Devon and Exeter Institution Awarded £213,000 for Groundbreaking ‘Turning the Page’ Project

Following the success of The Next Chapter project, the Devon and Exeter Institution is thrilled to announce the award of £213,000 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund for its exciting new initiative, Turning the Page.

The Devon and Exeter Institution is an independent library and educational charity located in the heart of Exeter. We are proud to use our historic collections to contribute to timely and pressing conversations — including the role of smartphones, social media, and their impact on mental health in contemporary society.

To understand the challenges of our rapidly changing world, we believe it is vital to learn from the past. History has witnessed many technological revolutions — from the invention of the printing press to the digital age — each accompanied by social change and anxiety. Turning the Page will explore these themes, using our unique historic newspaper and archive collections to draw parallels between past and present.

This funding will support two core aims of our charitable mission:

·         Preservation: The creation of purpose-designed shelving and display areas will ensure the long-term care and accessibility of our rare newspaper and archival collections.

·         Participation: We will develop engaging workshops and digital resources aimed at 11–15-year-olds, focused on issues such as fake news, trolling, and advertising — all through the lens of our historical collections.

“We’re absolutely delighted to receive this support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund,” said Emma Dunn, Director of the Devon and Exeter Institution. “This project enables us to connect the past with the present in a meaningful way — supporting young people to explore how the media shapes our lives and giving our collections renewed relevance and purpose.”

Ruth O’Neale, Chair of Trustees, added: “This is a significant milestone for the Institution as we continue to evolve. We are committed to ensuring our historic building and collections speak to new generations, and Turning the Page is a powerful step forward in doing just that.”

By continuing the momentum of The Next Chapter, we will further expand the Institution’s relevance and appeal to new audiences — particularly young people — ensuring that our spaces and stories speak to the realities of today’s world.

Notes to Editors

About the Devon and Exeter Institution

The Devon and Exeter Institution is a thriving independent library and educational charity in the heart of the city.  We welcome new members and visitors of all ages.  Our founders established the Institution in 1813, to promote ‘the general diffusion of Science, Literature and the Arts, and for illustrating the Natural and Civil History of the county of Devon and the History of the City of Exeter’.  This resolution remains at the centre of our strategy to this day.

The Institution occupies a Medieval building, originally owned by the Cathedral.  It was inherited by the Courtenay family in the 17th Century and used as their town house for over 150 years.   In 1814, ‘200 Gentlemen of the City’ took ownership of 7 Cathedral Close and adapted the double-courtyard layout to create two elegant Georgian rooms.  These rooms functioned as both library and a museum; museum objects were later donated to form the foundation collection of the Royal Albert Memorial Museum in 1868.

Today our two galleried libraries hold a unique historical book collection, virtually unchanged since 1813, and collections of maps, prints, drawings, fine and decorative art. The DEI is also the premier institution collecting books on Devon, particularly in the fields of history and biography. The Library and collections lie at the heart of the Institution and provide inspiration and a place for research and reading, educational activities, cultural events and lectures

The DEI has been an Educational Charity since 1989 and enjoys a close working relationship with the University of Exeter and other heritage sites across the city.  We offer meeting rooms for business hire; our beautiful libraries are also available to hire for cultural activities and business events. We are open for public tours every Wednesday afternoon from 1pm – 4pm.

The Institution, like many charities, could not do without its wonderful team of volunteers, drawn from the local community. The Institution is cherished by members for its calm and peaceful atmosphere in the heart of the city, and its ability to bring a wide range of people together.

About the National Lottery Heritage Fund

Our vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future. That’s why as the largest funder for the UK’s heritage we are dedicated to supporting projects that connect people and communities to heritage, as set out in our strategic plan, Heritage 2033. Heritage can be anything from the past that people value and want to pass on to future generations. We believe in the power of heritage to ignite the imagination, offer joy and inspiration, and to build pride in place and connection to the past.

Over the next 10 years, we aim to invest £3.6billion raised for good causes by National Lottery players to make a decisive difference for people, places and communities. heritagefund.org.uk Follow @HeritageFundUK on Twitter/X, Facebook and Instagram and use #NationalLottery #HeritageFund

Further information

For further information, images and interview bookings, please contact: Emma Dunn, Director

[email protected]