TWO COVENTRY churches have been granted over £100,000 to carry out urgent roof repairs.
St Thomas The Apostle Parish Church and Warwick Road United Reformed Church were among 32 parish churches across the West Midlands announced as recipients of the grants from the Listed Places of Worship: Roof Repair Fund.
The Church of England St Thomas Church on Longford Road was granted £20,200, while the city centre-based United Reformed Church – a union of Congregational churches, Presbyterian churches and Churches of Christ – was allocated £84,100.
The funding, granted in the Chancellor’s latest budget, is part of more than £1.8million given to churches, from a variety of denominations, across the region to ensure they remain weathertight, safe and open for use.
Welcoming the news, The Rt Revd Dr John Inge, Bishop of Worcester and lead bishop for the Church of England’s cathedrals and church buildings, said: “The parish churches of our land are jewels in the crown of our national heritage.
“As such, though cared for by Church of England parishioners, they are everyone’s heritage and we are very grateful that this has been recognised by the Government through these grants for essential repairs.
“This will enable these wonderful buildings the better to be used to serve the communities at the heart of which they stand, now and in the future.”
More than 500 churches across the UK are also set to benefit from the National Heritage Memorial Fund (NHMF) administered Listed Places of Worship: Roof Repair Fund, which totals more than £55million
