Grant funding awarded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund has helped support local community initiatives in and around Penrith. English Heritage has worked in partnership with arts and community groups to deliver a series of community-led projects, made possible by a £150,000 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The funding supported Community Connections: Community grants in the North, which aimed to empower local individuals and groups to develop and run initiatives at several of English Heritage's free-to-enter sites, including Mayburgh Henge and King Arthur's Round Table. The programme focused on three key themes: wellbeing, heritage skills, and nature.
Over an 18-month period, community groups were invited to apply for grants ranging from £250 to £5,000, enabling them to deliver projects that bring people closer to their local heritage, promote health and wellbeing, and encourage engagement with the natural environment.
Designed as a platform for collaboration and creativity, the Community Connections programme has helped strengthen relationships between communities and their historic surroundings. By supporting learning, wellbeing, and environmental sustainability, these projects are fostering lasting connections between people and place.
Simon Bean at English Heritage said: "Thanks to the generous support of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, we have been proud to provide this wonderful opportunity to communities in and around Penrith. As a charity, it matters deeply to us that our neighbours feel a sense of belonging to the historic places we look after. We hope these grants will make a genuine difference, creating opportunities for people to connect with heritage, the natural environment, and each other.
Helen Featherstone, Director, England, North at The National Lottery Heritage Fund commented: "Investing in heritage means investing in the community, which is why it is fantastic to see these projects taking place across Penrith as part of Community Connections. Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, communities can explore and share the local heritage that is most important to them. It is a fantastic way of bringing people together and creating a sense of pride in the areas in which they live."
21st February – Celebratory event – Penrith Playhouse. Writers inspired by English Heritage sites will be performing their work. Open-mic poetry, readings and script-in-hand performances drawn from on-site writing workshops at Mayburgh Henge, King Arthur's Round Table and Countess Pillar.
8th March – 'Folk Picnic' at English Heritage's Mayburgh Henge (Blue Jam Arts). A 'Folk Picnic' at Mayburgh Henge celebrating community and encouraging creativity.
14th March – Unveiling a new audio play at King Arthur's Round Table (North Star Co-Design). On-site showcase of a co-created audio experience 'Ten Times Table' which imagines a dinner party spanning past and present, fact and fiction.
22nd March – Art Exhibition at Blue Jam Art Shed. Art inspired by English Heritage landscapes. Multimedia celebration at the BlueJam Arts Shed exhibiting work completed by participants throughout the 'Songs of Stone and Water' project and site-based art commissions
28th March – Triple A Project photo wall at Penrith Library. Installation of a display at Penrith Library featuring participant's artistic responses to Penrith Castle following an initial showcase on-site.
5th April – My Community Eden event at Penrith Castle. The first of three event days at Penrith Castle which will include a reenactment event, an on-site film screening, and a creative workshop.
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