CLA comments on Defra's Farming Investment Fund announcement

RESPONDING to DEFRA's announcement of the Farming Investment Fund, Country Land and Business Association President Mark Tufnell said:- "We are pleased that Government is beginning to move more quickly in publishing details of new funding schemes. Funding will initially be available for water management projects and to support the purchase of a wide variety of modern equipment, but the timescales offered by DEFRA to register interest are exceptionally tight, so we encourage farmers, foresters, land managers and contractors to act immediately. As we are constantly telling Ministers, farming will only thrive under England's new agricultural policy if Government gives detailed and clear information to farmers about the whole range of new schemes, whilst also investing in improved productivity. We still have a way to go, but the signals are welcome and reassuring. We look forward to further funding rounds."
 

InvestSefton invites you to a Family Fortunes event

SEFTON Council's InvestSefton in partnership with The Good Business Festival would like to invite you to the:- 'Family Fortunes.' This will be an insightful and lighthearted look at what it is like to work with family, the up's and the down's. The event is open to all Sefton businesses whether you are family owned or not. It will be held on Tuesday, 7 December 2021, at Southport Market, from 5pm, and refreshments will be made available. The event is free to attend for Sefton businesses, please book your place using the Eventbrite via this link:- Eventbrite.Co.UK.
 

Don't miss the Mayor of Prescot's Charity Christmas Concert

ARTS in Prescot is a voluntary community arts group organising a year round programme of arts, music and cultural events in and around the Prescot area. The highlight of the year is the annual Prescot Festival of Music and the Arts, that will take place again over:- Friday, 17 June to Sunday, 26 June 2022. But you will not have to wait until 18th Annual Prescot Festival for a concert, as on Thursday, 9 December 2021, from:- 7pm to 8pm, they will run the Mayor of Prescot's Charity Christmas Concert. The Concert will feature:- Brassworks Quartet, St Mary and St Paul's Primary School Choir, Prescot Parish Church Choir, and Bluebell Park School Makaton Signing Choir. This fantastic event will be held at:- Prescot Parish Church, Church Street, Prescot. (L343LA) With free entry, long with a retiring collection for the Mayor of Prescot's Charities, this offers a fantastic start to the festive season. For more information visit:- PrescotFestival.Co.UK.
 

106 arts, heritage and cultural organisations across England to share of ₤107 million in latest recovery fund grants

OVER a hundred arts, heritage and cultural organisations across England will receive a share of ₤107 million from the additional ₤300 million announced by the Chancellor at March's budget for the Culture Recovery Fund, bringing the total cash support package made available for culture during the Pandemic to close to ₤2 billion.

The Culture Recovery Fund has already got ₤1.2 billion out the door to around 5,000 organisations and sites across the country and this latest round of funding is giving a lifeline to:- Regional theatres, local museums, independent cinemas and many more throughout the winter.

₤10.6 million in continuity support grants will be awarded to 99 previous Culture Recovery Fund recipients in the North West, administered by Arts Council England, the British Film Institute, Historic England and National Lottery Heritage Fund. Helping organisations survive and allowing them to resume programmes and events, the funding will mean people can get back to enjoying everything they have to offer.

In addition to this, 8 organisations in the North West have been awarded grants from the Emergency Resource Support strand of funding so far, with 7 supported for the 1st time, and more applications undergoing assessment over the coming weeks. Looking to help those facing imminent risks, grants from this rolling programme are protecting jobs by saving important arts and cultural organisations.

Culture Secretary, Nadine Dorries said:- "Culture is for everyone and should therefore be accessible to everyone, no matter who they are and where they're from. Through unprecedented Government financial support, the Culture Recovery Fund is supporting arts and cultural organisations so they can continue to bring culture to communities the length and breadth of the country, supporting jobs, boosting local economies and inspiring people."

Providing access to emergency funding throughout the winter period, the Emergency Resource Support programme will be reopened. This will give more applicants at imminent risk of financial failure an opportunity to bid for support, protecting even more organisations so that they can continue to create jobs and contribute to the economy. The application window will reopen soon.

From the latest round of funding administered by Arts Council England, theatres across North West will receive over ₤2.2 million in vital financial support so they can keep their doors open and welcome audiences to pantos and plays this Christmas. They include Rosehill Theatre, a cultural hub for the people of West Cumbria with a rich and varied programme of music, theatre, comedy, film, spoken word and craft workshops.

To make sure that everyone continues to have access to arts and culture, this funding will support creative, community driven arts organisations and creative projects, to help nurture and sustain local talent. They include Arts at the Mill, which; as 1 of the largest arts centres in the country; is putting Wigan on the map as a cultural destination. It offers local people the opportunity to get involved in arts and culture and is nurturing home grown talent.

Funding is also keeping projectors rolling in local cinemas this winter, with 5 cinemas in the North West awarded ₤405,911 via the British Film Institute. 1 of the oldest continuously running cinemas in the UK since opening in 1914, the Alhambra in Keswick has been awarded:- ₤84,782, to help it continue to serve its local rural audience as well as visitors to the area. Its new, long awaited second screen is already enabling the cinema to further expand its audiences and better cater for local young people and the support from the Culture Recovery Fund has helped cover the cost of a Covid safe air filtration system for the new screen. The cinema has recently introduced a new film club for local 6th Formers allowing them to curate their own film programme and learn how to operate the projector for 2 screenings per week.

This announcement follows the second round of the Heritage Stimulus Fund; part of the Culture Recovery Fund; delivered by Historic England. Those benefiting include:- Leigh Spinners Mill in Wigan, whose grant of ₤126,000 will help refurbish the 5th floor, repair the roof and engine house, and create a heritage store and a large multi use space. This will also provide 20 new jobs and new opportunities for on site work experience as part of their wider construction skills training. From this Fund, ₤368,000 is also going to help restore Hopwood Hall in Rochdale. A former stately home, the money will help transform the hall into an artistic and cultural venue combining local heritage with filmmaking and events.

The latest awards will continue to safeguard our most precious heritage and Regional museums. The Silk Museum in Macclesfield which has responsibility for Europe's largest designated collection of Jacquard silk handlooms.

Darren Henley, Chief Executive, Arts Council England said:- "This continued investment from the Government on an unprecedented scale means our theatres, galleries, music venues, museums and arts centres can carry on playing their part in bringing visitors back to our high streets, helping to drive economic growth, boosting community pride and promoting good health. It's a massive vote of confidence in the role our cultural organisations play in helping us all to lead happier lives."

Ben Roberts, Chief Executive, British Film Institute said:- "Traditionally, this time of year brings a wealth of culture to the big screen for people up and down the country as local cinemas offer seasonal classics, and new British films and blockbusters. The Culture Recovery Fund has been vital to the survival and recovery of independent cinemas, enabling them to contribute to their high streets and communities, and crucially be there to welcome back their audiences."

Ros Kerslake, Chief Executive, National Lottery Heritage Fund said:- "This latest round of the Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage has provided much needed further support for Heritage sites, attractions and organisations as they move forward with their exciting plans to engage, entertain and educate us all. The UK's heritage has faced unprecedented times, and investing in the Heritage sector remains vitally important to driving tourism, supporting our wellbeing and making our towns, cities, and rural areas better places to live."

Duncan Wilson, Chief Executive, Historic England said:- "The Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage schemes and the Heritage Stimulus Fund administered by Historic England continue to provide essential support for heritage and the arts across the country. The latest recipients indicate the breadth of organisations that are being saved as we emerge from the effects of COVID on our sector."

Jonathan Moore and Carol Rennie, Co-Owners of Keswick Alhambra Cinema said:- "The Cultural Recovery Fund has kept the cinema afloat whilst we invested and reconfigured the business to ensure its long term survival. It's been a frantic 2 years, but we're now reopen and seeing the results already, with new, younger audiences coming through the doors. The Rennie family has run the business for 30 years; thanks to the Cultural Recovery Fund we've survived this, the worst ever situation to hit us, and are now looking to thrive."

Mike Leigh, Salford born and BAFTA winning Writer and Director of:- Vera Drake; Mr. Turner and Secrets and Lies said:- "Growing up in North Salford in the 40's and 50's, there were 14 local independent cinemas within walking distance of our hours; quite apart from the fancy big movie houses in Central Manchester, a short bus ride away. Each cinema showed 2 films in every programme, as well as shorts and newsreels. The programme changed on Wednesdays, and there were yet different offerings on a Sunday. This feast inspired my earliest passion for cinema, and my resolve to make films. Everybody went to the pictures; it was a vital part of community life. It still is, and it must remain so. Which is why the support for independent cinemas by the Cultural Recovery Fund is of such vital importance."

Harry Macqueen, Director of Keswick shot Supernova starring Colin Firth and Stanley Tucci said:- "Cinema is essential. Its value lies in its unique ability to transport us into other people's lives; to usher us into other cultures and in doing so remind us of the shared experience of being human. Watching a film in a cinema; with strangers around us; is a progressive, collective act. It is a communal experience that informs and inspires. But cinema can only do so if it is accessible to all. It is therefore now more vital than ever that we support independent cinema and cinemas, where important stories and storytellers thrive. Long live your local indie!"

Paul Speed, Director of Camp and Furnace said:- "We are very grateful to the Arts Council and DCMS for awarding us this grant from the Culture Recovery Fund. Without the support from this vital scheme for the creative, cultural and hospitality sectors many independent venues, like ours, would not have survived the biggest crisis we have faced. The grant is an essential lifeline to ensure Camp and Furnace remains focussed on promoting culture and the arts in Liverpool for all to experience."

Deanne Shallcross, Executive Director of Rosehill Theatre, Whitehaven said:- "The Culture Recovery Fund has been a lifeline for Rosehill and we are hugely grateful to DCMS and Arts Council England for their continued support. Without doubt they have helped save our community asset by steering us towards financial viability throughout significant, ongoing challenges. Our cumulative total of almost ₤560,000 from 3 rounds of the Culture Recovery Fund and ₤117,500 from the Emergency Response Fund has enabled us to get back up and running, continue delivering a variety of creative experiences to the West Cumbria community and develop plans for the longer term. We feel incredibly fortunate to still be here as without the Culture Recovery Fund we would have been in a very different position."

Anthony Preston, Chair of Trustees of Burnley Youth Theatre said:- "We are delighted with the significant financial support we have received from the Cultural Recovery Fund. It has been vital in helping us to re-launch our activities and secure the future of the organisation in these most challenging of times, recognising the important contribution we make to the cultural life, well being and prosperity of Burnley and its young people."

Andrew Bentley, CEO, Storyhouse said:- "Storyhouse has been 1 of the country's busiest during the crisis, we wanted to provide support for our community and work for our artists; that's not been without risk. We navigated it safely, but the confidence to do that came only from the amazing support from this Fund. We'll be emerging stronger as a result and are enormously grateful for this amazing lifeline for our industry. Thank you."

David Jenkins, Managing Director, Arts At The Mill CIC T/A The Old Courts said:- "We are deeply grateful for the support received through the Culture Recovery Fund. This support has meant we have been able to listen and respond to the communities we serve and work together with communities, artists and organisations to develop opportunities in Wigan throughout the Covid19 Pandemic."