Trust awards £40,000 in repair and restoration grants in April

The Sussex Historic Churches Trust (SHCT) has awarded £40,000 in its latest round of grants in April including a record-breaking £24,000 to the 12th-century Grade II* listed St Mary’s in Binsted.

Grants from the Trust play an invaluable role, countywide, in helping churches carry out essential care and conservation of their historic buildings and the grants are often the ‘make or break’ factor in enabling church repairs to go ahead.

To read more about earlier church ‘success stories’, please visit our news page.

The latest round of grants reflects both the scale of need and the deep commitment of local communities to maintaining these precious places of worship and heritage. The next Trust meeting is on September 8 – please note the application deadline is two weeks before each meeting. For full details, visit our Grants page.

The £24,000 grant to St Mary’s is the largest grant SHCT has ever made to a parish church and is set to make a real difference to the parish’s ambitious programme of works. The project includes replastering and redecorating the church interior, repairing glass windows and timber in the porch, and repointing the external walls. Together, these works will help secure the building’s future and enhance its welcome for all who visit.

St Mary’s also holds tiny fragments of medieval wall paintings - a quiet reminder of the long story of worship and community life held within its walls. While not part of this particular project, they offer a glimpse into the rich heritage that efforts like this help to preserve.

Other grants awarded in the April awards round were Chichester Cathedral (£2,000), St Catherine of Siena, Cocking (£5,000), St Mark, Hadlow Down (£4,000), St Augustine, Scaynes Hill (£3,000) and Holy Innocents, Southwater (£2,000).

Each of these grants represents an invaluable partnership between SHCT and local churches, enabling vital repairs and improvements that might otherwise be out of reach.

Ride + Stride fundraiser!

Looking ahead, parishes are warmly encouraged to support the Trust’s most important fundraising event of the year: Ride + Stride, which takes place on Saturday, 12 September. This much-loved event plays a crucial role in making grants like these possible.

All churches can take part, and it’s easy to get involved. All funds raised during Ride + Stride are split equally between the church and the Trust.

Offering a warm welcome to participants (and possibly refreshments!) is a real bonus but, if it’s not possible for the church to be manned, then simply ensuring that the doors are open and providing sign-in sheets for sponsored cyclists and walkers makes a real contribution.

Many churches choose to combine the day with other activities, creating a special occasion that draws in visitors and strengthens community connections. Some parishes even organise their own Ride + Stride routes, raising funds both for SHCT and for their own church. It’s a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our church buildings, encourage exploration, and share in a county-wide effort to care for them.

If you’re planning something special for this year’s Ride + Stride, do let us know via our Contact Page!

How to amend your Ride + Stride details

All churches are encouraged to check their Ride + Stride availability and services on this page - www.sussexhistoricchurchestrust.org.uk/ride-stride/ride-stride-info-for-churches  - where you will find full instructions for how to edit details.

Together, through practical support and shared enthusiasm, we can ensure that Sussex’s churches continue to thrive for generations to come.