THE appeal for the Master’s House at Llanfyllin’s historic Workhouse, Y Dolydd, has been boosted by a grant of £20,000 from the Pilgrim Trust.

The money will go towards repairing the roof of the building, which stands at the hub of the Workhouse complex, and restoring the handsome cupola which once crowned it.

Trustee John Hainsworth said: “The Pilgrim Trust is one of Britain’s most distinguished grant awarding bodies and has helped to fund preservation and scholarship for over 80 years.

“They assisted us in the past with the entrance range which now houses our bunkhouse.

“This is a real vote of confidence in Llanfyllin and reminds us all that the Workhouse is a building of national importance.”

The award will form part of match funding that will be required to release a further grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Another £18,250 is needed, and further applications are in progress. Donations continue to come in to the ‘Sponsor a Slate’ appeal on www.localgiving.org and a cheque for £500 arrived this week from the Cazenove Charitable Trust.

In December the Sant Myllin Lodge of Freemasons generously donated £887 when the Lodge ceased its operations.

The news comes in the same week when the Llanfyllin Dolydd Building Preservation Trust appointed a new chairman.

David Goodman is a graphic designer who has been a long-standing town councillor and served until last year as Mayor of Llanfyllin.

Councillor Goodman spent part of his childhood at Y Dolydd when his parents ran the Challenge Centre there.

Cllr Goodman: “I’m very pleased to serve as chairman at this exciting point in the story of this important project.

“I hope to help further this historic site on its journey to becoming a local and national cultural, historic and community asset.”