Lincoln Cathedral is one of 445 heritage organisations across the country set to receive a lifesaving financial boost from the government thanks to the £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund to help them through the coronavirus pandemic.
445 organisations, including Lincoln Cathedral, will share £103 million, to help restart vital reconstruction work and maintenance on cherished heritage sites, keeping venues open and supporting those working in the sector.
Lincoln Cathedral will receive a grant of £970,600 from the Culture Recovery Fund which will ensure that essential maintenance of the building can continue, securing the building for future generations, and that it can continue to welcome as many people as possible to safely visit and worship at the Cathedral.
The care of the Cathedral’s fabric and its assets relies heavily on income from investments, visitor and commercial activity and fundraising initiatives. All of these have been severely restricted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving the Cathedral to fund its core operations with dwindling resources and limited opportunities to raise funds.
This vital funding is from the Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage and the Heritage Stimulus Fund – funded by Government and administered at arms-length by Historic England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Both funds are part of the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund which is designed to secure the future of Britain’s museums, galleries, theatres, independent cinemas, heritage sites and music venues with emergency grants and loans.
433 organisations will receive a share of £67 million from the Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage to help with costs for operating, reopening and recovery. This includes famous heritage sites across the country, from Wentworth Woodhouse in Yorkshire to Blackpool’s Winter Gardens, Blyth Tall Ship to the Severn Valley Railway, the International Bomber Command Centre in Lincolnshire to the Piecehall in Halifax. The funds will save sites that are a source of pride for communities across the country.
The Very Revd Christine Wilson, Dean of Lincoln, said, “In March Lincoln Cathedral closed its doors to its worshipping community, pilgrims, staff, volunteers and visitors alike; the first time in its recent history that the building stood silent and empty. The impact on the Cathedral has been profound and the loss of revenue from all sources means that our heritage, traditions and people are under threat today more than ever before.
“As we continue to make difficult decisions on a daily basis, this grant will help to stabilise the Cathedral’s finances as we continue to recover and build a sustainable future. The building is once again open to visitors and it is a pleasure to see the Cathedral being used for its original purpose now that worship has resumed. The funding will ensure that we can preserve this internationally important building for future generations and continue the vital restoration work.
“The team have shown incredible creativity, flexibility and determination to continue working with all of the communities we support and enabling as many people as possible to safely visit and worship at the Cathedral, and this funding will enable us to build on this work.
“In short, the grant from the Culture Recovery Fund is a lifeline for the Cathedral and is helping to ensure we can continue to keep its doors open as a place of worship, welcome, hospitality and heritage.”
The 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.”
