Some good news for Earth Day 2021! The South London Botanical Institute (SLBI) is among more than 2,700 recipients to benefit from the latest round of awards from the £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund.
The SLBI has received a grant of £19,700 from the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund to help it recover from the Covid pandemic and reopen. This award will help the organisation maintain its vital work in botanical education over the next 3 months.
Nearly £400 million has been awarded to thousands of cultural organisations across the country, including the SLBI, in the latest round of support from the Culture Recovery Fund.
The SLBI’s grant of £19,700 will be used largely to cover essential staff costs from April to June 2021, so it can provide its wide range of botanical education, maintain its botanic garden and continue to raise funds for its future sustainability.
The SLBI was delighted to be able to reopen its garden last week to visitors, who have missed being able to enjoy the tranquil and welcoming green space in busy Tulse Hill. Children’s activities have also re-started in the garden, with school bookings starting to come in for this summer term. Weekly plant walks are also proving popular, and people are still enjoying the online botanical talks.
The SLBI has lost vital income over the past year from its building having to be closed due to the pandemic – no workshops, school visits or room hire, and limited plant sales. Our new 5-year Plan aims to increase our income from a wider range of sources, as well as to welcome new visitors from all sectors of our local community. We also aim to make our collections more accessible and to build more organisational partnerships. This grant from the Culture Recovery Fund will support us in the key first 3 months of this new plan, as we look ahead to a summer of reopening and recovery.
Grants and loans have been awarded to support thousands of cinemas, performance venues, museums, heritage sites and other cultural organisations.
Culture Secretary, Oliver Dowden, said:
“Our record breaking Culture Recovery Fund has already helped thousands of culture and heritage organisations across the country survive the biggest crisis they’ve ever faced.
Now we’re staying by their side as they prepare to welcome the public back through their doors – helping our cultural gems plan for reopening and thrive in the better times ahead.”
The funding awarded is from a £400 million pot which was held back last year to ensure the Culture Recovery Fund could continue to help organisations in need as the public health picture changed. The funding has been awarded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Historic England as well as the British Film Institute and Arts Council England.
