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£650k grant boosts Gateshead heritage centre

Groundwork North East & Cumbria has received a £656k Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) grant towards its Land of Oak & Iron Heritage Centre, at Winlaton Mill in Gateshead.

The community hub will be a tourist attraction as well as acting as an incubation space for upcoming businesses to develop. In addition, the site will house a café and gift shop, which will specialise in offering local produce.

It is estimated that the centre will benefit the local economy by at least half a million pounds per year.

Despite the funding, the environmental, regeneration and skills charity needs to raise further funds in order to reach the £1.3m required to secure the project’s future. It hopes that an online crowdfunding campaign will help to plug the gap.

Kate Culverhouse, Chief Executive of Groundwork North East & Cumbria, said: “The Centre will be a fantastic addition to the heritage and cultural offering of the fascinating Derwent Valley in the North East.

“We are on the cusp of creating an important centre for culture and skills hoping to start building work in 2017 to open in time for the Great Exhibition of the North in summer 2018.

“I would urge anyone who can spare a few pounds to get involved with our fundraising campaign and help us to secure this amazing community asset for future generations.”

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