Latest news with #HeritageFund
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Welsh Labour spends £250,000 on moth-counting project
The Labour-run Welsh Government has come under attack for spending almost £250,000 on a project to count moths. The two-year project, called Cryptic Creatures of the Creuddyn, will survey the moth population living in limestone habitats on the Creuddyn peninsula in the north of the country. The programme, being delivered by the Heritage Fund, was given a £248,348 grant last February from the Government's Nature Networks Fund and will involve working with schools. The Welsh Government said the collaborative initiative would help protect rare and at-risk invertebrates such as the micro-moth, which measures about 2cm in diameter. But councillors have described it as a misuse of funds at a time when budgets for public services are being tightened. Louise Emery, a Conservative councillor in Llandudno, told Wales Online: 'Whilst local authority budgets are really being squeezed, the Welsh Government finds money for projects such as Cryptic Creatures of the Creuddyn. 'On its own merit, in its own little world, I can see some benefit to that, but in the grand financial picture of what local authorities are facing, I find it incredible that they can find money for a project like this but we can't find money for basic public amenities such as toilets, or looking after our parks and gardens or highways.' Cllr Emery also drew attention to the issue at a conference organised by the Welsh Conservatives, saying: 'It is always about priorities. 'So we need to say as the Welsh Conservatives, who will be in power in 2027, that we need to focus on the absolute basics of what we do at local authorities: collect the bins, educate your children and look after your vulnerable, and fix your highways.' A Welsh Government spokesman said: 'The Cryptic Creatures of the Creuddyn project was awarded £248,348 as part of the Nature Networks Fund in February 2024. It is a collaborative initiative led by Conwy county borough council in partnership with Natural Resources Wales and Butterfly Conservation. 'The project is carrying out surveys, and protecting rare and at-risk invertebrates such as the micro-moth, which has been found in abundance in its only known Welsh habitat. This work will inform future habitat management and conservation strategies.' The project also found 1,109 caterpillars of the horehound plume moth on the Great Orme in Llandudno last year. Sion Dafis, the project manager, said at the time: 'This project will provide an interesting picture of invertebrate life in the area, and we want to involve the local community in making their own discoveries and raise awareness of the need to conserve habitats.' Charlie McCoubrey, the leader of Conwy council, said: 'This is a grant-funded project. It's important to note that grant funding is for specific projects and cannot be spent on other services. Whilst grant funding is available, we will continue to apply for it.' The funding comes at a period of heightened scrutiny over Welsh Labour's policy decisions, which have often proved to be controversial. The Government has faced intense criticism for its blanket 20mph speed limits, which were reduced from 30mph. A petition against the limits on the Welsh Government's website gained almost half a million signatures – the largest recorded there – and forced Lee Waters, the devolved minister behind the policy, to step down from his front-bench post. On Wednesday, Jane Hutt, Welsh Labour's chief whip, prompted further accusations of a 'war on motorists' when she suggested the Government would be open to reducing some speed limits to as low as 5mph. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Welsh Labour spends £250,000 on moth-counting project
The Labour-run Welsh Government has come under attack for spending almost £250,000 on a project to count moths. The two-year project, called Cryptic Creatures of the Creuddyn, will survey the moth population living in limestone habitats on the Creuddyn peninsula in the north of the country. The programme, being delivered by the Heritage Fund, was given a £248,348 grant last February from the Government's Nature Networks Fund and will involve working with schools. The Welsh Government said the collaborative initiative would help protect rare and at-risk invertebrates such as the micro-moth, which measures about 2cm in diameter. But councillors have described it as a misuse of funds at a time when budgets for public services are being tightened. Louise Emery, a Conservative councillor in Llandudno, told Wales Online: 'Whilst local authority budgets are really being squeezed, the Welsh Government finds money for projects such as Cryptic Creatures of the Creuddyn. 'On its own merit, in its own little world, I can see some benefit to that, but in the grand financial picture of what local authorities are facing, I find it incredible that they can find money for a project like this but we can't find money for basic public amenities such as toilets, or looking after our parks and gardens or highways.' Cllr Emery also drew attention to the issue at a conference organised by the Welsh Conservatives, saying: 'It is always about priorities. 'So we need to say as the Welsh Conservatives, who will be in power in 2027, that we need to focus on the absolute basics of what we do at local authorities: collect the bins, educate your children and look after your vulnerable, and fix your highways.' A Welsh Government spokesman said: 'The Cryptic Creatures of the Creuddyn project was awarded £248,348 as part of the Nature Networks Fund in February 2024. It is a collaborative initiative led by Conwy county borough council in partnership with Natural Resources Wales and Butterfly Conservation. 'The project is carrying out surveys, and protecting rare and at-risk invertebrates such as the micro-moth, which has been found in abundance in its only known Welsh habitat. This work will inform future habitat management and conservation strategies.' The project also found 1,109 caterpillars of the horehound plume moth on the Great Orme in Llandudno last year. Sion Dafis, the project manager, said at the time: 'This project will provide an interesting picture of invertebrate life in the area, and we want to involve the local community in making their own discoveries and raise awareness of the need to conserve habitats.' Charlie McCoubrey, the leader of Conwy council, said: 'This is a grant-funded project. It's important to note that grant funding is for specific projects and cannot be spent on other services. Whilst grant funding is available, we will continue to apply for it.' The funding comes at a period of heightened scrutiny over Welsh Labour's policy decisions, which have often proved to be controversial. The Government has faced intense criticism for its blanket 20mph speed limits, which were reduced from 30mph. A petition against the limits on the Welsh Government's website gained almost half a million signatures – the largest recorded there – and forced Lee Waters, the devolved minister behind the policy, to step down from his front-bench post. On Wednesday, Jane Hutt, Welsh Labour's chief whip, prompted further accusations of a 'war on motorists' when she suggested the Government would be open to reducing some speed limits to as low as 5mph.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
RAF museum receives £9m lottery boost
The Royal Air Force Museum in the Midlands has been awarded just over £9 million by the Heritage Fund. The museum, at Cosford in Shropshire, will spend the money on a new exhibition space, exploring the modern history of the RAF and looking to the future. It will also use it to create an outdoor events area with a programme of activities, and turn a 1930s hangar into a new exhibition and learning centre. One of the collections due to go on display includes objects that belonged to leading Nazis and had previously been stored at an RAF base in Stafford. The development will be the biggest at the RAF museum since the opening of its Cold War exhibition centre in 2007. The museum said its new "Collections Hub" would put on display for the first time a number of objects that have been stored away. It said the RAF has a large collection, spanning a century of history, but less than 1% of it is currently accessible to the public. Maggie Appleton, the museum CEO, said the money would allow it to tell stories in 'new, ambitious and creative ways' [BBC] The hub will look at the story of the RAF since 1980 and explore its transition to an "air, land, maritime, space and cyber defence" force. Eilish McGuinness, Chief Executive of the National Lottery Heritage Fund, said the £9,286,778 funding would "unlock the doors to hidden collections, explore new perspectives on the history and future of the RAF". A 1930s hangar will be used for teaching and new exhibitions [RAF Museum] The redeveloped 1930s hangar will focus on teaching science, technology, engineering, geography, art and design and mathematics skills. The new outdoor area will be used for events, teaching and relaxation, the museum said. Sir Richard Knighton KCB ADC FREng, chief of the air staff, said the development of the RAF Museum at Cosford was "strategically important to the Royal Air Force". He also said it was "vitally important" to be able to tell the "compelling story of our recent history". Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. More stories like this Related internet links
BBC News
08-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
RAF museum receives £9m lottery boost
RAF museum receives £9m lottery boost 6 minutes ago Share Save Alex James BBC Radio Shropshire Share Save RAF Museum Some of the money will be used to build a new exhibition that will house items from the RAF collection The Royal Air Force Museum in the Midlands has been awarded just over £9 million by the Heritage Fund. The museum, at Cosford in Shropshire, will spend the money on a new exhibition space, exploring the modern history of the RAF and looking to the future. It will also use it to create an outdoor events area with a programme of activities, and turn a 1930s hangar into a new exhibition and learning centre. One of the collections due to go on display includes objects that belonged to leading Nazis and had previously been stored at an RAF base in Stafford. The development will be the biggest at the RAF museum since the opening of its Cold War exhibition centre in 2007. The museum said its new "Collections Hub" would put on display for the first time a number of objects that have been stored away. It said the RAF has a large collection, spanning a century of history, but less than 1% of it is currently accessible to the public. Maggie Appleton, the museum CEO, said the money would allow it to tell stories in 'new, ambitious and creative ways' The hub will look at the story of the RAF since 1980 and explore its transition to an "air, land, maritime, space and cyber defence" force. Eilish McGuinness, Chief Executive of the National Lottery Heritage Fund, said the £9,286,778 funding would "unlock the doors to hidden collections, explore new perspectives on the history and future of the RAF". RAF Museum A 1930s hangar will be used for teaching and new exhibitions The redeveloped 1930s hangar will focus on teaching science, technology, engineering, geography, art and design and mathematics skills. The new outdoor area will be used for events, teaching and relaxation, the museum said. RAF Museum Money will also be spent on an outdoor public area Sir Richard Knighton KCB ADC FREng, chief of the air staff, said the development of the RAF Museum at Cosford was "strategically important to the Royal Air Force". He also said it was "vitally important" to be able to tell the "compelling story of our recent history". Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
North Wales Live
04-05-2025
- Business
- North Wales Live
Historic railways named best attraction in Wales as £5m revamp is completed
Hugely popular and historic railways in North Wales have been honoured by tourism bosses. The Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways (FFWHR) have recently been awarded for "Best Attraction" in Wales for 2025 by Visit Wales. The Railway is also celebrating the completion of a £5m project thanks to funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Building on the inscription of The Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales World Heritage Site, of which the railway is part, the Heritage Fund project set out to refresh this anchor attraction in North Wales, which celebrates its 70th anniversary this summer. Join the North Wales Live Whatsapp community now The project included major works to revive the historic buildings at the railways works at Boston Lodge. These are the oldest railway works in the world still fulfilling their original function and have built locomotives in the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. A multi-faceted project, the Heritage Fund support enabled the railway to completely refresh the way it is interpreted for the 200,000 visitors that come in to contact with the railway each year. Skills training featured strongly in the program, for current employees, volunteers and the local community. An outreach program has given the opportunity for work experience to over 200 young people and more than 250 young people have been engaged with a schools' programme. Nearly 600 individual volunteers have contributed their time to the project, amassing almost 40k hours and more than 100 of those volunteers are new to the railway. Overall volunteer contribution over the whole of the FFWHR is more than 90k hours per year. Building work with a value of £3.3m has been led by local contractors using local subcontractors. Specialists from elsewhere were only brought in when local contractors were not available. Celebrations took place on May 1 when the completion of the project was marked by a visit from the Heritage Fund team and leaders from the heritage and tourism industries. Andrew White, Director of The National Lottery Heritage Fund in Wales said: 'We are delighted to celebrate the completion of this project with the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways that has centered on the Boston Lodge Works. Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, over £3.7 million has helped to restore and revitalise Boston Lodge, creating opportunities for more people to volunteer, learn new skills, and understand how this industry has shaped the landscape and community over 200 years." He added: "We know that heritage can play a huge role in bringing people together and creating a sense of pride in people's hometowns and cities, and in turn boosting the local economy. The realisation of this ambitious project is a huge achievement and means this truly world-class heritage attraction will be enjoyed by visitors and its local community for many years to come.' Paul Lewin, Director and General Manager of Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways, said: 'After 70 consistent years as a leading attraction and caring for a large collection of rolling stock, buildings and infrastructure of national historic importance, the railway really needed help to refresh the offer to visitors and to make the original workshops at Boston Lodge fit for the next seventy years. "The National Lottery Heritage Fund listened carefully to the complex needs of our organisation and worked with us to develop a plan that has brought significant benefits for visitors, staff and the local community.' For those who wish to find out more, a new visitor experience in the shape of a behind the scenes, guided tour of Boston Lodge is now available. The three-hour tour, with its professionally trained hosts, brings visitors in to contact with the railway, its history and operations in a new way.
