Cornwall24.net

Heritage Lottery Fund success for Penwith Landscape Partnership

A partnership of local organizations, led by Cornwall Wildlife Trust, has been successful in securing £2.7million, including £140,600 development funding,from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) through its *Landscape Partnership Programme.

This funding will support a range of heritage activities across the Penwith peninsula, supporting conservation work, reconnecting local communities and creating many new jobs and training opportunities.

Activities will focus on the historic environment, farming support, access and the Tinners’ Way as well as Cornish Hedges, rare butterflies, moorland, arts and Cornish language.   There will also be many volunteering opportunities included in the Penwith Landscape Partnership Programme.

North Penwith coast looking east showing granite cliffs.

The project is part of the Heritage Lottery Fund’s £31million investment in 13 of the UK’s most distinctive landscapes.

Jan Pentreath, Cornwall Wildlife Trust’s President who hails from Mousehole said,
“Penwith’s heritage is one of the richest to be found in Britain and, indeed, in Western Europe, with around 5,500 monuments ranging from prehistoric standing stones to engine houses. Internationally significant wetlands and heathlands support over 40 nationally significant species of wildlife.”

The Cornish Ancient Sites Protection Network (CASPN, a partner in the programme said,
“We are absolutely delighted that the Partnership has been successful in this bid to HLF. This will help to ensure the survival and protection of the much-loved ancient sites in Penwith for generations to come”.

Victoria Whitehouse, Head of Nature Conservation for Cornwall Wildlife Trust said,
“It is important to recognise that Penwith is a living working landscape and exists as a result of over six thousand years of human interaction with the land. Bronze Age farmed landscapes are visible and still used today. It is essential that farmers are supported to continue to play a key role in the stewardship of the landscape. “

In 2014 a partnership of community groups and organizations called ‘First and Last – Penwith Landscape Partnership Board’ came together and agreed a vision for the Penwith landscape and worked together in consultation with the Penwith community to develop the Landscape Partnership programme.

Councillor Jim McKenna, Chairman of the Penwith Landscape Partnership Board said,
“One of the achievements of the Board has been that it has brought disparate groups and interests together with a common aim and this has been recognised by the Heritage Lottery Fund with the announcement that our bid has been successful, this is absolutely fantastic news and a huge amount of credit must go to Cornwall Wildlife Trust and particularly all the partners for the time and effort which has been given voluntarily.”

Nerys Watts, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund South West said,
“Penwith’s beautiful landscape is full of ancient monuments shedding light on thousands of years of human history and important habitats for local wildlife. We’re delighted to support this project that will protect this precious landscape for future generations, and reconnect people with the natural heritage all around them.
Nerys Watts continues, “Now in its eleventh year, our Landscape Partnership Programme has revealed so many fascinating hidden histories as well as conserving our most breath-taking and iconic landmarks.
This has all been achieved thanks to National Lottery players.”

Landscape Partnership Programme

A short film about Penwith and the Board has been produced by a local film maker with the support of Cornwall Rural Community Council and Cornwall AONB.   The film has been sent to HLF and it can be viewed at:  http://youtu.be/fhJtR2crAT4

Members of the Board are: 

Cornwall Councilors representing 4 Penwith wards, Zennor Parish Council, farming representatives,  a Penwith based micro-business, Cornwall Archaeological Society, National Trust, CASPN, St Aubyn Estates, Farm Cornwall, Bolitho Estates, Penwith Access and Rights of Way (PAROW), Penwith Community Development Trust, Save Penwith Moors, Cornwall Wildlife Trust, Cornwall AONB. 

[Advisors to the Shadow Board include:  Natural England, Cornwall Council Historic Environment Section and Cornwall Rural Community Charity].

Heritage Lottery Fund Landscape Partnerships involve local, regional and national organisations working together to make a real difference to landscapes and communities for the long term. They do this by conserving habitats at landscape-scale, promoting joined-up management, reviving long-lost skills, and much more http://www.hlf.org.uk/looking-funding/our-grant-programmes/landscape-partnerships

Contacts:

Cornwall Wildlife Trust
Victoria Whitehouse, Head of Nature Conservation (01872) 273 939 ext. 211 or 07896 420863
Victoria.whitehouse@cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk
Jim McKenna
Cabinet Member for Adult Care
Independent Cornwall Councillor for Penzance Promenade Ward
07764 347910 jmckenna@cornwall.gov.uk

4 November, 2015