Jodrell Bank Observatory has received Heritage Lottery Fund support  for a £12m bid for the ‘First Light’ project.

The project aims to conserve and restore the heritage of the Jodrell Bank site and create a spectacular new space in which visitors can engage with and learn about the journey to explore our place in the Universe. Development funding of £784,800 has also been awarded to help the University progress their plans to apply for a full grant at a later date.

Jodrell Bank is an internationally important place in the heritage of astronomy. It is the only site remaining in the world that shows the whole history of the development of radio astronomy – the first step towards the field of modern astrophysics that we know today. Its story includes revolutionary scientific discoveries, amazing feats of post-war engineering, the dawn of the Space Age and the creation of the Grade-1 listed Lovell Telescope, an icon of UK science and engineering.

Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester, said: “We are incredibly proud of our current science and great heritage at The University of Manchester and of our iconic site at Jodrell Bank. The announcement today is great news, not only for the University, but for our city-region and the UK-wide science community.”
Dr Teresa Anderson, Director of the Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre said: “We are absolutely delighted that the Heritage Lottery Fund is supporting the ‘First Light’ project. Jodrell Bank epitomises a ‘can do’ approach to science and engineering and this funding will allow us to tell the story of all the amazing men and women who – sometimes, with help from younger family members – created the Observatory from scratch. Our mission is to inspire the scientists of the future, key to which is understanding that scientific discovery needs grit and determination, just as much as it needs creativity and inspiration!”

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