A CHURCH is well on its way to funding the second phase of an improvement project thanks to its second grant in recent months.

St John’s Church in Sharow, Ripon, has been awarded £42,262 from WREN, a non-profit making environmental body which funds projects under the Landfill Communities Fund, the second part of its Vision Project.

The cash comes just a month after the church netted £520,000 from the Heritage Lottery, which has been set aside to transform its Georgian church into a vibrant venue, while tackling parking issues that have dogged the village in recent years.

The money awarded by WREN’s FCC Community Action Fund will be used to build a new kitchen and toilets, to help improve existing facilities to complement the much-increased performance and community use of St John’s Sharow, as well as to provide level access throughout the ground floor and external space for maximum accessibility.

The Very Revd John Dobson, Dean of Ripon who is the incumbent of Sharow said, "I was very pleased to learn that WREN is also supporting this exciting and far-reaching Heritage Lottery Fund-backed project.

“It betrays a welcome desire to enhance the lives of those engaging in local community and is a great boost for the very able team that is leading this project forward.”

It is hoped work to preserve grade II listed St John's Church will start in the coming months, as surveyors have said some of its bowing stained glass windows could be blown out by a gust of wind, while the building work is scheduled for completion by next April.

Conservation work will include renovating the 1825 building's stonework and 24 windows, some of which are of national importance, such as one of only two in the country celebrating Queen Victoria’s diamond jubilee.

The scheme marks the second phase of the initiative, which was launched in 2009 and has seen changes to the church's interior, such as the removal of pews and a new floor, to encourage use of the church other than for services.

The initial work was funded with £178,000 raised by donations from church and community members.

Penny Beaumont, WREN’s grant manager for Yorkshire AREA, says: “We’re delighted to be supporting the Ripon St John’s Vision Project and pleased our funding will make such a difference to so many groups of people.”