Devon and Cornwall church repair concerns over grant changes
Claire Walker, chief executive of the National Churches Trust, said the government scheme was a "lifeline" to many venues.She said: "It's not within the means of a congregation to find that extra money, so that could mean churches cannot stay wind and watertight and they can't keep themselves open."
A fundraising campaign is taking place at St Grada Church on Cornwall's Lizard peninsula, which needs an estimated £450,000 worth of restoration work carried out.Wendy Elliot, who has been coming to the church for more than 50 years and is helping with the fundraising, said the main issue was parts of the roof falling off.Ms Elliot said: "It is not going to fall under our watch, we have got to save it."The Church of St Philip & St James in Ilfracombe, which dates to 1856 and is now known as Pip and Jim's Church, is on Historic England's Heritage At Risk Register.The current phase of work to renovate its stonework is costing about £600,000.Vicar Reverend Mark Ruoff said the church was at the "heart of the people" of the town."It needs to be renewed and revived," Mr Ruoff added.
A statement from DCMS said the changes were being implemented against a "tough financial background across the heritage and cultural sectors"."We made the difficult decision to implement an annual limit of £25,000 on the amount individual places of worship can claim in the coming year," a spokesperson said."We believe that this will continue the widest distribution of the scheme's benefits within the available means."The spokesperson added funding after March 2026 would be considered.
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