design and architectural features blend Baronial and Jacobean detailing to produce a striking façade, dominated by the central clock tower. Leanchoil has been described as “the best, a broad Neo-Jacobean U-Plan with central tower and two tall Dutch gables”, in addition the site boasts over nine acres of picturesque, secluded gardens.
Our grant of £15,000 will go towards the development officer post who will be employed to secure further funding for the site’s development.
London Borough of Brent Council
Purpose of Grant: To find a future for Paddington Old Cemetery Chapels
Amount awarded: £5,000
Location: Paddington, London
Date awarded: March 2024
Paddington Old Cemetery is a 24-acre site in Kilburn, which houses two historic chapels at risk. The cemetery opened in 1855 making it one of the earliest public cemeteries to be built following the 1852 Metropolitan Interment Act. The cemetery itself is a Grade II Registered Park which locals have used for hertiage, environmental and educational projects.
Our grant will be used for early-stage development work to provide an informed plan for the sustainable repair and reuse of the chapels which are in very poor condition.
London Borough of Enfield Council
Purpose of Grant: To find a viable future community use for Lavender Hill Cemetery Chapel
Amount awarded: £5,000
Location: Enfield, London
Date awarded: March 2024
The Grade II listed chapel was built 1870-71 in the decorated Gothic style and is currently on Historic England’s Heritage-at-Risk register. It has been unoccupied for several years. The chapel is in poor condition. Our grant will help the council, in consultation with local groups and heritage experts, find a long-term sustainable future to restore the chapel for community use.
Menter Cilycwm
Purpose of Grant: To help create a community hub
Amount awarded: £5,000
Location: Llandovery, Carmarthenshire
Date awarded: March 2024
Menter Cilycwm is a community charity set up in 2017. Its main project is to transform Capel y Groes, a Grade II former chapel, affectionately known as ‘Capel Pinc’ due to its distinctive pink limewash, into an accessible, energy-efficient community centre, securing the future of this historic building. Dating back to 1859, the simple Gothic revival-style building is almost unaltered. Community use is very limited and the building is in poor condition. Our grant will help towards a condition survey and sustainability review, helping the charity to achieve its longer-term aim of transforming this building into a thriving community hub.
Norfolk Mills and Pumps Trust
Purpose of Grant: To support restoration of a historic 19th century Norfolk windmill.
Amount awarded: £25,000
Location: Norfolk Broads
Date awarded: March 2024
The Grade II* Turf Fen Mill at Irstead is one of three important historic windmills on the How Hill Estate in the Norfolk Broads. It was built in about 1875 to drain Horning marshes into the River Ant. The Trust has plans to bring the three mills into a good state of repair and integrate them into the wider community.
The mill will be restored in the landscape, its historic interest protected, millwrighting skills supported and promoted and the mill will be removed from Historic England’s ‘At Risk’ register.
Small group visits by boat can be arranged for school groups and others on special days such as National Mills Weekend. The mill will receive bi-monthly maintenance visits from a millwright to oil and grease all moving parts and check the mill over.
Our grant of £25,000 will go towards the conservation work to secure the future of this historic mill.
Our Big Picture
Purpose of Grant: To help establish a viable arts centre and community hub in historic cottages
Amount awarded: £25,000
Location: Grimsby, Lincolnshire
Date awarded: March 2024
Our Big Picture (OBP) provides community arts facilities in Grimsby, a town of high deprivation and historically little in the way of cultural provision. OBP delivers exhibitions in public spaces, workshops, heritage events and online activities and creative opportunities.
Based in a row of three Grade 2 cottages of which only one is usable, our grant of £25,000 will go towards the repair and conservation work of the other Grade 2 cottages enabling them to open a viable arts centre for exhibitions and a full activity programme.
Paignton Picture House Trust
Purpose of Grant: Preserving this unique heritage cinema and reopening it as a cultural community hub
Amount awarded: £30,000
Location: Torbay, Devon
Date awarded: March 2024
Paignton Picture House Trust was set up in 2013 to restore and reopen the Paignton Picture House (PPH). The Grade II* at risk Paignton Picture House opened in 1914 and is a rare, intact, early cinema, built to the designs of architects Hyams & Hobgen. In building the auditorium, the architects set out to create a grand and imposing space; the space is double height with a balcony, above which rises a full semi-circular barrel vault. The strap bands of the vault are enriched with deep relief plaster mouldings of tropical fruit and foliage. At the junction of wall and ceiling, a deep cornice is further enhanced with mouldings and at intervals corbels support cast faces and cartouches.
In partnership with Torbay Council, and with support from Historic England and the Architectural Heritage Fund, the Trust has developed a £7m capital scheme. Our grant of £30,000 will support the conservation work to the at-risk plaster cornice which requires specialist conservation skills.
On completion the Paignton Picture House will be returned to public use for the first time since the doors closed in 1999. The cinema will bring both mainstream and diverse films that aim to inspire, educate and promote inclusivity to address under-representation, challenge ideas and improve access to the arts.
RC Parish of St. Joseph / Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham
Purpose of Grant: Lychgate Restoration Project
Amount awarded: £5,000
Location: Worcestershire
Date awarded: March 2024
The listed Grade II Lychgate, designed by AWN Pugin, forms an entrance to the path leading up to the Church of Our Lady and St Alphonsus, Blackmore, which is a classic grand Victorian building, built in 1846 in the Gothic Style. Built around the same time the lychgate, currently in a very poor condition, has a solid oak frame with an ornate clay tiled roof. Our grant will go towards the restoration project so the lychgate can be safely used again.
St Maelog’s Church
Purpose of Grant: Repair and renovation of church bells
Amount awarded: £3,500
Location: Llandyfaelog, Carmarthenshire
Date awarded: March 2024
St Maelog is a rural church in Llandyfaelog near Kidwelly in Carmarthenshire. Its aim is to further the religious and charitable work in the parish and engage the community. The listed grade II medieval church has an unusual stone-built bell cote partially rebuilt in 1825 and 1872. Our grant is for the repair of two bells dating from c. 1870. Once repaired bell ringing training will restart and the bells will be rung again for weekly services.
Salisbury Cathedral
Purpose of Grant: To conserve a stained-glass window designed by Edward Burne-Jones and William Morris
Amount awarded: £20,000
Location: Salisbury, Wiltshire
Date awarded: March 2024
Salisbury Cathedral is one of Britain’s finest medieval cathedrals. It is home to unique treasures, including the world’s oldest working mechanical clock, a newly restored Henry Willis organ, and a fine archive. Its library contains 193 manuscript books written between the 800s and 1400s as well as 12,000 printed books of historical importance. It also houses the best-preserved original surviving copy of Magna Carta from 1215.
The Cathedral has just undergone a £30million restoration programme. Our grant of £20,000 will help towards the conservation costs of a beautiful stained-glass window dating from 1879 which features figurative designs by Edward Burne-Jones and an elaborate green foliage pattern by William Morris. The window will need to be removed to carry out extensive repair work to restore it to its original boldness and level of detail. In addition to conserving the window, the work provides an opportunity for specialist skills to be passed on to an apprentice glazier.
SPID Theatre Company
Purpose of Grant: To support the reinstatement of the original steps and serving hatch
Amount awarded: £10,000
Location: Ladbroke Grove, West London
Date awarded: March 2024
SPID (Social Progressive Interconnected Diverse) Theatre, a charity set up in 2002, champions the heritage of estates through art that advocates housing justice. Its community programmes take place on estates, helping disadvantaged social housing residents realise their potential by learning about the history of the buildings they share.
Since 2013, the charity has been based in the Community Rooms at the Grade II* listed modernist Kensal House estate, designed by Maxwell Fry in 1937. Since 2022 it has been undertaking a £3.3m refurbishment of its premises. The Community Rooms are well used by disadvantaged residents from North Kensington estates, including those displaced from Grenfell Tower.
Our grant of £10,000 will l focus on the reinstatement of the original steps and serving hatch. Instead of having to carry meals from the kitchen to the hall it will be possible to pass them through directly from the kitchen as generations of communities did from the 1930s on, until the space fell out of use following the Second World War.
Thomas Doran Parkanaur Trust
Purpose of Grant: Viability work to develop the historic courtyard buildings and Gate Lodge
Amount awarded: £20,000
Location: Co Tyrone, Northern Ireland
Date awarded: March 2024
Thomas Doran Parkanaur Trust provides a range of educational courses, life skills training and social recreational activities to students aged 18 years and over with intellectual, physical and or sensory disabilities.
The Trust is based in Parkanaur House, a Class A listed large Tudor Revival Manor House in the village of Castlecaulfield, Dungannon. The Trust would like to provide additional residential accommodation on site, using the buildings in the courtyard in response to growing demand for their services.
Our grant of £20,000 will go towards viability work to develop the historic courtyard buildings and Gate Lodge as accommodation. It will put the Trust in a better position to approach other funders for support for the capital project. By developing the site as a resource for people with disabilities in a way that is sympathetic to the estate’s architectural heritage, the longer-term sustainability of the site will be strengthened.
1625 Independent People
Purpose of grant: Supporting development work for capital project.
Amount awarded: £25,000
Location: South West
Date awarded: Nov 2023
1625 Independent People works with young people who are homeless, leaving care or at risk of homelessness in Bristol and the Southwest by providing safe, stable accommodation and specialist support.
Kingsley Hall in Bristol is the charity’s base and is a Grade II* listed building on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register. The Hall is one of the Old Market’s most prominent buildings, built in 1706 on a medieval plot. It has jettied upper floors supported on stone Doric columns, vaulted medieval stone cellars, medieval boundary walls and a timber dog-legged staircase.
The building has been in poor condition for many years and the charity is undertaking a major project to conserve and transform this building. They plan to make it a welcoming space for young people with accommodation, skills kitchen and youth-led social enterprise cafe.
Our grant will support investigative works into the historic building, which will enable a sensitive and fully costed capital scheme to be realised.
Architectural Heritage Fund
Purpose of grant: Supporting communities in England to preserve and repurpose historic buildings at risk.
Amount awarded: £150,000
Location: England
Date awarded: June 2023
The Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF) is a registered charity, working since 1976 to promote the conservation and sustainable re-use of historic buildings for the benefit of communities across the UK, particularly in economically disadvantaged areas.
The AHF are one of our strategic partners and we are pleased to be renewing our partnership with them for another three years (2023-2025) to provide funding, in partnership with Historic England, for project viability grants to support small organisations looking to find viable uses for vacant historic buildings in the top 30% most deprived areas in England.
The Arkwright Society Ltd
Purpose of grant: Urgent repairs to stabilise and decontaminate historic mill.
Amount awarded: £30,000
Location: East Midlands
Date awarded: September 2023
Built in 1771 by Sir Richard Arkwright, Cromford Mills is the world’s first successful water-powered cotton spinning mill and a cornerstone of the industrial revolution. The First Mill is Grade I listed At Risk and is in an increasingly poor state of disrepair, with a part asbestos roof, poor rainwater drainage system, high level structural issues and contamination.
The Arkwright Society, founded in 1971, is dedicated to the preservation of Cromford Mills and is currently developing a strategic business plan to set out a timeline for capital projects and establish a sustainable business model for the next ten years. In the meantime, Arkwright Society is carrying out a minimum set of works necessary to prevent further deterioration and remove all contamination in the mill. Our grant will go towards these urgent works.
Art UK
Purpose of grant: Art UK Murals Digitisation Programme.
Amount awarded: £60,000
Location: UK Wide
Date awarded: Nov 2023
Art UK makes art accessible online by operating a free-to-use platform that showcases the UK’s public art collection of which 80% is not on display. The platform shows more than 300,000 artworks by 53,000 artists. Its most recent project was Art UK Sculpture which ran from 2017 to 2021 and recorded public sculpture across the UK.
Art UK’s new initiative is to record and photograph circa 5,000 murals across the UK. The three-year programme will use a well-trained and dedicated network of volunteer photographers and researchers to record the murals. They will use digital and physical engagement to raise awareness of mural art and its place in our communities and highlight the diverse artists involved in creating this artform. Painted murals will constitute a large part of this new project, alongside sculptural murals in concrete, brick, wood, stone, tile, and other materials. Alongside the digitization project, Arts UK will deliver an extensive programme of community and school activities to engage new and existing audiences.
Over the next three years, our grant will support this mural digitisation programme.
Ashmolean Museum
Purpose of grant: Conservation of two Persian paintings.
Amount awarded: £10,000
Location: South East
Date awarded: June 2023
The Ashmolean is the University of Oxford’s museum of art and archaeology, founded in 1683 with world-famous collections. In partnership with Bodleian Library, the Ashmolean plans to conserve two rare, late 18th to early 19th century Persian paintings.
One portrait is of Qajar ruler, Fath Ali Shah (1798-1834), and the other of a female Setar Player, Mirza Muhammed. Both are oil paintings and in need of urgent conservation, having been seemingly untouched since their arrival in Oxford in the early 20th century. The conservation project will safeguard the long-term future of these paintings, advance knowledge about the formative stages of oil painting in Iran and share findings through different forms of public engagement, including a gallery display.
Our grant will go towards the conservation of these two beautiful paintings.
Banana Enterprise Network Ltd
Purpose of grant: Matching funding to help restore historic hall.
Amount awarded: £5,000
Location: North West
Date awarded: June 2023
Banana Enterprise Network Ltd is a charity working in deprived communities to prevent or provide relief from poverty. In 2020, they began a project to save the Grade II listed, Rock Hall. The Hall is the last remaining piece of Farnworth’s industrial paper making heritage and was built in 1807 by John Crompton, a local paper manufacturer.
The aim of the project to acquire, preserve, restore, maintain and improve Rock Hall. They have secured £295,000 from the Government’s Community ownership Fund to purchase the property.
Our grant will go towards investigative structural surveys to enable them to prepare an application to the Heritage Fund and other funders.
Birse Community Trust
Purpose of grant: Protecting a rare, historic, shoemaker’s shop.
Amount awarded: £20,800
Location: Scotland
Date awarded: Nov 2023
Birse Community Trust helps three rural communities within the parish – Finzean, Birse and Ballogie – to tackle local issues and care for their environment. The Trust’s main work is managing land and buildings on behalf of the community at 14 sites, including the Ballogie Souter’s Shop.
The Ballogie Souter’s shop is an outstanding and rare example of a rural shop, purpose built before the early expansion of commercial shoemaking in Scotland. Category A listed, the single storey, two-roomed rectangular building is constructed of simple materials, with corrugated iron for the roof cladding and vertical timber boarding for the walls. Ownership of this remarkable time capsule was transferred from descendants of Mr Merchant, the last souter, to the Birse Community Trust in 2000. Now, the condition of the building and its rare contents are of concern.
Our grant will go towards funding a temporary structure to protect the building, whilst further surveys are undertaken and the Trust fundraises to cover the conservation costs.
Bon Accord Heritage
Purpose of grant: Helping save Art Deco bath and pool
Amount awarded: £15,600
Location: Scotland
Date awarded: Nov 2023
Bon Accord Heritage’s vision is to restore and re-open the historic, Category B-listed Bon Accord Baths in Aberdeen.
The Baths is one of the few remaining pools of its type in the country with impressive Art Deco features, expansive pool hall with the ‘deepest deep end’ in Scotland at 15 metres and high vaulted ceiling. The Baths are much loved by the local community and have served as a social and fitness space since 1940 before closing 14 years ago.
Our grant will specifically support Bon Accord Heritage to undertake further investigative and planning work with a range of professionals, so that they will have a better knowledge of the building and will be in a stronger position to approach other funders.
British Library
Purpose of grant: Funding a textile conservation internship.
Amount awarded: £15,000
Location: London
Date awarded: March 2023
Whilst primarily paper and parchment based, the British Library’s collections include an extensive array of material types, and textiles are notable within all areas of the collection ranging from flags, to embroidered books, to items of clothing. It was the first library in the UK to employ a textile conservator and our grant will support a one-year textile conservation internship.
Camphill Rudolf Steiner Schools Ltd (operating as Camphill School Aberdeen)
Purpose of grant: Restoring Murtle Lodge for local school’s new heritage centre
Amount awarded: £15,000
Location: Scotland
Date awarded: March 2023
Camphill Rudolf Steiner Schools supports children and young people with learning disabilities and multiple diagnoses to reach their fullest potential. It operates from a number of sites in the Aberdeen area.
Murtle Lodge is a traditionally built granite property that is unused and dilapidated on Murtle Estate (one of the school’s sites). The school plans to restore the historic building and retrofit it to create a new sustainable social enterprise & heritage centre. The restored building will keep much of the original exterior and interior aesthetic and materials, whilst giving the building new use as a zero waste refillery, heritage centre and café.
Our grant will go towards the restoration of the building and its new use.
Cardiff University
Purpose of grant: Publication of research on the Low Ham Roman archaeological excavation.
Amount awarded: £4,000
Location: Wales
Date awarded: March 2023
Our small grant goes towards the publication of a monograph on the archaeological excavations of Low Ham Roman villa in Somerset. When Low Ham Roman Villa was excavated in the 1950s, they found a Virgil mosaic depicting the adventures of Dido and Aeneas in Carthage as told in the Aeneid. The Trust helped with the costs of putting the mosaic on display in Somerset County Museum where you can still see it. However, the research into the site was never published at the time.
Our grant will help publish the previous research into the site, alongside Historic England’s new work, providing a single unified account of this highly significant Roman villa and its landscape.
Chetham’s Library
Purpose of grant: Specialist cleaning of historic library and collections.
Amount awarded: £10,000
Location: North West
Date awarded: September 2023
Chetham’s Library was founded in 1653 and is the oldest public library in the English-speaking world. The entire collection at the library has been designated as one of national and international importance.
Dust levels in the library now surpass what is acceptable for a historic collection and the library urgently needs to carry out a thorough, specialist clean in the Reading Room and two L-shaped corridors – the Mary Chapel Wing and the Priests’ Wing. The wings are lined with gated presses of approximately 1,108 linear metres of shelving and are filled with over 14,000 books. The work would also allow the team to carry out a much-needed condition check on items and overall will leave them in a better position to undertake maintenance cleaning afterwards.
Our grant goes towards the specialist clean of the library and book collection.
Circus Eruption
Purpose of grant: Repair of stained-glass windows, spire, tower and valley of former church.
Amount awarded: £25,000
Location: Wales
Date awarded: June 2023
Circus Eruption provides circus skills workshops and training for children and young people facing challenges, such as being disabled and care experienced. They create an environment where young people can flourish, feel a sense of belonging and grow in confidence and resilience.
Circus Eruption are based in a Grade II former listed church. They have spent the past five years taking what was a deteriorated building through two phases of restoration and repair.
In the next phase, Circus Eruption needs to repair the stained-glass windows, spire and tower and ‘second space’ valley. These works have become increasingly urgent over the years and now need to be addressed promptly. Our grant will go towards these repairs.
Clan Gregor Society
Purpose of grant: Supporting the conservation of historic, clan gravestones.
Amount awarded: £4,000
Location: Scotland
Date awarded: March 2023
The Clan Gregor Society helps to advance the arts, heritage and culture of Clan Gregor and Scotland – including archaeological activities in Glenorchy and Glenstrae. It has been running a major conservation project of the medieval gravestones in Glenorchy church graveyard of the MacGregor chiefs. Our small grant will help conserve the gravestones and put them on display at Glenorchy church.
Colchester & North East Essex Building Preservation Trust
Purpose of grant: Exploratory works to inform design of iconic water tower.
Amount awarded: £20,000
Location: East of England
Date awarded: September 2023
Colchester’s Balkerne Water Tower, affectionately known as ‘Jumbo’, is the largest Victorian municipal water tower in England. Completed in 1884, it is Grade II* listed At Risk and maintained its original use until 1984. Colchester and North East Essex Building Preservation Trust was established 25 years ago to help preserve the historical, architectural and constructional heritage of the local area.
The trust wants to save Jumbo from dereliction and find a commercially viable operation that allows the public to access the building and its superb views. A complex structure to repair and convert, the trust needs to explore various approaches to preserve the heritage of the building, whilst bringing it into sustainable use.
Our grant goes towards funding exploratory investigation work. These initial works will be invaluable and inform the design required for long-term viability of Jumbo.
Cornerstone Collective of Churches
Purpose of grant: Repair and restoration of stained-glass windows.
Amount awarded: £10,000
Location: North West England
Date awarded: June 2023
The Cornerstone Church Liverpool is an active church, part of a wider collective of churches in Liverpool. They moved into a Grade II listed building in 2020 that needed significant repairs, many of which the church has succeeded in doing. However, the building was placed on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk register in 2022 – primarily due to the condition of its two large stained-glass windows that date back to 1906. Professionals have assessed the windows as being at ‘high risk of failure’ and the repairs as extremely urgent.
Our grant will go towards the urgent repair of the stained-glass windows and help save them from being lost.
Culture & Sport Glasgow – charity known as Glasgow Life
Purpose of grant: Supporting purchase of specialist microscope.
Amount awarded: £7,000
Location: Scotland
Date awarded: September 2023
Glasgow Life runs public museums, libraries, community centres, arts venues, sports facilities and events in Glasgow. The charity manages the city’s museums and collections, caring for 6.5 million artefacts across nine museums, as well as the Glasgow Museums Resource Centre, and the Mitchell Library.
To be able to effectively assess and conserve their collections, Glasgow Life’s conservation team have identified a pressing need for a new, large specialist microscope which will enable a thorough understanding of the structure of a work. The current microscope is very old technology – around 40 years old – and if broken will not be possible to fix. A new modern microscope would be transformational, and the benefits shared across multiple museums as well as visiting academics, students, professionals, tour groups and staff.
Our grant goes towards the purchase of the new microscope.
Crossness Engines Trust
Purpose of grant: Investigation study into cracking brickwork.
Amount awarded: £4,500
Location: London
Date awarded: March 2023
Crossness Engines Trust conserves, restores and maintains the Grade I & II listed buildings, engines, site and collections at Crossness – the Southern Outfall of the London sewer system designed and implemented by Joseph Bazalgette in the nineteenth century. Our small grant will go towards investigating the brickwork in the Grade I listed Beam Engine House. Cracks have been observed and the Trust is concerned it will get worse without investigation.
Devizes Assize Court Trust
Purpose of grant: Support towards development phase of larger capital project.
Amount awarded: £20,000
Location: South West
Date awarded: March 2023
The Devizes Assize Court Trust (DACT) aims to rescue and restore the former Grade II* Assize Courts. Assizes courts were amongst the grandest courthouse buildings in a town. Devizes Assize Court has been unused for 30+ years and is now dilapidated.
The vision is for the Assize Court to become a new home for Wiltshire Museum and its internationally significant collections. Our grant will be help DACT in their development phase prior to applying to the Heritage Fund for the wider capital project.
Dufftown and District Community Association
Purpose of grant: Development work to help restore clock tower.
Amount awarded: £10,000
Location: Scotland
Date awarded: September 2023
Dufftown and District Community Association (DDCA) aims to create a fairer community where people enjoy living and individuals can thrive. They provide various community services, including protecting local heritage through the ownership and maintenance of the Dufftown Clock Tower, a prominent and much loved local landmark.
The Dufftown Clocktower is a four-storey, Grade B listed tower that DDCA wants to transform into a community space and one-bed holiday accommodation. Currently redundant and in poor condition, the clock tower needs some significant, essential repairs and capital works to bring it back into use.
Our grant will go towards development work to bring the design up to RIBA stage 4 putting DDCA in a stronger position to raise funds for the wider capital project.
Dundee Museum of Transport
Purpose of grant: Preservation of historic depot as a new home for museum.
Amount awarded: £25,000
Location: Scotland
Date awarded: June 2023
Dundee Museum of Transport is dedicated to sharing the transport heritage of Dundee and the wider Tayside region. The museum opened to the public on its current site in 2014 and has a collection of over 3,000 objects.
The museum aims to realise its long-held ambition to move from its present temporary location to the former Maryfield Tram Depot in the Stobswell area of the city. The Tram Depot is a striking Grade B listed building, 120 metres long, that housed up to 70 trams during 1901-1956. The depot has now been out of use for many years and has deteriorated drastically.
The move will not only provide a permanent home for the museum, but it will also help save this historic building from further deterioration and catalyze regeneration in one of the most deprived wards in Scotland. Phase one of the move focuses on securing and restoring the oldest section of the Tram Depot. Our grant will go towards this first phase and the preservation of this historic building.
Earlsferry Town Hall Ltd
Purpose of grant: Urgent repairs of historic town hall windows.
Amount awarded: £10,000
Location: Scotland
Date awarded: June 2023
Designed by local architect, John Currie, the Earlsferry Town Hall is category B-listed with a distinct mini-Baronial, slim-spired clock tower. Earlsferry Town Hall Ltd want to develop the building into a welcoming and vibrant resource for the local community with various activities and event spaces on offer. The team are undertaking various works to help preserve the building, after many years of underinvestment and poor maintenance.
Our grant will go towards the urgent repairs of the Hall’s windows – stopping further deterioration and enabling non-urgent works to go ahead.
Emery Walker Trust
Purpose of grant: Protecting the textile collections against moths.
Amount awarded: £10,000
Location: London
Date awarded: March 2023
The Emery Walker Trust conserves, maintains and displays Emery Walker’s house, one of the best-preserved Arts and Crafts houses in Britain. Sir Emery Walker was a printer, typographer, socialist, antiquarian and close friend of William Morris with a remarkable collection.
The Trust has an important historic textile collection which is endangered by moth activity. Our grant will enable the textile pieces to have moth treatment, and then conservation cleaning.
English Heritage Trust
Purpose of grant: Conserving, cleaning and repairing 18th century bath house.
Amount awarded: £10,000
Location: London
Date awarded: September 2023
The English Heritage Trust cares for 420 historic sites where the stories of England were forged and where they can be re-told. From Stonehenge to Hadrian’s Wall, they look after some of the most iconic heritage sites across the country – including Kenwood House.
On the edge of Hampstead Heath, surrounded by landscaped gardens, Kenwood’s world-class art collections and stunning architecture make it one of London’s hidden gems. However, the Bath House – a distinctive feature of the neoclassical Georgian villa – has fallen into disrepair due to natural events, the passage of time and outdated materials used in a 1980s restoration.
Our grant will go towards the cleaning of the interior and the repair of the exterior walls and roof of the Bath House – all helping to improve the visitor experience.
The Friends of Leighton House
Purpose of grant: Conserving the Sambourne Dress Collection.
Amount awarded: £8,000
Location: London
Date awarded: Nov 2023
The Friends of Leighton House support the work of two museums: Leighton House, former studio-home of leading Victorian artist Frederic Leighton, and Sambourne House, home of the illustrator Edward Linley Sambourne
The museums are planning a Sambourne Dress exhibition in Leighton House showing the late Victorian and Edwardian garments that belonged to Marion Sambourne (1851-1914) and her daughter Maud Messel (1875-1960). The garments will be displayed alongside objects and materials from the Sambourne archive, bringing the characters of Marion and Maud to life for visitors. Their clothes were conventionally fashionable, but often with unique artistic twists and have never been displayed before.
Before display, these garments need to undergo substantial conservation treatment to avoid further deterioration. By having an accredited conservator work on these pieces, the museum will be able to ensure the long-term preservation of these garments.
Our grant will support the conservation of Maud’s exquisite chiffon day dress.
The Folkestone Leas Lift Company CIO
Purpose of grant: Bringing this historical funicular railway back to life.
Amount awarded: £30,000
Location: South East
Date awarded: June 2023
Leas Lift is a Grade II* cliff funicular railway in Folkestone. It was built in 1885 and has national significance as one of only eight water balance lifts in the UK and three of Victorian origin that still have their original water balance system. It has transported 36 million passengers between the seafront and town above before closing due to safety concerns in 2017.
Since 2017 the lift has fallen into disrepair, but this new CIO has come together to bring the lift back to working order. National Lottery Heritage Funding has been secured for the wider capital project and they are looking for the final parts of match funding to help make the project viable.
Our grant will go towards match funding and overall restoration of the lift.
Great Yarmouth Preservation Trust
Purpose of grant: Salary costs for new Executive Manager.
Amount awarded: £30,000 (allocated at £10,000 p.a. 2023-2025).
Location: East of England
Date awarded: March 2023
Great Yarmouth Preservation Trust (GYPT) works to preserve, safeguard and promote the cultural heritage of the borough of Great Yarmouth. The trust acquires vacant, neglected and at risk listed buildings and then restores and finds viable and sustainable uses for them.
GYPT has developed rapidly over the past five years and has an excellent track record and reputation. It had identified the need for an Executive Manager to lead the next phase of its development. Our grant will go towards the new Executive Manager’s salary over three years.
Habitats & Heritage
Purpose of grant: Development work to help restore chapel.
Amount awarded: £10,000
Location: London
Date awarded: September 2023
Habitats & Heritage cares for the natural, historic and climate environment in south and west London. They look after various sites, including Grade II listed, Grove Gardens Chapel. It’s a late 19th century, mortuary chapel built by the eminent ecclesiastical architect, Sir Arthur Bloomfield in Richmond Old Burial Ground.
By the 1990s, the chapel had fallen into such a state of disrepair that Habitats & Heritage’s predecessor charity, the Environment Trust, carried out a huge campaign to conserve it. After 20 years of use by the community and then as a nursery, it unfortunately began to show signs of subsidence.
Habitats & Heritage are exploring various options to stabilise the structure and bring it back into use for the future. Our grant goes towards further development work to enable the charity to decide on the best future for the chapel.
The Haining Charitable Trust
Purpose of grant: Supporting the repair and conservation of Haining House.
Amount awarded: £25,000
Location: Scotland
Date awarded: March 2023
The Haining Charitable Trust (HCT) looks after the Haining Estate, comprising of an A-listed 18th century Mansion House and associated buildings that overlook the scenic Haining Loch and 160 acres of grounds near Selkirk.
The A-listed Palladian mansion house is the centrepiece of the Haining Estate. Built c.1795, Haining House was extensively remodelled in the 1820s, but in recent years, with very limited maintenance, the building is showing significant signs of deterioration. The house needs urgent conservation of the external fabric, which will bring the building back into good repair and use.
The trust has already raised over 75% of the £1.7 million needed to carry out the much-needed repairs and our grant will go towards the final shortfall in funding.
Hastings Commons Community Land Trust
Purpose of grant: Surveys to help save Gothic water foundation.
Amount awarded: £4,990
Location: South East
Date awarded: Nov 2023
Hastings Commons Community Land Trust looks after Hastings Commons, a collection of community owned spaces, including heritage buildings, managed by an ecosystem of charities and social enterprises.
They plan to restore the Waldegrave Drinking Fountain and bring it back into use. The fountain is a gothic-style stone monument and drinking fountain, designed by revered architect S.S Teulon and erected in 1861. It has suffered significant deterioration due to weathering and has long not worked as a drinking fountain.
The Trust have already funded a digital survey of the fountain and now wish to commission further exploratory surveys to discover the restoration and maintenance costs so that it might become a fully functioning drink fountain again. Our grant will go towards these further surveys.
Heage Windmill Society
Purpose of grant: Partial replacement of the windmill’s key timber structure.
Amount awarded: £20,000
Location: East Midlands
Date awarded: June 2023
Heage Windmill is a Grade II* listed, six sailed stone tower windmill situated in the Derbyshire countryside. It is the last remaining six sailed stone tower windmill in Great Britain and the last working windmill in Derbyshire. Since its full restoration in 2002, it has been open to the public and milled traditional stone-ground flour, sold at the windmill itself. The windmill is hugely popular with people of all ages and backgrounds and attracts many visitors.
After an inspection, it was discovered that one of two key structural timbers – the sheers – has significant wet rot. Although the second sheer is in better condition, it will also be replaced whilst repairs are underway. The sheers have not been replaced since 1997 and now the replacement cannot be put off.
Our grant will go towards the replacement of the sheers to ensure the ongoing operation of the mill.
Heart of Newhaven Community
Purpose of grant: Urgent repairs of historic primary school.
Amount awarded: £10,000
Location: Scotland
Date awarded: June 2023
The Heart of Newhaven Community is creating an intergenerational community hub, ‘The Heart’ within a historic redundant primary school building in Newhaven, Scotland. The original building is a Grade B listed, Gothic-style school, dating back to 1861. Described as a ‘living museum of education experienced by generations’, it is a much loved, landmark building within the community. The care and maintenance of the old primary school has been ad hoc over the years and now the original building needs urgent repairs.
Our grant will go towards repairs, in particular repair of the windows and roof to help reduce damp, leaks and further rot.
Hestercombe Gardens Trust
Purpose of grant: Conservation of painting and frame.
Amount awarded: £2,300
Location: South West
Date awarded: June 2023
Hestercombe House and Gardens comprises the Grade II* Hestercombe House and Grade I listed, internationally award-winning landscape. The landscape encompasses four complete period gardens. Within the House is Hestercombe’s Contemporary Art Gallery and archive of over 2,000 original objects.
The trust is seeking to clean, restore and re-gild the original 18th century, bronze, gilded plaster frame of The Storm, a painting by Coplestone Warre Bamfylde, creator of Hestercombe’s 18th century landscape garden. Once restored, this striking painting will be accessible to the public for the first time in 250 years.
Our small grant will go towards the conservation of the frame and painting.
The Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust Ltd
Purpose of grant: Conserving and digitalising an important collection of photographic plates.
Amount awarded: £20,000
Location: West Midlands
Date awarded: Nov 2023
Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust tells the story of the Ironbridge Gorge’s significant and unique role in the development of the Industrial Revolution. The Trust’s collections, historic buildings and structures tell the story of how and why the Industrial Revolution started in this small Shropshire village.
The museum wants to conserve and digitise its collection of Glass Plate Negatives, part of the Coalbrookdale Company Collection. This significant collection, currently too fragile to handle, provides extensive information of the company, its products and workforce. The company played a vital part in the local community from 1709-1927 and even today many local residents’ ancestry can be linked back to the company. Once completed, the images will be available both for use within the museum and to a wider audience via the internet.
Our grant will go towards the conservation of the collection.
Lichfield Cathedral
Purpose of grant: Conversion of old Coach House into heritage crafts workshop.
Amount awarded: £10,000
Location: West Midlands
Date awarded: Nov 2023
Lichfield Cathedral was founded in AD 700 and is one of the oldest places of Christian worship in the UK. Grade I listed, the cathedral is a focal point for the community and an arts venue and heritage attraction.
Lichfield Cathedral is the newest member of the Cathedrals’ Workshop Fellowship (CWF) – an association of 12 Anglican cathedrals providing education and training for craftspeople who maintain cathedrals and other historic buildings.
The Cathedral plans to repurpose its Old Coach House, currently redundant, as a viable workshop for two stonemasons (a master and apprentice), posts funded initially by the CWF. This in house team will provide cost savings in the conservation repair bill for the Cathedral, as well as providing opportunities for visitors to view demonstrations.
Our grant will go towards early-stage development work to repurpose the Old Coach House, including archaeological and structural assessments and professional fees.
Linkage Community Trust
Purpose of grant: Support towards the restoration of Weelsby Hall.
Amount awarded: £25,000
Location: Yorkshire and The Humber
Date awarded: March 2023
Linkage Community Trust is a Lincolnshire-based charity supporting people with learning difficulties and disabilities. Their services include residential care, housing, day provision, respite and more.
The Trust is based in Weelsby Hall, a Victorian Grade II listed mansion that was once home to the Sleight family, one of Grimsby’s great fishing magnates in the 19th century. The poor condition of the Hall means that it is only partly occupied. Our grant will help compete urgent roof repairs, whilst Linkage Community Trust apply to the Heritage Fund for the larger capital programme.
Llanelli Railway Goods Shed
Purpose of grant: Develop business and design plans for larger capital bids.
Amount awarded: £15,000
Location: Wales
Date awarded: September 2023
Llanelli Railway Goods Shed is a Grade II listed building in a deprived area of Wales. The Llanelli Railway Goods Shed Trust was created to breathe new life into this historic landmark and create a new community hub.
We supported Phase I of their restoration, as explained in this Featured Project. Phase II of the project aims to sensitively restore and repair the main shed and provide further community facilities. The trust now wishes to develop the design of Phase II up to RIBA Stage 4 and update their business plan. They believe this will allow them to prepare robust funding bids for the larger capital works applications. Our grant will help the trust develop their business and design plans.
Mary Rose Trust
Purpose of grant: Supporting a new air exchange rate testing system.
Amount awarded: £2,000
Location: South East
Date awarded: March 2023
The Mary Rose Museum showcases the sixteenth century warship, The Mary Rose, and a large collection of Tudor objects. The Mary Rose Museum opened in 2013 and was built around the ship as she underwent conservation. Our small grant goes towards the Museum’s new air exchange rate testing system. Having a new in-house system will allow it to check the humidity of their collections that need to be in a carefully controlled environment to ensure high quality preservation.
Middleton Hall Trust
Purpose of grant: Urgent roof repairs for historic hall.
Amount awarded: £18,000
Location: East Midlands
Date awarded: September 2023
Middleton Hall is a wonderful set of historic Grade II* and Grade II listed buildings, which span seven centuries of English domestic architecture, ranging from 1285 to 1821. It is set in beautiful gardens nestled in the North Warwickshire countryside. Middleton Hall Trust works to restore and maintain the Hall and grounds for the benefit of the public.
Over the last 20 years the roof structure of the Great Hall has been subject to ongoing maintenance and patch repairs. However, the point has now been reached where this approach is no longer viable, with the roof starting to suffer from considerable water ingress and the building is At Risk
Our grant, alongside funding from Historic England, will go towards the roof repair works.
Morecambe Winter Gardens Preservation Trust Ltd
Purpose of grant: Urgent interior repairs of Grade II* listed theatre.
Amount awarded: £12,000
Location: North West England
Date awarded: September 2023
The Morecambe Winter Gardens was built in 1897 as the People’s Palace and named the Victoria Pavilion. It operated as part of a larger amusement complex for over 80 years before being closed in 1977. The Winter Gardens Preservation Trust Ltd is a volunteer-led charity whose primary aim is the restore the Grade II* listed At Risk theatre and bring it back into full use.
The building has undergone significant investment since 2020 with over £1.4 million in infrastructure and repair work. Now the trust wants to restore the foyer and grand entrance, including repairing the magnificent mosaic floor and vandalised ceramic features. Without these repairs going ahead, these features are at risk of becoming lost.
Our grant goes towards these urgent interior repairs.
National Museum of the Royal Navy
Purpose of grant: Conserving and re-displaying naval figureheads.
Amount awarded: £15,000
Location: UK wide
Date awarded: March 2023
The National Museum of the Royal Navy (NMRN) tells the epic story of how the Royal Navy and naval heritage shaped Britain’s history and communities. They hold the most comprehensive collection of Royal Naval heritage in the United Kingdom including some of the world’s most iconic naval vessels.
Our grant will help conserve, restore and re-display an important and rare collection of figureheads. Figureheads are the carved wooden sculptures that decorate the bows of sailing ships and could be described as the soul of a ship, offering good luck and protection from the perilous journeys it made. As such, they were often lovingly cared for by a superstitious crew.
The National Trust
Purpose of grant: Conservation of Lady Curzon’s Peacock Dress.
Amount awarded: £15,000
Location: East Midlands
Date awarded: Nov 2023
The National Trust looks after nature, beauty and history for everyone to enjoy. They care for many miles of coastline and countryside, along with hundreds of historic buildings, gardens and precious collections.
The Peacock Dress at Kedleston Hall is one of the best known and symbolically complex pieces in the Trust’s collection. The full length, silk taffeta dress is covered with gold and silver Zardozi embroidery with applied green beetle wing covers, rhinestones and white silk flowers. Designed by the House of Worth, Paris, the fabric was made in India and embroidered by professional gold thread embroiderers from the Workshop of Kishan Chand. It was worn by Lady Curzon at the Delhi Durbar in 1903 marking the coronation of King Edward VII.
For 20 years, it was displayed at Kedleston and there was much disappointment from visitors in 2022 when the heavy dress was removed from display to prevent further straining. The work needed to conserve the dress includes cleaning and stabilising the delicate embroidery, lace net, flowers around the hem and underlying structure. It will eventually go on display again as part of the National Trust’s more culturally sensitive re-presentation of the Curzon collections at the Hall.
Our grant goes towards the conservation of this dress.
North East Scotland Preservation Trust
Purpose of grant: Preservation of the Elyza Fraser Mausoleum.
Amount awarded: £15,000
Location: Scotland
Date awarded: March 2023
The North East Scotland Preservation Trust (NESPT) restores heritage buildings in Aberdeenshire and creates viable and sustainable uses for them.
NESPT wants to restore the Elyza Fraser Mausoleum. It is situated in the Old Cluny Kirkyard in Aberdeenshire and was designed by eminent architect, James Byres. The Mausoleum is category A listed and was built in the early 1800s and is currently at risk. NESPT will carry out a comprehensive programme of repairs to the building.
Our grant will go towards the repair and preservation of the historic fabric.
The Paxton Trust
Purpose of grant: Conservation of rare furniture collection.
Amount awarded: £10,000
Location: Scotland
Date awarded: June 2023
Paxton House has circa 140 items of Chippendale furniture and 30 masterpieces of Trotter furniture. The Paxton Trust has been embarking on a 3-year programme of conservation to preserve, repair and conserve this internationally important collection. Two years into the conservation programme, they have managed to conserve and display over 30 objects online and in-house.
Now, Paxton House wish to address the conservation needs of the rare, fragile, and unique collection of painted Chippendale cornices and furniture to enable these to be displayed. The objects have suffered deterioration over the years from woodworm, humidity and poor previous storage conditions.
Our grant will help fund the conservation of these unique objects.
Poltimore House Trust
Purpose of grant: Supporting staff costs to enable business development.
Amount awarded: £25,000
Location: South West
Date awarded: September 2023
Poltimore House is a Grade II* listed, At Risk building situated immediately to the east of Exeter. The House dates from 1550 with Jacobean, Georgian and 19th century additions. Following a period of neglect during which it suffered extensive damage, the building and 13.6 acres of grounds were acquired by Poltimore House Trust, a charity dedicated to their restoration based on a sustainable business model.
The trust aims to transform Poltimore House into a hub for the arts, businesses, communities and wellbeing. There is already a successful Café and Farm shop within the grounds. However, to move the overall project forward to the next stage, the Trust which is entirely run and led by volunteers, now needs to recruit a Business Development Manager to continue to develop the income streams and support the next phase of work.
Our grant will go towards the salary of a Development Manager.
Ross-on-Wye Town Council
Purpose of grant: Urgent stone repairs to save historic Market House.
Amount awarded: £25,000
Location: West Midlands
Date awarded: Nov 2023
Ross-On-Wye Town Council plans to restore and protect their striking red sandstone, Grade II* listed Market House.
The Market House is an excellent example of a high-status municipal town building of the mid 17th century, one of only four historic market halls remaining in Herefordshire and is a Scheduled Ancient Monument. The building is suffering from extensive stone erosion and urgently requires specialist conservation. Undertaking these repairs will safeguard the future of this much-loved building, ensuring that it can continue to be used and enjoyed by a wide audience of residents and visitors.
Our grant will support essential repairs to the masonry and stonework.
Southwark Council
Purpose of grant: Restoration of cemetery lodge.
Amount awarded: £20,000
Location: London
Date awarded: September 2023
Consecrated in 1840, Nunhead cemetery is the second largest and least known of the ‘Magnificent Seven’ cemeteries established in London between 1832 and 1841. It features over 44,000 memorials and is the final resting place of around 290,000 people. Southwark Council and Friends of Nunhead Cemetery are looking to restore the ruined Grade II at Risk East Lodge and create a central hub for community activity in the cemetery. The hub will provide a new café, community space, base for volunteer activity and facilities for Friends of Nunhead Cemetery with new public engagement programmes.
Our grant goes towards support to conserve the historic fabric, part of a funding package that includes the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Southwark Council.
Steamship Freshspring Trust
Purpose of grant: Feasibility study to decide the SS Freshspring’s wet or dry future.
Amount awarded: £15,000
Location: South West
Date awarded: March 2023
SS Freshspring is a historic steamship, recognised as being a vessel of national importance. Built in 1946, she is the last of 14 Fresh Class water carriers and currently berthed at Bideford as a static exhibit.
The Trust is researching ways the SS Freshspring can be financially sustainable long term and one of these is exploring the possibility of SS Freshspring being fully restored and carrying passengers. The next step is a feasibility study carried out by naval architects and engineers to see if the ship can return to steam operation. Our grant will go towards the ship’s feasibility study.
Stixwould Village Hall
Purpose of grant: Supporting heritage architect costs.
Amount awarded: £4,370
Location: East Midlands
Date awarded: June 2023
Stixwould Village Hall is a Grade II listed hall and originally built as a school in 1851 by Christopher Turnor (1809-1886) of Stoke Rochford. The Hall works to support the inhabitants of this small village and surrounding areas, in particular to reduce isolation for older residents and provide a warm, accessible space for a village with no amenities.
They are about to embark on a large programme of grant applications in the hope of accessing sufficient funds for renovating the Hall.
Our small grant will go towards the costs of a heritage architect to complete drawings and designs needed for grant applications.
The Stroud Subscription Rooms Charitable Trust – known as The Sub Rooms
Purpose of grant: Exploratory works to repair Georgian balcony.
Amount awarded: £5,000
Location: South West
Date awarded: September 2023
The Sub Rooms is a unique and vibrant community venue providing an innovative programme of music, dance, theatre, visual arts, spoken word, exhibitions and workshops. The Sub Rooms were created by ‘Subscription’ by local residents in 1833, who established the Georgian building as a focal point for the community.
The Sub Rooms has an external balcony, an impressive structure leading from the ballroom on the upper floor, which overlooks the central forecourt and town square. Repairs to the balcony are required to reinstate its safe use. The Sub Room’s architects have recommended they conduct full opening-up works to de-risk the next stage of the project and draw up a comprehensive scope for the full works.
Our grant will go towards the opening works so The Sub Rooms can plan their next steps.
St Andrews Preservation Trust
Purpose of grant: Urgent roof repairs for heritage museum.
Amount awarded: £20,000
Location: Scotland
Date awarded: September 2023
The St. Andrews Preservation Trust works to preserve the buildings, character and history of St Andrews and its immediate surroundings for future generations. The Trust maintains several properties of historic significance, including the St Andrews Heritage Museum and Garden.
The Museum is undergoing a larger redevelopment project, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Our grant will go towards the Trust’s subproject to repair and restore the roof of the historic 17th century, Grade B listed building which houses the museum. Successfully completing the repairs of the historic museum’s roof will strongly contribute to the overall success of the redevelopment project.
St Michaels Parish Church of Scotland Linlithgow
Purpose of grant: Repair of landmark church spire.
Amount awarded: £10,000
Location: Scotland
Date awarded: March 2023
St Michaels is a medieval, A listed church that stands high at the centre of Linlithgow, West Lothian, alongside the historic Linlithgow Palace. The eye-catching Crown of Thorns spire, designed by Geoffrey Clarke RA, and installed in 1964 on top of the steeple is a familiar landmark and inextricably linked with Linlithgow – many local organisations feature it in their branding.
After many years of exposure to the elements, the sculpture is now damaged by water ingress and at risk of failure. Our grant will go towards repairing the Crown of Thorns spire which will be re-clad using a durable gold bronze material and robust seamed cladding method. This will reinstate the artist’s original intent of a gold crown.
Trademark Training Ltd
Purpose of grant: Exploratory reports to help establish new community hub.
Amount awarded: £5,000
Location: Northern Ireland
Date awarded: September 2023
Trademark is a trade union and peace-building organisation dedicated to tackling prejudice, discrimination and inequality through education, action research, mediation, community and workplace interventions and the establishment of cooperative enterprises in socially deprived areas.
Trademark is leading a collective of cooperatives and charities wishing to establish a Community and Cooperative Hub in Belfast. A historic building has been identified as a possible location – it was part of the linen mill industry in Belfast.
Our small grant will contribute towards the initial exploratory stage of the project and fund a conservation statement and report on costs to create better access to the building.
Trinity Community Arts Ltd
Purpose of grant: Installation of a fall arrest system on roof.
Amount awarded: £5,000
Location: South West
Date awarded: March 2023
Trinity is a multidisciplinary arts centre with a rich cultural heritage based in the former Holy Trinity Church – a Grade II* Listed converted late-Georgian church in Bristol.
Our small grant goes towards the installation of a horizontal line, Fall arrest ‘Keeline’ system to the North and South side of the nave roof. The fall arrest system enables safe access for regular maintenance of the nave roof and high-level stonework.
Union Chapel Project
Purpose of grant: Urgent repairs of chapel’s historically significant organ.
Amount awarded: £25,000
Location: London
Date awarded: September 2023
Union Chapel Project (UCP) is an independent secular charity operating within Union Chapel’s Grade I and II listed buildings. Their main purpose is to repair and conserve the buildings and historically important organ to the highest standard for future generations to use and enjoy.
With 146 years of dedicated service, Union Chapel’s organ urgently requires vital repairs. Despite regular care and a 2012 full restoration, a mechanical instrument of this vintage is incredibly vulnerable – not only from its ageing timbers but also from regular use and changes in temperature and humidity. In September 2022, a specialist carried out emergency repairs, which has stabilised the organ temporarily, but a replacement of the soundboard is necessary to prevent further damage.
Our grant will go towards the repair of the historically significant organ.
York Museums and Gallery Trust
Purpose of grant: Conserving an elaborate Roman Villa mosaic.
Amount awarded: £10,000
Location: Yorkshire and The Humber
Date awarded: June 2023
The Yorkshire Museum (part of the York Museums and Gallery Trust) has in its collection a large and elaborately decorated mosaic floor from a Roman villa at Oulston, North Yorkshire. The mosaic originally decorated the corridor of the villa near its entrance and is around 7 meters long.
It is the largest and best-preserved mosaic floor in The Yorkshire Museum’s collection. However, when the mosaic was removed from display in 1985, it was stored and packed poorly, meaning the mosaic is mostly inaccessible to the curators and degrading. The museum is keen to rectify the storage issues, conserve the mosaic, repack the mosaic safely and pave the way for better access to and reinterpretation of this important object.
Our grant will go towards the conservation of the mosaic.
Young Women’s Mental Health
The Art House
Purpose of Grant: For the ‘Photovoices – Expression Through the Lens’ project – a creative health programme supporting young women aged 16-25 to explore their mental health through photography.
Amount awarded: £100,104
Location: Yorkshire and Humber
Date awarded: November 2025
Children and Young People’s Empowerment Project
Purpose of Grant: For the Girls@HOME project to support young women 16-25 living in Barnsley through one-to-one and peer group support.
Amount awarded: £100,944
Location: Yorkshire and Humber
Date awarded: November 2025
Family Gateway
Purpose of Grant: For the Rise and Resilience project which will provide tailored mental health support for young women.
Amount awarded: £101,200
Location: North East
Date awarded: November 2025
GROW Organisation
Purpose of Grant: To provide tailored one-to-one support and a peer group network designed to reduce isolation and build confidence.
Amount awarded: £100,561
Location: Yorkshire and Humber
Date awarded: November 2025
Hey Smile Foundation
Purpose of Grant: To deliver support to young women aged 16–25 who are self-harming, experiencing suicidal thoughts, eating disorders, or emotional distress.
Amount awarded: £101,200
Location: Yorkshire and Humber
Date awarded: November 2025
Leo’s
Purpose of Grant: To support young women aged 16–25 living in Teesside who have experienced neonatal care, pregnancy or baby loss.
Amount awarded: £97,190
Location: Teesside, North East
Date awarded: November 2025
Scarborough, Whitby and Ryedale Mind, Harrogate Mind and Darlington Mind
Purpose of Grant: To provide trauma-informed support for young women aged 16-25 who self-harm or experience thoughts of self-harm.
Amount awarded: £101,125
Location: Yorkshire and Humber
Date awarded: November 2025
Sheffield Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre
Purpose of Grant: For a psychoeducation and peer support programme for young women aged 16-25, combining creativity, activism and mutual support.
Amount awarded: £97,200
Location: Yorkshire and Humber
Date awarded: November 2025
Support After Rape and Sexual Violence Leeds
Purpose of Grant: To expand its range of counselling and therapeutic services and to meet a rising demand from younger women, under the age of 18.
Amount awarded: £101,200
Location: Yorkshire and Humber
Date awarded: November 2025
Well Women Centre
Purpose of Grant: To fund the HerSpace project offering psychological support to young women aged 16–25 who face significant mental health challenges.
Amount awarded: £97,473
Location: Yorkshire and Humber
Date awarded: November 2025
The Youth Association
Purpose of Grant: For the Thrive 360 project which uses youth work to improve mental health outcomes for young women.
Amount awarded: £91,366
Location: Yorkshire and Humber
Date awarded: November 2025
Everybody Arts
Purpose of Grant: To support the Bloom project, a female-led support, training and mentorship programme
Amount awarded: £97,825
Location: Yorkshire and Humber
Date awarded: Nov 2024
Everybody Arts champions inclusive and accessible approaches to the arts so it is available to everyone. It enables people from diverse backgrounds to exercise their creativity to improve wellbeing. The charity works in partnership with other organisations, including the NHS, to deliver projects in hospitals to improve mental health; and runs programmes for young people who have been unable to continue their education in mainstream schools.
Our grant is for the Bloom project, a female-led support, training and mentorship programme with an associated support network for young women that will help to improve their mental health while supporting them to develop a career in the cultural-health sector.
HERe NI
Purpose of Grant: To employ a full-time Young Women’s Mental Health Worker
Amount awarded: £99,991
Location: Northern Ireland
Date awarded: Nov 2024
HERe NI in Belfast works with LGBT+ women and their families to help improve their quality of life, elevate their voices and alleviate inequalities caused by discrimination and homophobia. Peer group support is an important feature of its work. The charity also facilitates a range of events to foster social inclusion. All its work has a focus on increasing positive emotional health and wellbeing.
Our grant three year grant is to employ a full time Young Women’s Mental Health Worker to provide dedicated support to young women struggling with their mental health.
Invictus Wellbeing Foundation
Purpose of Grant: Supporting young women with complex mental health and social needs
Amount awarded: £95,250
Location: Yorkshire and Humber
Date awarded: Nov 2024
Invictus Wellbeing Foundation works to support and improve the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people across West Yorkshire. It delivers a range of services for young people including those who are self-harming or experiencing suicidal thoughts.
Our grant is to develop an existing support pathway, specifically for women and girls living in Calderdale. Staff will be given additional training around cultural competency, working with victims of sexual and domestic abuse and other gender-specific forms of abuse such as honour based abuse and Female Genital Mutilation.
Kyra Women’s Project
Purpose of Grant: Funding for the Steps into Rose project which supports young women struggling with very poor mental health
Amount awarded: £72,822
Location: Yorkshire and Humber
Date awarded: Nov 2024
The Kyra Women’s Project, York, aims to help local women make positive and lasting improvements to their lives. They work to reduce the health, economic and social inequalities experienced by women and to help them participate fully in society.
Our three-year grant is for their Steps into ROSE project to work with young women struggling with very poor mental health, isolation and lack of support.
Links Counselling Service
Purpose of Grant: To employ two part time counsellors to sustain and increase capacity to support young women
Amount awarded: £100,000
Location: Northern Ireland
Date awarded: Nov 2024
Links Counselling Service provides counselling and trauma informed interventions for children and adults across Northern Ireland. It is a cross-community organisation, offering a neutral space across sectarian divisions within local areas. It offers interventions for a range of mental health difficulties such as trauma, bereavement, anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, self-harm and relationship difficulties.
Our three-year grant will fund two part time counsellors and associated project costs to sustain and increase capacity to support young women aged 16-25 years.
Maternal Mental Health Alliance
Purpose of Grant: Dedicated resource for young mothers to support their mental health recovery
Amount awarded: £95,400
Location: North East
Date awarded: Nov 2024
Summary: Maternal Mental Health Alliance helps women and families affected by perinatal mental health issues to access high quality care and support. It also campaigns to improve policies and practice within the maternal mental health sector. Young mothers are at particularly high risk of experiencing mental illness in the perinatal period.
Our three-year grant will support their joint bid (with Sunderland Counselling Service and Ways to Wellness) to fund specialist Young Mothers Link Worker provision in the North East.
RASAC – Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre
Purpose of Grant: Specialist creative counselling for young women who have experienced rape, sexual or domestic abuse
Amount awarded: £90,000
Location: Yorkshire and Humber
Date awarded: Nov 2024
Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre provides specialist therapeutic, advisory, and helpline support for individuals over the age of 8 who have experienced rape, sexual, or domestic abuse in the Kirklees, Calderdale, or Wakefield areas. Its core services include: therapeutic support services such as counselling, support work, art therapy and alternative therapies.
Our grant will help fund the staff costs associated with providing specialist creative counselling for young women (16-25) who have experienced rape, sexual or domestic abuse to meet the increasing demand for specialist therapeutic support for young women.
Tyneside Women’s Health
Purpose of Grant: To support young women with mental health problems through the Outreach Project
Amount awarded: £96,280
Location: North East
Date awarded: Nov 2024
Tyneside Women’s Health supports women and girls to manage mental health conditions, reduce social isolation and participate in their communities. They also support women and girls to recover from abuse.
Our grant will help pay for two part-time mental health staff to support vulnerable women through the Young Women’s Outreach Project.
Women’s Health Matters
Purpose of Grant: Supporting young women with mental health problems within a creative arts context
Amount awarded: £99,927
Location: Yorkshire and Humber
Date awarded: Nov 2024
Women’s Health Matters works to reduce health inequalities experienced by women and girls from disadvantaged communities across Leeds. It supports women who have unequal access to health and support services due to poverty, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, or traumatic personal experience.
Our three-year grant is for art therapy groups for young women aged 16-25 years who have mental health issues. The groups will be led by an Art Psychotherapist.
Young Women’s Housing Project (YWHP)
Purpose of Grant: To employ an additional trauma therapist to work with young women with complex mental health and social needs
Amount awarded: £93,000
Location: Yorkshire and Humber
Date awarded: Nov 2024
Young Women’s Housing Project, Sheffield, provides secure accommodation and specialist therapeutic support services for homeless young women, girls and their children affected by sexual abuse, sexual exploitation and domestic abuse.
Our three-year grant will cover the salary costs for an additional trauma therapist and related running costs. The charity cannot meet the demand for its services and does not want to keep traumatised young women on long waiting lists for therapy.
Youth Education Health Advice
Purpose of Grant: To employ a dedicated Young Women’s Support Worker to help young women who are experiencing mental health difficulties
Amount awarded: £99,387
Location: Northern Ireland
Date awarded: Nov 2024
Youth Education Health and Advice (YEHA) is based in North Belfast and is dedicated to supporting young people experiencing or at risk of experiencing poor mental health and wellbeing. Many of its young women service users have suffered violence, abuse or coercive control and multiple traumatic events in their lives. YEHA offers focused group work, counselling, wrap around support, training, mentoring, and life coaching.
Our grant is for a dedicated Young Women’s Support Worker to help young women aged 16 to 25 who are experiencing mental health difficulties. The support worker will also facilitate group work sessions and run the weekly young mother’s group.
A Way Out
Purpose of grant: Creating new opportunities for young women with existing mental health issues
Amount awarded: £87,759
Location: Stockton-on-Tees, North East England
Date awarded: November 2023
A Way Out is an outreach and prevention charity which provides support to women and children who have experienced a range of traumatic experiences including abuse, sexual exploitation and sex work. The women and children it works with also face other issues such as deprivation, learning disabilities, physical disabilities and mental health problems.
The Blossom project supports young women with mental health problems who have multiple unmet needs and disadvantages. The project was informed by older service users who believe earlier intervention could have reduced the risks they were exposed to and prevented harm. Young women co-design the support they receive from Blossom, addressing their difficulties accessing mental health support. One to one support, including therapy, as well as weekly group sessions will be offered as part of this project.
Our three-year grant will help fund the Blossom project.
Bright Futures NE
Purpose of grant: Supporting young women with complex mental health and social needs
Amount awarded: £91,200
Location: Tyne & Wear, North East England
Date awarded: November 2023
Bright Futures NE helps girls and young women tackle challenges such as alcohol misuse, domestic abuse, unemployment, poor mental health and wellbeing, sexual abuse and exploitation. Bright Futures is the only young women specific service in South Tyneside. It delivers a range of programmes including prevention and education programmes. The charity has seen young women’s mental health significantly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic and cost of living crisis.
The Supporting Minds, Empowering Sisters programme has been developed with the help of service users to address the barriers they highlighted in accessing mental health support. A Young Women’s Mental Health Support Worker will be employed to provide the one to one help, facilitate peer support groups and run a weekly drop-in service.
Our three-year grant will help fund the Supporting Minds, Empowering Sisters programme.
Flourish NI
Purpose of grant: Support for young women who have experienced human trafficking
Amount awarded: £91,200
Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland
Date awarded: November 2023
Flourish NI supports individuals affected by human trafficking or modern slavery by providing long-term, survivor-centred support that helps them rebuild their lives, including help with mental health, housing, finances, education, and employment.
The Journey to Independence project will target young women who have been trafficked to Northern Ireland from another country and also help fund a pilot to support young women in Hydebank Prison who are from Northern Ireland and have experienced human trafficking locally. The project will help 60 young women each year through employment of a mental health social worker. Working one to one, a recovery plan to address trauma and a range of other emotional and practical challenges will be agreed.
Our grant will support the projects for the next three years.
Getaway Girls
Purpose of grant: To improve the mental health of young women through peer support groups and counselling
Amount awarded: £89,126
Location: Leeds, Yorkshire & The Humber
Date awarded: November 2023
Getaway Girls supports young women in Leeds to build confidence, develop new skills and take positive risks in a safe and supportive environment. The charity works with the most vulnerable in Leeds including young women at risk of exploitation, young mothers, those Care experienced, refugees and asylum seekers.
Getaway Girls Revive project supports young women aged 16-25 to improve their mental health by offering peer support groups, counselling and individual support. The charity will help reduce barriers to participation including creche provision for young women with children, vouchers for food banks, bus vouchers for travel and a minibus to collect young women and language support where possible.
Our grant will help fund the Revive project for the next three years.
Just Drop In Youth Info & Advice Limited
Purpose of grant: Funding to establish weekly young women’s therapeutic peer support groups
Amount awarded: £87,166
Location: Macclesfield, North West England
Date awarded: November 2023
Just Drop-In Youth Info and Advice Limited is based in Macclesfield and was established in 1999 to support children and young people aged 8-24.
It provides early intervention mental health and wellbeing support to help young people build their resilience through a range of services including a drop-in centre, counselling provision, wellbeing activities and social groups. It also supports parents and carers.
The project will establish weekly young women’s therapeutic peer support groups in two locations for those 16-25 who are struggling with their mental health.
Our grant will help fund this project for the next three years.
MHIST (Mental Health Independent Support Team)
Purpose of grant: To support young women with mental health problems who live in Bolton
Amount awarded: £91,104
Location: Bolton, North West England
Date awarded: November 2023
Mental Health Independent Support Team (MHIST) is a user led organisation that has been supporting vulnerable people with mental health problems who live in Bolton since 1992. It works with adults and children with mental health problems and their carers.
The project will support young women aged 16-25 with mental health issues living in Bolton. The young women MHIST will support will be dealing with additional issues linked to deprivation including living on low incomes, poor housing, or homelessness. Young women may also have experienced trauma as a result of domestic violence and sexual violence. The project will offer advocacy, talking therapies and counselling. It will also facilitate self-help and peer support groups.
Our three-year grant will support staff costs, volunteer training and management costs.
Motherwell Cheshire CIO
Purpose of grant: Funding for the Inspire project which supports young women struggling with their mental health
Amount awarded: £90,820
Location: Cheshire East, North West England
Date awarded: November 2023
Motherwell Cheshire promotes positive health and wellbeing by offering a range of educational services, mental health support, holistic therapies and practical support. It works primarily with hard-to-reach women e.g. disabled mothers, mothers experiencing racial inequality, mothers whose children have been removed, traumatised women and survivors of abuse.
The Inspire project supports women aged 16 – 25 struggling with their mental health. Young women have co-designed the programme to address issues that matter most to them including: exam stress; moving into further education; apprenticeships or employment issues; relationship challenges and identity issues as they transition into adulthood. The project will provide counselling sessions, befriending opportunities and peer support through weekly positive activity sessions.
Our grant will help fund the Inspire Programme for three years.
Preston Muslim Forum Limited
Purpose of grant: To work with young women with mental health problems from the black and minority ethnic community
Amount awarded: £91,150
Location: Preston, North West England
Date awarded: November 2023
Preston Muslim Forum Limited (PMF) is a charity that was established in 1996 to serve the local black and ethnic minority (BAME) community in Preston. The charity runs a drop-in centre where it offers culturally sensitive services, delivered in a multilingual environment. Through its research, PMF has identified that mainstream services are not sensitive to faith, culture, or ethnicity, which makes mental health services difficult to access for young women from BAME communities.
Through the Healing Hub programme the charity will work with young women with mental health problems who face multiple disadvantages and who have experienced trauma. One to one counselling sessions, along with workshops on topics including anxiety, stress and loneliness will be offered as part of this project.
Our three-year grant will help support the Healing Hub programme.
Step 2 Young People’s Health
Purpose of grant: Empowering young women in Bradford to grow and thrive
Amount awarded: £91,175
Location: Bradford, Yorkshire & the Humber
Date awarded: November 2023
Step 2 Young People’s Health (Step 2) is based in Bradford, West Yorkshire. The charity aims to help young people up to the age of 24 live healthy lives by improving their emotional health and well-being, helping them develop and maintain positive relationships, improving young people’s sexual health and equipping parents and professionals to better support young people.
Working together with youth work charity Emerge, the Bolder, Braver, Stronger: Empowering young women in Bradford to grow and thrive project will offer a number of services including a mentoring programme, weekly group discussion and one-to-one counselling.
Our three-year grant will help pay for staff and other project costs.
Women’s Counselling and Therapy Service Ltd
Purpose of grant: Supporting young women with mental health problems within a creative arts context
Amount awarded: £91,015
Location: Leeds, Yorkshire & the Humber
Date awarded: November 2023
The Women’s Counselling and Therapy Service (WCTS) was formed in response to the impact of social inequalities on women’s mental health. WCTS provides access to specialised psychological therapies for disadvantaged women and girls in Leeds aged 16 and up to recover from trauma including abuse and sexual exploitation, offering women and girls with complex mental health issues counselling and therapy.
The project will support 50 young women with mental health problems through psychotherapeutic support within a creative arts context, such as mixed media, poetry, clay work and so on. Young women will also have access to one-to-one counselling.
Our three-year grant will cover the cost of a therapist and general project costs.
Women’s Resource & Development Agency
Purpose of grant: Maternal and advocacy support for young mums
Amount awarded: £91,180
Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland
Date awarded: November 2023
This project is run by a partnership – Women’s Resource and Development Agency (WRDA), two women’s centres and mental health charity Aware NI.
The Maternal Advocacy and Support project (MAS) delivers maternal mental health peer support and one to one support for women who are experiencing a perinatal mental health problem. Young mothers have stated that they often feel additional pressure and judgement for being a young parent, yet they are under-represented on the MAS project.
This project will be for young women aged 16-25 who are pregnant or have children up to the age of 3 years and are struggling with a perinatal mental health problem. A space will be designated for young women so that they can feel safe to share their experiences and create a supportive network to improve their mental health. There will be a mixture of practical and therapeutic support.
Our three-year grant will be used for staff and other project costs.
ARCH Teesside CIO
Purpose of grant: Co-produce mental health services with young women for young women.
Amount awarded: £90,000
Location: North East England
Date awarded: November 2022
ARCH Teesside (ARCH) is the lead organisation within a three-way partnership with Youth Focus North East (YFNE) and Middlesbrough and Stockport Mind (M&S Mind). ARCH is a specialist trauma informed sexual violence service based in Middlesbrough that delivers support to victims/survivors of sexual violence.
Hope for the Future: Advocating for change is a new project to help better serve the mental health needs of young women in Teesside. By employing a Young Women’s Participation worker, they will work with young women to co-produce services and activities that better meet their needs and use this best practice to influence local services.
Our three-year grant goes towards the running this project.
Birchall Trust
Purpose of grant: Funding new young women’s wellbeing service.
Amount awarded: £89,936.15
Location: North East England
Date awarded: November 2022
The Birchall Trust believes that we should live in a society that is free of sexual abuse, rape, exploitation, and sexualised violence. They provide specialist trauma-informed services to people whose lives have been affected by sexual abuse and rape in Cumbria and Lancashire.
New funding will enable the trust to run ‘Empowered to Achieve’ a new young women’s wellbeing service to support young women affected by rape and sexual abuse. Activities will include counselling, a peer support group, educational activities, wellness workshops, outings and women only sports groups.
Our grant will cover the salary costs for a Trauma Informed Wellbeing Practitioner and related running costs.
EVA Women’s Aid Ltd
Purpose of grant: Supporting the Butterflies Project for young women survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence.
Amount awarded: £90,000
Location: North East England
Date awarded: November 2022
EVA Women’s Aid is an award-winning charity with 35 years’ experience. They deliver specialist support services to victims of domestic abuse and/or sexual violence, based in Redcar, Cleveland, one of the most deprived areas of the UK.
The Butterflies Project focusses on working with older girls and young women who are survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence. The project provides a combination of specialist counselling, programme work and tailored individual support. A dedicated Young Women’s Support Worker will run the project and provide personalised support throughout.
Our grant will fund the Butterflies Project for three years.
Gorse Hill Studios Creative Community
Purpose of grant: Supporting young women’s mental health through art, creative and youth work activities
Amount awarded: £90,000
Location: North West England
Date awarded: November 2022
Gorse Hill Studios is a thriving young people’s charity based in South Manchester. They provide youth work support and arts-based activities to create positive outcomes for disaffected young people.
Gorse Hill Studios aims to embed its young women’s project with this grant. The project provides a female only safe space for young women and girls to connect with each other and explore mental health challenges using expressive art and youth work processes. Young women experience fun, creative engaging activities, including group or 1-1 arts psychotherapy sessions.
Our grant will help embed and develop this young women’s project over 3 years.
NE Youth Ltd
Purpose of grant: Supporting the Healing Hearts & Minds project for neurodiverse young women.
Amount awarded: £89,258
Location: North East England
Date awarded: November 2022
NE Youth is a leading youth development charity supporting young people (11-25) and youth organisations in North East England. They do this by providing high-quality youth work services across the region.
Healing Hearts & Minds is a 12 week-long programme, designed by women with lived experience of mental health, for neurodiverse young women to support their mental health. Young women will be assigned a mentor and co-produce a bespoke programme to support them. Healing Hearts & Minds aims to build self-esteem, confidence and communication skills and encourages young women to reflect and act on future goals.
Our grant will fund the Healing Hearts & Minds programme for three years.
Refugee Women Connect
Purpose of grant: Supporting the Sisterhood Youth Project for young women experiencing the asylum system.
Amount awarded: £84,629
Location: North West England
Date awarded: November 2022
Refugee Women Connect is a women only charity supporting and working alongside women asylum seekers, refugees and their families, as well as survivors of modern day trafficking. The women they work with can be socially isolated, lacking in knowledge of the asylum and housing support process and be traumatised and at risk of further abuse.
Their new programme – the Sisterhood Youth Project – aims to provide young women with a space in which they can access specialist, one-to-one mental health support. Support will include a weekly peer support group, wellbeing activities and opportunities to engage with partner organisations. The main beneficiaries will be young women within the asylum system, unaccompanied young women, young women with resettled status or those with insecure status.
Our grant will fund the Sisterhood Youth Project for three years.
SICK! Productions
Purpose of grant: Supporting the SMASH project for young women.
Amount awarded: £90,000
Location: North West England
Date awarded: November 2022
SICK! Productions is a Manchester-based, diversity-led arts charity focused on using art and arts experiences to connect people and communities, especially around mental and physical health.
SMASH: Supporting Women and Girls in Manchester though Arts Based Social Prescribing is a project to support young women’s mental health. Through regular artist talks, cultural visit(s) and creative making sessions, young women struggling with their mental health will develop confidence, connections and coping mechanisms to improve their wellbeing.
Our grant will fund the SMASH project for three years.
Swan Women’s Centre
Purpose of grant: Covering salary costs for a young women’s practitioner and an advocate.
Amount awarded: £90,000
Location: North West England
Date awarded: November 2022
Swan’s Women’s Centre aims to support and empower women and teenage girls to improve their mental health and well being. Their services include: a befriending service, various activity groups, art therapy, mindfulness sessions, support groups and mental health services.
Swan wants to develop their young women’s mental health support services, which includes trauma informed, integrative counselling, support groups, creative activities, and befriending services.
Our grant will allow them to expand their current offering by covering the salary costs of a young women’s trauma informed practitioner and a part-time Advocate. The Advocate will be able to support and speak up for young women at meetings and appointments as needed.
Women’s Community Matters
Purpose of grant: Salary costs for a full-time worker for young women’s mental health.
Amount awarded: £90,000
Location: North West England
Date awarded: November 2022
Women’s Community Matters is a women’s centre that offers holistic, person-centred services, based on a co-production model. They are a ‘one-stop shop’ women’s centre providing holistic and wraparound services and activities for women in need of practical and emotional support.
Women’s Community Matters works with young women to explore what kind of support they need and have a range of activities, groups and programmes on offer – such as legal consultation, clothes banks, courses and mental health support.
Our grant will enable them to employ a fulltime worker to focus on the mental health needs and outcomes of young women.
Young Women’s Outreach Project
Purpose of grant: Supporting Wellbeing Warriors project for young women.
Amount awarded: £86,416
Location: North East England
Date awarded: November 2022
Established in 1992, the Young Women’s Outreach Project is based in Gateshead and supports young women and mothers aged 11 to 19. They offer group work, one-to-one and specialist services, providing practical and emotional support in a safe, nurturing environment.
Their project, Wellbeing Warriors, builds resilience, confidence, and self-esteem. It ensures young women get the support they need to support themselves, achieve and learn – overall improving the quality of life for young women. A new Wellbeing coordinator will help organise and coordinate additional wellbeing sessions.
Our grant will support the Wellbeing Warriors project for 3 years.
Youth Federation
Purpose of grant: Employing a new member of staff to develop the young women’s mental health programme.
Amount awarded: £90,000
Location: North East England
Date awarded: November 2022
Youth Federation is a charity that empowers, engages and enriches the lives of young people aged 8-25 across Cheshire, Halton, Warrington and Wirral. They work to create a society where young people can reach their full potential.
Their new programme aims to improve the mental health of young women in Cheshire through one-to-one Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, group support and tailored awareness sessions with a new female mental health worker. Youth Federation already delivers a successful and effective mental health programme for young people, but this funding will allow them to tailor their services to 16–18-year-old women and employ a new member of staff.
Our grant will cover the cost of the new female mental health worker and the costs to run this extension of their mental health services.
Research, Advocacy and Development
Heritage Trust Network
Purpose of Grant: Supporting community heritage organisations in Northern Ireland to rescue and re-use historic buildings and spaces.
Amount awarded: £77,000
Location: UK-wide
Date awarded: June 2026
National Portrait Gallery
Purpose of Grant: Systematic survey of c15,000 portrait records of individuals not originally considered within the Gallery’s historic definition of British sitters to identify, research and catalogue original prints depicting Global Majority individuals who visited Great Britain or influenced foreign and domestic relations between 16th and mid-19th centuries.
Amount awarded: £50,000
Location: London
Date awarded: June 2026
Seaside Heritage Network
Purpose of Grant: Supporting the core educational activities of the Seaside Heritage Network for three years and support to enhance the annual ‘Big Day Out’ event.
Amount awarded: £10,800
Location: Poole, County Dorset
Date awarded: June 2026
National Historic Ships UK
Purpose of Grant: Towards the development of the Leading Lights project which will help address the future sustainability of historic vessels and make the maritime heritage sector more resilient.
Amount awarded: £15,560
Location: Greenwich, London
Date awarded: March 2026
Our grant award will go towards the Leading Lights project to provide match-funding for the Development Phase of a National Lottery Heritage Fund scheme aimed at making the maritime heritage sector more resilient. It will fund the activity plan and explore creation of a third-party grants scheme to support historic vessels.
National Life Story Collection
Purpose of Grant: An Oral History of the UK’s Industrial World Heritage Sites
Amount awarded: £30,000
Location: UK wide
Date awarded: March 2026
Our grant will support the aims of the National Life Stories charity to capture the history of the designation of some of the UK’s most significant Industrial World Heritage Sites by recording a minimum of six in-depth interviews with individuals who were key in campaigning for them.
Personal accomplishments are not always documented in written archives and oral history is the only mechanism which can capture the personal motivations of these individuals, the backgrounds which drove their interest in industrial heritage, collaboration with others, and the emotional connection between people and their work.
These stories will be made accessible to all, in UK’s national collection through the British Library. The collaboration of community groups, local government, heritage and enterprise as captured through the oral histories will offer insight and guidance for current heritage professionals.
The Institute of Conservation (ICON)
Purpose of grant: Conservation Skills at Risk – Protecting Heritage for Future
Generations
Amount awarded: £45,000 (£20,000 in 2025 and £25,000 in 2026)
Location: London
Date awarded: Sept 2025
This initiative will help safeguard the specialist skills needed to conserve the UK’s historic collections and cultural heritage. The project will assess which areas of conservation are most at risk of being lost, identify future skills needs across the profession, and create a delivery plan to ensure these skills are supported for the long term.
Society of Antiquaries
Purpose of grant: Finding Futures for Scotland’s Churches (FFSC)
Amount awarded: £55,000 (over a two year period)
Location: Scotland
Date awarded: June 2025
The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland aims to protect, study and share Scotland’s heritage through advocacy, education, research, publishing and public engagement.
The Society, in partnership with Scotland’s Churches Trust, has initiated the (FFSC) project in response to the crisis of closing churches in Scotland.
This project will provide a rapid assessment of the heritage assets of churches, especially those at risk of closure. It will create a comprehensive framework of information to help prioritise significant heritage at risk, and mobilise and support individuals, communities and organisations to find sustainable solutions to ensure that heritage of local and national importance is not lost when Scotland’s church buildings are repurposed.
Closing churches is a crisis in the heritage sector across the UK, not just in Scotland. The comprehensive approach could potentially provide a blueprint for preserving valuable heritage sites and maintaining their benefits for local communities now and into the future.
Our grant over two years of £55,000 will fund a community officer to support the project.
CPRE The Countryside Charity
Purpose of grant: Scoping work to help develop a light pollution campaign
Amount awarded: £14,000
Location: UK wide
Date awarded: March 2025
CPRE has a long history championing dark skies, amongst other campaigns they have supported local authorities to minimise light pollution and engaged families in star counting.
They are concerned that UK’s dark skies are under threat. Light pollution is denying people access to starry skies, disrupting natural behaviours in wildlife, and often needlessly wasting energy. Many organisations share their concerns.
The CPRE aims to develop a powerful light pollution campaign marshalling the evidence and public and political support for positive change to ensure that the night sky is something that future generations can enjoy.
Our grant is for the scoping work needed to establish a cohesive campaign on light pollution.
Textile Conservation Foundation
Purpose of grant: Inaugural bursaries, MPhil Book and Paper Conservation
Amount awarded: £20,000
Location: Scotland
Date awarded: November 2024
The Textile Conservation Foundation supports textile conservation education and research primarily through the Kelvin Centre for Conservation and Cultural Heritage, part of Glasgow University. It raises funds for student bursaries for the university’s two-year MPhil Textile Conservation course.
Our grant of £20,000 is to support inaugural bursaries for a new two-year MPhil in Book and Archival Materials Conservation and Paper Conservation, at the Kelvin Centre. This new MPhil will fill an important gap in conservation provision in the UK. Places will be awarded on the basis of ability and potential rather than financial means. It is hoped our grant will act as a catalyst for other funders to support this important conservation course.
Youth Hostel Association
Purpose of grant: To support the Outdoor Citizens initiative
Amount awarded: £75,000
Location: England and Wales
Date awarded: June 2024
The Youth Hostel Association (YHA) provides youth hostel accommodation in England and Wales. They aim to enrich the lives of all, especially young people, through low-cost hostel stays and experiences that improve physical health, mental wellbeing and life skills.
Hosted by YHA, Outdoor Citizens is a membership community of charities, community groups and organisations, working to give a more diverse range of people access to activity in the outdoors, nature, and heritage in all its forms. Since 2022 they have distributed more than £350,000 to grassroots organisations.
Our award will be used for onward grant distribution for the Outdoor Citizens initiative including the associated Festival of Walking 2024 event and towards staff costs.
Heritage Crafts
Purpose of grant: New Horizons for Endangered Crafts.
Amount awarded: £29,000
Location: UK wide
Date awarded: Nov 2023
Heritage Crafts is the advocacy body for traditional heritage crafts in the UK. Working in partnership with government and key agencies, it provides a focus for craftspeople, groups, societies and guilds and works towards a healthy and sustainable framework for heritage crafts.
In May 2023, Heritage Crafts published the fourth edition of its Red List of Endangered Crafts with support from the Pilgrim Trust. This is the only research of its kind in the UK to rank heritage crafts by the likelihood they will continue to the next generation. It is essential that the evidence base is regularly updated. The fifth edition of the Red List of Endangered crafts in 2025 (which will be its 10th anniversary) will update and expand the current dataset and provide longitudinal comparisons.
Alongside supporting this research, we will also make a contribution to the Endangered Crafts Fund and support two research symposia focussing on horology and glass-making.
The Heritage Trust Network
Purpose of grant: Supporting the Essential Networks project to build capacity in the heritage sector.
Amount awarded: £40,000 (allocated at £20,000 p.a. 2023-2024)
Location: UK wide
Date awarded: March 2023
The Heritage Trust Network is a UK-wide membership body for charities, community organisations and social enterprises rescuing, restoring and managing historic sites. Membership is free and it currently has 773 members of which 559 are small and medium-sized heritage organisations.
Through discussion with members, the Heritage Trust Network have identified a gap in the provision of support to grass-roots heritage organisations and partners. They aim to address this through its Essential Networks project, a major development and resilience project, which will increase members’ access to expertise, learning and resources.
Our grant will support the development of the Essential Networks project during its development phase.
National Council for Voluntary Organisations
Purpose of grant: Supporting the transfer of the Small Charities Coalition helpdesk.
Amount awarded: £15,000
Location: UK wide
Date awarded: June 2022
The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) represents over 17,000 voluntary organisations, charities, community groups and social enterprises across England. NCVO support their members with practical resources to help the day to day running of their organisations.
After the Small Charities Coalition (SCC) closed in 2022, the NCVO and the Foundation for Social Improvement came together to provide a home for the SCC’s helpdesk. The helpdesk provides access vital help and support for small charities and was very popular. Our grant goes towards the first year of transferring and managing the helpdesk.
National Portrait Gallery
Purpose of grant: Researching the Historic Lived Experience of People of Colour in Britain.
Amount awarded: £45,000
Location: UK wide
Date awarded: June 2022
The National Portrait Gallery is home to one of the world’s most prestigious collections of portraits. Founded in 1856, the Gallery now holds over a million records of portraits made in Britain from the 16th–19th centuries.
Hidden within these are hundreds of images of People of Colour about which extremely little is known. These people have been routinely overlooked, as unidentified figures; their presence in the archive is obscured by the cataloguing structure. A grant would be used to appoint a researcher to survey the archive and identify and contextualise unidentified People of Colour.
The project speaks to the Gallery’s commitment to be transparent about exploitation associated with certain works, to decolonise the archive, and learn more about the histories of People of Colour in Britain from audiences and academic partners. The project outputs will include public-facing text that can be used across gallery interpretation, webpages and school learning resources. This will help to address a socially important need to foreground absent stories. Our grant will go towards running this important project over 3 years.
Safe Passage
Purpose of grant: Advocacy and campaigning work to support all refugees.
Amount awarded: £20,000
Location: UK wide
Date awarded: June 2022
Safe Passage supports refugees on the move to be reunited with their family members in the UK and across Europe. After running a scoping mission in response to Ukraine crisis, Safe Passage have identified campaign and advocacy opportunities that may leverage widespread support for all refugees.
This campaign comprises of various streams, including seeking strategic media opportunities, creating timely messages and communications, challenging discriminatory language and articles in the media, coordinating grassroots actions and developing with politicians and their wider networks.
By amplifying the voices and stories of people of colour refugees, Safe Passage believe they can build on the public’s solidarity with the Ukraine crisis to shift discriminatory and racist narratives about refugees. Our grant goes towards this advocacy and campaigning work.
The Ramblers’ Association
Purpose of grant: Saving historic and unrecorded rights of way.
Amount awarded: £50,000
Location: UK wide
Date awarded: September 2021
The Ramblers’ Association’s ambitious and nationally significant project, Don’t Lose Your Way, aims to save historic and unrecorded rights of way by the government deadline of 2026. If we don’t act now, we could lose a substantial part of our path network, forever.
In 2020, the Ramblers identified over 49,000 miles of potential lost rights of way in England and Wales. Each path they want to save requires detailed research and an application to the relevant highway authority, so that they can be added to the definitive map. With each path taking at least 20-30 hours of work, they need to recruit, train and support at least 1,300 more volunteers. The project’s steps include creating a training programme, increasing their historical research resources and expanding their network of volunteer coordinators.
Our grant will contribute towards creating a digital platform for volunteers.
Slow Ways
Purpose of grant: Supporting Tales from a Slow Way.
Amount awarded: £25,000
Location: UK wide
Date awarded: June 2023
Slow Ways is an initiative to create a national network of walking routes connecting all of Great Britain’s towns and cities, as well as thousands of villages. Using existing paths, ways, trails and roads, people can use Slow Ways routes to walk or wheel between neighbouring settlements and combine them to create longer distance trips. There are currently over 8,000 Slow Ways stretching for over 120,000km and over 20,000 people have registered to contribute actively to the initiative.
Tales from a Slow Way seeks to spotlight various issues from mental health to the climate emergency and to address problems surrounding representation and accessibility within walking. They are bringing together creatives and groups to co-produce original stories in various formats (music, film, art etc) situated on the walking routes. The aim is for these tales to help dismantle a wide range of cultural barriers that prevent people from walking, by both inviting diverse groups to walk Slow Ways and creating and amplifying diverse and inclusive stories that help strengthen and create community. 10 of these stories were commissioned as a pilot in 2022 and the project was hugely oversubscribed.
Our grant will go towards creating new stories for Tales from a Slow Way.