A CEREDIGION church has been awarded a £10,000 grant for “urgent” repairs to “ensure that the magnificent building stands for at least another 500 years”.

St Michael’s and All Angels, in Llanfihangel y Creuddyn, has been awarded the National Churches Trust’s 2021 Friends’ Vote Grant of £10,000.

Four churches from across the UK, which had been awarded a National Churches Trust Repair or Community Grant in 2021 and which needed additional funding prior to starting work on their projects, were shortlisted for the Friends’ Vote.

The grant will allows St Michael’s and All Angels to pay for vital repair tower and roof repairs to the Grade II* listed church.

Rhian Davies, treasurer of the church, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have won the Friends’ Vote and extremely thankful to the Friends of the National Church Trust for voting for us. Without this award, we would have had to significantly scale back the scope of our works.

“The additional funding will ensure that all the necessary works will be fully completed and will secure the future of the church not only as a place of worship, but also as an important historic building for years to come.

“We look forward to welcoming you to our beautiful church upon completion of the works early next year.

“Thank you once again. Diolch yn fawr iawn!”

The Llanfihangel y Creuddyn church and heritage project was established in the past few years to raise money for repairs and improvements to the church. The project has since received funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the National Churches Trust, the Wolfson Foundation and Ceredigion County Council.

Conservation work on the church began earlier this year and is due to be completed in 2022.

Repairs will address serious problems of dampness by stopping water ingress through the tower into the church. The work will also include the installation of a new stair enabling safe public access up the remarkable medieval tower to the ancient belfry.

Claire Walker, chief executive at the National Churches Trust, said: “I’m delighted that St Michael, Llanfihangel y Creuddyn, Cardiganshire is to receive the 2021 Friends of the National Churches Trust Grant of £10,000 to help with the funding of the restoration of the church’s roof and tower.

“2020 - 2021 has been a really tough period for churches with the effects of the lockdowns seriously affecting their income.

“Through their support and generous donations, our growing number of Friends help us carry out our work of supporting churches in so many ways. Providing a direct way for them to help us select a church to award an additional grant of £10,000 is a great way to involve our Friends in our work.

“Many thanks to our Friends who took part in the 2021 vote, and congratulations to St Michael’s for winning.”