Nine community organisations across Wirral secure funding to create a ‘lasting legacy’ of its year as Liverpool City Region Borough of Culture. Tony McDonough reports

Nine community organisations in Wirral will share £54,700 in grant funding for arts, culture and heritage projects.

These projects are all designed to create a “lasting legacy” of its year as Liverpool City Region Borough of Culture. The grants programme was designed to increase participation in arts, culture and heritage and 164 applications were received.

Awarded through the Wirral Borough of Culture Grants programme, the funds allocated this month will go toward a range of projects, from improvements to the historic Vale Park bandstand, to new climbing equipment to benefit children with special education needs.

A first round of grants was announced in July 2024, and the final nine projects to receive funding are those that will continue to improve accessibility to the arts in the years to come.

This includes supporting the purchase of equipment, as well as improving buildings, to deliver wider creative and community benefits which will leave a lasting impact across the borough.

The second round of grant awards has been made possible thanks to further funding secured through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, following the huge level of applications received. Successful projects include:

• Bidston Observatory Artistic Research Centre (BOARC) – for development of new exhibition displays for the local community.
• Friends of Vale Park, New Brighton – for investment in sound and lighting for the park’s historic bandstand for wider community use.
• Wirral Society of the Blind and Partially Sighted, Birkenhead – for investment in art facilities to encourage people with sight loss to engage with art and culture.
• Irby Methodist Church, Irby – for investment in a new multi-media system to display art forms exploring the history of Wirral.
• Egremont Community Hub, Egremont – for investment in IT, art and cookery facilities to widen community engagement.
• Eastham Village Preservation Association, Eastham – to deliver exhibition content to promote the heritage of Eastham Ferry.
• Barnstondale, Barnston – to contribute towards an exploration climbing wooden challenge course to support children with Special Educational Needs.
• Wirral Change, Birkenhead – for investment in kitchen equipment to broaden community participation.
• Friends of New Brighton Marine Lake – contribution towards creating an innovative and lasting large-scale community mural.

Cllr Ann Ainsworth, vice-chair of Wirral Council’s Tourism, Communities, Culture and Leisure Committee, said:  “During Wirral’s Borough of Culture year, it’s been absolutely brilliant to see the spotlight shone on the many talented artists, heritage organisations and cultural groups that add so much to our communities day in and day out.

“Increasing accessibility to arts and culture, as well as boosting participation has been a core aim for us throughout this programme.

“These projects will allow us to deliver a legacy that will improve provisions for both residents and visitors, showcasing the culture Wirral has to offer.”

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This grant programme is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund with the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority as the lead authority. For more information about Wirral Borough of Culture 2024, visit click here.

CA Cabinet Member for Business, Investment and Trade, Cllr Mike Wharton, added: “Wirral has had a fantastic Borough of Culture year which has been enjoyed by both residents and visitors from the wider city region.

“But the effects will continue long after the year itself is over thanks to the work of these community organisations and the grants they are receiving.”

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