Latest news with #NationalChurchesTrust
South Wales Argus
6 days ago
- General
- South Wales Argus
Survey to gather vital information on churches in Wales
In Wales, churches, chapels, meeting houses and cathedrals of all Christian denominations are being encouraged to take part in the National Churches Survey. The biggest survey in 15 years aims to build a clearer picture of the condition, use and community impact of church buildings. In Wales, a quarter of historic churches and chapels have closed in the last decade. Sir Philip Rutnam, chairman of the National Churches Trust, said: "The future of church buildings is the biggest heritage challenge facing the UK. "The results of this survey will give everyone access to the most up-to-date information about the state of these buildings and how they contribute to public life through the community activities and events they host and run." It will also gather information about repair and maintenance needs, funding challenges and the role of volunteers. The Church in Wales has urged participation in the "timely and important" survey. "Local churches in Wales face significant challenges in caring for vitally important community buildings and this survey will help to highlight the scale and nature of those challenges, but also help point the way to sustainable solutions," read a statement. "The survey results will provide evidence when seeking new partners and support for this vital work." The Presbyterian Church of Wales also backed the survey, describing it as "essential to fully understand the current situation with places of worship and to plan for their future." The National Churches Survey has been made possible thanks to the generosity of Ecclesiastical Insurance and Yeomans Churches, chapels, meeting houses and cathedrals from any Christian denomination in Wales can take part at
The Guardian
03-04-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Thousands of churches face financial blow after VAT changes on repair works
A 500-year-old Grade I listed church in Totnes, Devon, is one of thousands facing a financial blow after the government effectively imposed VAT on major repair and restoration programmes. Until last week, major repair programmes at listed places of worship were exempt from VAT. But from 1 April, the government introduced a cap of £25,000 on the exemption after giving just three months' notice of the change. It claimed 94% of church building projects will be unaffected, but many churches fear the change puts their repair and restoration programmes in jeopardy. According to the National Churches Trust, a charity that supports church buildings of all denominations, the change will place a huge additional burden on cash-strapped parish churches which are already dependent on fundraising, grants and donations to maintain heritage buildings. More than three-quarters of the Church of England's 16,000 church buildings, many dating from Norman and medieval times, are listed by Historic England. Many have benefited from the VAT exemption since it was introduced in 2001. St Mary's Totnes, a church built from Devon stone in the 15th century, is facing a shortfall of £200,000 on a £1.68m repair and restoration project following the VAT change. The church attracts 50,000 visitors a year to admire its rare full width 15th century rood screen, Kempe stained glass window, 19th century Willis organ and restored oak wagon roof. As well as religious services, it hosts concerts, talks and lectures and choir practices. A weekly community cafe had to be reduced to monthly over the winter due to the cold. Father Jim Barlow, the rector, said the church was a local landmark, but 'constantly crumbling'. The regular maintenance bills were entirely financed by voluntary contributions. A major programme of work to repair and replace the damp and sinking nave floor, install a new carbon zero heating system and improve accessibility had been planned for 15 years. Funds to pay for the work were raised from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, grants, trusts, and the local community. Barlow said he was 'gutted' at the cap on VAT exemption. 'For a small parish church, this is a big blow. We'd actually gone slightly over our fundraising target, but now we have a £200,000 hole in our budget. 'To stop now would be so demoralising and we'd lose all the money we've already spent on development work. 'We've already signed contracts, so we have to press on. We may have to try to cut the cost of the project but we've already trimmed it as much as we can. It's difficult to see what else we can do.' Other listed churches are also reckoning with the imposition of VAT on major repairs. St Mary Magdalene in Newark, Nottinghamshire, a Grade I-listed 12th century church, is now facing a £600,000 shortfall on a £4m restoration project that has been planned for five years. 'It was a huge struggle to raise the funding,' wrote Andrew Fearn, a churchwarden, to his local MP. 'This is a grievous blow as we do not have funds to cover [the shortfall].' St John the Baptist, in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, has raised £386,000 to repair its 15th century spire – the tallest in the county at 198ft. Jo Slade, chair of trustees for Friends of John the Baptist, said the VAT change was 'a blow to our project, and fundraising by volunteers will have to continue'. St Michael le Befry in York is set to fall short by £1.4m on a £12m repair and renewal project on the Grade I-listed building which supports a food bank and debt counselling. Building work began last summer to install sustainable heating and upgrade facilities. Sir Philip Rutnam, chair of the National Churches Trust, said: 'The burden of looking after these buildings already falls on local people. Now they'll have to raise funds to pay VAT to the Treasury on top of everything else. If these cuts remain, it's inevitable more churches will close. 'This is not just about heritage. Churches house food banks, parent and toddler groups, and provide social action worth £55bn a year. At a time when deep cuts are being made to welfare, the government should be backing this kind of community support, not undermining it.' St Mary's Totnes and other churches are asking the government to reverse its decision. 'These churches are a big part of the nation's heritage, but small rural congregations are struggling with the huge responsibility of preserving them,' Barlow said.
BBC News
03-04-2025
- General
- BBC News
Blackpool church tackling food poverty gets £24k grant
Two churches in Lancashire have received a share of almost £600,000 of funding from the National Churches Trust which aims to save important heritage and keep churches Layton Methodist Church, which is in one of the country's most deprived areas and is trying to address food poverty with its community cafe and foodbank, has been awarded £24, Walmsley, volunteer chairman of Layton Methodist Forward Project, said the grant was "truly transformational" to expand its small kitchen and help even more vulnerable Fleetwood St Nicholas, a Grade II listed nautical style church once at threat of closure, received £30,000 for essential repairs after being battered by storms. As well as addressing food poverty and also being a designated warm space, Blackpool Layton Methodist Church hosts and runs bereavement groups, toddler groups, IT and digital skills classes, craft sessions, cookery courses and film Walmsley said the church's "small kitchen" had been "pushed to its limits" and the grant would allow the church to "do even more to support people in Layton and across Blackpool, a town that is broadly affected by deprivation and hardship". He added: "This grant brings us closer to our long-term vision: creating a sustainable community cafe model that doesn't just help people cope, it helps lift them out of poverty. "We're incredibly grateful." St Nicholas Fleetwood was built in 1962 and its design by architect Laurence King is inspired by the upturned keel of a ship, reflecting Fleetwood's maritime heritage and its dedication to St Nicholas, the patron saint of near the seafront, the building has been battered by storms and it will use the cash to fix cracks in the building causing significant water damage and putting heritage at risk. Reverend Carolyn Leitch, vicar of St Nicholas Fleetwood, expressed "heartfelt gratitude" for the grant. "These last sixty years of coastal weather have taken their toll on the brickwork of the building and urgent repairs are needed to ensure its structural integrity and continued use," she said. The church is a designated warm space, offering free hot drinks to the community, and hosts community activities during the week, as well as handing out fruit from its garden to Leitch said the grant would "protect this important heritage, but it will [also] help to keep the church building open and serving local people"."Claire Walker, chief executive of the trust, said it was "delighted" to help both churches - to support St Nicholas in carrying out urgent repairs and enable Layton Methodist "to adapt their beautiful building to serve even more vulnerable people". Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Church gets grants to stop 1kg stones from falling
A Kent church is set to receive £23,000 to help stop chunks of stone weighing up to 1kg falling from the building. St John the Baptist church in Sutton-at-Hone, near Dartford, currently suffers from pieces of falling flint as well as water damage, broken gutters and "voids" in the masonry which make it vulnerable to birds and squirrels. The Grade I listed church, which can be traced back to Roman Britain, has been given a £13,000 grant from the National Churches Trust to fund the urgent repairs. It will also receive £10,000 from the Wolfson Foundation to further support the work. Reverend Emma Young, vicar at St John's, said: "Making the site safe again through repairs to masonry is a vital first step and restoring the church to good condition will, in turn, enable us to extend the church's ministry in the local community of which St John's has been a part for nearly 700 years." The church dates back to the 14th Century and features signs of flint and roman stone dating back to before 1066. It also holds the graves of Thomas Smythe, the first governor of the East India Company, and Abraham Hill, a founding member of the Royal Society. The building also attracts tourists and is used by community groups, schools and as a food larder for people in need. Repairs will be completed using salvaged stone and repointed with lime mortar to help make the church watertight. Follow BBC Kent on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@ or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250. Church repair work will boost heritage skills Church could be eyesore after VAT change - priest National Churches Trust
