England, Midlands & East: delegated decisions May 2023
National Lottery Grants for Heritage
15 May
Re-Form Heritage: Re-Evaluating Past Practice for a Resilient Heritage Future
Applicant: Re-Form Heritage
Project description: To enable Re-Form Heritage to increase their organisational resilience and develop plans to ensure that the sites under their management are sustainable in the long term. It will focus on four distinct areas: increasing visitor numbers, re-evaluating the venue hire offer, development of the philanthropy and patronship offer and a re-evaluation of site energy use and maintenance.
Decision: Award grant of £249,962
19 May
Standing In This Place
Applicant: CAFE (Cultural Arts Forum Erewash)
Project description: To explore the heritage of the cotton industry in the UK and abroad.
Decision: Award grant of £90,800
Developing the Strategic Framework for the Midlands Forest Network
Applicant: The Woodland Trust
Project description: To develop the strategy and infrastructure for a new Midlands Forest Network which will aim to protect, restore, connect and expand woodland habitats on a landscape scale, for rural and urban nature corridors.
Decision: Award grant of £196,643
25 May
SB Dawn – A New Horizon
Applicant: The Dawn Sailing Barge Trust Limited
Project description: To undertake resilience-focused work that will strengthen governance and future planning for The Dawn Sailing Barge Trust, as well as urgent repairs to the barge.
Decision: Award grant of £59,770
Weston Park Foundations
Applicant: Weston Park Foundation
Project description: A re-evaluation of Weston Park's long-term sustainability, considering the aftermath coronavirus (COVID-19) and their upcoming 10-year strategic plan.
Decision: Award grant of £73,240
Lincoln's Prehistoric Summer
Applicant: Lindissi CIC
Project description: To bring hands-on heritage activities to Lincoln's deprived neighbourhoods during the school holidays.
Decision: Reject
Keech Heritage Project
Applicant: Keech Hospice Care
Project description: To improve access to a garden for vulnerable people within Luton and record memories which are at risk.
Decision: Reject
#DYC – Fashion Police
Applicant: West Midlands Police
Project description: For West Midlands Police to partner with Birmingham City University and undertake research into the history of police uniforms and develop new displays.
Decision: Defer
From The Slave Ship To The Spaceship
Applicant: Batanai Arts
Project description: To use arts-based teaching to educate a range of audiences on the history of the slave trade, the involvement of Britain and Black heritage.
Decision: Reject
Connecting and Creating Sustainable Heritage
Applicant: Wild Roots Creative CIC
Project description: To create a programme which discovers heritage craft, designed to offer learning opportunities for a wide range of abilities. It is aimed at inspiring a new generation to become future champions and ambassadors for growing, creating and mending using traditional techniques.
Decision: Award grant of £9,050
Anti-Racism in Midlands: A story of people working together
Applicant: Nottingham Photographers' Hub Community Interest Company
Project description: To document the history of anti-racism as the story of different communities working together to build inclusive societies.
Decision: Award grant of £9,150
Curry: Bangladeshi Culinary Heritage
Applicant: Creative Vision Luton Limited
Project description: To research and share the story of the development of the restaurant business within the Bangladeshi community in Luton, from the 1960s onwards.
Decision: Defer
The Parks Management Association – Supporting those working in the Parks and Open Spaces Sector
Applicant: Parks for People CIC
Project description: To fund a freelance professional to develop resources and events which support the parks and open space sector, establish partnerships and work toward a sustainable funding model for the organisation to continue post-delivery.
Decision: Reject
Re-imagining Anglo-Saxon Myths
Applicant: Red Rose Chain
Project description: Using Anglo-Saxon myths and the work of archaeologist Nina Layard to hold theatre-themed heritage workshops, create new learning and digital resources, and create new professional and community drama productions.
Decision: Award grant of £232,882
Path between New Building and New Tent
Applicant: City of Norwich Aviation Museum
Project description: To create a new pathway which allows visitors with different abilities to access the museum collection in its entirety.
Decision: Reject
"A Knight at the Museum"
Applicant: Unpuzzled Theatre Company C.I.C
Project description: A one-week, free, immersive and theatrical experience highlighting The Princely Burial exhibit at the Southend Central Museum.
Decision: Reject
SMTC Centenary Celebration
Applicant: Shrewsbury Musical Theatre Company CIC
Project description: In celebration of the Shrewsbury Musical Theatre Company’s centenary, this project will research and record its history for a portable exhibition and audio visual experience to accompany the Centenary Concert.
Decision: Award grant of £9,670
Transforming Gedling Old Station
Applicant: Gedling Youth and Community Hub
Project description: To restore a disused Victorian train station in Gedling, whilst providing a range of training in heritage and conservation skills to local communities.
Decision: Reject
#DYC Arrivals: Celebrating migration to Suffolk
Applicant: Suffolk County Council
Project description: To preserve and share the local community's stories about migration journeys to Suffolk, working with priority groups to make an accredited archive more representative of the local community.
Decision: Award grant of £126,523
Restoration of Coxmoor Rd Pumping Station Underground Victorian Reservoir and Reuse as a Science Discovery Centre
Applicant: Mansfield and Sutton Astronomical Society CIO
Project description: To restore and repurpose a Victorian reservoir to create a Science Discovery Centre and Planetarium in north Nottinghamshire. Activities would use the story of the site to inspire young people to pursue STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).
Decision: Defer
Art UK Murals Digitisation and Engagement Programme
Applicant: The Public Catalogue Foundation
Project description: To record and provide digital access to public murals across the UK using a network of Volunteer Researchers and Photographers. A digital and in-person engagement programme will reach a wider range of people and raise awareness of both the artform and artists.
Decision: Reject
#DYC Our Colchester: Now and Then
Applicant: Colchester City Council
Project description: To review, document and digitise Colchester Museums unseen black and white photography collection, currently held in storage, and to explore oral histories relating to their content.
Decision: Award grant of £65,522
#DYC Reimagining with the City
Applicant: Derby Museums
Project description: To coproduce and redisplay the Nature and Archaeology galleries at Derby Museum and Art Gallery, and to reinterpret the collections at Pickford's House.
Decision: Defer
#DYC Connecting Collections
Applicant: Inspiring Healthy Lifestyles
Project description: The first stage of a Museum Transformation and Relocation Programme; to create digital records of the museum's collections and records system, ensuring its future protection and providing accessibility.
Decision: Award grant of £87,120
#DYC Telling Our Own Story – Creating an archive network to shape Warwickshire's history
Applicant: Warwickshire County Council
Project description: To build an archive network to support under-served communities and the collections they hold at Warwickshire County Record Office.
Decision: Award grant of £25,000
#DYC Audit to Access
Applicant: British Film Institute
Project description: To undertake a comprehensive review of the un-accessioned paper collection in the British Film Institute National Archive. Doing so will identify the needs and opportunities for improved conservation, management and engagement long-term.
Decision: Award grant of £249,389
Grant increase request
A historic wartime fresco as centrepiece to a heritage project for learning, conservation and wellbeing
Applicant: St Mary’s Broomfield PCC
Project description: To undertake repairs for the tower of St Mary's Church, conserve a mid-20th century true fresco wall painting and involve the community in activities to learn about the heritage of the building and life in Broomfield during wartime.
Decision: Award grant increase of £7,418 to make a total grant of £143,139