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A church in the Wigan borough has received funding which will help pay for the installation of a new kitchen and the project has been supported by a famous BBC newsreader.

St Peter’s church in Westleigh will receive £10,000 in funding thanks to the National Churches Trust and will help pay for community facilities for the Grade II listed building.

The church dates back to 1881, designed by famous Lancaster architects Paley and Austin and has a 1919 war memorial in its front garden. At the time of opening it cost £7,000 (equivalent of £750,000 as of 2021) and provided seating for 460 people.

Broadcaster and journalist Huw Edwards, Vice-President of the National Churches Trust, said: "I’m delighted that St Peter is receiving funding to install much needed modern community facilities. The installation of a kitchen will mean the church can be used for a wide range of community purposes and keep the building open and in use for the benefit of local people.

The funding will allow for St Peter's church in Westligh to have a kitchen fitted.

“Whether seeking quiet reflection, access to community services or as a place to worship, the National Churches Trust helps hundreds of churches each year and with the support of local people, keeps them thriving today, and tomorrow.”

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Serving a community in need, St Peter’s is ranked 392 out of 12,382 by the Church Urban Fund of Anglican parishes in the social deprivation scale.

In order to establish a Community Hub in the local area, a kitchen on the premises is paramount especially with no other community facilities in the area of Leigh.

The funding allows for churches to continue providing a service to the community.

Twenty-one churches across the UK will stay open and in good repair thanks to £351,500 of funding awarded and recommended by the National Churches Trust in this latest round of grants. 

And this year will see grants continue to be made available for churches of any Christian denomination that are open for regular worship in order to fund urgent repairs and maintenance.

A spokesperson for the church said: “The Church Council are delighted to be awarded this generous grant from the National Churches Trust. We have now reached our target to fund the much-needed kitchen within our church.”

“Our plans are to create a welcoming facility for the benefit and use of our local community.”

A BBC news legend has thrown his support behind funding for a Wigan borough church's new kitchen