CHURCHES in Dorset are set to benefit from £100,000 in grants from the Dorset Historic Church Trust this year, it has been announced.

These grants will be awarded to churches for vital repairs, maintenance and restoration work.

Grants amounting to £36,000 have already been allocated to parish churches across Dorset, including Charmouth, Compton Valence, Corfe Castle, Motcombe, Powerstock, Sturminster Newton, West Stafford, Winterbourne Whitechurch, Wootton Fitzpaine and St Peter and St Paul’s Church in Blandford.

These churches will use the money for a variety of purposes, including fixing roofs, repairing leaded windows and renewing electrical wiring.

Funds have also been given for the installation of a server to make one of the churches more widely usable.

The Dorset Historic Churches Trust is a voluntary run charity, which was established by Sir Owen Morshead in 1960. It provides assistance to Dorset’s churches and chapels of all Christian Denominations to assist with increasing costs of maintenance, restoration and improving facilities.

The charity’s main source of fundraising comes from the annual Ride and Stride event. This year’s Ride and Stride event will involve more than 200 parish and church communities across the county.

Last year the event raised a record £80,000 for the trust - £8,000 more than it did in 2013.

Details of how to take part will be found in churches from July along with contact details for parish organisers.

Simon Pomeroy, chairman of DHCT, commented: “The Dorset Historic Churches Trust is looking forward to an exciting year ahead and we’re thrilled to be able to help preserve beautiful churches across Dorset.

“The repair works we help fund are often desperately needed and we rely on fundraising activity and donations by our many supporters and especially the Friends of the Dorset Historic Churches Trust to make our work possible.

“We would like to say thank you to everyone who took part in our Ride and Stride event in 2014 and hope as many – if not more – people will join in the fun this year.”

The Dorset Historic Churches Trust is always on the lookout for individuals with an interest in churches to become actively involved with the Trust. For more information visit dorsethistoricchurchestrust.co.uk

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