In brief

The Manchester Jewish Museum, backed by the Big Lottery Fund and in conjunction with Salford City College, took on nine unemployed youths last month as part of its 10-week Building Bridges volunteer project. Participants will learn new skills and gain work experience, culminating in a pre-employability diploma at the end of the course. 


The £14m restoration of Lews Castle has been hit by the project’s main contractor, Patton, entering administration. Western Isles Council was drawing up alternative plans last month, while waiting to hear from the administrator whether the work on the first phase of the restoration could be completed. The council is proceeding with the evaluation of tenders for the main works contract.


The Watts Gallery has secured a stage one pass from the Heritage Lottery Fund HLF for its £5m plan to save, conserve and secure public access to Limnerslease – the studio and house of the Victorian artist George Frederic Watts in Compton, Surrey. The gallery can now move on to make a second stage HLF application for £2.7m.


The first appointments to the advisory board for the centenary commemorations of the first world war include novelist Pat Barker, general Lord Dannatt, MP Menzies Campbell, air chief marshall Jock Stirrup and dean of Salisbury June Osborne. The board will oversee a £50m nationwide programme of events and educational initiatives.