Work to save a historic hall in Bolton continues - despite a knock back earlier this year.

Charity Banana Enterprise want to bring the magnificant Rock Hall back into use for the whole community.

The hall in Moses Gate Country Park was built  in 1807 by the Crompton family of paper-makers.

The charity had applied for a lottery bid but was rejected - but as the charity puts in another bid it is applying to another pot of funding too.

To help cover the costs of running the building, as well as helping the community, they submitted a £300k funding bid to the Government’s Community Ownership Fund a couple of weeks ago.

If successful, it would help cover the initial maintenance costs of the building, community activities, and help with the overall progress of the project.

Jayne Allman, the charity’s CEO, said: “It’s not a huge amount of money, when you think of the full project, but it will help us get to the next stage.

The Bolton News: The funding could make a huge differenceThe funding could make a huge difference (Image: Newsquest)

“We are exploring all avenues and I am hoping that we do get the funding.

“It’s not just the history, it is a community building for everybody to enjoy, for all disabilities, and cultures.”

The funding will also help pay for some of the legal services used, and the architects, as well as other professionals to help with a public consultation.

The decision will be made by MPs from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, which could come at any time now.

Other potential benefits could also mean someone is looking after the wildlife again, including improvements to facilities in the park.

Following the rejection of their £4m bid for the National Lottery Heritage Fund, they are also set to submit their expression of interest in January 2023, before submitted the bid in May 2023.

She added: “The decision really badly affected the volunteers in September, and it absolutely broke us.

“We are working on the big bid with the council to meet the required expectations of the National Lottery Heritage Fund, but in the meantime, we are in the middle of writing smaller bids.

“We have been told by the National Lottery Fund that we must absolutely reapply in 2023.”

She explained that the smaller bids will help to keep them going until they get accepted for the large bid.

Jayne said that if they are accepted for the £300k bid, that it would be viewed as a “matched” bid, meaning it would help reduce the amount needed for their large bid.

She added: “It would really help with the bigger bid, and it would be fantastic news for us for all of the community, and there are so many opportunities there.

“We are hoping the Government will do the right thing and invest in Farnworth.”

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