Twelve Suffolk churches and one chapel are celebrating receiving grants from Suffolk Historic Churches Trust in the latest of four annual allocations.
At the latest grants meeting a total of £59,275 was agreed to be shared between seven churches in the West of the county and six to five churches and one chapel in the East. with money awarded between £3,000 to £12,000 per church.
The churches and chapel are in Middleton, Rattlesden , Little Thurlow Shimpling, Westerfield, Swilland, Sibton, Great Thurlow, Stanton, Haverhill, Shelley, Campsea Ashe and Walpole.
“The Suffolk Historic Churches Trust is pleased to report the awarding of recent grants to twelve churches and one chapel totalling £59,375, explained John Devaux, Chairman of the Grants Committee. “The Trust, using money raised from the annual Ride and Stride sponsored event and from very welcome legacies, carefully considers all those places of worship that apply to us for help. The need of the recipients to raise in excess of £1.2m gives some idea of the huge cost of caring for Suffolk’s precious historic places of worship.”
The work that will be undertaken in the churches include tower roof repairs, new flooring, releading windows, repairs to stonework, and repairs to buttresses, quoins, and flintwork. Two of the churches are also installing toilets and food serveries which the Trust grants will go towards.
The churches that were successful this time were:
St John, Campsea Ashe.
Holy Trinity, Middleton
St Nicholas, Rattlesden
St Peter, Little Thurlow
St George, Shimpling
St Mary, Westerfield
St Mary, Swilland
St Peter, Sibton
All Saints, Great Thurlow
All Saints, Stanton
St Mary, Haverhill
Walpole, Old Chapel
All Saints, Shelley
There are two more Grants Meetings scheduled this year and any church, chapel or meeting house, of any denomination can apply.
The next Suffolk Churches Ride and Stride Day is on Saturday 14th September 2024 when the Suffolk Churches vintage and classic car rally Pedal & Drive is also held, with the cars travelling a provided route, around a selection of churches, ending at Lavenham.
For more details of how to make a grant application click HERE