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Focus Summer 2018
Clare Castle Country Park receives £1.5m National Lottery funding!
The Trustees of Clare Castle Country Park are delighted to announce that their application for
£1.5 million of National Lottery funding has been approved. The decision by the Heritage
Lottery Fund (HLF) follows an application from the Trust which undertook extensive
development stage work, including community and stakeholder consultation, over a nine-month
period last year. “The success of this bid has been the result of a great deal of hard work by lots
of volunteers, as well as our consultants,” said Geoffrey Bray, Chairman of the Clare Country
Park Trustees. “Without changing the peaceful nature of the Park this delivery stage funding
will enable us to embark on a number of exciting and sustainable developments for the benefit
of the local community and visitors.’
The developments will include the refurbishment of the Clare Park Centre, the former railway
goods shed, into a multi-purpose space for educational purposes, exhibitions and a wide range
of other uses. Additional public toilet facilities will be included in the building programme.
Also included are plans to de-silt the moat and undertake repairs to the walls and surface of the
railway station’s south platform. “As part of this project we shall be able to develop a range of
inclusive, family-friendly, activities and events in the Park, building on our circular walks, Park
Run and enhanced play area,” said Derek Blake, one of the trustees actively involved in the
National Lottery bid process. “We shall also be able to introduce enhanced information and
signage about the Park’s history and wildlife, including some really exciting interpretation of
the railway heritage”.
“We are looking forward to the opportunities offered by this funding to provide additional
educational facilities for our local schools. Also it enables us to develop an accessible
leisure-based learning programme for people of all ages,” said Professor Richard Smith, another
of the Park Trustees involved in the bid. “We are especially keen to begin the programme of
community-based archaeological digs as soon as possible”.
For further information, please contact: Geoffrey Bray. Chairman of the Trust.
email:
geoffreysbray@gmail.com
. Tel: 01787 277731
About the Heritage Lottery Fund
Robyn Llewellyn, Head of HLF East of England, said: “From community archaeology and restoring
industrial heritage gems to transforming access to play, learning, wildlife and history for people of
all ages, National Lottery funding is to make a major difference in Clare Castle Country Park. We
are delighted to support this project and look forward to an exciting and community focused
future for the park.”
Thanks to National Lottery players, we invest money to help people across the UK explore, enjoy
and protect the heritage they care about - from the archaeology under our feet to the historic
parks and buildings we love, from precious memories and collections to rare wildlife.
www.hlf.org.uk
. Follow us on
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and
and use #HLFsupported.
Clare Swan
by Wyn Williams
Clare Kingfisher
by Wyn Williams
Clare Heron
by Wyn Williams
Clare Wren
by Wyn Williams
Clare Country Park
Goods Shed
Station Masters House