Lottery support helps church build for future

A church has received support from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) as it plans vital repair work.

The north aisle wall at St Swithun’s Church, Long Bennington, needs to be stabilised and the chancel roof repaired.

It has been allocated £16,900 to continue the initial development phase of its plans.

Detailed proposals will be considered by the HLF later this year, when a final decision will be made on the full funding award of £159,700.

The estimated cost of the overall project, due to be completed by the end of 2019, is £252,888.

Mr Phil Owen, joint project co-ordinator, said funding would play a vital role in fixing some of the problems.

“Without the lottery players, St Swithun’s Church would have had a very challenging future just to stay open,” he said.

“The wall is moving because there is no foundation.

“What we don’t know for sure is why it is moving more than it has done in the past.

“The cross beams on the chancel roof are rotten so we will be looking at different ways to repair the ends.”

It is part of ongoing work on a range of projects to repair the church and sustain its role in the community.

A new church path with associated lighting and a major restoration of the church organ was completed last year.

'We have got a good strong community'

The vicar, the Rev Harriet Orridge, said the work was vital for the future of the church.

“The church has been standing for over 800 years and we want it to still be here for another 800 years,” she said.

“There have been marriages, baptisms, and funerals here for generations of families and we want to keep that going.

“We have got a good strong community who are active with the church and their goodwill is huge.

“They help us a lot with fundraising time and time again that helps to keep the church going.”

Mr Gareth Dawkins, chairman of the parish council, said: “It is nice to know that National Lottery players have helped to preserve the traditional way of life in Long Bennington for years to come.”

The church will take part in a number of fundraising projects, with an Armistice centenary exhibition due to take place from mid-July.

Around 1,500 poppies will be knitted by villagers, some carrying the names of people involved in the first world war.

The church is also working with the village primary school on a presentation detailing life in Long Bennington during the war compared with the present day.