Friends of Castle Green receives grant funding boost

[Hereford Voice]

Friends of Castle Green (FoCG) are now able to begin the much needed renovations to The Pavilion thanks to significant funding from Herefordshire Council, Hereford City Council and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

The funding will enable the community group to begin the first phase of improvements to the building, which was asset transferred to them by Herefordshire Council in 2018. Work has now begun to install a renewable energy heating system at the Pavilion, using the River Wye as its source. By harnessing this renewable energy source, over 15 tonnes of carbon per year will be saved; a giant step toward carbon reduction and a huge money saving exercise.

Funding has been received from the government’s Towns Fund programme and Marches Renewable Energy, supported by ERDF funds, as well as Hereford City Council, allowing FoCG to replace the existing gas boiler and install this modern, renewable river source system, the first of its kind in Hereford City Centre. 

According to Paddy Nugent, Friends of Castle Green Director;

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“This is an incredibly exciting project and we are grateful for the funding that has allowed us to make these building improvements which will ensure that the Pavilion becomes a multifunctional, flexible and accessible space for evolving community use. We hope that this technology will act as a beacon of innovation and encourage other local facilities to harness the natural resource of the river for renewable energy.”

Friends of Castle Green has also been included by the Hereford Towns Fund Board in their Town Investment Plan funding bid submission to receive up to £25m from the Towns Fund programme. This initiative aims to revitalise and regenerate the City through investment in a number of projects meeting a strict criteria. Friends of Castle Green has applied for funds to further renovate and regenerate the Pavilion building. The extensive community consultation carried out in 2018 highlighted a significant need for improved facilities and this funding will allow FoCG to carry out proposed requirements to further the Pavilion as a building for the whole community. 

1. The project has received £39,778.31 of funding from the England European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020. The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government is the Managing Authority for the European Regional Development Fund. Established by the European Union, the European Regional Development Fund helps local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support innovation, businesses, create jobs and local community regeneration. For more information visit https://www.gov.uk/european-growth-funding
2. The project has received £50,000 from the accelerated Town Fund which saw Herefordshire Council receive £750,000 to support a number of improvement projects in the City.
3. Hereford City Council has awarded £7,000 to Friends of Castle Green from its Community Development grants programme.

The Pavilion at Castle Green is a Grade II listed Georgian building on Medieval foundations with rooms available for hire located in the heart of Hereford City.

Now run on behalf of the community by Friends of Castle Green CIC, the Pavilion has three large rooms that make it the ideal venue for private functions, training courses, dance, exercise classes, worskhops, meetings, conferences, parties and a multitude of other uses for groups of all sizes.

The central location of the building, on the banks of the River Wye and overlooking historic Castle Green, make the Pavilion a popular space for community groups and individuals to meet for a number of purpose.

 

[Steve Major]

This is a wonderful old building and cool place for a meeting. I went to a seminar here once