£1.5m investment for West Mids churches
More than £1.5m will be invested in 23 places of worship in the West Midlands. The grant, from the Heritage Lottery Fund, will fund development and refurbishments at grade I and II listed buildings across the region.
Four churches in the region are receiving investment for urgent repairs. St Giles' at Sheldon in Birmingham has been awarded £117,000 to pay for work to its 15th century tower.
St Bartholomew’s, at Moreton Corbet in Shropshire, will receive a grant of £61,000, while the church of St Catherine at Hoarwithy in Herefordshire has been granted £80,000 from the fund.
The Church of St Nicholas in Dormston, near Droitwich in Worcestershire, has also received £18,000 for repairs.
Nineteen other sites will also receive investment over the coming year.
Tim Johnston, planning director of English Heritage West Midlands, said: "Thanks to the generosity of lottery players, and the swift action of the HLF, the safety net of the repair grants scheme will continue. Local places of worship are often the most iconic and historic buildings in a neighbourhood.
"Many congregations are therefore faced with crippling repair bills, or watching these much loved buildings fall into ruin. The combination of HLF money and English Heritage’s expert advice can, and will, help these wonderful buildings, and maintain their role at the centre of their communities."
