BRECON CATHEDRAL has been awarded a grant of greater than £2 million from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to preserve and transform its buildings, with the aim of attracting recent visitors.
The grant of £2,041,756 is along with separate grants of £745,000 which have already been awarded to the project “People, Passion, Priory: Brecon Cathedral, the Heart and Soul of Community” (News, 28 October 2022).
Plans include making a recent, fully accessible entrance, enhancing the piazza area, and “introducing recent ways to interpret the inside space for everybody who comes through the doors”, a cathedral press release said.
Urgent re-roofing is to supply an NVQ Level-3 heritage training for 18 young roofers, or those changing careers, “ensuring the project gives back to the community it serves”.
BRECON CATHEDRALBrecon Cathedral
A recent communal space is to be created contained in the constructing for exhibitions, live shows, plays, and other community events. “Our history will likely be presented through revolutionary stories of our famous individuals with lots of the turbulent episodes of our nation being represented here,” the press release said.
The Dean, Dr Paul Shackerley, said: “Our home team and consultants are absolutely delighted that our vision for the longer term of Brecon Cathedral can now be realised, due to the National Lottery players and our additional funders.
“Now we will start work, fixing a long time of urgent repairs, offering a protected and accessible welcome to all who visit, and sharing the thrill all of us feel for our history and culture, whilst enhancing our position at the center of community.
“The project will ensure [that] the cathedral, with its history, heritage, and outward-facing mission is here for future generations to enjoy as we now have. We have an ambitious events programme planned to accompany the work, and I do know that each visitor will find something of interest. Please come and see for yourself.”
Work is because of begin in March with the opening of a recent west entrance. Interior reordering, and the alternative of south transept roofs, are because of happen through the summer. Further roofs are to get replaced until the project ends in 2028.
The director of the National Lottery Heritage Fund in Wales, Andrew White, said: “Thanks to National Lottery players, this funding will help Brecon Cathedral strengthen its role at the center of the community, safeguard its heritage, and create recent ways for people to interact with its story for generations to return.”
