St Denys Church in Eaton has been awarded £25,000 from FCC Communities Foundation to help fund the installation of an accessible toilet and baby changing facilities, supporting the long-term sustainability of the historic village church.
The Grade I listed church, parts of which date back to the 12th century, stands at the heart of the village, serving not only as a place of worship but also as a community venue for events, activities and gatherings.
The funding will support the church's Facilities for All project, which will create accessible toilet and baby changing facilities within the building. The improvements will make the church more welcoming and accessible to visitors of all ages and abilities, while enabling a wider range of community activities to take place.
The project builds on the church's wider Eaton InSpired restoration programme, which is delivering major repairs to the exterior fabric of the historic building. While St Denys benefits from an open-plan layout with moveable furniture that makes it suitable for a variety of community uses, the lack of toilet facilities has limited its potential. The new facilities will help remove this barrier and allow the church to serve the community more effectively for years to come.
Rev Sue Bradley, Project Lead, said: "This award makes all the difference to securing the future of our beautiful historic church through the installation of Facilities for All. We will be able to welcome people of all ages and abilities and offer facilities to make their use of the church accessible and comfortable. Installation of these facilities will be the 'cherry on the cake' of all that has been achieved at St Denys over the last three years."
FCC Communities Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation that supports community, conservation and heritage projects through the Landfill Communities Fund.
Cheryl Raynor, Grant Manager at FCC Communities Foundation, said: "We are delighted to support the Facilities for All project at St Denys Church. Historic churches often play a much wider role than simply providing a place of worship, acting as valued hubs for community activities, events and local gatherings. By funding these new accessible facilities, we are helping to ensure that more people can enjoy and make use of this remarkable building while supporting its long-term sustainability. We look forward to seeing the positive impact the project will have for the local community for many years to come."
Read more about the restoration project:
Inspiring Church Restoration Project Bringing Community Together in Eaton - Diocese of Leicester
Eaton InSpired: St Denys Restoration Project Receives Major Grant - Diocese of Leicester