HERE are the latest announcements from our community news correspondent Adrian G Faulkner for Bowness and Windermere.

Lakeland Arts in Cumbria has received a grant of £405,920 from the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund to help the organisation recover and reopen.

More than £300 million has been awarded to thousands of cultural organisations across the country, including Lakeland Arts, in the latest round of support from the Culture Recovery Fund announced on Friday 2 April by the Culture Secretary, Oliver Dowden CBE.

Lakeland Arts’ portfolio of galleries and museums include Blackwell – the Arts & Crafts House and Windermere Jetty Museum in Bowness-on-Windermere, Cumbria.

The grant will support the reopening of the venues in line with the Government’s roadmap.

Rhian Harris, Lakeland Arts Chief Executive, said: “We’re grateful for the ongoing support of the Government and Arts Council England through the Cultural Recovery Fund which has enabled Lakeland Arts to continue to care for our venues, collections and communities.

"In this pandemic-era, where life has been significantly restricted for everyone, museums and galleries are a vital part of communities’ recovery.

"At our cultural venues, we look forward to a busy summer beginning with the reopening of Windermere Jetty Museum café on 12 April and our wonderful new season of exhibitions and experiences will be ready for visitors at both Blackwell - the Arts & Crafts house and Windermere Jetty Museum later this spring.

"We’re counting the days until we can welcome people safely back through our doors!”

The second round of awards will help organisations to look ahead to the spring and summer and plan for reopening and recovery.

After months of closures and cancellations to contain the virus and save lives, this funding will be a much needed helping hand for organisations transitioning back to normal in the months ahead.

The funding awarded on Friday 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 Arts Council England as well as Historic England and National Lottery Heritage Fund and the British Film Institute.