Cherish – church building support – helps more than 250 churches in its first year

Churches, chapels and meeting houses are at serious risk of closure and so it is important to look at creative solutions to keep these buildings open and in use for generations to come. Cherish is helping us to target support at key areas where we are at great risk of losing priceless heritage. 

Through three dedicated support officers based in Scotland, Wales/Cymru and North West England (Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Cumbria), churches are given advice and training on grants and maintenance, so they can keep their places of worship in good repair. There is also support given to help churches open their buildings to visitors and tourists, so that even more people can enjoy the wonderful heritage that these churches have to offer. 

There are also Cherish grants available between £500 and £10,000, which can fund small repairs and maintenance to help keep churches in good condition and to prevent expensive repairs.  

Since the project began a year ago, 30 grants totalling more than £200,000 of funding has been given to churches. Also, 150 churches, chapels and meeting houses were visited by a local support officer to help with repairs, projects and tourism advice. In addition, a further 100 churches have been supported over the phone. 

“Our House of Good research shows that churches provide £55 billion of economic and social good each year. Churches are also important places for the community, not just irreplaceable heritage,” says Claire Walker, Chief Executive of the National Churches Trust. 

“Through partnering with The National Lottery Heritage Fund, we are able to direct support to where it is most needed and help keep churches, chapels and meeting houses open and in good repair.” 

Partnering together to help places of worship to thrive 

“Places of worship are some of the UK’s most historic buildings often at the heart of communities,” shares Eilish McGuinness, Chief Executive of The National Lottery Heritage Fund.  

“There are many challenges facing these places, some new and others long-standing. The Heritage Fund has launched a new three-year strategy for places of worship which commits us to working with everyone concerned about their future to ensure that they are valued, cared for and sustained for everyone.     

“We are delighted to be supporting the Cherish programme and we are looking forward to working with other organisations across the UK to develop their own strategic interventions for places of worship and tackle the problems they face.” 

Hear from the churches that are being helped 

Encouraging churches to stay open in Scotland 

Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) King of Glory church in Edinburgh bought an abandoned Church of Scotland building in 2017. But the 100-year-old C Listed building needed to be urgently modernised to cater for RCCG’s growing congregation and the many community activities it runs – including a foodbank, kickboxing and a toddler group.  

Karen Hind, National Churches Trust Support Officer for Scotland, funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, has been able to help RCCG with grant applications and advice on how to care for their building. The church has now been successful with several funding applications that will help modernise their building and cater for their growing community projects. 

“Many people thought this church had been closed because the church had been shut down for two years,” shares Rufai Adesola, minister at RCCG King of Glory church.  

“When we came in, we saw the local people – people that attended this church before! People were excited that the church is open again. 

“We find that in the community there are a lot of people that are isolated, based on their circumstances. So, the bigger picture is to see people coming together. 

“Without funding I come to understand the reason why churches closed down because there's no other support from someone like you and there's not anybody to encourage them.” 

Creating a fresh and positive outlook for the future in Wales 

Jerusalem Independent Chapel in Carmarthenshire has cracks in the walls of the vestry. Water is entering through these gaps and freezing in winter – making the surrounding areas unstable. The beautiful arches could fall as at present, they are extremely damp. Jerusalem Chapel awarded a Cherish grant of £9,000 to help with urgent repairs to this important building. Gareth Simpson, our Wales Support Officer has been supporting Jerusalem Chapel with their grants application and is available for ongoing support.   

“Jerusalem Chapel is keen to continue opening its doors to the local community, while at the same time preserving its culture and beliefs,” says John Thomas, from Jerusalem Independent Chapel. 

 “Jerusalem is the one remaining Welsh Chapel in Burry Port & Pembrey and it’s important to promote the use of the Welsh language in the community. In order to maintain close ties with local schools and groups in the area, it’s key to make sure that on offer is a welcoming, safe and an attractive location for any purpose. 

“I was overjoyed when I got the news that the grant application to the National Churches Trust had been successful. The grant enables us to get on with urgent work at the chapel and vestry, allowing us to continue offering them both as lead choices to hold events and gatherings.”  

“The news has raised morale and confidence in the congregation, while relieving pressure on finances. It was a very emotional moment when I informed everyone of the amazing news from the National Churches Trust and it has created a fresh and positive outlook for the future.” 

Helping churches, chapels and meeting houses survive in the North West 

Lee House, Church of St William of York in Thornley, Greater Manchester, was awarded a £9,000 Cherish grant for urgent roof and chimney repairs that is causing water damage and leaks at the main entrance to the Grade II Listed Catholic chapel and house. Matthew Maries, our Support Officer for the North West has been able to offer bespoke support to Lee House, including tourism advice. 

The rural church is a lifeline for locals, but as the church borders the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the church wants to help the community and visitors celebrate the local nature, culture and landscape. A watertight building will help them offer a better welcome to visitors.   

“It's very difficult for small local communities to raise money and to address problems related to churches and chapels of historic value,” explains Dino Kotlar, Architect at Francis Roberts Architects, that has been working on Lee House, Church of St William of York with the repair work. 

“The help from the National Churches Trust is very important to allow the community... to survive and learn from techniques from the past. To learn about how to conserve, and not just the fabric of the building, but also its value and its character. And it's very difficult to raise money in general. And with the help of the National Churches Trust, we can allow the survival of this building and the community.”