Religious buildings across the Isle of Wight have received a £113,000 share of £42million in public funding ahead of this year’s festive celebrations, as the Government continues its support for the conservation of listed places of worship across the country. As more than 1 million people are expected to attend Midnight Mass and Christmas Day services, they might be attending 1 of the 4,900 places of worship which have benefited from Government support over the last year to ease the cost of essential conservation and maintenance work. On the Island, 17 places of worship have received funding in 2023 totaling £113,129. They include:
| Church of St John The Baptist, Newport | £9,085.64 |
| Church of St Thomas, Newport, | £70,221.98 |
| St Thomas of Canterbury Roman Catholic Church | £2,353.36 |
| Church of St Paul, Newport | £486.74 |
| St Olave’s Church, Gatcombe | £1,622.34 |
| St Peter & St Paul, Mottistone | £760.91 |
| St Michael the Archangel Parish Church, Shalfleet | £2,482.00 |
| Church of St James, Ryde | £5,855.60 |
| Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, Ryde | £2,161.65 |
| Holy Trinity Church, Bembridge | £2,903.18 |
| All Saints’ Church, Newchurch | £8,095.44 |
| Church of St John, Sandown | £1,977.00 |
| St Blasius Old Parish Church, Shanklin | £1,665.27 |
| Holy Trinity Church, Ventnor | £609.54 |
| St Mary and St Rhadegund, Ventnor | £1,459.08 |
| Roman Catholic Church of St Saviour | £141.30 |
| St. Swithin’s Church, Yarmouth | £1,248.07 |
Since 2010, the Places of Worship Fund has invested £346million in listed churches, synagogues, mosques and temples. The fund provides grants towards the VAT incurred on eligible costs, such as works to the roofs, masonry and monuments integral to the buildings.
