Churches and chapels in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are set to benefit from rescue funding of £596,000 from the National Churches Trust (NCT), while 11 of the churches being helped are on the Historic England ‘At Risk’ Register.
The NCT writes:
They include: St Agnes and St Pancras, Toxteth Park, the ‘noblest Victorian Church in Liverpool’, Paisley’s Methodist Central Hall, the last remaining intact Central Hall in Scotland, Our Lady Help of Christians, a pioneering Roman Catholic church in Birmingham built of glass and concrete and May Street Presbyterian church in Belfast, a classical Georgian building built in 1829, situated in the Linen Conservation Area.
The funding will help pay for urgent roof and other structural repairs and for the installation of kitchens and toilets to allow churches to be used for community activities.
The National Churches Trust supports church buildings of all Christian traditions and the latest grants benefit Church of England, Roman Catholic, Church in Wales, Methodist, United Reformed and Presbyterian places of worship.
Cornerstone Grants
Five of the churches have been awarded National Churches Trust Cornerstone Grants which are made possible through the generous support of the Pilgrim Trust, as well as donors and supporters, other trusts and foundations and the many places of worship and individuals who support our programmes.
The churches receiving Cornerstone Grants are: Our Lady Help of Christians Church, Kitts Green, Birmingham; Cubert Church, Cubert, Cornwall; St Thomas, Exeter; St Mary Magdalene, Paddington, London and Paisley’s Methodist Central Hall.
Cinnamon Network
Four churches and chapels also receive a National Churches Trust micro-grant to set up a Cinnamon Network Recognised Project. The micro-grants will allow churches to set up a social action project such as CAP Money Courses, Make Lunch and Parish Nursing. The Cinnamon Network is a charity that works with churches to help those most at need in their communities.
Huw Edwards, Vice President of The National Churches Trust said: ‘I’m delighted that this Christmas the future of 36 UK churches and chapels is being safeguarded thanks to a £596,000 rescue package from the National Churches Trust. The funding will help ensure that more churches and chapels can continue to flourish at the heart of their communities by safeguarding their architecture and making sure their facilities are up to date.’
‘At the heart of the nation’s history, churches and chapels are some of the UK’s best loved local buildings. But their future is not guaranteed’
‘When people visit a church or chapel for a carol service or even just walk past a church on the way to do the Christmas shopping, I urge them to think about how they can help ensure that churches can remain open and in good repair.’
‘Everyone can make a contribution to the future of the UK’s churches and chapels by volunteering to help look after these precious buildings. If you’ve got practical skills you could help clear drains and gutters, if you are a good communicator you could help show people the history and architecture of a local church or you could simply be a good neighbour and keep an eye out for vandals or thieves.’
‘Churches and chapels may be historic buildings, but they can be part of our future, too.’
For the full list of awards see the original story.
