Durham miners' hall Redhills gets £4.5m grant

Redhills was built in 1915 for the Durham Miners' Association

A former miners' headquarters in a state of "disrepair and jeopardy" has been given a £4.5m grant.

Built in 1915, Redhills was the base for the Durham Miners' Association (DMA) and included the Pitman's Parliament debating chamber.

The DMA said the National lottery heritage grant will be "life-saving".

It plans to fully restore the Grade II-listed building in Durham and turn it into a community and arts hub. Work is due to begin in early 2022.

Redhills is home to the Pitman's Parliament

Ross Forbes, the DMA's programme director, said the Heritage Lottery Fund grant "has ensured that the proud story of the Durham miners will not just be preserved, but will continue to be written".

He said: "Redhills is not just a building. It is so much more. It stands as a testament to the work and sacrifice of generations of miners and their families who achieved great things through collective endeavour."

Before the creation of the welfare state, elected delegates for the DMA met at Redhills to form a pioneering support system which provided medical care, libraries, welfare halls, retirement homes and sports grounds across the county.

"Redhills will keep this story and these values alive," Mr Forbes said.

The whole project will cost £7.25m with Durham County Council providing £1.1m and the rest being sourced from trade unions and supporters.

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www.redhillsdurham.org.