Latest news with #StNicholas
CTV News
17 hours ago
- CTV News
Arsonist sentenced for fire at Ukrainian pastor's home in Victoria
Emergency crews respond to an arson at a church pastor's home in Victoria, B.C., on April 20, 2022. Three years after an arson attack at a Ukrainian pastor's home in Victoria, B.C., the man responsible has been sentenced to three-and-a-half years behind bars. Walter 'Theo' Machinski was sentenced after pleading guilty to one count of arson with disregard for human life, the Victoria Police Department announced Wednesday. Pastor Yuriy Vyshnevskyy, his wife and their three daughters were asleep in the home – which is attached to the Ukrainian Catholic Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker – when the attack began in the early morning hours of April 20, 2022. Vyshnevskyy previously told CTV News he awoke around 1 a.m. to his wife screaming from the ground floor, where gasoline was being poured into a mail slot. Some family members were forced to jump from second-storey windows to escape the flames, while others were rescued by firefighters, authorities said. 'We are incredibly fortunate that this dangerous act did not result in more serious injuries or loss of life,' said Acting Deputy Chief Michael Brown, in a statement. 'The bravery of the family and the swift response of our officers and Victoria firefighters prevented a tragedy.' At the time of Machinski's arrest, police said they believed the incident was targeted, but not motivated by 'hatred towards an identifiable group.' Records obtained by CTV News show Machinski served as the St. Nicholas pastor prior to Vyshnevskyy taking over the role. Police said the property sustained serious damage in the fire, and remains uninhabitable. With files from CTV News Vancouver's Todd Coyne
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.
