Community Grants Project Update

29 April 2021

It has been a busy year so far for our community grants project and we are thrilled to be able to provide an update on some of our amazing projects that have received support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Errwood Sailing Club: Re-roofing the Club House (pictured to right) 
Based in the beautiful Goyt Valley, within the Peak District National Park, Errwood Sailing Club was founded in November 1968 shortly after the construction of Errwood reservoir and the current club house was built in the early 1970’s. One of the Club’s aims is to to provide facilities within the Goyt Valley to benefit the local and wider community and it is used by a wide range of organisations. The provision of the new roof will secure the building for at least a further 50 years allowing the Club’s activities to continue and flourish. This project has only just started so look out for the ‘work in progress’ if you are visiting the Goyt Valley in the coming weeks!
For more information about Errwood Sailing Club click here.

Peak in The Past: Illuminating the History and Folktale Traditions of the South West Peak
“The project centres on the creation of a filmed series of folktales relating to the South West Peak. Students from Buxton and Leek College contributed artistic representations of key dramatic scenes for each folktale to incorporate into the films to help bring the narratives to life. The films aim to highlight the richness and variety of the region's folktales in an accessible and strikingly visual way which will help to preserve and promote the folklore traditions of the locality as well as enhancing appreciate for the dramatic landscape in which such stories were forged."   
All the films can be found under the heading ‘Folktales’ by clicking here.

The Bridgend Centre/Bollington Community Association: Heritage Trails and Tree Trails 
There were 2 projects approved and 2 grants awarded here; 1 for Heritage Trails and 1 for Tree Trails. Both projects focused on revitalizing a series of walking trails. Working with a team of volunteers to walk the trails, checking they are up-to-date, redesigning the leaflets and maps and putting in place new and updated way markers, sculptures and installations.
All details of the walks can be found by clicking here.

Hartington Community Group: ‘No Mustard At The Stores’-Village Life In Hartington 1933-1955
The objective of this project was to collate, edit, design, print and publish a book based on a diary kept by John Robert Sherratt born in Hartington in 1900 and who died there in 1977. Providing an evocative image of life for an ordinary working man in the South West Peak area in the mid-20th century, this book delivers an important record of a valuable document; very few diaries survive like this to posterity. The book (published in January 2019) supplements the diary entries with extensive back stories, memories and facts primarily provided by numerous residents of Hartington.
More information can be found here and on the   Hartington Village website here. 

Beasley Back Dane: Back Dane Environmental Regeneration & Education Project
The Back Dane Trust is a small volunteer-run charity that owns a converted farmhouse, Back Dane, in the Peak District National Park.  It is situated on the edge of Cheshire, Staffordshire and Derbyshire.  
The Trust’s purpose is to provide educational and recreational facilities for those in need, or those who are disadvantaged in some way.  They welcome and support charitable groups wanting to host respite breaks, for example for inner city kids, refugees, young carers, children and adults with learning difficulties.  This project, to install a nature trail, storytelling circle, wildflower meadow and sensory garden was approved and the grant awarded in 2019.
More information can be found here.

The Elkstonians Society: Development of a village website and digitisation of historical archive materials 
The website has been developed primarily to house the village archives, a collection of photographs, documents and artifacts which have been assembled over decades and stored in various homes and buildings but, until now, unable to be accessed by the general public. In addition, the aim of the project and website is to link together neighbors, nearby communities, businesses and organisations that have an interest in the village and encourages all members of the local community to value and promote their cultural heritage.
To find out more please click here.

Butterton Parish Council: Preserving and Celebrating Butterton’s Cultural and Environmental Heritage
Butterton is the only village in Staffordshire and the South West Peak area to be a ‘Doubly Thankful Village’ in that all serving villagers returned safely from both World Wars. A key aim of this project was to create and erect a bespoke iron sign to recognise and inform visitors and locals of Butterton’s Doubly Thankful status. In addition, a commemorative stone planter displaying a plaque providing more information and made by a local craftsman, using local stone and drystone walling techniques, in keeping with the cultural heritage of the village has been installed.
Learn more about Butterton here.

Longnor Action Group: Longnor Village Trail and Benches
Through this project, Longnor Action Groups wanted to put Longnor ‘on the map’ and celebrate its heritage through the publication of a village trail leaflet and installation of 2 all weather, maintenance free benches in Village. Their aims are to enable a better understanding and enjoyment of the historic buildings and setting of Longnor and encourage visitors to the village to look more closely and venture beyond the tea rooms. The leaflet is freely available in surrounding Tourist Information Centres and within the village. The Benches will be installed in the coming months so keep a look out for them appearing soon!

Wincle Parochial Church Council: Wincle Village Signs
This project saw the replacement of existing signs at the entrances to the village of Wincle with hand-crafted signs incorporating the design of a picture of the village of Wincle by local artist C F Tunnicliffe RA. OBE. Wincle is a small, old established community within the South West Peak area with traceable roots back to the 11th century and connections to monasteries, the royal lands in Macclesfield Forest and a connection with the oldest house in the village to The Black Prince. There were water driven mills along the river Dane which forms the boundary of Wincle and Swythamley and Cheshire and Staffordshire. The purpose of the new signs is to add further focus to the community cohesion and spirit, to promote the heritage and to underline the attractions of the village for the community and visitors alike.
To learn more about Wincle click here.

To learn more about the Community Grants program click here.