Tynemouth MP Alan Campbell has welcomed the news that Historic England has launched a second emergency fund to support the heritage sector recover from the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic.

The fund, which will be up to £3 million, will award grants to those who care for some of England’s most significant historic sites to help fund urgent maintenance and repairs where support is most needed. The business generated will help heritage specialists whose livelihoods have been severely affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. Those hardest hit were craft workers, like stonemasons and glaziers, and professionals such as architects and surveyors.

Grants of up to £25,000 will be offered to fix urgent problems at locally-cherished historic buildings and sites which are normally visited by the public, so that they can re-open as quickly as possible, subject to COVID-19 restrictions, and thrive once again.

The deadline for expressions of interest is midnight on 28 June 2020. More information on eligibility and how to apply can be found at https://historicengland.org.uk/covid-19-fund