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The Norfolk and Norwich Christian community website

£1.4m boost for Norfolk and Suffolk churches

StMarySedgeford2010: Historic churches across Norfolk and Suffolk have been given a massive £1.4m boost towards urgent repairs as part of a £15.7m programme nationwide awarded from two heritage funds.

English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund have announced the funding grants to support urgent repair work to 154 Grade I and II listed places of worship across England. The grants were awarded under the organisations' joint Repair Grants for Places of Worship scheme.

Nationally, since 2002, £123m of grants have been awarded for more than 1,300 Grade I and some II historic places of worship through the partnership scheme, which is the largest single source of funds to help congregations to care for historic churches, chapels, synagogues and other historic places of worship.

Dr Simon Thurley, Chief Executive of English Heritage, said; "We are delighted with the continued success of this important national scheme which has helped to restore and preserve some of the country's most historic places of worship.
 
"Historic places of worship are at the heart of their communities. They give us beautiful public spaces where people can find peace or companionship, enjoy exhibitions and concerts or benefit from practical services such as post offices, shops, nurseries. We are thrilled to be working with the HLF to support over 150 of England's most significant places of worship as they are repaired for the use of our generation and the enjoyment of our children and grandchildren."
 
Carole Souter, Chief Executive of the Heritage Lottery Fund, said; "England's places of worship are a key part of our heritage but largely rely on the hard work and generosity of local communities and volunteers to keep them in good order. This money will help support the passion and commitment of those communities and safeguard these precious and important buildings"

Among the historic buildings which have been awarded funding is the Grade I listed St Margaret's Church at Little Dunham, near Swaffham, which is set to receive £175,000 to help pay for work on the north aisle roof, slating timbers, parapet walls, drains and windows.

The Grade II listed medieval church of St Andrew in Great Ryburgh, near Fakenham, is in line for a £129,000 grant.

The Rev Robin Stapleford said: “It is for quite routine roof and wall repairs, but in a medieval church like ours, which is nearly 700 years old, these problems do occur and they are costly.

“We have a church council of seven or eight people who organise our fundraising, so without this type of funding it would be almost impossible for us to get such projects under way.”
 
St Mary, Sedgeford, pictured above, is to receive a £98,000 grant.

Other churches getting grants are: St Mary the Virgin, Feltwell - £15,000, All Saints, Foulden - £99,000, St Margaret, Hopton - £84,000, St Peter, Shropham - £117,000, St Margaret, Suffield - £164,000, All Saints, Threxton - £74,000, St Edmund, Thurne - £192,000, All Saints, Tibenham - £117,000, St Peter and St Paul, Wangford - £86,000 and St Margaret, Wattisfield - £26,000
 
Read more about this story on Advertiser24 and on the English Heritage website.

 


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