13 churches share repair cash
£227,000 FUND FOR REPAIRS ALLOCATED BY GOVERNMENT
THIRTEEN churches in the Diocese of Leicester are to share more than £250,000 to help pay for repairs.
The money from the government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage is allocated by Historic England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The 13 churches total of £227,500.
St Thomas’s in Frisby-on-theWreake, St Mary’s in Elmesthorpe, and St Michael and All Angels’ in Harston received grants for reroofing.
At Holwell, a permanent roof on St Leonard’s Church will now be possible after two years of temporary covers following lead theft in 2019.
Structural investigations will take place at St Bartholomew’s, Foston, and St Peter’s, Redmile, to establish the cause of long-term issues with cracking and movement.
Architectural services at St Peter’s, Higham-on-the-Hill, will enable the church to obtain costings for the restoration of the Norman tower. will receive
aThe Lady of the Vale spire at St Mary’s, Bottesford, will undergo a steeplejack inspection and repairs.
At St John the Baptist, South Croxton, new louvres will be fitted and the floors replaced.
Grade I-listed St Andrew’s in Owston, and St Margaret’s, in Stoke Golding, will see essential stonework repairs, as will St Lawrence’s, in Measham, and St Mary’s, in Nether Broughton.
Simon Headley, historic churches support officer for the Diocese of Leicester, said: “Church buildings play a vital and significant role in and beyond their immediate community.
“However, the repair costs of these historic buildings fall primarily upon congregations, so the grants awarded are an important lifeline which will enable vital repairs.
“Much hard work behind the scenes has gone into these applications, not least from the dedicated volunteers at each church.”
The Bishop of Leicester, The Rt Rev Martyn Snow, said: “This news is a great boost to our church communities who work so hard to fundraise and care for our church buildings in the hope they will continue to provide a visible sign of God’s presence among us.”