Up to £20,000 has been awarded to help maintain and improve Wisbech General Cemetery.

The Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage Grant has been given to the Wisbech Society to assist with the former cemetery and its restored Grade II-listed chapel as work was forced to stop earlier in the Covid-19 pandemic.

The grant will also allow for other tasks to be completed, such as painting fences alongside the Lambert’s Walk entrance to the cemetery.

A spokesperson for the Wisbech Society said: “The Society has been unable to offer the chapel for hire owing to Covid restrictions, but has continued to pay for heating and utilities to keep the old building in good order.

“The hope is that as restrictions ease into the summer, Wisbech Society will be able to restart the majority of its work, backed by the funds necessary to complete the various tasks.

“In the cemetery grounds, the Friends of the General Cemetery have continued working as much as restrictions have allowed, but they too will benefit from funding for tools and other equipment to help them return to the project on a larger scale.”

The Culture Recovery Fund is being delivered by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Historic England, using funds provided by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

For more information, visit: https://www.wisbech-society.co.uk/ or go to their Facebook or Twitter pages.