Norfolk churches celebrate funding success

Three Norfolk churches in Wymondham and Norwich are celebrating major grants and milestones in their efforts to keep historic buildings open, in good repair and of increasing use to their local communities.

 
WymondhamAbbeyA project to transform and regenerate Wymondham Abbey has been given the green light after a £1.5 million grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
 
The Abbey, which welcomes 20,000 people through its doors each year, is undertaking The Abbey Experience, a project to make the building more available to the community.
 
The project aims to work with schools, colleges and businesses to welcome more people to the Abbey while developing tourism links and improving signs around the town.
 
Two new extensions – one within the ruined chapel – will create space for visitors, including families and schoolchildren, to learn about the Abbey’s history. And an archive of documents, dating back 700 years, will be conserved and some, including a 1613 King James Bible, will be restored.
 
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The Bishop of Norwich took part in a packed Palm Sunday service and procession at Thorpe St Andrew parish church on Sunday March 24 and dedicated the new building work that has been completed there.
 
The church had appealed to parishioners, charities and businesses to help raise about £80,000 to pay for the building work, which includes modern disabled toilets and new kitchen/catering facilities to make it safer and easier to provide refreshments.
 
A new building has also been constructed at the rear of the church to give improved access to the vestry and sacristy.
 
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Parishioners at St George Tombland, near Norwich Cathedral, are celebrating after reaching its £200,000 fundraising target to complete vital repair work to the 13th century church.
 
Work starts on Tuesday, April 2 to repair Victorian-era windows at high and low level,  roof supports and complete structural work to the church’s south porch.
 
Priest in Charge, Canon John Minns, said over £20,000 of the target has been raised by parishioners, around £175,000 has been donated by English Heritage and the rest has come from charitable trusts.
 
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