A FUND which contributed millions of pounds to heritage sites across the country, including Ellesmere Port’s National Waterways Museum, is accepting fresh applications.
A successful first year of the Heritage At Risk Capital Fund saw £15 million invested in projects across England, including funding for Salford Lads Club in Greater Manchester, Gawthorpe Great Barn in Burnley, and Morecambe Winter Gardens in Lancashire.
Applications are now open for a second round of funding.
A further £15 million is available to at-risk heritage sites this year, as part of a total £75 million fund.
The deadline for submitting expressions of interest for this round is midnight, Sunday, June 14.
The fund supports urgent repairs and conservation works to help safeguard historic buildings across England and bring them back into sustainable use.
The Canal and River Trust received funding of £252,282 to repair and conserve the Grade II listed pumphouse and access bridge at the National Waterways Museum in Ellesmere Port.
With extensive wet and dry rot affecting the building, it needed urgent work to ensure it was fit for the community to visit and enjoy.
The fund is targeted at areas in greatest need, particularly where heritage investment can deliver wider social and economic benefits for local communities.
It is delivered by Historic England and funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
The fund aims to help secure the long-term future of historic buildings while supporting regeneration, job creation, skills development and community use.
Capital grants can support urgent repairs to eligible heritage assets at risk, conservation work to prevent further deterioration, project development work as part of a wider repair scheme, or adaptations that support sustainable reuse and accessibility.
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Emma Squire and Claudia Kenyatta, Co-CEOs of Historic England said: “With applications now open for a second round of funding through the Heritage at Risk Capital Fund, we are encouraging organisations across England to come forward with projects that can help secure the future of some of our most valued buildings.
“Historic buildings connect people to their local history and identity, while providing spaces that support wellbeing, pride and social connection.
“Through the Heritage at Risk Capital Fund, this investment will support places most in need, helping to repair and secure the future of some of our most valued heritage.
“By protecting these buildings and supporting their sustainable reuse, we can help communities unlock their potential for generations to come.”
Eligible applicants include local authorities, charities, community interest companies, heritage development trusts and other not-for-profit organisations, with full details available on the website.
Applications begin with an Expression of Interest (EOI) process. Shortlisted applicants will then be invited to submit a full application.
Further rounds of funding will follow later in the year and in future years.
For further details, including how grants will be prioritised and how to apply, visit: Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Capital Fund webpage here.
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