Funding for Heritage Projects
Team Falchion are delighted to have been awarded funds from the Big Lottery Fund Awards For All scheme.
In the past few years, we have successfully applied for two grants, totalling £9,820, to further our presentation and research into our medieval heritage.
In 2004, we applied for grants to buy "starter kit" to allow new members to become involved in medieval combat without the necessity to spend over £450 on safety gear. Our award allowed us to purchase the following:
- Six gambesons (padded body/arm armour), 4 sets of steel leg harness, 6 pairs of steel gauntlets, 6 steel helmets, 3 steel mail coifs, 4 steel mail coats, one mail skirt, 2 pairs of padded chausses (leg protection), 1 pair mail chausses, and 2 steel breastplates, to help us train and present a demonstration of medieval combat. These items have been invaluable in starting up novices, who would otherwise have to pay over £450 to acquire similar items for themselves
- A two-colour medieval pavilion tent.
- A white ridge/canopy soldier's tent, used for sheltering demonstrations, and as a cook-tent.
In 2006, our award application was focused more on researching and re-creating ancient crafts, such as ironwork, leatherwork, candlemaking and pottery. The award also went towards presentational aspects of our Living History display, and towards building a research library.
- A portable bellows-forge, and a large amount of ironworking tools and equipment, for use by multiple craftsmen
- Leatherworking tools, equipment and material
- A chandlers pot, beeswax and stove for candle making
- A second ridge tent for craft demonstrations
- Historical costumes for a Lord and Lady of the 1340s period
- Period safety clothing for craftsmen, such as leather aprons.
- Team-branded shirts to promote a group identity, and also to safeguard members' own clothing when erecting and taking down the camp.
- Money towards text books regarding the crafts we are investigating
- Car roof-boxes to transport equipment to events
- Cooking stove and iron utensils
About the Awards For All fund
This fund provides grants to community groups wishing to undertake projects of a specific nature. Initially, these projects had to be up to one year in length, and the grant available up to £5,000. Recently, the rules have changed slightly, and now a group can apply for grants totalling up to £10,000 over any 2-year period.
At the time we first applied, our request was quite a departure from the usual kinds of award submissions, and so Awards For All featured our group in their 2005 brochure (along with photos supplied by us). In July 2006, our Treasurer was attributed a quote in the monthly newsletter, regarding how vital the awards were, to our ability to help re-invigorate dying crafts.
From 2008, the Awards For All fund no longer covers heritage activities such as re-enactment and living history. Instead, applications can be made to the Heritage Lottery Fund for money.
Heritage Lottery Fund
The criteria and application process are quite different, the focus being on education and transmission of knowledge and learning. As such, the HLF have explained that such activities need to be demonstrable - handouts, leaflets, take-home items as a result of crafts. The application also has to provide evidence of the need for such learning. This kind of investment in terms of time is quite a lot for a hobby group to take on. We are gathering information and research, and there is a lot of craft education we would like to expand and present in future, so our application for aid is progressing at a much slower pace.