St Andrew’s Church, Thornhill Square has received a £94,535 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund for the restoration of the church building, it was announced today. Made possible by National Lottery players, the project aims to lay the solid foundations that will underpin St Andrew’s long-term future by putting in place a professional team to oversee the next phase of project development. Additionally, the project will engage local people including school pupils, university students, residents from local estates and local business owners to share and celebrate the local heritage by collaborating in a community exhibition at St Andrew’s Church.
The project will ensure the future of St Andrew’s is planned in a robust, sustainable way, as well as providing members of the local community with fun, relevant, creative and rewarding ways to learn about, feel part of, and contribute to their local history. Creative workshops will provide participants with practical new skills in heritage research, exhibition creation, mixed media art and photography, with volunteers given training so they can help care for the resulting exhibition.
St Andrew’s church building is set within an impressive urban landscape, Thornhill Square, the largest, best preserved early Victorian square in Islington. The Neo-Gothic, Grade II-listed church was consecrated in 1854, and has been used for worship, community activities and social action over the years.
Commenting on the award, the Bishop of Stepney, the Rt Revd Dr Joanne Grenfell, said: “St Andrew's, Thornhill Square has stood at the heart of Islington for over 150 years, providing a safe, welcoming space for the local community to come together, worship and support one another. Today's news of a grant from the The National Lottery Heritage Fund is very welcome, and will help safeguard St Andrew's future for many more years to come.”
Would you like to be part of the project to restore St Andrew’s, Thornhill Square? We are currently recruiting for the following roles. Please click the links below to see the full role brief:
For more information, please contact Rachel Walker at admin@standrewsthornhillsquare.org.uk.