Leeds lands vital grant to save its golden hoard

Good news for Leeds' campaign to raise money for the outstanding Anglo-Saxon jewellery found by a metal detectorist, as the Northerner reported last week . The city museum heard today, Tuesday 15 November, that the crucial element of its fund-raising package – target £171, 310 – has been secured. Hats off to the generous people at the National Heritage Memorial Fund who have agreed to Leeds' request for £95,000. This is expected to trigger a further generous grant from a national cultural trust which will bring the total within reach. The museum's curator of archaeology Kat Baxter , whose excellent talk on the 'Leeds or West Yorkshire Hoard', as the treasures are being called, says that the gap is now £15,000 and shrinking. Plenty of local groups and individuals have paid smaller amounts and the seven items – six gold plus a simple but intriguing lead circle – are currently on show at the City Museum to inspire more. A small additional hand was given by coincidence: interest in this early bling was at its peak when that modern master of all things golden and jingly-jangly, Sir Jimmy Savile, went to his rest amid typically original obsequies last week. I'm sure he'd have slipped them something, if he hadn't already, and prompted other too. We'll let you know as soon as success is assured. All other details are in the earlier Northerner piece including information on how to donate, but here that is again via this link .