Coronavirus: Fifty NI heritage groups to receive money

Titanic Belfast and SS Nomadic will benefit from a £1.63m grant

Fifty heritage organisations and 41 individuals will benefit from £5m in coronavirus recovery funding.

Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey said it would help stabilise the sector and prevent the loss of important historical assets.

Self-employed tour guides and specialists such as stonemasons will benefit from the funding.

Individuals will receive a total of £195,000, with the average award being £4,750 each.

The Heritage Recovery Fund is being delivered by The National Lottery Heritage Fund on behalf of the Department for Communities.

The £5.28m is part of the department's Covid-19 Culture, Languages, Arts and Heritage support programme.

Grants from the fund will help many venues, sites and attractions to adapt and safely reopen again once lockdown restrictions are eased, the department said.

"It will also save many heritage jobs and skills from being permanently lost," it added.

The communities minister said self-employed individuals working in the heritage sector were being supported "in recognition that many have been unable to work during the pandemic".

Titanic Belfast and SS Nomadic are set to get a £1.63m grant and National Trust NI will benefit from a £324,500 grant.

Other organisations due to receive funding will be revealed in the coming weeks.