A historic building is set to undergo major renovations after receiving almost £250,000 in funding.

The Ladder, the Passmore Edwards building in Redruth, will benefit from the National Lottery Heritage Fund grant, allowing the owners to begin significant works on the first floor.

The building was taken over by Redruth Former Library CIC in 2021, with the aim of rescuing and transforming the derelict Grade II listed former library and college.

It is now set to become a centre for heritage, culture, and education, providing a necessary space for the community of Redruth.

The project, which is also funded by the Shared Prosperity Fund, will provide the people of Redruth with a café, nursery, rehearsal space, community space, exhibition space, co-working space, a darkroom, and artist studios.

The building is now set to become a centre for heritage, culture, and educationThe building is now set to become a centre for heritage, culture, and education Felix Mortimer, co-director of Redruth Former Library CIC, said: "We are deeply grateful to the National Lottery Heritage Fund and players of the National Lottery for awarding The Ladder £249,570 to move into the second phase of our redevelopment of the Passmore Edwards former library.

"This investment in the beautiful 1894 building, bequeathed to the people of Redruth by Passmore Edwards and purchased by the community in 2021, will allow us to build a world-class workspace, rehearsal space, and podcast studio."

The National Lottery Heritage Fund grant will not only allow the team to undertake structural and renovation work on the first floor of the library building but will also allow them to start a programme of activities within the community, honouring the heritage of the building.

The activities include a professional development and research project with Cornwall's theatre makers and writers, a hands-on expression of hidden heritage, and a project working with 0 to 3-year-olds to discover the building and create magical interventions.

The team will also be creating jobs to help deliver the activities and plan to advertise part roles for an engagement officer and a heritage activities officer in the coming months.

They will also continue to work with numerous freelancers from Cornwall's creative industries, and Cornwall-based architects, artisans, and craftspeople.

The second phase of The Ladder transformation, as well as the heritage activities programming, is made possible with the National Lottery Heritage Fund.