South Tyneside museum gets £500k cash boost to fund essential repairs

A funding cash boost of £500,000 through the Government’s Cultural Investment Fund will allow Jarrow Hall’s Anglo-Saxon Farm, Village and Bede Museum to undergo essential repairs.

The museum is one of four across the North East to benefit form funding. The money will allow the museum to carry out roof repairs and to improve environmental conditions. Andrew Watts, CEO for Groundwork South and North Tyneside added: “We are delighted to have worked in partnership with South Tyneside Council to secure the MEND grant for Jarrow Hall Anglo-Saxon Farm, Village and Bede Museum. The investment will have a significant positive impact to the cultural and visitor offer at Jarrow Hall especially within Bede Museum.

"Over the past three years we have seen an increase in local and regional visitors and through our programmes and we are directly contributing to the Arts Council’s Let Create strategy.

“The MEND grant is the first step to making the fabric of Jarrow Hall secure for the next 25 years, which means we can safeguard our collection for future visitors to enjoy, and progress our plans towards Net-Zero. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the Arts Council and South Tyneside Council for their continued support for Jarrow Hall.” 

The Discovery Museum and Newcastle Libraries are among the organisations across the North East that are set to receive nearly £8 million through the Government’s Cultural Investment Fund.

The funding will support important upgrades to museums and public libraries which will ensure they can continue to be assets to their communities and improve the visitor experience.

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Both Killhope Museum in Bishop Auckland and Heugh Battery Museum in Hartlepool have been awarded almost £500,000.

Nearly £400,000 has been awarded to Newcastle Libraries to create a new reading facility in a disused part of the Walker Activity Dome. It will also support increased opening hours and create a flexible community space. 

Sunderland City Council’s Libraries Uplifted scheme has been awarded £230,000 which will be used to enhance the digital and ICT offering, providing access to creative labs and makerspaces in comfortable, captivating spaces for library users of all ages to be inspired. 

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council Libraries Service has been awarded nearly £400,000 for a project which will see the reimagination and redevelopment of Guisborough Library to transform it into a vibrant hub set right in the heart of the community.

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Keith Merrin, director of Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums, said: "This funding will be used to repair the roof over the magnificent Great Hall which is used for events, some of which provide vital funding for the running of the museum. It will also ensure that the collections housed in the museum stay protected from potential water damage to be preserved for the future and that the museum can continue to offer a fantastic day out for over 200,000 visitors each year."

All regions of England have received funding, which comes through the Museum Estate and Development Fund and the Libraries Improvement Fund, two parts of the Cultural Investment Fund.