58 churches saved for the future, thanks to our latest round of grants

58 churches across the UK will stay open and in good repair thanks to £735,326 – almost three quarters of a million pounds – of funding awarded and recommended by the National Churches Trust in our latest round of grants.  

In 2023, the National Churches Trust made over 250 grant awards to churches throughout the UK, with funding totalling more than £2 million. This has helped to save over 70,000 years of precious heritage. 

“Church buildings are in need of our support like never before, with many facing closure owing in part to the high costs of repairs,” says Claire Walker, Chief Executive of the National Churches Trust. 

“This vital funding will go towards keeping these wonderful buildings open and in use for generations to come, saving irreplaceable heritage and ensuring vital community services can continue to help the most vulnerable people.”  

Show me the impact of our grants

Through the range of grants we offer, churches, chapels and meeting houses of all denominations across the UK are being reached with vital support. 

One application, multiple grants  

Churches only need to submit one application to us – saving precious time and resources – but may receive multiple grants through the awards we also give out on behalf of our partners. These include the Wolfson Foundation, the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Headley Trust. 

"Historic churches, essential to their communities, often face substantial challenges alongside expensive maintenance and repairs,” shares Paul Ramsbottom, Chief Executive of the Wolfson Foundation, who we partner with to award Wolfson Fabric Repair Grants of up to £10,000. 

“We are delighted to continue to partner with the National Churches Trust to ensure these cherished buildings are preserved and maintained for future worshippers and visitors.” 

Find out what a grant means to the churches

Dreams become a reality for Cornish church 

The roof at St Grada & Holy Cross church on the Lizard Peninsula, Cornwall, is failing. The timbers and slates are in such poor condition that water is often flooding the Grade I Listed church and debris rains down onto the pews. Plants are creeping into the church too – growing between the stones and in the gaps in the walls. 

A £30,000 National Churches Trust Grant will help to pay for urgent repairs to the roof to help make the church watertight again. On the recommendation of the National Churches Trust, the church will also receive a £5,000 Wolfson Fabric Repair Grant from the Wolfson Foundation and £10,000 from the Headley Trust. 

“Receiving this grant has exceeded all our expectations and shows our community that their efforts have been worthwhile,” says Sheila Stephens, the Church Warden at St Grada and Holy Cross. 

“We can’t wait to see this church restored to its former glory and now it seems our dreams can become a reality. 

“Every winter has been a battle against the elements, the church is in a very exposed and elevated position and takes the full force of the brutal Cornish winter storms. Replacing the roof after 160 years is long overdue and thanks to this generous grant within touching distance.” 

Faced with an emergency 

Heavier rainfall and storms over the years mean that the gutters at Paisley Abbey in Scotland can no longer deal with the downpours. Instead of directing rain away from the building, water is penetrating the church and causing untold damage. Stone and ironwork are eroding at this beautiful A Listed church. 

A £50,000 National Churches Trust Grant will help to pay for urgent repairs to the gutters to help make the church watertight again. On the recommendation of the National Churches Trust, the church also receives a £10,000 Wolfson Fabric Repair Grant from the Wolfson Foundation. 

“Keeping our ancient and iconic building wind and watertight is no easy task,” explains Rev. Jim Gibson, the Minister of Paisley Abbey, in Scotland. 

“We are so grateful to the National Churches Trust and the Wolfson Foundation for their very generous support when we were faced with such an emergency. Without it, we simply can’t imagine how we could continue to be the caring and welcoming church, reaching out into the community around us, that it is our lifework and mission to be. Thank you!”   

Local landmark saved 

Holy Trinity church in Attleborough, Warwickshire is a lifeline in the local community. The foodbank the church runs is the busiest in Nuneaton – serving more than 100 people each week. There is also a weekly drop-in for vulnerable adults, where they have a safe space to come and play jigsaws, chat, knit and have a hot drink, which is combating loneliness in the area. 

But all of this is at risk as the ceiling in the tower has collapsed and cracks in the roof mean that every time it rains, water is seeping into the beautiful Grade II Listed church.  

A £29,148 National Churches Trust Grant will help to pay for urgent repairs to the tower and gutters to help make the church watertight again.   

“We are so pleased to have received a grant from the National Churches Trust, which will allow us to make the repairs to the tower, and so, keep this iconic building in Attleborough sound and watertight for the future,” says Alison Evans, Vicar at Holy Trinity church. 

“We know that this is a landmark locally and means a lot to our local community who have been concerned as they have heard of the damage which has been happening.... It is a delight to be able to start the project now we have the grant.”