The Discovery Project

A Heritage Lottery Funded Programme

Our Funding Bid

TO THE NATIONAL LOTTERY HERITAGE FUND

The National Lottery Heritage Fund is the largest dedicated funder of heritage in the UK. It distributes National Lottery grants of up to £5 million or more, funding projects that sustain and transform the UK’s heritage, backed by the belief that understanding, valuing and sharing our heritage brings people together, inspires pride in communities and boosts investment in local economies.

Applying for a grant is a two-stage process, which we started in 2017.

Development Stage

In January 2018 the Upton Country Park management team were awarded £185,000 Stage 1 (Development Stage) funding by the Heritage Fund, which allowed us to develop a more detailed Stage 2 application.

The development stage involved us carrying out pilot studies within the local community, public engagement activities, consultation, planning and design work.

The main £1.9 million funding application was made in autumn 2019, and its success announced in January 2020, enabling us to make improvements that celebrate the rich and varied heritage that the Country Park has to offer.

Vital Match Funding

We needed to provide match funding of £325,000; match funding is a contribution to the project required by the Heritage Fund – reaching this target unlocks the full £1.9 million grant. We received a very generous donation of £125,000 from the Friends of Upton Country Park and a further £170,000 secured through BCP Council. The remaining £30,000 was raised through personal donations and corporate sponsorship.