Council hands over £50,000 to St Botolph's ambitious £2.7m project

Boston Borough Council has released £50,000 grant funds from the remaining severe weather funds towards the project.

And that comes on the back of a recent donation of a further £10,000 from the National Church Trust, which was voted for by the public.

The council support grant will contribute specifically towards flood resilience and defence works in the church including new internal porches, electrical works and a flood barrier towards the Parish of Boston's A Passion for People project.

The project is funding vital repairs to the famous tower at St Botolph's, involving restoration work to the west face of the tower and repair of the roof and wooden lantern viewing platform.

The project also involves improved community and visitor facilities inside the church, including a welcome desk and new heritage interpretation telling the stories of the church and of the people of Boston.

It will also include a program of activities and skills training opportunities for members of the public, school children and the many people who volunteer with the church.

The project celebrated receiving a £1.17m lottery grant last month and it now needs to raise funds to match that.

Adam Kelk, head verger at St Botolph's Church, said of the money received: "This is fantastic news for St Botolph's, it means the building will now be protected for generations to come, the role we can play in Boston's community will be vastly enhanced and our operations will become much more sustainable.

“We also hope to have the tower taken off Historic England's Heritage at Risk Register."

He said they were particularly pleased with the National Church Trust extra money. The project had already been given a £40,000 grant from the trust at the end of last year but the public then voted on which of the four schemes awarded cash deserved the extra grant.

Cllr Claire Rylott, portfolio holder for tourism, arts, culture and heritage, said: "It is brilliant news for the church and the town. The Stump I know are very grateful to have been given this grant are so grateful from the support they have received."

Work on the project is due to commence on Monday, November 12, following the 'Festival of Remembrance' marking the 100th anniversary of the end of World War 1.

The project is expected to take 18 months in total and to be completed in January 2020, in time for celebrations marking the 400th anniversary of the voyage of the Mayflower and commemorating the rich historical connections between Boston Lincolnshire and the founding of the New England colonies in America.