Landmark Black Country church given £175k grant to carry out urgent repair work
A landmark church has received a grant of more than £175,000 towards a vital revamp of the building.
The Heritage Lottery Fund has issued the grant of £176,100 to Grade-II listed St John’s Church in Brockmoor, near Brierley Hill.
The money will be used for the much-needed repairs and improvements.
The church was placed on the English Heritage Places of Worship Heritage at Risk register because of the need to carry out the urgent upgrade.
Work can now go ahead to repair the roof, brickwork and stonework of the church.
Facilities, including the kitchen, will be upgraded and access to the building improved in a bid to attract more visitors to the church.
Delighted
St John’s vicar, the Reverend Simon Archer, said: “Everyone here is delighted with the wonderful news that the Heritage Lottery Fund is supporting this essential work.
“Thanks to National Lottery players we can now restore the parts of the building that have caused problems with damp. We will be able to preserve this building for future generations and enable more people to learn more about its history in the community and its distinctive architecture.’’
Church bosses said the repair and conservation project would ‘enable high-level repairs and waterproofing needed to the roof and brickwork, particularly to the east end’.
St John’s is described as ‘a focal point for the community’ and is used by groups including the Little Badgers toddler group, Messy Church and youth club, as well as hosting choir concerts and parties. It hosts a weekly Place of Welcome every Saturday morning for anyone in need of a warm drink and someone to talk to.
Vanessa Harbar, head of Heritage Lottery Fund West Midlands, said: “We have been delighted to support St John’s in Brockmoor to carry out urgent repairs and engage new audiences with this much-loved local landmark.
“Thank you to the National Lottery players who have made it possible.” St John’s is one of four churches in the Brierley Hill Team.
As well as regular Sunday and midweek worship, the church is also used for Bible studies and the Place of Welcome open-church morning every Saturday.
