A CHURCH conservationist charity has announced more than £87,000 has been raised to make grants for restoration work thanks to community bike rides and walks.
The Dorset Historic Churches Trust’s (DHCT) annual Ride+Stride event saw hundreds of walkers, cyclist and horse riders making sponsored visits to as many churches as possible in a day, where the money raised would be passed on to the Trust.
The team that makes the greatest contribution to the event will be awarded with the Morshead Trophy which is named after Sir Owen Morshead, one of the founders of the Trust in 1960. This year’s winner is due to be announced in the next few weeks.
The DHCT has grant-aided maintenance work for churches and chapels of all Christian denominations in Dorset for over 60 years.
Total grants awarded over the last five years have averaged more than £100,000 per annum.
More than 130 Dorset parishes have sent in the sponsorship raised from the trips to help the Trust in its aim to support the repair, maintenance, and security of Dorset’s churches.
Of the 400 churches in Dorset, 45 are listed Grade 1, the highest quality ancient buildings, and over 100 are listed Grade 2 which means they are of special interest, warranting every effort to preserve them.
The priority has always been to assist with weatherproofing (roofs and stonework). In recent years significant funds have been granted to assist communities to adapt their cherished church buildings for wider use
Jeremy Selfe, Honorary Secretary of the Trust, said: “This year the Trust has made 11 grant awards, totalling £101,000. Churches aided covered a wide area of the county from St Nicholas, Silton in the north to St Michael and St George Roman Catholic church Lyme Regis in the southwest and St Nicholas, Chaldon Herring in the south.
“We are very grateful to the hundreds of people who gave their time and energy to make this possible.”
The date for next year’s Ride+Stride has already been confirmed for September, 14. More information about the Trust can be found on their website: https://www.dhct.org.uk/m/index.php
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