£273,000 to bring churches to life: Cash will safeguard their futures
Published Date:
04 July 2008
TWO of Calderdale's historic churches have been offered £273,000 to ensure they are standing for generations to come.
St Mary's Church, Illingworth, Halifax, and Christ Church, Sowerby Bridge, have English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund to thank for the cash.
St Mary's Church has been offered £119,000 to repair the tower roof, masonry and louvers making up 60 per cent of the money needed to renovate the building.
And Christ Church is spending £154,000 on re-roofing the north nave, organ chamber and north-west porch.
The cash injections are part of £1.3 million given to churches by the two organisations nationally.
Susan Parker, Wakefield Diocese development officer, said churches receive no state funding and are therefore reliant on cash donations such as this.
"Churches are entirely self funded. So if the roof goes on a church it's down to the congregation to pay for it. And if a congregation doesn't have that sort of money available to them, they are reliant on public donations or funding from the English Heritage and Heritage Lottery partnership.
"It gives churches the opportunity to renovate their premises to a point where they are sustainable for the future. It brings them back to life."
Rev Keith Hanson, at St Mary's, and Rev Peter Stoodley, at Christ Church, were unavailable for comment.
Trevor Mitchell, English Heritage West Yorkshire team leader, said: "Both churches face very typical problems and are in need of roof and high level repairs. But they are also cherished by their communities and are capable of driving forward local regeneration.
"These grants will make a big difference to hard-pressed congregations."
English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund have pledged £6.5million for 76 places of worship in Yorkshire and the Humber over the past six years.
Maddy Jago, English Heritage regional director for planning and development, said: "Places of worship continue to struggle to keep pace with a growing backlog of repairs.
"A longer term solution is required and we will continue to push for this with our Inspired campaign."
The full article contains 356 words and appears in n/a newspaper.
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Last Updated:
04 July 2008 8:24 AM
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Source:
n/a
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Location:
Halifax