Article from ‘The Bridge’ February 2018

We’re Moving Forward!

Following a quiet few months, while we took stock of the new situation after our original Heritage Lottery Fund application was refused back in September, we are now on the chase again!

Our original bid was to the Heritage Lottery Fund’s “Grants for Places of Worship” scheme. This offered grants of up to £250,000 to churches and other places of worship – and that would have gone about halfway towards the cost of repairing the roof of St Andrew’s. This “GPOW” scheme has now finished. The good news is that we can now apply for a bigger pot of money. The bad news is that we will be in competition with a much wider collection of projects.

Building for the Community
Competition for Lottery money is very keen. If we are to have any chance, we will need to put in a very well-researched and coherent bid. Our bid must show that our project will have suitable outcomes for the whole community. It is, after all, the community that provides the funding through their Lottery tickets!

However, we are working to a very tight timetable and hope to submit our initial application at the beginning of June!

The Repair and Renovation Working Group will meet at the end of January to work out exactly what work we want to bid for. That will be followed on 19th February with an important consultation with various community groups so that we can listen to their priorities and ideas. A number of significant groups have been invited to a Community Forum; among them are the local Parish Councils and Meetings, the schools, the pub and the Institute. In next month’s magazine, we will be able to spell out the detail of the various elements of our bid and we’ll be holding open meetings so that everyone can hear about progress. As well as carrying out much-needed repairs we hope to make the church fit for community use for years to come and are investigating running water and drainage, level
access, toilet, and simple kitchen facilities improved heating and lighting.

The brutal truth is that, if we are not able to do anything, then we face the real danger of looking at a closed building with a rotting roof and decaying pews. St Andrew’s is more than just a church, however ancient and iconic. It is a building that is set in the midst of a caring community and it needs to take its place as a vibrant member of that community. Building for the Community describes both a physical building and an active process as we move forward into a new era.

Can you help? The Repair and Renovation Group is in need of someone to act as
a secretary. If you can spare some time to help, please contact: renovation@kildwick.org.uk