£131K Lottery boost will help shape the future of St Helens heritage

Big plans are underway to help celebrate and protect the history of St Helens after The World of Glass secured more than £131,000 in National Lottery funding for a major new heritage project.

The museum has been awarded the funding by the The National Lottery Heritage Fund to launch Reflect St Helens, an ambitious new initiative exploring the creation of a dedicated heritage museum for St Helens, while making the town’s history more accessible, inclusive and sustainable for future generations.

The project aims to transform the way local history is shared by opening up more of The World of Glass’ publicly owned collections and helping more people connect with the stories that shaped the borough.

Already recognised as the only accredited museum in St Helens, The World of Glass is home to some nationally important heritage assets including the town’s famous industrial history and world-leading links to glassmaking.

At the heart of the site is the Grade II-listed Tank House, built in 1887 and considered one of the most important surviving regenerative glassmaking furnaces in the world.

The museum is also home to collections linked to the historic Sankey Canal the first canal built in England alongside the internationally significant Pilkington Glass Collection, which tells the story of glassmaking from prehistoric times right through to the present day.

Rare artefacts, Roman glassblowing history and industrial innovations including the groundbreaking Owens Bottle Machine also help tell the story of how St Helens became one of the world’s glassmaking powerhouses.

The new Reflect St Helens project will now see The World of Glass work closely with local communities, organisations and heritage groups to help shape what the future of St Helens heritage could look like.

Ahead of the International Festival of Glass this August, small grants will also be made available to local heritage groups to support activities and encourage more people to get involved.

The project will also create new volunteering opportunities, helping residents play a bigger role in preserving and sharing local history.

Longer-term plans include growing The World of Glass into a bigger community heritage hub, developing new visitor experiences including café and retail offers, and preparing for future conservation work to protect the historic Tank House building.

Ultimately, the aim is to put the community at the centre of St Helens’ heritage story helping safeguard its history while building a stronger and more sustainable future for generations to come.

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