Grants Awarded

Hetton Methodist Church, Hetton le Hole was recently awarded £9110 by NHCT for window frames replacement. The Church which is commonly known as "The Miners Chapel" due to the fact it was built by the miners is a significant part of the whole community not only as a place of worship but a place of many community activities. All Civic services are normally held here too. 

St Michael and All Angels, Felton was recently awarded £2,000 by NHCT for a new efficient oil-fired boiler. Located on the Western edge of Felton, St Michael’s is the only remaining church in the village and is the focal point for all religious ceremonies in the village. In addition to regular services, it provides for baptisms, weddings, funerals and other life events. It is used daily by villagers and visitors for prayer, quiet meditation and peace.  

NHCT recently awarded Christ Church, North Shields £5,000 towards repointing Tower, repair glass and frames. Christ Church is the Parish Church of North Shields with a mixed demography. There are over 20,000 people in the Parish. The congregation supports a wide variety of activities and organisations. It is estimated over 10,000 people come through the doors in one year via baptisms, funerals, weddings and community involvement. 

St Cuthbert’s Church, Darlington was recently awarded £5,000 from NHCT for Roof Works. The church was commenced in 1180 by Bishop Le Puiset and largely complete by the mid 14th century. The distinctive grandeur stems from its collegiate role which is reflected in the prominent west doorway, provided for the solemn entry of the bishop and the spacious cross plan. St. Cuthbert’s Church is an iconic landmark in Darlington at the centre of the town for over 800 years serving worship,
civic and community needs of the people. It is seen as a special and important church, including by Darlington Council and Durham Diocese, both of whom have significant interests in its livelihood and sustainability.

Church of St John the Evangelist, Otterburn was recently awarded £4,000 for Guttering Works. The Church is a prominent feature on the main A696 through Otterburn (this route runs from Newcastle up over the border in the Scotland). The foundation stone of the church was laid in September 1855 and the church dedicated in October 1857. It has served the community since then, including the Otterburn Army Training Estate, built in 1911 and for many years featuring a significant permanent presence. Close links have always been maintained with the local primary school and with residents of local sheltered and social housing.

St Cuthbert’s Church, Marley Hill was recently awarded £6,000 to remove and replace boilers. St Cuthbert’s seats 120 people and is built in the Gothic style with the original influence being the Architecture of 12th Century France. The church was registered in 1869 and the Parish of Hillside was later established in 2004 when St Cuthberts, Marley Hill and All Saints, Lobley Hill were united under one incumbent. The official title for the two churches is the Parish of Hillside and the churches
are approximately three miles apart. The church aims to maintain a Christian/C of E presence in the community of Marley Hill and Sunniside and is well used by the local community for a variety of events. 

St John The Baptist Church, Alnmouth was recently awarded £4,100 by NHCT for providing 2 handrails and remove 2 protruding pew platforms at the front of Nave (to resolve health and safety issues and improve mobility access). The church is situated on Alnmouth’s main street, Northumberland Street, and in its Conservation Area, an imposing building surrounded by the only green space on the street. It is the third Anglican church to serve the community, earlier churches dating back to 10thC being on separate sites on either side of the estuary. A traditional parish church, it was built on land given by the 6th Duke of Northumberland. It holds community events e.g. Alnmouth Arts Festival hosting concerts, workshops and art exhibitions; village Christmas Lights Switch on from Church Green; Summer fete ; concerts and recitals; information for visitors including those on pilgrim trails; away days/quiet days by other parishes.

Northumbria Historic Churches Trust recently awarded the church £4,000 to go towards roof works. The Methodist Church that supports a congregation from the villages of Warden, Fourstones and Newbrough. Apart from weekly Sunday services (sometimes shared with a federated Methodist church in a nearby town). It holds a popular mid-week Messy Vintage - service with craft activity, mainly for pensioners. It holds regular outreach coffee mornings for charitable causes and is a collection centre for Ukraine refugee donations and the local foodbank. It is an emergency refuge for the Primary School across the road and is the centre for the school's presentation days.

Holy Trinity Church was recently awarded £5,000 from NHCT to assist with the replacement of electrical distribution system/electrical heaters.  Holy Trinity church is on the highpoint of the village, next to the community orchard.
It is Grade 2 listed and built in 1842 as a landmark to be seen across the newly created parish. Holy Trinity is a Parish Church within the Benefice of Kirkwhelpington, Kirkharle, Kirkheaton and Cambo with an electoral roll of 18, with two services each month with a congregation average of 22, and a seating capacity of 100. The church is used by Cambo Primary School for end of term assemblies and for holding choral concerts.  

St Michael and All Angels Church, Esh were recently awarded £5,000 from NHCT towards the costs of roof work/repointing.  The village church in Esh dates from 1283 although it was heavily restored in 1770 and again in 1850. King Edward I attended Mass on the 10th September 1306 while on his way from Durham to Hexham and left an offering of seven shillings. The church now consists of Nave and Chancel all under the one roof, South Transept and South Porch adjoining the Nave, and Vestry on the north side of the Chancel. A small stone bellcote surmounts the West gable.

NHCT recently awarded Holy Paraclete, Kirkhaugh £6,532 towards the costs to repair the boiler house roof.  Unique in its dedication to the Holy Paraclete, a church has stood on this site since the 13th century and a Saxon Cross stands in the Churchyard. The church is well supported by the scattered local community and is used as a quiet place for meditation and often used by walkers as a refuge from the weather and somewhere to make themselves refreshments. It is a popular wedding venue and the churchyard remains open for burials.

St Andrew's Church was recently awarded £7,326 by NHCT to go towards Stained glass window repairs. The original Chapel was built in 1905 with two storeys and was extended in 1937 to add the Community Hall. The Liddell Hall was added in 1957. Older parts of the building are constructed with solid stone walls with slate roofs. The main purpose of the Church is to advance the Christian faith in our local communities in accordance with the principles and practices of the Methodist and United Reformed Churches. It does a great deal with local communities, including (but not restricted to) the elderly, the young and other groups with particular needs.

NHCT recently awarded the church £5,000 towards the cost to repoint and repair the external stonework. The church stands proudly at the heart of a historic village. Bishopton's long history can boast earthworks of a motte-and-bailey castle which lie 500 meters from the church and are a scheduled (EH) monument. St Peter's is one of four churches within the Stockton Country Parish but is the only place of worship in Bishopton - the closest church having recently closed. The church has close links with the village school and reaches out to the needs of the local community and beyond. Sunday services alternate throughout the month, meaning that each church holds one service per month. However the church is always available for life events as required and is also used for school services and for community events, eg concerts and special Xmas celebrations.

St Mary the Virgin Church was recently awarded £10,000 from NHCT for various electrical works and redecoration. The Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin is the parish church of Morpeth, having stood since the 12th Century, representing the traditional setting and forms of Anglican Christian worship in the town. Deterioration in the fabric of the Grade 1-listed building, and the changing needs of modern worship, make it increasingly urgent to modernise the electrical wiring, develop internet connectivity to support remote participation in worship and electronic giving, and to restore the décor of the building in all areas. Music is of central importance to the congregation, and the church building is currently used by the community for school events, weddings [rarely], baptisms and funerals.

NHCT recently awarded St Cuthbert’s church a grant of £7,500 towards a new heating system.  The church is set on a rise above the North Tyne River in the centre of the village of Bellingham. It is by far the oldest building in the village with foundations dating back to around 1180. The C17th barrel-vaulted roof is exceptional in Northumberland. There are regular services in the church and the tranquil atmosphere of this ancient church is something much loved by the congregation, the wider community and all those seeking a peaceful place in Bellingham. The heritage of the church and its connection with the Border Reivers make it important for local history. The legend of the ‘Lang Pack’ (an 18th century tale of a would-be robber whose grave is in the churchyard) features in many guides to Bellingham. The church has many visitors who come to see the unique stone roof and the nearby St Cuthbert’s (Cuddy’s) Well – a holy well said to have been blessed by St Cuthbert in the 7th century. Baptisms, weddings, and funerals are still important and well attended events and as such the church is of high significance to the local community. 

Holy Sepulchre Church was recently awarded £5,000 towards the costs for stonemasonry works to the church that are required.  Holy Sepulchre Church is a well-used place of worship in the heart of Ashington, and a beacon of hope and hospitality in a less privileged community. It is a much-loved parish church with strong clergy and lay leadership. It was built by the mining community, for the mining community in the 1800s, a fact that is still highly visible and relevant today; for example in the prominent miners chapel. The church's building is an important home to community groups, nearby school groups, concerts, and community fairs across the year. The graveyard is also home to a number of Commonwealth war graves. 

NHCT recently awarded St Peter's Church a grant of £7,500 towards upgrading the kitchen facilities at the church. St Peter’s is a Church of England parish church on Yarm Road in the south of Stockton-on-Tees. Originally situated in a wealthy part of the borough, the parish has experienced significant economic, demographic and social change since its founding in 1875. They now find themselves ministering in the context of pronounced urban poverty in an area that has also seen a large increase in asylum seekers and refugees from around the world.

NHCT recently awarded St Luke’s Church £7,500 towards the costs for repairs to the Bell Tower and Louvres, removal of flaking paint and redecoration.  St Luke's was re-established about 15 years ago as the only Charismatic Anglican Church in the centre of Newcastle. It has since been a significant space, particularly in establishing one of the region's most fruitful prison ministries, establishing a unique worshipping community made up of ex-offenders, those with a history of drug use, and others from the margins of society. After a more recent decline in numbers, St Luke's is receiving a church graft from St Thomas' Newcastle, the new diocesan resource church. A new church leader along with a small group from the St Thomas' congregation will graft into St Luke's to help sustain and revitalise the ministry there.

We are pleased to announce that Holy Trinity Church was recently awarded £5,000 towards a repointing project.  Holy Trinity is a multi-generational parish church based in Jesmond Vale and Sandyford. We seek to follow Jesus, serve and love our community. We have a weekly toddler's group, a weekly senior citizens lunch group and a monthly messy church activity. All of these activities are attended by members of the local community. Average weekly church attendance is 160.

St James’ Church was recently awarded £25,000 towards roof repairs. It has an impressive track record of serving this community, reaching many of the most vulnerable, whatever their background or beliefs. It is now open 6 days a week with hundreds of people visiting for welfare support, community cafe, art club, writing club, local history group, churchyard gardening group, asylum seeker support, and more! St James’ was built in 1833 to a design by John Dobson and is a sacred space that holds the stories of a community that has known much instability and trauma. As one of the few heritage buildings to have survived successive waves of demolition in Benwell, it is a key landmark in an area amongst the most deprived in the country.

NHCT recently awarded £10,000 to St John the Evangelist Church in Wallsend, Tyne and Wear for a new access ramp and toilet.  The Church Community was begun in 1932 to serve the then new housing being built to the north of Wallsend town centre. Originally the Church met in a hall (now the Wallsend Sea Cadet Hall) to the rear of the current Church. New housing is still being built in the parish which is primarily residential. The Church has strong links with the two state schools in the area, the Wallsend Sea Cadets, regularly welcomes local families for baptism and is developing a regular children's ministry.

St Mary Magdalene Church has recently been awarded £2949.30 for a new efficient gas boiler to replace the existing one.  The church is Grade 1 listed and built in the 12th. century. The church is central and focus point to village life. It is open for adult and children's art and craft groups, Warm Space, coffee mornings and fayres, as well as Services and Remembrance Day Services. The local church school uses the church regularly for school services such as Harvest, Easter, Christmas and Leavers Services.

NHCT recently awarded St Mungo's Church, Simonburn, Northumberland a grant for the amount of £10,000 towards the costs for works to stabilise the kempe stained glass window. St Mungo's Church is Grade 2* listed and a 13th century village church, on the edge of the village green and was the church for the Greater Parish of Simonburn, stretching down the Tyne Valley from Carter Bar to Hadrian's Wall. It is the largest building in the village and is used, in conjunction with the old School (now Village Hall) for community events and celebrations.

St Hilda's, Lucker in Northumberland was awared a grant of £8000 towards roof works, rainwater goods and re-pointing at the meeting in April 2023.  There was a church here in Saxon times, St Hilda's is the 6th to be built on this site. It is a fine Grade 2 listed building, with notable interior features - stained glass of exceptional quality and a pulpit and chancel stalls, carved in oak by local craftsmen more than 100 years ago.  St Hilda's today is active and hard at work - the focal point of a community under increasing economic pressure. Income levels in the parish are among the lowest in the Newcastle diocese; the pandemic and the cost of living crisis have been difficult. It is open to everyone, 24/365, with services twice a week. During lockdowns it maintained a prayer corner, kept safe and sanitised, every day - "Thank you for being open" appears often in the visitor's book. They are sustained by generous giving and active fund raising. 

We are pleased to announce that St John the Baptist Church in Greatham, Durham was awarded £10,000 towards various works including a new drainage system, stonemasonry repairs, repointing walls and repairs to stained glass windows. The Church is Grade II* listed, dating back to 1246, and erected over an early Saxon building. The tower was built in 1909, and the bells cast by John Taylor of Loughborough in 1931. 

St Hild and St Helen Church, Seaham has been awarded £1650 towards the cost of a new boiler installation. The church is Grade 2 Listed and was built in 1912.  The church actively supports the local community with lots of different activities, including a free wedding service and additional wedding facilities, and also helps run a Food Bank.

A grant of £5000 has been awarded to St Ives, Leadgate  towards the structural repair of chancel walls. The church is Grade 2 Listed, designed by the architect Charles Hodgson, and was built in 1865. The church is known locally as the "Miners Cathedral". The church is made of sandstone, and has a Welsh slate roof. Currently, the church is registered as "at risk " by Historic England. Inside the church, in pride of place, is the Eden Lodge banner which was, in the past, proudly paraded at the Durham.  St Ives is the primary centre for worship in Leadgate. Church services are every Wednesday and Sunday, and average attendance is around 30. For major festivals such as Harvest the numbers swell to 150 or more. 

NHCT recently awarded St Gabriel's Church, Heaton £10,000 towards new lighting/wiring.  The church is Grade 2 Listed and was built in 1899.  The church was built on land given by Lord Armstrong at a time when Heaton was expanding to meet the needs of local industry. It is constructed in snecked sandstone with Westmoreland slate.  It is an active church hosting and running many religious and community activities. 

Holy Trinity Church, Wingate, County Durham received £3000 towards window repairs. The church is Grade ll Listed and was built in 1841. A traditional Victorian parish church serving an ex-mining community, it provides an important focal point.

St Saviour’s Church Shotton Colliery received £5000 towards re-plastering. The church was built in 1854 and sits within an ex-mining community. The church is well used and acts as a hub for the local community and groups.

The Church of St Philip and St James in Kimblesworth was awarded £5000 towards repair of the roof and water table. The church was originally built in 1892-3, with the east end being extensively altered in 1929-30. The church stands on the edge of the village in a prominent position and has strong links with the community and local groups.

The Church of St Michael in Heighington, County Durham, received £2000 towards an upgrade of their lighting system. The church is Grade l Listed. Built in the 12th century ,it is a place of worship for both Methodist and Anglican communities as well as providing a focal point for the community

The Trustees of NHCT awarded All Saints Church, Lobley Hill, Gateshead £5000 towards stonework. The church was built in 1939 on land owned by the Ravensworth estate and was built in memory of the Ravensworth Liddell family. The church holds a central and supportive role in the Lobley Hill Community and it is used regularly.

St Michael and All Angels Church in Felton received £3000 towards window repairs. The church is Grade l Listed and situated in a conservation area. The original church was built in the 12th century. The North and South aisles are thought to have been constructed in the 14th century. It is the only remaining church in the village and is used regularly by villagers and visitors.

St Helen’s Church, Cornhill-on Tweed received £5000 for window conservation. The church is Grade ll Listed and is of Saxon origin, rebuilt in the 18^th century and extended in the 19^th century. The East Window, memorial to the 11^th Earl of Home, is by AO Hemming and has been noted as being of national heritage importance

The Church of St Philip and St James in Rock received £5000 towards re-wiring. The church is 12th century with Norman features. The church is currently the only building in the village available for community use.

The Trust awarded St Mary’s Church Easington £1800 towards electrical repairs. It is believed that St Mary’s is among the finest ancient churches in the county of Durham, having a stately grandeur commensurate with its status as one of the principal churches of the medieval Diocese. St Mary’s is a prominent landmark situated on high ground to the west of the old village of Easington.

The Church of St John of Beverley in Haydon Bridge received £5000 towards glass repairs. Built in 1872, it is a small well-executed ashlar church in Early English Gothic style. The east wall of the church houses a memorial three light stained-glass window depicting The Crucifixion; it is dated 1902 and signed the studio of Atkinson Bros of Newcastle. St John’s is central to the local Catholic community

St Cuthbert’s Church Allendale was awarded £4825 towards repairs to their entrance porch. Built in 1804, the church was restored in 1873 by Austin and Johnson. With a centre nave and two side aisles, it has an elaborate alabaster and mosaic reredos.

St Chad’s Church in Bensham, Gateshead received £5000 towards roof repairs. St Chad’s was consecrated in 1903 and built to a design by William Searle Hicks in a High-Victorian Gothic style with Arts and Crafts tendencies. It was built through the endowment of Emily Easton a local social philanthropist who wished to build a ‘cathedral of the working man’ for the Bensham community to equal the splendour of Durham Cathedral.

Darlington Northgate United Reformed Church received £5000 towards internal beam repairs. The Church building is Grade ll listed and was built in 1869 on a prominent position on the approach road to Darlington from the north.

Great Bavington United Reformed Church in Northumberland was awarded £4498 towards the cost of improved ventilation of the roof. The church was built around 1693, and is the second-oldest former Presbyterian church in England which is still used for worship.

Hexham Abbey received £10,000 towards Stained Glass window repairs. The Abbey is an important link in the Northumbrian chain of Christianity. Its outstanding character and association with St Wilfrid with original crypt dating back to 674AD, place it as one of the ecclesiastical jewels in the Diocese’s crown. 120,000 visitors attend the Abbey each yearly for services, heritage and quiet spaces.

St John’s Church, Whorlton which serves Whorlton and Westerhope in Newcastle, was awarded £5000 towards roof repairs. The church was built in 1866 initially as a chapel of ease to serve a congregation of 200 before eventually becoming a parish in its own right. The building, although not listed, has a unique design reflecting its evolutionary history.