VITAL repairs are to be carried out at an historic Yeadon church thanks to a grant of thousands of pounds.

St John's has received £3,500 towards roof and gutter repairs from the Yorkshire Historic Churches Trust (YHCT).

Built in 1844, the busy church hosts a range of clubs for the local community.

The church has a long history and was built to provide a more local place of worship for the people of Yeadon, who had previously had to trudge across the fields and becks to St Oswald’s in Guiseley.

The Chancel underwent a full reorder in January 2013, which saw the removal of the choir pews, pulpit and lectern, the levelling of the floor throughout and new heating and lighting. The changes provided a more practical space for use in services and community activities.

The funding, along with £8,000 the congregation has raised, means the repair work can now begin.

The Rev Richard Walker, vicar at St John’s, said: "The award from the Yorkshire Historic Churches Trust is fantastic news.

"St John’s is a growing church at the heart of the community in Yeadon, and these repairs are vital in order to protect the building from further water damage and ensure we can continue to offer a warm, safe and welcoming place to worship."

YHCT chairman, David Quick, said: "We are delighted to be able to award St John’s this grant as it is a fantastic example of an important community church, with a long history.

"So many of our best-loved places of worship desperately need our help in order to fund essential repairs, not only to continue to offer a place of worship, but also a much-needed space for all the community to use."

He added: "We rely on the generosity of friends, trusts and members of the business community to ensure we can continue the never-ending task of caring for our precious places of worship. We’d love to welcome more friends and members. Please do visit our website and consider joining us."

The YHCT, which provides funds for the repair, maintenance and restoration of the counties churches, chapel and meeting houses, made awards totalling £48,000 to 12 churches across Yorkshire at its recent grants committee.

The grants will fund vital repairs to the roofs, windows and ancient stonework of some of Yorkshire’s most vulnerable places of worship.

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