Published: 01 August 2023
After a wet and rainy July, August is looking brighter for Methodist organisations across the UK and Ireland, as Benefact Trust awards over £300,000 in our latest round of Methodist Grants!
We’re delighted to be supporting a variety of different building development and maintenance projects that will help to bring about growth, increased community engagement and improved accessibility for Methodist churches and organisations.
Find out more about our Methodist Grants Programme and see a few of the inspiring projects we’re supporting, making a huge difference in their communities…
Cardiff Methodist Circuit
Trinity Centre, formerly Trinity Methodist Church, is the base for one of Cardiff Methodist Circuit’s flagship projects, providing outreach to refugees and asylum seekers in Cardiff – one of seven UK cities recognised as a ‘City of Sanctuary’ for those seeking refuge.
Trinity Methodist Church closed for worship in 2013, and the Circuit saw an opportunity for the church to continue as a base for outreach, partnering with the Welsh Refugee Council and other organisations to provide vital support to the most vulnerable in the area.
A £50,000 grant will help to renovate, reorder, and improve this grade II listed building so that it can fully meet the needs of its new community.
Bugle Methodist Church, Cornwall
Bugle Methodist Church is situated in an area of high deprivation. The church comprises of a main church building and an adjacent Sunday School building. In 2017, the Sunday School building was at risk of being lost, but a local mum stepped in to establish a youth group to justify the need for the space.
From the offset, the youth group had 60 children attending, and over the years this has continued to grow, and now the Sunday School is home to many varied groups and activities to support the community. A fantastic achievement, but it has become evident that the building is no longer fit for purpose.
A £60,000 grant from Benefact Trust will support the refurbishment of the Sunday School to provide a modern, welcoming, and eco-friendly space.
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Jesmond Methodist Church, Tyne and Wear
Jesmond Methodist Church is in the heart of Jesmond - serving a mixed community of older established residents, young families, students, asylum seekers and those experiencing homelessness. The church runs a wide range of activities for all members of the community to alleviate some of the issues faced in the area.
A £12,000 Methodist Grant will help the church to improve its facilities, including redeveloping the cramped kitchen, so that the church can provide more hot meals and cooking classes for those struggling to feed their families.
Monaghan Methodist Church, County Monaghan
Monaghan Methodist Church was built in 1840 and from the outside looks in good condition but this is not the case internally. The building needs serious renovation work to replace crumbling plaster, old gas heaters, and for general repairs. The improved building is part of a larger mission and redevelopment plan which includes the employment of a street minister who is making connections with local people.
A £14,000 grant from Benefact Trust’s Methodist Grants Programme will enable the church to complete phase five of its six phase plan, and make the church an inviting space for new, and existing, members of the community.
*Header image: Trinity Centre, Cardiff Methodist Circuit
