Yorkshire churches given funding boost to help with "vital" repairs

The church has been fundraising to secure the window which contains medieval glass

By Sophie McCandlish

Published 15th May 2022, 06:00 BST

The Yorkshire Historic Churches Trust (YHCT) has presented the funding to a wide range of churches from St Cuthberts, a large urban church in Bradford, to St Mary’s, a rural North Yorkshire church in Hutton Magna, which acts as a local food bank.

The YHCT said the funding provides a “vital lifeline” for places of worship which have been unable to carry out their usual fundraising activities over the past two years at a time when many are increasingly providing a number of essential services to the local community.

The grants provided by the charity are often awarded alongside other larger national grants, which means vital repair works can get underway.

The church in Winestead, East Riding has been given a grant of £6,000.

St Mary the Virgin in Woodkirk has been fundraising to repair its historic East window.

Dating from around 1100, with the original tower still in place, the remainder of the church was rebuilt in the 1830s after a storm blew the roof in during 1832. The East window contains fragments of medieval stained glass and repairs are now needed in order to secure the window.

The Reverend Sharon Wilkinson, who has just raised £4,000 through a sponsored walk, said she is determined to see the project completed before she retires.

“We are delighted to have been awarded this grant from the YHCT,” said Rev Wilkinson.

“Our beautiful East window is over 150 years old and is now in need of urgent repair to ensure it can be in place for another 150 years.

“St Mary’s is well loved and much used by both the congregation and the local community, who have pulled together to help with fundraising. We have held tea parties, tours and open days to raise funds and I am undertaking another sponsored walk in September.”

Another recipient is the Grade I listed St Germain’s church at Winestead, in the East Riding, which received £6,000 for vital roof repairs.

Dating back to the 12th century, St Germain’s houses some of the only remaining fragments of medieval glass in Holderness.

After a spate of lead thefts in the 1980s, a new roof was added but the trust said over the years water has been getting in and the guttering and roof is now in need of repair. It received £6,000.

“Thanks to the generosity of our friends and donors, we have been able to support a range of places of worship,” said YHCT chair, Tom Ramsden.