Heritage Trust for Lincolnshire gets £278,200 lifeline grant from government to overcome Covid

Heritage Lincolnshire is one of 445 heritage organisations across the country set to receive a lifesaving financial boost from the government’s to the £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund.

The charity, whose role is to ensure that the special character and significance of Lincolnshire’s heritage is understood, valued, conserved and celebrated for the benefit of local people, visitors and future generations, is one of

445 organisations that will share a £103 million slice of the overall fund.

The Trust says it will to help restart vital reconstruction work and maintenance on cherished heritage sites, keeping venues open and supporting those working in the sector.

Heritage Lincolnshire’s chief executive, Greg Pickup, was delighted at the news of their successful bid for £278,200, saying: “It will mean that not only can we survive the testing months ahead but also invest in the future of Lincolnshire’s Heritage; developing plans for our charity and our county’s economic recovery.

“It is a welcome recognition of the value of our work and of Lincolnshire’s outstanding heritage. This funding will support our recovery plan for the county as we start to welcome visitors back and showcase what we have to offer.”

He added: “Ultimately it means that we’ll be able to ensure that our charity and our county’s heritage are protected for generations to come.”

The government funding is administered at arms length by Historic England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund, designed to secure the future of Britain’s museums, galleries, theatres, independent cinemas, heritage sites and music venues with emergency grants and loans.

Other local organisations benefitting are Lincoln’s New Theatre Royal, its Cathedral and the International Bomber Command Centre.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: “As a nation it is essential that we preserve our heritage and celebrate and learn from our past. This massive support package will protect our shared heritage for future generations, save jobs and help us prepare for a cultural bounceback post covid.”

Duncan Wilson, Historic England’s Chief Executive said: “It is heartening to see grants, both large and small, from the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund helping heritage sites and organisations across the country which have been hit hard by the effects of Covid-19. These grants range from giving skilled craft workers the chance to keep their trades alive to helping heritage organisations pay the bills, and to kick-starting repair works at our best-loved historic sites. The funding is an essential lifeline for our heritage and the people who work tirelessly to conserve it for us all, so that we can hand it on to future generations.”