Published on: 07/08/2025
Two churches in our diocese are receiving a share of a £15 million fund as part of an Historic England campaign.
St Catherine of Siena Church in Sheffield, and St John’s Church in Goole, are two of 37 historic buildings and sites across England who will benefit from repair grants. It’s after today’s announcement that the Heritage at Risk Capital Fund, led by Historic England and funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, will rescue listed buildings and sites facing dereliction or demolition.
The funding in the Diocese, amounting to nearly £600,000 across the two churches, will see essential repairs made to the Grade II listed buildings. The fund operates alongside Historic England’s existing Heritage at Risk programme, targeting sites requiring immediate action to prevent further deterioration.
St Catherine of Siena, Sheffield (£497,615)
A Sheffield church serving the local community will repair its chancel, nave roof and clerestory windows with funding just shy of £500,000.
Recognisable by its distinctive bell tower, the Grade II listed St Catherine of Siena Church in Sheffield’s Richmond district was designed by Sir Basil Spence, the renowned architect of Coventry Cathedral. It urgently needs roof repairs after its original copper roof failed, causing severe water damage.
Currently, 35 buckets catch rainwater inside the church, and recent surveys revealed a large 9-metre pool of water on the roof. Without immediate intervention, this beloved community hub faces closure.
St Catherine’s serves as the area’s key community building, a home for everything from belly dancing and birthday parties to bereavement support and baptisms, chairobics and children’s parties. It is so integral to local life that statutory services like South Yorkshire Police specifically choose to hold their community drop-ins there.
St John’s Church, Goole (£100,000)
St John’s Church in Goole, East Yorkshire, will receive £100,000 to complete essential roof and masonry repairs.
This Grade II listed church serves as an anchor building in the furthest inland port town in the country.
Since 2019, it has transformed into a designated ‘Resourcing Church’, offering weekly community activities including craft sessions combating loneliness, toddler groups, free Saturday breakfasts, and health support groups for vulnerable residents.
The project will make the building wind and watertight, enabling future plans which potentially include a daily café serving both locals and international seafarers from Goole’s port. This final phase of repairs will in turn support the church’s removal from the Heritage at Risk Register.
St John’s ambitious vision for its wider Community Hub includes revitalising a derelict Victorian cottage and developing a community garden, creating lasting benefits for this historic port town approaching its 2026 bicentenary.
Louise Brennan, Director of Regions at Historic England said:
“Thanks to the extra funding from the Heritage at Risk Capital Fund, we are able to breathe new life into neglected historic buildings that we haven’t been able to help through our existing grant schemes. This initiative will not only boost economic growth but also create amazing opportunities for people in some of the nation’s most disadvantaged areas. We’re thrilled to support projects that harness the power of heritage to make a real difference where it’s needed most.”
Heritage Minister, Baroness Twycross said:
“Our extraordinary heritage weaves together the stories that define who we are as communities and as a nation.
“We are delivering on our Plan for Change, through the Heritage at Risk Fund, by breathing new life into treasured places, buildings and monuments across Yorkshire, helping to increase opportunities and ensuring that future generations have access to our rich heritage.”
Jonny Patton, Worship and Operations Director at St John’s Church in Goole, East Yorkshire, said:
“St John’s Church is an iconic building standing in the heart of Goole. Visible for miles around, the building holds a lot of importance to the people of the town with its extensive use for weddings, baptisms and funerals, as well as regular services and increased use for community events.
“The church council have been working hard on the building over the last five years and are slowly working through replacing the original roofs from 1848, to make it a usable space for generations to come, and to stop the water ingress.
“This fund comes at an opportune time for the building and the community it serves. We are thankful to Historic England for supporting this vision and providing these funds.” Find out more about the announcement on the Historic England website.