Diocese Funds Urgent Repairs on Victorian Churches

The diocese is committed to supporting churches with the upkeep of our beautiful buildings. In the Cynon Valley and Rhondda Ministry Areas, the Diocesan Church Buildings Grant is contributing thousands of pounds to urgent repairs.

St Winifred’s Church in the Cynon Valley has been granted £3000 from the Diocese’s Church Buildings Fund for urgent repairs to its 15-year-old electrical lighting system.

The late Victorian parish church in the heart of the village of Penrhiwceiber was presented the Green Flag Community Award in 2021 and 2022 and is much loved by the community.

The application form submitted by the Vicar of St Winifred’s, Fr Stuart Ghezzi, read “The benefit of this urgent project would be that the electrical system would be made safe, the health and safety issue of having to cut power to the system from the main fuse box is removed and that the church could once again be left open during the day with low-level lighting as our risk assessment for safe opening requires and not run the risk of complete failure of the electrical system.”

The Diocese is contributing £3000 to the significant repair work on St George’s Church in Rhondda. The church will also be receiving a grant of £10,000 from the Welsh Church Act Fund to put towards the £25,000 project.

The Grade 2 listed 19th century church has had ‘major works undertaken in the past eighteen months, including the construction of a driveway from the main gates to the church hall to allow vehicle access to the hall.’ This driveway passes underneath the tower which has a water drainage problem.

While the scaffolding still stands, an inspection of the church took place and it was found that there has been some very slight movement in one corner resulting in the need to repoint a section of the wall and also replace part of the joists under the tower roof floor.

The work has been split into three phases:

Phase 1: Repair of tower beams

Phase 2: Repair and repointing of tower wall

Phase 3: Installation of drainpipe

Is your church in need of funding?

To find out if your church is eligible for the Diocesan Church Buildings Grant or Mission Fund, please go to the webpage Grants and Funding