The South Devon Railway has announced that they have been awarded a grant of £332,000 as part of the Culture Recovery Fund.
The Culture Recovery Fund was created by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport to help organisations survive the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, which has seen the South Devon Railway close, with no trains running since March.
The Polar Express trains have recently been announced to have been cancelled, so this grant is essential to get the South Devon Railway prepared for the 2021 season.
The grant has to be spent by 31st March 2021, and a plan has been put together on how to use the grant, including long term objectives following the loss of revenue in 2020.
SDR chairman, Jon Morton, said: “We are all bowled over to have received this fantastic grant support thanks to the Department of Culture Media and Sport, the National Heritage Lottery Fund and Historic England.
“It will certainly provide us the vital financial lifeline needed for the railway's continued survival.
“From all sources, we have now raised or received a wonderful total of financial help all told of £831,432.39, and we are still raising money to try and get to our next target of £1 million!”
445 organisations, including the Severn Valley Railway, Keighley and Worth Valley Railway and the Sittingbourne and Kemsley Railway, are all receiving grants like the South Devon Railway.
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Wow, I Always knew the ”South Devon Railway” which runs between Buckfastleigh and Totnes, via Staverton… Would Thankfully be Granted by that Cultural Recovery Fund.
I’d still look forward to Visiting and Riding this Wonderful West Country Branch Line Heritage Railway ‘in-person’ someday,
Also, A Jolly Well Done to the SDR on being Granted this Astonishing Amount… Especially to help them fight back the Pandemic, and Also to Hopefully Get Back on Track, well into 2021.