Published on: 15/01/2026
The Diocese of Sheffield is benefitting from the next round of funding from the Church of England’s Disability Project.
Holy Trinity, Wentworth, has been awarded a grant of £2,540 to create a sensory trail with six stations exploring faith through the senses – five inside the church, which is open daily. The Gothic church, part of the Fitzwilliam Wentworth estate, attracts over 19,000 visitors a year who are visiting the stately home and village, including people from learning disability support homes and care homes.
This is part of a new round of funding from the Church of England, which is awarding £5 million over the next three years to the Disability Project as part of its commitment to the participation of Deaf, disabled and neurodivergent people in the life of the Church. The new award builds on work already under way, backed by a £2.4 million grant awarded by in 2023, for projects including encouraging vocations to the priesthood, grants for improved access to buildings, lay and ordained vocations events and leadership programmes among Deaf, disabled and neurodivergent people.
Janet Sinclair-Pinder JP, Project manager for the sensory trail, said:
‘We want people who visit to feel at home, and to know that we are a very friendly church, where they are welcome to return.
‘We believe everyone should be able to experience faith, peace, and the natural world in an accessible way. The sensory trail is designed to be a fully inclusive space for people who have sensory disabilities, physical disabilities, and, or are neurodivergent.’
This is part of a total of £225,759 awarded to the Diocese and distributed to churches as of January 2026.Further projects benefitting from this include two large awards for Polycarp Malin Bridge of £40,512 and £50,000 for St Mary’s Hook, which enabled the completion of their building work to celebrate their 800th anniversary. All the other grants were for £5,000 or under to support pew removal equipment and resources that improve accessibility from parishes across the Diocese.
Claire Stinson, Treasurer and Church Operations Support Officer, said:
‘These projects are a wonderful reminder of why I’m so passionate about supporting churches to make positive changes. It doesn’t have to be something big – often, the smallest changes can make the greatest difference in helping someone feel included and valued.
‘The Disability Grant has been truly invaluable across the Diocese of Sheffield, enabling parishes to take practical steps towards accessibility and inclusion. It’s been inspiring to see so many churches extending a warm welcome to everyone through the improvements they’ve made. A sincere thank you to all who have been part of this journey – you’re helping to create spaces where everyone belongs.’
