Cockermouth’s Kirkgate Centre set to receive £40k worth of Government funding

A charity heritage and community centre in Cumbria has received over £40,000 worth of Government funding to pay for two development projects.

Cockermouth’s Kirkgate Centre will received over £43,225 funding from the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Most of the funding has been allocated towards the fitting of an accessible toilet on the first floor of the Kirkgate building.

Kirkgate General Manager, Emma Heys, said: “The first floor of the building is where the auditorium is situated.

“This will allow anyone who is seeing a show in the auditorium who needs to use the accessible toilet to do so without descending in the lift to the ground floor and risk missing a large section of the show.”

Almost 16 and a half thousand pounds has also been awarded to the Kirkgate to complete a six-month community-led heritage project covering the history of brewing in Cockermouth from cottage industry to Jennings Bros Ltd. and beyond.

Jennings Brewery was established as a family business in 1828 in the village of Lorton, between Keswick and Cockermouth. The brewery was started by John Jennings Snr, son of William Jennings.

Jennings brewed exclusively in Lorton until 1874, when the brewery moved to a site at the foot of Cockermouth Castle, at the junction of the River Cocker and River Derwent.

Jennings then later closed in 2022.

Ms Heys added: “It will involve the youth theatre, whose two groups will work towards a performance just before Christmas, a heritage exhibition, a series of illustrated lectures and some guided walks.

“We’re delighted and very grateful for both grants. It takes a great deal of hard work to ensure that the Kirkgate building and the programme we offer continue to adapt to the needs of our customers and reflect the heritage of our communities.”

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