The news is a major success for Erewash Borough Council’s award winning museum and means it will now receive development funding of £39,500 so it can progress the plans as it bids to win a full grant of more than £400,000 at a later date.

The project would see the old stable block turned into an exciting exhibition, learning and community venue that will build further on the success of the museum, which has been voted the top museum in Derbyshire for the last two years.

Councillor Mike Wallis, Erewash Borough Council’s Lead Member for Culture and Leisure, says: "This centre would be a very valuable addition to our Museum and would open up a whole range of new opportunities to showcase local history and to work with schoolchildren and visitors. We are delighted that the Heritage Lottery Fund has given us this initial support and we will now work towards developing the project and hope for success in the second round of funding."

As well as providing the new venue, the Old Stables project will explore the history of Dalby House, which is home to Erewash Museum. One of the oldest buildings in Ilkeston, Dalby House is a Georgian building with Victorian extensions and has been home to many important and influential Erewash families over the years.

As part of the project, the historically important stories surrounding Dalby House will be researched and would be featured in the new exhibition area.

As well as winning the Museum of the Year titles, Erewash Museum’s other accolades include a recent National Sandford Award for delivering excellence in heritage education. A key feature of the Old Stable project would be to provide greater learning opportunities for children and enable the Museum team to further develop its education work.

Notes to editors

A first-round pass means the project meets HLF criteria for funding and HLF believes the project has potential to deliver high quality benefits and value for Lottery money. The application was in competition with other supportable projects, so a first-round pass is an endorsement of outline proposals. Having been awarded a first-round pass, the project now has up to two years to submit fully developed proposals to compete for a firm award.

Further information

Erewash Borough Council: Stewart Millar or Joy Thompson on 0115 907 1159, email: stewart.millar@erewash.gov.uk or joy.thompson@erewash.gov.uk.