A CHURCH in Oxenhope is celebrating after receiving £10,000 from the Yorkshire Historic Churches Trust for urgent roof repair works.

St Mary the Virgin is a Grade II listed church, with links to the Brontes and it was was granted the funding at a recent committee which saw more than £50,000 allocated to ten of the region’s most vulnerable places of worship.

The YHCT works to ensure these places of worship are kept in good repair, recognising the contribution they make to society at large and the support they provide to local communities, especially over the past year.

Reverend Cat Thatcher, vicar of Oxenhope, said: “We are delighted to receive this generous grant from Yorkshire Historic Churches Trust. With it we are able to undertake repairs to the roof, and at the same time to have the roof insulated. This will not only make the building warmer, particularly in winter, but will also contribute to the reduction of our carbon footprint, which is something we are very keen to do.”

Tom Ramsden, chairman of the Yorkshire Historic Churches Trust, said: “Thanks to the generosity of our Friends and donors, we have been able to support a wide range of places of worship, from a Methodist Chapel in the centre of a busy town to an Evangelical Congregational Church in Swaledale. Over the past year we have witnessed the important role churches play in bringing their local communities together and helping them thrive. Now, more than ever, they need our help to ensure those churches continue to support their communities for many years to come."

You can become a Friend of the Trust and help support local places of worship from as little as £35 per year. For more details visit yhct.org.uk.