Shailesh Vara MP has welcomed the recent announcement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Rt. Hon. George Osborne MP, of a special £15 million fund for the repair of roofs and guttering on vulnerable listed church buildings.

This scheme has the potential to make a significant difference to communities around the country with many church buildings in urgent need of repair. English Heritage recently published its annual Heritage at Risk Register which identified 887 places of worship with deterioration of roofs, gutter or high-level stonework as the most common cause of problems.

This new fund will offer a real solution for many of these church buildings. It is not only open to those on the Heritage at Risk Register but also parishes can access the funding in the following way:
 

• Eligible parishes can make applications for grants between £10,000 and £100,000.


• Awards have to be allocated by 31 March 2015.


• Deadline for submissions is 30 January 2015.


• The National Heritage Memorial Fund (www.nhmf.org.uk) is administering the scheme. Details about the roof fund will also be available via the ChurchCare website (www.churchcare.co.uk).

Mr Vara said:

“Our historic church buildings are both places of worship and hubs of wider community activity, and it is excellent news that the Chancellor has put money aside for this fund.

Church buildings are distinctive, providing a symbol of local identity, and are a powerful visual connection to our past. I encourage local parishes to take advantage of this opportunity.”