Published: 05 October 2021
In the latest round of Benefact Trust grants, 55 churches and Christian charities are benefitting from a total of £170,000 funding.
Some examples of projects to benefit from this welcome boost, focus on restoring church buildings but also lives and communities.
Find out more…
St Elizabeth’s Roman Catholic Church, Foleshill, West Midlands
St Elizabeth’s Church represents a thriving parish in Foleshill, an area about two miles north of Coventry. A £16,000 Benefact Trust grant is helping the church to create a brand new community ‘home from home’ to replace it existing 1930s hall which is no longer safe for use.
The old hall was unique in its function and the heart of the community, offering organised activities but predominantly acting as an extended living room for local people where they could come and relax, eat together and build strong relationships.
The now-fractured community needs a new heart, to rebuild community spirit following a challenging period.
St Peter and St Paul’s Church, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire
Wisbech is well known for its architecture and St Peter and St Paul’s Church is one of the oldest surviving buildings sitting proudly in the centre of the town, surrounded by the Coronation Gardens and the neighbouring Wisbech Museum.
The church partners with local charities to serve the growing needs of the multicultural community, and is also used regularly for worship. However, in 2018 it was added to the Heritage at Risk Register in need of urgent repairs.
A grant of £13,000 from Benefact Trust will help to repair the lead roof and timbers, stonework and windows, and install a much needed toilet and kitchen. The aim is to not just repair the building but also to make it fit for the future in order to serve the local community more effectively.
Airton Quaker Meeting, Airton, North Yorkshire
Since its major restoration in 2008, Airton Meeting House has served as a community space for three rural villages that lack other facilities or meeting place. In addition to Quaker worship, it hosts group meetings and events, concerts, coffee mornings, civil parish meetings, serves as a polling station, hosts refugee groups on day visits and welcomes several thousands of tourists annually.
A £2,700 grant from Benefact Trust will help to increase the building’s use as a rural arts centre to counter rural isolation, by supporting conservation works and repairs to allow greater public access.
United Christian Broadcasters, Stoke-on-Trent
UCB Prayerline is United Christian Broadcaster’s remote service which takes prayer requests via telephone, email or letter from individuals who are struggling and in need of faith. The Prayerline is a confidential service available to everyone irrespective of faith or religion.
The Covid-19 pandemic has intensified feelings of loneliness, anxiety, grief and loss, with many callers turning to UCB for support. A £3,500 Allchurches grant will help the Prayerline to improve its services and increase resource to support the growing number of callers.
*Header image: St Peter and St Paul’s Church, Wisbech
