Farnham Maltings has been awarded a lifeline grant of £165,000 as part of the government’s £1.57billion Culture Recovery Fund (CRF), having spearheaded the town’s response to Covid-19.

The cash boost was announced by the culture secretary on Monday to help the much-loved community hub face the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic and ensure it has a sustainable future.

Farnham Maltings is one of 1,385 cultural and creative organisations across the country receiving urgently needed support, with £257million of investment dished out as part of the very first round of the CRF grants programme, administered by Arts Council England.

Further rounds of funding in the cultural and heritage sector are due to be announced over the coming weeks.

Maltings director Gavin Stride said: “We are extremely grateful to have been awarded CRF money from Arts Council England and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

“This has been an astonishingly complex period to navigate in which the vast majority of our income was curtailed as a result of Covid.

“While we are proud of the way the organisation sprang into action to support the most vulnerable in our community, working with the town council to co-ordinate shopping, prescription pick-ups, share store and the like, we now need to develop a longer term plan for how we contribute to the future health of the town.

“This funding will allow us to adapt the way we work by testing new models and responding to changing conditions. The CRF support is vital for organisations and artists across the country and for the communities they serve.”

Find out which other local organisations have benefited from the CRF on Page 10.

- Farnham Maltings’ 24th festival of crafts takes place this weekend, with timed entry slots still available on Saturday and Sunday.

The festival is well established in the craft calendar and features a curated selection of makers from across the UK.

The work shown is across all media, including but not limited to homewares, jewellery, ceramics, stationery, accessories, furniture, lighting, textiles and print.

Social-distancing measures will include a one-way system, spaced-out stalls, an enhanced cleaning regime, and face coverings are mandatory.

Tickets are available for £5 each from farnhammaltings.com