The Severn Valley Railway has confirmed to RailAdvent that it has received £250,000 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to help it through the future as it prepares to reopen in August.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown, the railway has been closed, with most staff on furlough.
As a result, it has not been able to run any passenger trains, and thus generate any income, and could face a loss of £6m in 2020.
However, with the recent announcement of its reopening and the news of National Lottery funding, the future is looking more positive as the General Manager of SVR (Holdings) Plc Helen Smith explained: “Thanks to the National Lottery and its players we can now get the SVR through the next few months. We will use this funding to pay our staff, as they come back from furlough to prepare the railway for reopening. We will also invest in new IT so that more staff can work remotely. These measures will ensure we can start to generate some much-needed passenger revenue to offset the potential losses we are facing.
“We're grateful that The National Lottery Heritage Fund is supporting us at this crucial time – it's a lifeline to us and others who are passionate about sustaining heritage for the benefit of all. We submitted our application for funding with the support of the SVR Charitable Trust and the SVR Company Limited, and are especially grateful that The National Lottery has granted us the maximum amount possible under this emergency scheme.
“This funding is additional to more than £750,000 that we've raised through our own fundraising appeal – the Fight Back Fund – thanks to generous donations from the public, along with purchases of SVR shares.”
This new funding, made possible by National Lottery players, was awarded through The National Lottery Heritage Fund's Heritage Emergency Fund.
Ros Kerslake, Chief Executive of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “Heritage has an essential role to play in making communities better places to live, supporting economic regeneration and benefiting our personal wellbeing. All of these things are going to be even more important as we emerge from this current crisis.
“Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players we are pleased to be able to lend our support to organisations such as the Severn Valley Railway during this uncertain time.”
Tickets can now be booked for the Severn Valley Railway by clicking here to visit their website.
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Severn Valley Railway deserve every penny. They are ‘part’ of the West Midlands (and British) tourist & leisure sector, generating money flowing into the area – and providing a superb experience. If anyone has just a passing interest in our heritage, or a passion for steam locomotives and period rolling stock: visit the S.V.R. ! Plus. The two licenced premises owned and operated by the Railway serve excellent ales.
It’s great that the National Lottery are supporting these splendid railways, I’ve visited them many times over the years. However I do hope that they won’t forget the smaller lines that are equally deserving such as my local preserved line the Epping Ongar Railway
Wow, The Severn Valley Railway are still as ever doing so successfully well, Especially on being Awarded through National Lottery Grant(s).
It’s not too long ago that the SVR in both Shropshire/Worcestershire themselves have proven Successful on other highlights throughout this current yet dreary period our beloved British Isles have Bravely gone through.
A Jolly Well Done to the ”Eagerly-Must-Visit” SVR on being Awarded by the National Lottery Grant…
The SVR aren’t the only ones though… As some other fellow Heritage Railways have even been Awarded too, Such as the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.