THE parish church in Bishop's Castle is to get a major national grant to help with repairs and renovation.

St John the Baptist, Bishop's Castle is set to benefit from a £596,000 rescue funding package from the National Churches Trust, the UK’s church repair and support charity.

It has been awarded a £10,000 National Churches Trust Community Grant to help fund a project to install a kitchen and servery, and toilets.

The kitchen and toilet project will greatly enhance the space for community use. It will be of particular help to older people and people with disabilities, for whom the lack of basic facilities is a significant disincentive to use the building for worship and other activities.

A total of 36 churches and chapels in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will benefit from the latest grants from the National Churches Trust, the UK church repair and support charity.

Top of the 2016 list of funding requests received by the charity include repairs to roofs, stonework and drainage and the provision of toilets and kitchens.

Broadcaster and Journalist Huw Edwards is Vice-President of the National Churches Trust.

“I'm delighted that this Christmas the future of St John the Baptist, Bishop's Castle is being safeguarded by a National Churches Trust grant to help fund a project to project to install a kitchen, servery and toilets,” said Huw Edwards.

“The funding will help ensure that this historic church can continue to serve local people for many years to come.

“Churches and chapels are some of the UK's best loved buildings. But their future is not guaranteed.”