The LeicesterShire Historic Churches Trust (LHCT) has been awarded £50,000 by Allchurches Trust to assist churches that wish to install a roof alarm. Since August 2018, fifteen churches have been awarded grants and the scheme runs until 31 July 2020, or earlier if the funds are exhausted.
Allchurches Trust have now given discretion to LHCT to award grants in two ways:-
- A baseline grant of up to £1,000 for every church that applies to the roof alarm scheme.
- A further discretionary grant of up to £1,500 which LHCT will award under certain circumstances – for instance, where a church has suffered multiple lead thefts, or where the roof alarm scheme is complex and therefore more expensive.
- The total grant awarded (baseline grant plus any discretionary grant) cannot exceed 50% of the costs of installation (excl VAT which is reclaimable through the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme) and the PCC must commit to maintaining the alarm system for a minimum of 5 years.
LHCT is delighted and thankful that Allchurches Trust have agreed to amend the scheme to enable greater flexibility in the amount of grant that can be awarded to churches for a roof alarm.
Please Note:-
- Grants cannot be awarded retrospectively so please apply in good time.
- Grants can be awarded before permission is obtained through the Faculty system so please enquire about applying for a grant at an early stage. (LHCT has set up a speedy system for dealing with roof alarm applications and can usually give approval within a week of the application being received.)
- Parishes should not apply direct to Allchurches Trust for a roof alarm grant as this will invalidate an application to the LHCT/Allchurches roof alarm scheme.
To apply for a roof alarm grant, please contact:-
Vicki Dolphin, Grants Administrator for LHCT - vicki.dolphin.lhct@gmail.com / 01455 250613 / 07761 436223
Janet Arthur, Chair of LHCT - chairman@lhct.org.uk / 0116 279 3995 / 07840 543288
(It’s best to contact both of us so that these applications are dealt with as quickly as possible – thank you!)
