National Lottery Grants for Heritage – £10,000 to £250,000
Destined Ltd, based in Derry City, supports people with learning disabilities in the North West of Northern Ireland. In March 2020, they were awarded a £242,100 National Lottery to refurbish and re-open the Foyle Valley Railway Museum, where they are based.
The project will bring together people with and without disabilities to create better resources for the community
Destined project team member
The museum tells the story of an area once bustling with trains, servicing Derry, Donegal and as far away as Dublin and Belfast.
Alongside vital repairs to the railways, a new interpretive centre will be created. Once opened, Destined hope the museum will attract over 5,000 visitors a year.
The project will bring together people with and without disabilities to create better resources for the community. The young people who Destined support will be involved in research, training and designing the new interpretive centre, as well as delivering tours when it opens.
Project participant Martha, said: "This is a great opportunity for me. I'm getting fitted so I can dress in period costumes. My job will be to show visitors around the Museum and tell them all about Derry's Railway History."
Destined has an ethos that its members should have the same opportunities as everyone else in society. This project will ensure that all young people can access the story of the railways and benefit from the employment opportunities the project provides.
