A CHURCH in Frampton-on-Severn is to share in a £607,000 funding payout from the National Churches Trust.

St Mary the Virgin, in Frampton, will receive £10,000 help fund a small extension to house a toilet and kitchen, enabling more use of the church by the community for events and activities.

A total of 36 churches and chapels in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will benefit from the latest grants from the National Churches, the charity supporting church buildings across the UK.

Founded in 1953, the Trust has helped over 10,000 churches, chapels and meeting houses with funding for urgent repairs and to pay for the installation of fixtures to enable more places of worship to become community hubs.

Thirteen of the churches receiving funding are on Historic England’s ‘Heritage at Risk’ Register.

Broadcaster and journalist Huw Edwards is vice president of the National Churches Trust.

He said: “The UK’s churches and chapels are a treasure trove of architecture, history and faith. But these buildings don’t belong to the past. They pay a vital role in our present and future too, acting as places of worship, community centres or simply somewhere to go for quiet contemplation.”

“The cost of keeping churches and chapels wind and watertight and paying for the installation of modern facilities is far beyond the means of congregations.”

“That’s why I’m delighted that the National Churches Trust has been able to provide a £10,000 grant to St Mary the Virgin, Frampton on Severn. This funding will help ensure that the church continues to serve local people for many years to come.”

Dating back to 1315 AD, the Grade II listed church houses a 900 year old lead font, some stained glass and various effigies. The church is situated on the River Severn.