Charnwood Museum awarded two recovery grants

Charnwood Museum has been awarded two recovery grants to develop its education programme and improve communication with visitors.

The museum, in Queen’s Park in Loughborough, is one of five heritage and museum sites in the county that will benefit from more than £70,000 of funding as part of the government's £1.57bn Culture Recovery Fund.

The fund was created to help the heritage sector face the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic and will be used to further develop education programmes and to find new and sustainable ways of telling the stories of the county’s history.

The award-winning education programme delivers tailored learning at Charnwood Museum as well as Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre, the 1620s House & Garden at Donington le Heath, Harborough Museum and Melton Carnegie Museum.

A total of 1,385 cultural and creative organisations across the country are to receive grant support.

Charnwood Museum was also awarded £10,000 to develop a website as part of Museum Development East Midlands’ (MDEM) COVID-19 Recovery Grants scheme.

The museum identified that not having a standalone website that enabled the team to engage with audiences unable to visit the building when closed during the lockdown imposed in March was a barrier and resulted in the grant being awarded.

Councillor Jenny Bokor, lead member for arts and culture at Charnwood Borough Council, said: “I couldn’t be more pleased for Charnwood Museum and all the heritage and museum sites that are going to benefit from the grant.

“Arts and culture play a significant role in so many people’s lives, and our museum provides excellent educational workshops to children across the borough and continues to promote Charnwood’s rich history to people of all ages.”

“I know that the team at Charnwood Museum will put both of these grants to great use, and I am excited to see the developments, including the brand-new website.”

Charnwood Museum is currently closed in line with the Government’s national lockdown restrictions, but customers can take part in online activities at www.charnwood.gov.uk/museum_online.