A major fundraising campaign is up and running to do vital restoration work at Christ Church in Linthwaite.

A Big Lottery Award 4 All led to a local research project that identified the need to create a warmer, more welcoming space within the church with meeting rooms, a new kitchen and toilet areas – and architects began to draw up plans estimated at around £500,000.

But they also identified the need to do urgent remedial work before this can take place – and this is going to cost £85,000. The building is Grade II Listed, was built in 1827 and has suffered over the years from the weather and now needs extensive repairs to the windows in the nave which are very badly corroded.

So the church launched a More Than Bricks campaign and set up a give.net fundraising page just before Christmas to try and raise the money needed and are appealing to anyone – past and present – with a connection to the church to help them restore and develop Christ Church on Church Lane for future generations and community use.

A special fundraising weekend for More Than Bricks will be held over April 29 and 30 with a spring fayre, music and displays and the Bishop of Huddersfield, the Rt Rev Jonathan Gibbs will preside at the Sunday morning service.

The Bishop of Huddersfield Jonathan Gibbs

The vicar, Fr Paul Witts said: “More Than Bricks presents us with both a challenge and a great opportunity for all who value the past to demonstrate our sense of responsibility for all we have inherited.

“It is an enterprise for the whole Linthwaite community to get behind and make the church building into a viable, inclusive, accessible and welcoming church for this and for future generation.”