New website on all UK war memorials launched

New website on all UK war memorials launched

An ambitious four-year programme to create ukwarmemorials.org, a one stop shop for information on all UK war memorials along with where to go for advice and funding has been launched by First World War Minister, Helen Grant, this week.

Funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport from the fines paid by banks that attempted to manipulate the LIBOR, the initiative draws resources together from across the UK.
The website will allow easy access to what specialist organisations know about war memorials and tap into expert advice on how best to look after them. This includes how to get grants for conservation and how to get memorials listed. DCMS has suggested the project will expand in stages over the next four years so that by the end of the project ukwarmemorials.org will be easily searchable, helping people track down historical information, listed status, condition and inscribed names.
The website will eventually cover war memorials commemorating all modern conflicts up to and including Afghanistan.

The project forms part of a partnership between English Heritage, Civic Voice [Alliance member], Imperial War Museums, and the War Memorials Trust [Alliance member], to help communities discover, care and conserve their Local First World War Memorials.
For more information see the new dedicated website www.ukwarmemorials.org or  the First World War Centenary page https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/first-world-war-centenary

Latest Funding Opportunities

Roof repairs to listed places of worship

£15million fund for urgent roof repairs to listed places of worship Congregations across the UK responsible for looking after listed places of worship can apply for money to address urgent roof repairs to ensure these historic buildings are weathertight, safe and open for use.
Organisations, trusts and congregations of all faiths and denominations can apply for a grant from £10,000 to £100,000 to meet the costs of urgent repairs to roofs and rainwater disposal systems. Limited funding can also be provided for structural investigations; specialist reports and bat surveys.
To be eligible for funding buildings must be listed and used for public worship. Places of worship that have received a previous repair grant from English Heritage, Historic Scotland, Cadw, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, the Heritage Lottery Fund and/or other Lottery distributor, and where that project is not yet finished, are not eligible to apply.

There is only one opportunity to apply to The Listed Places of Worship: Roof Repair Fund. The closing date for applications is noon, Friday 30 January 2015. Decisions will be announced in March 2015. Further information on how to apply can be found at http://www.lpowroof.org.uk/ 

National Churches Trust Community Grant Scheme (UK)

The National Churches Trust has announced that its Community Grant scheme will re-open for applications on the 12th January 2015. The National Churches Trust was formed to fund, protect and support the built heritage of 47,000 churches, chapels and meeting houses throughout the UK. Through the Community Grants scheme, grants of £5,000 and above are available for projects which introduce facilities to enable increased community use of places of worship. The Community Programme considers applications from listed and unlisted Christian places of worship of any age and denomination that open regularly for public worship. Grants are available towards capital works such as additions and extensions, and the introduction of facilities, such as accessible toilets and catering facilities. Projects must have an estimated cost of at least £25,000 (including VAT and fees) to qualify. Read more at: http://www.nationalchurchestrust.org/our-grants/community-grants

War Memorials Grant Scheme (England)

English Heritage and the Wolfson Foundation, in association with Friends of War Memorials, are providing grants for the repair and conservation of free-standing war memorials in England. These grants are intended to help those who are responsible for the upkeep of war memorials. The grants support the care and preservation of war memorials to a high standard, and to prevent the decay of this important part of our built heritage. Grants will normally be for up to a maximum of 75% of eligible costs, with a maximum grant of £30,000.

The minimum grant that can be applied for is £3,000. The next closing date for applications is the 5th January 2015. Read more at: http://www.warmemorials.org/grantsforwarmemorials/

Big Lottery Fund Awards for All Webinars

Webinars to take place every Thursday at 3pm and include guidance on eligibility criteria and how to best evidence the need and impact of your project. Also hints and tips on how to put together an application including outcomes, which you can link directly to the questions on the application form.
http://southwestforum.org.uk/sites/default/files/sitefiles/docs/a4a_webinars.pdf