Heritage Lottery Fund Grant
Parishioners will be aware that we have benefited from a significant Heritage Lottery Fund Grant. This note explains what the Grant covers and what the Parish needs to do to satisfy its terms.
The main provisions are:-
- To strip and relay the slate roof, repairing roof timbers and renewing rainwater gutters and pipes. Also to repair and re-point external stonework to the lower tower and porch. These works are now complete.
- To deliver two heritage construction workshops. The heritage skills days are in preparation and will be organised to coincide in a single event when weather is more suitable for activities outdoors.
- To research the Church’s heritage including the War Memorial and lost murals. Images of the lost murals have been captured and work is progressing to produce an illustrated talk to be exhibited in the church itself.
- To deliver a programme of talks, public open days and learning programmes to include the neighbouring First School and High School. Talks have been prepared and delivery has begun to parishioners and local organisations. Initial meetings have been held with St. Robert’s First School and King Edward VI School Art Department and further meetings are planned. If you know of any group who would like to learn more about the Church heritage please contact one of the Project Team.
- To create 2 illustrated guides, an enhanced website and social media presence. The first and more substantial guide has been drafted and is currently being submitted for printing and production. A second guide designed to assist ad hoc visitors to St. Robert’s is in preparation as is a specific third booklet on The Statues of St. Robert’s. A large number of photographs of the Church’s interior and exterior have been taken and are to be catalogued before being uploaded to the website. The exterior images provide a chronological documentation of the progress of work.
- To create a short film and demountable exhibition to document the project. Preliminary discussions have been held with a College of Further Education about them taking on this part of the Project.
- To arrange a diocesan seminar to share learning from the Project. This is being discussed at the moment with the Diocese but two meetings/seminars have already taken place to inform St. Mary’s Hexham and St. Godric’s Durham who are contemplating bidding for grants to support renovation works. Both involve listed buildings with a heritage worth promoting
- For any further information on this please speak to Mr Ken Wilson or Mr Matt Boyle.
