The project aims to restore the former Lister Drive Carnegie Library into a centre of community involvement, family support and childcare services, volunteering and learning.

Development funding of £224,000 has also been awarded to help Lister Steps progress their plans to apply for a full grant in April 2015. It is estimated that the full refurbishment will cost in the region of £4.5m. Emergency holding works are due to start within the next month to treat the wet and dry rot that has taken over the fabric of the building.

Lister Steps expect that the completed building will open in 2017. Once open the centre will provide valuable learning and volunteering opportunities and a base for other community groups within the Tuebrook and Old Swan areas. Lister Steps will relocate their existing childcare and family support services from their current portacabin centre on Lister Drive into the Grade II listed library building.

The library was one of several donations wealthy industrialist Andrew Carnegie made in the early 20th-century. The building remained in service as a library until 2006 when health and safety concerns forced its closure; it is of significant value to the heritage of the Tuebrook area and is much loved and missed within the local area.

Gaynor McKnight, CEO from Lister Steps, said: "We’re delighted that the Heritage Lottery Fund has given us this support. Their decision to invest is fantastic news for the Tuebrook community and for future generations. Lister Steps  vision is to create a hub that will provide the catalyst for the wider economic and social regeneration of our area, as well as being a place for people to socialise, learn new skills and make a contribution through volunteering."

Sara Hilton, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund North West, said: “The Lister Steps project is a fantastic example of local heritage-led regeneration and shows how new ideas can be used to bring historic buildings back to the heart of the local community. As the winners of the Heritage Dragons event in 2012, the Lister Steps team benefitted from 180 hours of free professional advice on how to progress their plans and it’s clear to see from today’s announcement that the support they received was put to good use! We are passionate at HLF about supporting communities develop new uses for their redundant buildings. This project will provide the Library with a sustainable long-term future helping to boost the local economy, provide jobs and training for local people and act as a catalyst for wider regeneration in the area.”

Notes to editors

A first-round pass means the project meets HLF criteria for funding and HLF believes the project has potential to deliver high-quality benefits and value for Lottery money. The application was in competition with other supportable projects, so a first-round pass is an endorsement of outline proposals. Having been awarded a first-round pass, the project now has up to two years to submit fully developed proposals to compete for a firm award.

On occasion, an applicant with a first-round pass will also be awarded development funding towards the development of their scheme.

On 3rd October, Lister Steps, which is looking to develop Liverpool’s Grade II Listed former Lister Drive Library, triumphed when they pitched their proposal to the Heritage Dragons.   

Heritage Dragons was organised by the Heritage Investment Working Group (HIWG) - a cross-sector collaboration of leading heritage-regeneration agencies and national organisations representing commercial and social enterprise. The group includes the Heritage Lottery Fund, English Heritage, The Prince’s Regeneration Trust, the Architectural Heritage Fund, British Property Federation, Heritage Alliance, Historic Houses Association, the Churches Conservation Trust and Locality. They have come together to form a coalition of shared ideas and resources to push and persuade investors and communities that working together makes heritage-led regeneration viable, sustainable and of benefit to all.

About Lister Steps
Lister Steps was founded by local residents in 1997 in response to identified need for community services including childcare in the Tuebrook, Liverpool 13 area of Merseyside. Lister Steps charitable mission is to enhance the life chances of all families and individuals living in Tuebrook and the surrounding districts of Liverpool; through the provision of holistic support, recreational and educational services that are: sustainable, relevant, affordable, accessible and of the highest quality. Lister Steps is a value led organisation; trustees, staff, beneficiaries and children worked to agree our values of respect, courage, commitment, creativity and integrity.

Our aims are to:

• provide a sustainable and useful local venue for community use
• provide a range of affordable community childcare services
• influence and improve the standards of childcare and early years education across Liverpool and the wider City Region
• be a good employer
• to provide training and employment opportunities
• we are currently registered with OFSTED to care for 95 children each day
• the activities we currently run on a daily basis are: breakfast and after school clubs, full day nursery care and education, pre - school playgroup and school holiday play schemes, weekend social clubs for children and young people with special educational needs providing respite for their Parent/ Carers
• we have a well established volunteering programme providing opportunities for young people and adults to complement our work with specialist skills or get involved in the various aspects of our organisation e.g. governance, childcare, grounds maintenance, research, horticulture and administration. 

Further information

Katie Owen, HLF Press Office, on 020 7591 6036 / 07973 613820.

Miss Gaynor McKnight, CEO Lister Steps on 07792774657, email: Gaynor.mcknight@listersteps.co.uk.