Heritage and historic buildings

The north east of England has a rich and varied industrial heritage and public transport is an intrinsic part of that heritage. Aycliffe and District Bus Preservation Society is committed to the preservation of vintage buses and talented volunteers undertake renovation projects to restore the vehicles to their former glory.  The buses are displayed at various community festivals, heritage weekends and rallies for members of the public to enjoy a sense of ‘yesteryear’.  The Trust awarded a grant of £1,000 to help restore this magnificent 1940 United Tow Truck to add to the fleet of historic vehicles. 

The Weardale Museum which is located in the old manse attached to High House Chapel, is situated in the village of Ireshopeburn in the North Pennines.  This award winning, independent folk museum was established by a group of enthusiastic volunteers in 1985 to help preserve the heritage of Weardale.  Subsequently, dry rot fungus was discovered in the Museum caused by a faulty drainpipe and urgent action was required to remedy the situation.  The Trust awarded a grant of £1,000 to help keep this historic building in good order for generations to come.

Beamish is a renowned living museum telling the story of the people of North East England from 1820 through to the 1940s, covering time periods from the Georgian era through to World War Two. The museum embarked on “Remaking Beamish”, an ambitious £17M scheme which will involve the creation a 1950s town and farm, as well as some exciting new additions to the existing 1820s area. The project is an excellent example of how investment in heritage and culture can create jobs and contribute to regional economic growth. The Trust made a donation of £50,000 to help the museum reach its target and make a significant difference to people living North East England. The Trust recently added to this donation by supporting the development of cottages that will be rented to tourists and visitors. The aim is to create a dependable income stream for the future.