In response to the huge challenges Heritage and Craft makers and businesses are facing at present, The Radcliffe Trust has made a grant to The Crafts Council for a hardship fund. The fund launched on 17th June 2020.
The Crafts Council has consulted with Icon, the Heritage Crafts Association and The Guild of Master Craftsmen, amongst others, to ensure the funds are widely distributed. The Crafts Council gave directly to makers, in the form of £500 bursaries, who could not access other Government schemes.
The Trust was also particularly keen to ensure that Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) makers were aware of the scheme and applied if appropriate. The Crafts Council developed a promotional strategy including a number of partner and intermediary organisations, such as Shades of Noir, to ensure that applications from BAME makers were encouraged.