A CHURCH in Old Sodbury has been granted £34,900 to fund vital roof repairs through a government scheme.


St John the Baptist Church is one of 85 places of worship in the South West, including 13 in Gloucestershire, to benefit from the government £4.5 million of grants to address urgent repairs through the Listed Places of Worship: Roof Repair Fund.


The Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne announced the first round of historic places of worship to benefit from the fund on March 26.


The church in Old Sodbury can now carry out repair work to ensure the building is weathertight, safe and open for use.


Richard Kingscott, church council member who was involved in applying for the grant, said: “We are absolutely delighted with the money.


“The money will really help fund our roof repairs as we have had problems with water coming through part of the roof into the church.


“We have to have a church architect conduct a report of the building every five years and in 2011, he advised us that all the water pipes would need refurbishment.


“Two years ago, we had more leakage problems and needed urgent repairs, and when these were carried out, we discovered that it was a waste of time trying to fix it and that it had to be replaced.


“For the entire roof repairs we are looking for funding in the region of around £54,000 so are looking to obtain further funding from grants and locally, and are continuing to raise money through the group Friends of the Church, who hold functions in the village and raise around £5,000 a year in doing so.


“We hope for the repair work to get underway in September before the Christmas period."


The Rt Revd Dr John Inge, lead bishop for the Church of England’s cathedrals and church buildings, said: “The parish churches of our land are jewels in the crown of our national heritage.


"This will enable these wonderful buildings the better to be used to serve the communities at the heart of which they stand, now and in the future.”