The charitable trust that runs the Victorian building needs help to keep it open and free for future generations
THE last surviving Victorian public building in Llandaff will be handed almost half a million pounds in funding – if it can raise an extra £30,000 in match funding.
Insole Court, on Fairwater Road in Llandaff, has been awarded £452,000 in conditional funding from the National Lottery, Cadw and Cardiff Council.
The Court needs to raise the £30,000 by the end of the scheme, at the end of the Spring next year, or they will lose all of the funding.
It is hoped that the money will support the building for the next decade, meaning that crucial repairs to the roof, guttering and leadwork can be carried out, as they were neglected during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Any further money will be put into renovating the kitchens, which it is hoped will help attract more businesses and events to the venue, run by registered charity the Insole Court Trust.
The match funding campaign began in September and so far around £7,500 has been raised, including a recent coffee morning which brought in £600.
The building and gardens are free to visit – with bustling food markets attracting many visitors in the summer – but parts of the property can also be hired for private events, including children’s parties.
Around 110,000 businesses and individuals pay to use part of the the building every year, with over a quarter of a million visiting the grounds, however there is hope that these numbers can grow further with the help of the local community.
When asked about Insole Court’s value to the people of Llandaff, CEO Lloyd Glanville said: “It would be easy to knock it down for flats but this provides so much more to the community.”
Development and Marketing Officer Angharad Muir-Davies said: “Volunteers in the local community keep the building open.
“New volunteers start every week and we have people from 16 up to 90, many of whom walk their dog and then come in and volunteer.”
Next year Cardiff’s Registry Office is moving to the building for nine months while City Hall has a new heating system installed and it is hoped that this will attract new visitors and bring some much-needed attention to the fund-raising campaign.
With rising energy costs, the money will be used by the Insole Court Trust to keep the building open.
Further information about donations can be found here.
