KIRKBY Stephen charter fair committee is to receive a further £20,000 from the Local Heritage Initiative to help shed light on the local customs and traditions surrounding the St Luke's fair of 1605.

The Local heritage Initiative is run by the Countryside Agency, with funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and Nationwide Building Society.

Kirkby Stephen has benefited from this funding in two stages, receiving £8,000 in 2001 for its first charter fair event based on the customs in medieval times and in 2003 successfully gaining a grant of £22,000 to

focus on local life and traditions at the time of the fair in the early 17th century. The new grant will help prepare the town for the October 2003 celebration.

May 14, 2003 08:30