10 April 2006

The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has awarded major grants to help transform Barking Park and Eastbury Manor House. The Park has been pledged* funding of £3.25m, and awarded an additional £245,000 to help work up the final plans to transform the space for local residents, whilst Eastbury Manor is in line for almost £1 million to open it up for many more visitors.

Sue Bowers, HLF’s Manager in London said; ‘For a long time Barking has not received its fair share of heritage lottery funding because of low application levels, so I am absolutely delighted that we are able to support two such worthy schemes.

‘Barking Park is such an important green space, but desperately needs to be restored and made more inviting for local people to get the most out of it, and Eastbury Manor is a gem – a Tudor house with a wealth of history to be unlocked and shared.’

Barking Park

Opened in 1898, Barking Park covers almost 30 hectares and is a vital green lung for Barking & Dagenham and Redbridge. HLF has awarded a Stage One Pass* of £3,254,000 plus £245,000 Development Funding to restore and improve the park for all visitors.

Works will include redeveloping the Lido area to incorporate a wet play area, café and toilets, improving all entrances to make them more welcoming, creating new paths and cycleways, restoring the lake area and reinstating historic features. In addition there will be a kids’ play area and Skate Park, lighting and security will be upgraded, and there will be information boards throughout to highlight the park’s past. The lottery cash will also pay for a Project Manager to be taken on for four years, as well as training for all staff, volunteers and the Friends Group.

The most important feature will be the development of the Lido to turn it into a hub for the local community that will be used for everything from craft fairs to theatre productions. As well as encouraging many more people to use a park that currently suffers from vandalism and under-use, this hub area will encourage all visitors to explore and learn about the park’s history.

Allan Aubrey, Head of Leisure Arts and Olympics for Barking and Dagenham commented; ‘Barking & Dagenham has been trying to secure such a significant financial boost from the Heritage Lottery Fund for a number of years, so this is an extremely welcome award. It is testament to the benefits of our Parks & Green Spaces Strategy and the hard work of Mike Levett and the other Park Development Officers involved.’

Eastbury Manor
Having previously received £989,000 from HLF to help restore the house and grounds (that work was completed in 2004), this latest funding for Eastbury Manor - a Stage One Pass* of £862,000 and additional Development Funding of £107,000 - will ensure its long-term sustainability as a visitor attraction. The full amount will be rolled out once plans are further developed and a second application approved by HLF.

The Grade I listed house is nationally important and dates from 1566. Surrounded by gardens, it lies in the middle of the Beacontree housing estate. Currently unused rooms will be greatly improved and brought back into use, a permanent exhibition space will be developed, historic out-buildings recreated, and signage installed throughout to bring the Manor’s past to life for everyone. There will also be a wide range of education tools and volunteers will be actively involved.

Opening up more rooms will enable many more visitors to explore the house at any one time, and a variety of exhibition tools will highlight its changes through the ages and relationship to Barking’s history. There will be costumed volunteers, an audioguide and range of activities to ensure that everyone gets as much as possible from their visit.

Kirstie Bradburn, Head of Heritage for Barking & Dagenham said; ‘We are absolutely thrilled to receive this grant for Eastbury; the money will help us to interpret the history of Eastbury and bring the stories of its past residents to life’.

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