£15m roofs scheme for listed church buildings

The Church of England has welcomed a dedicated £15 million fund, announced by the Government on Wednesday 3rd December, for the repair of roofs and rainwater goods on listed church buildings.

The Chancellor announced the Listed Places of Worship Roof Repair Fund in his Autumn Statement. Grants between £10,000 and £100,000 will be available to listed places of worship of all faiths and denominations across the UK, where roof and rainwater goods repairs are deemed to be urgent and necessary.

The deadline for applications is 30 January 2015, with awards to be allocated by the end of March 2015. The scheme will be administered by the National Heritage Memorial Fund on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and ChurchCare will be providing support for dioceses and parishes.

The Bishop of Worcester, Rt Revd Dr John Inge, lead bishop for cathedrals and church buildings welcomed the news: “We are delighted that this generous fund has been announced so soon after the addition of 805 parish churches to English Heritage’s Heritage at RiskRegister. This will make a real and lasting difference to parishes that are awarded grants.

"A secure roof can last 100 years and will prevent gradual, and ultimately costly, decay of fabric. It will keep these important buildings warm and secure, allowing them to remain open and welcoming for both worship and wider community use. This fund will particularly provide relief for those parishes that are resource-poor, allowing them to focus their attention on growing their ministry and engaging with local people.”

Janet Gough, Director of ChurchCare said: “The ChurchCare team is always working to help parishes care for and make the most of their buildings. This fund presents a unique opportunity and we plan to work with all dioceses to ensure that parishes feel supported and are encouraged to apply. We look forward to hearing of applications being submitted from all across the country, and my hope is that parishes in every single diocese will receive a grant when the awards are announced, in time for Easter next year.”