Halifax project, The Piece Hall Transformation, is appealing for votes after reaching the finals of the National Lottery Awards – the annual search for the UK’s favourite National Lottery-funded projects.
The Piece Hall Transformation is competing in the Best Heritage Project category. The project beat off stiff competition from over 700 organisations to reach the public voting stage in this year’s National Lottery Awards, which celebrate the inspirational people and projects who do extraordinary things with National Lottery funding.
The project with the most votes will be crowned the winner and receive a £5,000 cash prize to spend on their project, an iconic National Lottery Awards trophy and attend a star-studded glittering awards ceremony to be broadcast on BBC One on 26 September 2018.
The Grade I listed Piece Hall has stood in Halifax since 1779 as one of Britain’s most revered Georgian buildings. It is the sole survivor of the 18th century northern cloth halls. With £7 million from the National Lottery, Calderdale Council delivered a high-quality transformation to secure the building’s future.
Cllr Tim Swift, the Leader of Calderdale Council, says winning a prestigious National Lottery Award and having their work showcased on national television would be an honour:
“We’re overjoyed that the outstanding Piece Hall Transformation has made it through to the finals of The National Lottery Awards. It’s incredible for everyone involved in the project that our work with National Lottery funding has received further nationwide recognition. Please vote for us so that even more people can see this stunning destination on national TV later in the year.”
Nicky Chance-Thompson, the Chief Executive of The Piece Hall Trust, said:
“Thanks to funding from National Lottery The Piece Hall has been regenerated into a spectacular heritage and cultural destination and The Piece Hall Trust has worked to ensure that this stunning building is recognised on a national scale as an epicentre for trade, heritage and culture. Please vote for The Piece Hall to ensure that more people are able to experience this exceptional building.”
Musician, Activist and National Lottery Awards Ambassador, Professor Green, says:
“It’s thanks to National Lottery players, who raise over £30 million each week for good causes, that extraordinary projects like those in the finals of the National Lottery Awards are possible.
“The Piece Hall Transformation is doing an incredible job for the benefit of its local community and the work they do is hugely impressive. So what are you waiting for? Give them your support and get voting!”
To vote go to lotterygoodcauses.org.uk/awards. You can also follow the campaign on Twitter: hashtag #NLAwards. Voting runs from 9am on 27 June until midnight on 27 July.
There are seven projects competing for votes across seven categories, reflecting the main areas of National Lottery funding: arts, education, environment, health, heritage, sport and voluntary/charity.