Places of Worship in Mansfield and Ashfield will benefit from a share of a £42 million conservation fund

Religious buildings in Mansfield and Ashfield are among nearly 5,000 in the United Kingdom that will receive a share of up to £42 million in public funding ahead of this year’s festive celebrations, as the Government continues its support for the conservation of listed places of worship across the country.

St Peter and St Paul's Church in Mansfield is among those set to receive funding

As more than one million people are expected to attend Midnight Mass and Christmas Day services, they might be attending one of the 4,900 places of worship which have benefited from Government support over the last year to ease the cost of essential conservation and maintenance work.

Since 2010, the Places of Worship Fund has invested £346 million in listed churches, synagogues, mosques and temples. The fund provides grants towards the VAT incurred on eligible costs, such as works to the roofs, masonry and monuments integral to the buildings.

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Places of Worship in Mansfield set to receive funding include St Peter and St Paul’s on Church Side, Mansfield, which will receive £255.16, St John The Evangelist Church on St John Street, Mansfield, which will receive £227.25 and St Lawrence Church on the junction of Pecks Hill and Skerry Hill, Mansfield, will receive £5,229.94.

Places of Worship in Ashfield set to receive funding include St Mary Magdalene on Church Avenue, Sutton, which will receive £2,018.40, St Andrews Church on Mansfield Road, Skegby, will receive £8,929.71, St Wilfred's Church on Church Street, Kirkby, will receive £402.60 and Christ Church on Casson Street, Ironville, will receive £101.35.

In 2022, the Church of England reported that 1.6 million people attended Christmas services.