Pembridge Church has received a grant of £10,800 from the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund to help us to recover and reopen after lockdown.

Nearly £400 million has been awarded to thousands of cultural organisations across the country, including Pembridge Church, in the latest round of support from the Culture Recovery Fund, the Culture Secretary announced today.

In 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic meant that nearly all planned fundraising and income generation for the upkeep and maintenance of the church was cancelled and we have nearly used up our limited financial reserves. We rely heavily on visitor donations and fundraising activity to meet our operating costs through the year, and have nearly expended our remaining reserves while, in line with government guidelines, St Mary’s Church has been closed to both its congregation and other visitors.

This grant from the Culture Recovery Fund will help us to open and recover by making the church as safe as possible for our congregation and the many visitors who come to see the church and the Pembridge Tapestries. It will also help us to build up our reserves until we are able to start our fundraising once more.

We were thrilled to hear we have received funding as thanks to the government’s CultureRecoveryFund we can continue to be here for you and HereForCulture.