War fund awards cash for Catholic cathedral repairs

Six Catholic cathedrals have received almost £1.5 million in the second round of grants awarded by the Government to fund repairs on the buildings to commemorate the centenary of the First World War.

The cathedrals – Clifton (pictured), St Chad’s in Birmingham, St George’s in Southwark, Arundel, Lancaster, and St Marie’s in Sheffield – were awarded the money from the First World War Centenary Cathedral Repair Fund, which was set up in the 2014 Budget. Clifton Cathedral was the recipient of the largest grant, with £600,000 going to repair its roof, while St Marie’s received £270,000 to restore its spire.

In his budget this year the Chancellor George Osborne announced that £20m would be available to cathedrals over two years. Writing in The Tablet earlier this year he said cathedrals were both important places of worship and centres of community life.  In total 31 cathedrals received £8m in the current round of funding, which followed £5m awarded in July to 10 cathedrals; four were Catholic.

A final round of applications will close in January 2015.