A £10,000 National Churches Trust Grant will help to pay for much needed community facilities for Grade II* Listed St Peter’s church in Westleigh, Leigh. The money will help pay for the installation of a kitchen, ensuring the church building can thrive today and tomorrow. St Peter's serves a community in need, ranked 392 out of 12,382 by the Church Urban Fund of Anglican parishes in the social deprivation scale. In order to establish a Community Hub in the local area the church needs to have a kitchen. There are no similar community facilities in the local area of Leigh.
When the church opened in 1881 it has cost £7,000 (equivalent to £750,000 as of 2021) and provided seating for 460 people.
Broadcaster and journalist Huw Edwards, Vice President of the National Churches Trust, has said:
"I’m delighted that St Peter is receiving funding to install much needed modern community facilities. The installation of a kitchen will mean the church can be used for a wide range of community purposes and keep the building open and in use for the benefit of local people.”
“Whether seeking quiet reflection, access to community services or as a place to worship, the National Churches Trust helps hundreds of churches each year and with the support of local people, keeps them thriving today, and tomorrow.”
Help for churches
In 2022, the National Churches Trust made over 255 grant awards to churches throughout the United Kingdom, with funding totalling more than £1.95m.
In 2023, grants continue to be available churches of any Christian denomination that are open for regular worship to fund urgent repairs, maintenance, installing loos or kitchens and feasibility studies to develop projects. Full details are at: nationalchurchestrust.org/grants