National Lottery Heritage Grants £10,000 to £250,000
Leith St. Andrew's is an active church which provides a home for worship alongside important community programmes – bringing people together socially and spiritually in a historic venue.
The church is category B listed. It was built in 1881 with its spire – a local landmark – added in 1902. Many original features are retained, such as stained-glass windows, the pipework of a grand organ, wooden pews and lecterns, along with original stonework. It has been ear-marked for sale by the Church of Scotland and Leith St. Andrew’s Trust are exploring how to bring the building into shared ownership.
Our funding is helping the Trust and its partners to:
- commission historic research and community engagement as part of a local oral history and archival research project, aiming to record heritage before it is lost
- run an open day, which includes an exhibition of the research, alongside a wide range of free, youth-focused activities
- collaboratively develop a detailed business case to support future planning and funding, building on the findings from the community engagement and research
- commission important building surveys, as advised by architectural partners, to bolster the bid to purchase the site
Kat Borrowdale from the Leith St. Andrew’s Trust says: “We have a bold vision for the future of Leith St. Andrew’s. There could be a broad range of services for all stages of life, from infancy to older years. We want it to be an inclusive and welcoming centre, owned by the community, where health and wellbeing benefits can be delivered for all.”
Find out more about our support for Places of Worship across the UK.
