Grade I listed Holy Cross church, Caston and Grade II listed St Andrew’s church, Thurning are to be the recipients of vital funding from National Churches Trust Cornerstone Grants. Holy Cross will receive £10,000 for the installation of an accessible toilet, while St Andrew’s will receive £15,000 to help fund roof repairs.
Broadcaster and journalist Huw Edwards, Vice President of The National Churches Trust, said:
“The UK’s historic churches and chapels are a vital part of our national heritage. During the coronavirus pandemic churches are doing so much to help vulnerable local people and boost morale.
“Many churches need to carry out urgent repairs and install modern facilities to ensure their buildings can continue to be used well into the future. But the cost of this work is often far beyond what most congregations can pay for themselves.”
Mr Edwards said he was “thrilled” to hear about the funding grants to the two churches and the projects that will help sustain both buildings.
A total of 31 churches and chapels in England and Wales will benefit from the latest grants from the National Churches Trust, the charity supporting church buildings of all Christian denominations across the UK.
These grants are the first made in 2020. Last year the National Churches Trust distributed over £1.2 million to 176 churches and chapels around the UK.
On behalf of Caston PCC, Garham Penfold said:
“This is absolutely fantastic news and means that for the first time Holy Cross church will have a toilet which will be fully accessible to all. A previous grant from the National Churches Trust enabled us to install a kitchen and the church already has a new heating system and improved access so this really does help to complete the plan to make the church fit for the 21st Century. Our grateful thanks go to the National Churches Trust for making this possible.”
Ada Fisher and Justina Hume, church wardens at St Andrew’s said:
“We are extremely grateful to National Churches Trust for this generous award. We are a tiny parish of 60 people and without this help it is a daunting task to re-roof the church.”
