Julia Rausing Trust donates £16.7m to UK cathedrals, botanic gardens, museums and galleries

The grants will fund repairs and renovations to English cathedrals and botanic gardens across England, Wales and Scotland. Funding for museums and galleries will support the delivery of strategic programs that benefit small regional museums.

The Julia Rausing Trust’s £16.7 million includes £6.2 million for cathedrals, £6.2 million for botanic gardens and £4.3 million for museums and galleries.

Seven cathedrals are receiving support: in Bristol, Chester, Ely, Exeter, Manchester, Wells and York.

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Speaking on how the funds would be used at York Minster, the Very Reverend Dominic Barrington, Dean of York, said:

“This exceptional donation of £500,000 will have a huge impact on all of our work. This will conclude the fundraising campaign for our new Center of Excellence for Heritage and Property Management Skills, ensuring that the next generation of heritage professions professionals will have access to pioneering technology, complex manual skills , awareness-raising activities and training.

“It will also preserve and protect three beautiful windows in the south transept of the cathedral, as well as allow the iconic rose window to be analyzed up close for the first time since the 1984 fire which devastated this area of ​​the cathedral. This will be the first major project to take place at the Center of Excellence in 2025, with our talented fellow masons and glaziers working closely to preserve these windows for future generations to enjoy.

“All members of the York Minster community are deeply grateful for this donation, which will benefit so many people, from heritage artisans around the world to the many visitors who visit our historic site each year. Our sincere thanks to Hans Rausing for his generous support in memory of Julia Rausing.

Botanic Gardens across the UK have received grants for a range of projects, including repairs to historic glasshouses, access and interpretation. As part of this, a £2 million grant has been awarded to Birmingham Botanic Gardens for its £19 million restoration project to improve visitor and learning facilities.

As well as the heritage aspect, more modern facilities are also supported: the National Botanic Garden of Wales, for example, received £1.3 million to upgrade the mechanical infrastructure and facilities of the garden’s centerpiece , the Great Greenhouse. The grant represents the full amount needed to undertake the first phase of a two-phase plan to strengthen the position of the National Botanic Garden of Wales to care for its collections in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way.

Support for small museums

The funds will also benefit smaller regional museums across the UK, including the Association for Independent Museums (AIM), which will receive £600,000 for the Museum Fundamentals grants program – distributing grants of up to £20,000 for maintenance of collections; covering documentation, research and minor improvements to buildings and environmental conditions to ensure collections are preserved. Support from the Julia Rausing Trust will help AIM meet the growing demand from small and medium-sized museums and strengthen its commitment to helping museums conserve their collections, expand access and thrive.

Simon Fourmy, director of the Julia Rausing Trust, said:

“From the splendor of a medieval cathedral, to the innovation of a Victorian cathedral, to a fascinating and inspiring range of museums dotted across the country, the UK has an exceptional heritage. Supporting heritage for the benefit of all was an important part of Julia Rausing’s giving and so it is fitting to continue her legacy through these new heritage-themed grants.

The Julia Rausing Trust was established in memory of the late British philanthropist who died earlier this year. The Trust will donate £100 million to charities and organizations in its first year and annually thereafter.