The Redruth Former Library CIC purchase the Passmore Edwards building

The LadderThe former Redruth Library, founded by Cornish philanthropist John Passmore Edwards, now known as The Ladder, has been awarded £430,000 to repair and bring the building back into use under their ownership. The funding was secured as part of the recent Devolution Deal negotiations between the government and Cornwall Council.

This follows a grant of £168,000 awarded from Historic England to carry out emergency works to the building as part of the Redruth High Street Heritage Action Zone project. Works to make the building wind and watertight are now complete, and have brought areas back into use for occupancy.

The Architectural Heritage Fund’s (AHF) Transforming Places through Heritage programme, supported by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), has awarded its final grants that will contribute to high streets and town centres in Cornwall, Cumbria and Norfolk. An AHF Project Development Grant, awarded as part of this final batch of Transforming Places grants, will “help progress the architectural and wider development work” of the project in the former Redruth Library, now The Ladder.

The Ladder will officially launch on the 27th of May, where there will be opportunities to have tours of the building.

Gavin Richards, Transforming Places Manager at the AHF, said:

“We are very pleased to be supporting Redruth Former Library CIC through this final round of Transforming Places through Heritage grants, and to help progress the development of this fantastic project to regenerate the former Redruth Library for the benefit of the whole community.”

The Community Interest Company charged with an ambition to revive Redruth are inspired to carry on Passmore’s approach to social mobility and education for all. The Redruth Library CIC, an experienced operator with compelling intentions, plans to use the Devolution Deal funds to regenerate the former Library – now known as The Ladder - and to celebrate and nurture this important part of a Cornish community.

The Ladder along with its tenants will support organisations that will create up to 60 jobs paying Living Wage and enhancing the skills, education, and opportunities of the people of the town.

Offering beautiful views across the town, The Ladder will also provide a variety of workspaces, a nursery, community and arts activities, and garden for Redruth. The CIC’s focus is to support immediate communities, to draw wider attention to the historic town.

The Ladder has strong initiatives with local schools through The Writers’ Block group, whose hyper-local approach will help provide access for everyone.

The project will also restore a sense of civic pride by renovating a heritage asset for the community (the former library is a Grade II listed building), giving the people of Redruth, especially children and young people, a place to go to enhance and develop their skills.

John Passmore Edwards (1823 – 1911) devoted a large amount of his wealth to this small Cornish town 130 years ago. Passmore expressed the need “to place the means of education within the reach of every child in the kingdom”, so that when the local mining industry collapsed, the wealth on top of the Cornish soil could be cultivated. He bequeathed £2,000 for the construction of the library which was matched by Octavius Allen Ferris of Truro.

Felix Mortimer, one of the directors of Redruth Former Library CIC said:

“The Ladder is delighted to be starting a project to benefit local residents. The cultural significance of the town is bubbling beneath the surface. This project should make a real difference to people’s lives here, both to connect and for economic growth.”

Joshua Nawras, one of the directors of Redruth Former Library CIC, said:

“Being able to purchase the building will ensure that the people of Redruth will benefit from a high-quality resource to build skills and community for generations to come. We are in the very early stages of the project at the moment, but we are already overwhelmed by the goodwill and enthusiasm about the project.”

Regional Director at Historic England, Rebecca Barrett said:

“We’re delighted that High Street Heritage Action Zone funding has helped secure the building and act as a catalyst for this further significant investment. It’s wonderful news for Passmore Edward’s library and for Redruth.”

The Ladder will officially launch on the 27th of May, where there will be opportunities to have tours of the building.