Salford benefits from £1.8 Million Building Pilot

Thursday 16th January 2020

A £1.8 million pilot scheme to help listed places of worship has provided grants towards repairs at 54 historic buildings in its first year.

The Taylor Review pilot scheme, which was launched in September 2018, provides advice, guidance and financial support to listed places of worship of all faiths and denominations in Greater Manchester and Suffolk in order to build a sustainable future for these important historic buildings.

Thanks to this scheme, maintenance and urgent repair works have been brought forward by congregations who may have previously been unable to afford such works to keep buildings stable and weatherproof. In total, 54 places of worship in Greater Manchester and Suffolk have received support and been offered advice, with work underway on a number of other projects as the pilot enters its final year.

Four of our diocesan churches benefited from the pilot, as well as the Church of All Saints in Barton which is in our diocese and is run by Greyfriars religious order.

St John the Baptist, Rochdale, the Hidden Gem in Manchester, St Wilibrord’s in Clayton and Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Blackley all benefited from the pilot, receiving grants for gutter clearances and repairs to roof and leadwork.

Father Agnellus M. Murphy, Administrator of All Saints Church, said:  “What an excellent initiative! The Taylor Review Pilot has done so much more than provide a grant to help with some necessary maintenance work on our church. Through a programme of excellent workshops, and helpful meetings with dedicated experts from the Taylor Review Pilot team, it has equipped us to plan and carry out projects for our church.

“I have gained a much better understanding of the whole process of project management, and I feel I know how to go about getting support and help in the future. The whole project seems to me to be an example of resource management at its best. We are really grateful.”

A report will be published in Summer 2020 to evidence the first seven months of the scheme, and to establish whether it will be rolled out nationally. 

 

 

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