National Lottery Heritage Fund Award our project £1.2m
14/07/2026
Today the National Lottery Heritage Fund made the following fantastic announcement
In Fife, the Cellardyke Trust has been awarded £1.2m to rebuild Manx Beauty, a 1930s fishing vessel.
At the heart of the project will be a temporary working boatyard in the grounds of
Waid Academy where pupils and the local community will gain hand-on experience
through accredited training programmes, work placements, apprenticeships and
volunteering opportunities. The project will help to address skills shortages and
create vital new pathways into employment and further education.
With young people central to building a new future for Manx Beauty, the project will
connect generations and serve as a catalyst for public engagement with the East
Neuk’s rich maritime heritage. Decades of fishing and boatbuilding stories will be
brought to life through oral histories, arts and music events.
Once rebuilt, Manx Beauty will return to Anstruther Harbour as a living heritage
asset, supporting ongoing training, public events and cultural activities while
celebrating the traditions and skills that shaped the region.
Richard Wemyss, Chair of The Cellardyke Trust, said: “We are delighted to hear
the news of this award. Cellardyke Trust are now looking forward to getting started
with the project and creating meaningful opportunities for our community. We would
also like to thank The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s support in the development of
our application leading to this exciting result.”
We are over the moon with this announcement – There have been hundreds of supporters of this project and application, thank you to everyone that had faith in what we wished to achieve.
The practical work begins now. It will take us several months to set up the yard and get everything running but we will keep you informed of our progress and look forward to welcoming you on our journey.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund is the
largest funder for the UK’s heritage. Using
money raised by National Lottery players
we support projects that connect people
and communities to heritage. Our vision
is for heritage to be valued, cared for and
sustained for everyone, now and in the
future. From historic buildings, our industrial
legacy and the natural environment, to
collections, traditions, stories and more.
Heritage can be anything from the past that
people value and want to pass on to future
generations. We believe in the power of
heritage to ignite the imagination, offer joy
and inspiration, and to build pride in place
and connection to the past.
9th April 2024
The Cellardyke Trust are delighted to have been awarded £84 856 by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Development Funding, for our project The Manx Beauty – Cellardyke and Beyond.
We are one of seven projects across the UK that have been awarded a share of £14.8 million to save and reimagine some incredible industrial, maritime and transport heritage and boost skills and opportunities within communities
National Heritage Lottery Development Phases are to develop and prepare applications for a full National Lottery grant, in our case in this will be early 2026.
INDEX of MANX BEAUTY PAGES
A SUMMARY OF HOW THE PROJECT CURRENTLY LIES
NEW – Take part in our knitting project
PLEASE TAKE PART IN OUR SURVEY CLICK THIS LINK
Manx Beauty – Detailed history
Manx Beauty – Build, Launch and Naming Ceremony
Lockhart Horsburgh – First Skipper of the Manx Beauty
Johnny Deas – Skipper of the Manx Fairy
Alasdair Maclean – Skipper/ Owner 1964-1972
Sustainability and the Fruitful Fund
Pittenweem Exhibition 30/10/21
Read about the amazing fundraiser in Belgium here and the old friendship of skippers
CROWDFUNDER
The Crowdfunder was very sucessful for the period it ran and page remains open as a way to support us on line. watch the video to see what the project is all about!
Please consider donating and send the link out to anyone and everyone that may be interested in our community project
www.crowdfunder.co.uk/manx-beauty-rebuild
Link to Manx Beauty Facebook page.
THANKS
The project would like to thank all the individuals and companies involved in helping us save this important vessel.
Trust support has come from the Norah Webber Trust who understand the educational potential of the whole project, subsequently it was their intervention enabled us in the early stages to save the vessel.
Our supporters so far (in no particular order). Those who have donated time or money outwith the crowdfunder.
- Ian and Sybil Murray
- Sylvia Sharples
- Peter Aikman
- Richard Fielder
- Kenny Ward
- Gillian Crozier McLaren – Pittenweem Properties
- Andrew Chalmers
- Alan Tricker
- Eric Govan
- John Chalmers
- Andrew Gould
- Dave Crowther
- Pam Moncur
- Kate and John Shearer
- Billy Field
- Sheila and John Taylor
- Nick and Janine Chalmers
- Bob Flann
- Mike and Laura Griffin
- Coull Deas
- Billy and Alean Morris
- Darren Peattie – East Neuk Salt Co.
- Willie Deas
- Michael Deas
- Elsie Deas
- Susan Innes
- Eleanor and Sandy Bowman
- John Deas
- Dave Smith
- Wendy Gow – The Haven
- Johnny and Jennie Brown
- Alan and Astrid Brown and Family
- Lawrie and Lynn Smith
- Morven and Ian Ovenstone Jones – East Neuk Pianos
- Jo Hilton and Chris Oliver
- John Spink
- Linda McBride – Gibbles
- Douglas Patterson
- Davie Tod
- John Doig
- Jo Morgan
- Tom McDonald