St John’s Church in Minskip, near Boroughbridge, is celebrating after being awarded £3,300 from the Yorkshire Historic Churches Trust (YHCT) for essential repairs, conservation and maintenance work.
The grant “means the world to our little church”, according to churchwarden Robert Beaumont.
Robert explained:
We are incredibly grateful to the Yorkshire Historic Churches Trust for this generous grant that will enable us to tackle the problem of damp, which is threatening the structure of the church, as well as causing damage to its interior.
Specifically, faulty drains and a broken bell tower are causing peeling walls and discolouration inside, as well as a damp exterior. In addition, a couple of windows are broken and the floor is uneven in places. Whilst we are able to hold and enjoy our services, the structure of the church has been worrying us for some time.
We have undertaken some serious fund-raising which, together with this grant, will enable us to pay for the whole regeneration project. We have a very strong and committed church council and we have already raised £3,000 towards this specific project.
This grant means the world to our little church, which is a very important part of the Minskip community. Work will begin in January and will be carried out by local builder Tim Wilkinson.
The future of many churches is under threat due to crumbling roofs, windows and stonework. Recent grants, totalling £78,000, awarded by the YHCT will help fund urgent repairs and modern community facilities, preserving unique local heritage and keeping churches open and in use for the benefit of local people.
Tom Ramsden, chairman of the YHCT said:
Our latest grant awards support a wide variety of churches and projects. They range from helping to repair the roof of the Grade II listed St James in Slaithwaite built in 1796, through to helping make watertight Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic chapel in Headingley, built in the 1930s
We are also delighted to support St John’s Church in Minskip, which is a lovely little church that serves its community so well. It is very rewarding to see at first hand the structural problems that will be tackled and solved, thanks in part to our grant.
The grants are made possible thanks to the generosity of our Friends and donors. You can help ensure these important building are kept alive for the next generation by making a donation or by becoming a Friend of the Trust via our website at www.yhct.org.uk
The Yorkshire Historic Churches Trust (YHCT) provides funds for churches, chapels and meeting houses of all Christian denominations within the county of Yorkshire. Funding ranges from small schemes such as gutter repairs to large scale re-pointing of stonework, roof repairs and other conservation works.
The full list of churches receiving grants are:
Leeds, All Hallows, £10,000 for roof repairs
Leeds, Our Lady of Lourdes, £3000 for roof repairs
Leeds, Cathedral Church of St Anne, £3000 for stonework repairs
Leeds, Holy Rosary, £1500 for roof repairs
Clifford, St Edward King and Confessor, £3500 for roof repairs
Baildon, St James £2000, for tower repairs
Bierley, St John the Evangelist, £5000 for clock repairs
Great Ouseburn, St Mary, £6000 for boundary wall repairs
Skipwith, St Helen, £7000 for drainage works
Minskip, St John, £3300 for bell tower repairs
Golcar, Providence Methodist, £3500 for window repairs
Slaithwaite, St James, £5000 for roof repairs
Ripponden, Stones Methodist, £5000 for roof repairs
Thornaby, St Peter, £1000 for stonework repairs
Gargrave, St Andrew £1358 for clock repairs
Golcar, St John the Evangelist, £5000 for internal decorations
Goole, St John £4500, for roof repairs
Harome, St Saviour, £3000 for bell turret repairs
Slingsby, All Saints, £4500 for window repairs
