The South Devon Railway has sent RailAdvent the latest update on the Coronavirus appeal, as well as excellent news that they have received a Certificate of Recognition.
The main appeal has raised a huge £308,072.79 and is then coupled with a £332,300 grant from the Culture Recovery Fund as well as the Emergency Recovery grand from the National Heritage Lottery Fund of £124,800.
£95,000 has also been raised in the site open days as well as a Teignbridge District Council grant of £10,000. These, therefore, make the total money raised £870,172.79.
It is now more than eight months since a public steam train ran on the South Devon Railway and means that the current revenue deficit is estimated to be around £2 million.
You can donate to the SDR's Appeal by clicking here to visit the South Devon Railway appeal.
However, the SDR has also told RailAdvent of some great news, and that they have been awarded a Certificate of Recognition from the Royal Horticultural Society.
The team of hard-working gardeners at Buckfastleigh have had some recognition after keeping the gardens looking beautiful all year round.
Kay Clark, the RHS's Community Development Manager, said: “This year an amazing sense of community spirit has enabled people to face the difficulties of this dreadful pandemic together. Through ‘Bloom, It's Your Neighbourhood', and other community gardening activities you have laid the strong foundations that helped make your communities more resilient in these testing times.
“We know that people have felt closer to nature through lockdown and valued access to green space so much more, and we have heard that people are valuing your work more than ever before. At the RHS and the Bloom Regions and Nations, we have been incredibly moved by your stories of courage, creativity and ingenuity in helping your wider communities through this time.
“Even those groups who have not been able to carry out activities this year are still an important part of a wider movement to make all our communities stronger, greener and happier. We want to recognise how important you all are and how valuable your work is with certificates in 2020.
“We hope that 2021 will be kinder to us all, and we look forward to working alongside you all in the year ahead.”
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Wow, the South Devon Railway have done Remarkably Well so far, in it’s Role in Combating the Pandemic.
I Also like to Wish the SDR, A Jolly Congratulative Well Done on it’s Fundraising Role… Especially in Raising such an Astonishing Amount.
I’d still look forward to visiting and ride this Branch Line Heritage Railway ‘in-person’ Someday.