The National Lottery Heritage Fund has announced a significant £1.25 million investment to preserve and enhance eight historic religious buildings across the UK. This funding aims to support both the physical restoration of structures and initiatives designed to engage local communities and strengthen the cultural value of these sites.
Among the recipients is a project in Newcastle upon Tyne that will receive £163,600 for the “Discover Jesmond 1888” initiative. This program will link the United Reformed Church and St George’s Church, both of which house rare pipe organs by the Lewis and Company firm, through a heritage trail and a series of community events.
Other notable grants include £248,504 for St Martin’s Church in Bulmer, which will go toward improving the thermal efficiency of its 14th-century tower and making the church more accessible to the public. Lincoln’s Greek Orthodox Church of St Basil and St Paisios has also been granted £51,763 for necessary structural surveys of their Grade II listed building.
In addition, the fund has approved development grants for St George the Martyr Parish Church in Holborn, which will receive £380,389, and £198,250 for Lochwinnoch Church in Renfrewshire. Smaller grants, ranging from £30,804 to £138,169, have been awarded to All Saints Church in Helmsley, Holt Methodist Church, and St John the Baptist Church in Nash.
This round of funding reflects the National Lottery Heritage Fund’s ongoing commitment to preserving religious buildings across the UK. The organization has announced plans to invest approximately £100 million over the next three years to support similar initiatives. The grants aim to safeguard these sites as cultural assets and ensure they continue to serve their communities.
Eilish McGuinness, Chief Executive of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, emphasized the significance of places of worship as key elements of the UK’s heritage. These buildings, she noted, not only represent important historical and architectural value but also serve as community hubs. The investment will help preserve them for future generations while reimagining their role in modern society.
