England, Midlands & East: committee decisions September 2025
National Lottery Heritage Grants £250,000 to £10million development round
Art4Everyone: Opening up art in public collections for all users
Applicant: The Public Catalogue Foundation (Art UK)
Project description: This UK-wide project will see Art UK undertake improvements to its digital infrastructure and the development of a national training programme to support the cultural sector in adopting open access policies.
Decision: Award development round grant of £295,660 (84% of total eligible development costs) with the potential delivery grant of £1,620,156 (83% of total eligible delivery costs)
Great Yarmouth Minster: Energising Our Community
Applicant: The Parochial Church Council of Great Yarmouth
Project description: The project aims to strengthen the Minster’s role as a cultural and social hub. Capital repairs will remove the building from the Heritage at Risk Register while additional works and activity aim to transform indoor and outdoor spaces into welcoming and inclusive places for creativity, support and connection.
Decision: Reject
A Network for Nature
Applicant: Worcestershire Wildlife Trust
Project description: A landscape scale recovery project that aims to restore and reconnect the Forest of Feckenham and surrounding areas of East Worcestershire into a coherent functioning landscape for nature, farmers and public/community greenspaces alongside a programme of inclusive engagement and learning.
Decision: Award development round grant of £94,815 (90% of total eligible development costs) with the potential delivery grant of £2,595,274 (74% of total eligible delivery costs)
Walpole Old Chapel Unwrapped – Saving the Chapel for its Next Chapter
Applicant: The Friends of Walpole Old Chapel
Project description: This project will support a capital programme of works to save the Grade II* Old Walpole Chapel from further physical deterioration and remove it from Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register to ensure that the building remains open and accessible to the public for continued community use.
Decision: Award development round grant of £96,332 (87% of total eligible development costs) with the potential delivery grant of £901,093 (86% of total eligible delivery costs)
Much Wenlock Guildhall: The Next 100 Years
Applicant: Much Wenlock Town Council
Project description: The project would preserve, enhance and future-proof the Guildhall to ensure that it can continue to serve the local community.
Decision: Reject
Benton End Revived
Applicant: Garden Museum
Project description: A five-year project to re-create Benton End as a place of art, learning and horticulture, an environment where young people, students, interested amateurs and professionals can be inspired and supported to learn, and to provide a fully accessible heritage destination with residential accommodation.
Decision: Award development round grant of £294,221 (60% of total eligible development costs) with the potential delivery grant of £2,653,234 (60% of total eligible delivery costs)
Rutland Cultural & Civic Centre
Applicant: Rutland County Council
Project description: This project will deliver essential repairs to the Grade II listed Catmos Cottage and Riding School and redevelop existing galleries. It will house and display two internationally significant finds as part of a new multi-purpose civic space.
Decision: Reject
Heritage Enterprise: Chance Glassworks – last chance
Applicant: Chance Heritage Trust
Project description: This Heritage Enterprise project forms phase one of the Chance Heritage Trust masterplan; the ambition for this phase includes the acquisition of the seven-storey building, director’s offices, engineering workshop and yard.
Decision: Reject
Heritage Enterprise: 6–9 Ninham's Court Norwich
Applicant: Norwich Preservation Trust Ltd
Project description: NPT seeks Heritage Enterprise funding to restore, repair and convert the near derelict 6–9 Ninham's Court, Norwich, creating two new family homes by restoring the historical layout.
Decision: Reject
All Saint Church: Cossington Village Heritage Centre
Applicant: The Parochial Church Council of Cossington
Project description: This five-year project will undertake repairs and conservation works to this Grade II* listed church to provide a warm and welcoming place of worship, as well as establishing a community village centre for heritage activities, community activities and learning.
Decision: Reject