Funding for Charles Causley's home retreat

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-23095133

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A former home of the Cornish poet Charles Causley, which is being turned into a writer's retreat, has been awarded about £40,000.

It is the second funding grant from the Arts Council England awarded to the Charles Causley Trust.

In January the trust was given about £50,000 by the Arts Council for work on the property.

The latest grant will support a writer in residency programme. Mr Causley spent most of his life in Launceston.

The Charles Causley Trust, which was set up just before the poet's death, purchased his Launceston home in 2007.

'Fantastic opportunity'

The trust has spent 18 months securing funding to bring the house back into use.

It has also raised £162,000 to support urgent repairs to the house and its refurbishment.

The residency will support the Causley Trust's aims for community engagement and literature development, and hopes to attract a poet with an international reputation.

Kent Stanton, the trust's, chair said: "I am thrilled to have achieved the funding we needed to allow the writer-in-residency programme to proceed.

"This will give a fantastic opportunity to two writers who will tread in Charles Causley's footsteps bringing world-class literature to Launceston."

Mr Causley was made a CBE in 1986 and a Royal Society of Literature Companion of Literature in 2000.

Much of his work was a celebration of Cornish and Launceston life, character, history and legend.

The town holds an annual Charles Causley Festival each June, remembering the poet's work.