Historic ‘at risk’ forest church secures National Lottery grant
St Peter-in-the-Forest, Walthamstow to be revived into
vibrant community space
The parish church of St
Peter-in-the-Forest, Walthamstow is delighted to announce that the Heritage
Lottery
Fund (HLF) has awarded a
significant grant of £1,370,000 to deliver its ambitious and creative project,
‘St Peter’s: A Unique Forest Church’: the project will help remove this Grade
II Listed building from the Historic England At-Risk register, and open up
exciting new uses of both building and its grounds.
The £1,880,000 project will
correct serious structural damage and will restore the west end of the church
to its 1880s look. New facilities and a
remodelled interior will create three flexible community spaces on two floors.
These spaces will offer better facilities for worship and activities based
around acting, filmmaking, arts, crafts, and forest activities. The facility will also feature a community
café, be able to be rented for community activities and for the provision of an
annual festival, ‘the Forestival’. The Church graveyard will be enhanced with
new paths and facilities from which forest activities can be undertaken.
St Peter-in-the-Forest is an
historic, Victorian church built by John Shaw Jr in 1840, and extended in 1887,
and located in the protected ancient Epping Forest, a short journey away from
the Olympic Park and the new communities of East London. It sits within part of
Epping Forest, affording it a unique location and aspect. Its forest setting
also offers a diversity of opportunities for community engagement with not only
the built and cultural heritage, but also the natural heritage of the
surrounding churchyard and ancient forest.
The Vicar of the parish, Fr Paul
Trathen, says: “This is tremendous, good news for our community, here in
Walthamstow, and beyond. St
Peter-in-the-Forest is a place quite like no other: a unique meeting of modern
city and ancient forest, of beautiful architecture crafted by human creativity,
surrounded by the natural creation of a loving God. Over the generations, many people have
worshipped here, have made community here, have discovered a precious place and
community here: with the assistance of this major, National Lottery grant, we
can now help ensure that the coming years and decades will be ones in which a great
variety of creative community enterprises are initiated and sustained,
alongside the church’s primary role as a place for worship. Exciting times are ahead, and we are looking
forward to working with many existing and new partners in crafting and growing
great community projects, alongside restoring and repairing our precious building
and churchyard.”
Ros Kerslake, HLF’s Chief
Executive, said: “Whilst historically important buildings, what makes places of
worship like St Peter’s in the Forest so precious is their place in the heart
of local communities. Surrounded by stunning forest, National Lottery funding
will not only save this at-risk church but it will encourage more people to use
and enjoy it! This ambitious and innovative project at St Peter’s is pioneering
a new future for these wonderful spaces. “Thanks to National Lottery players,
The HLF are able to invest money to help people across the UK explore, enjoy
and protect the heritage they care about - from the archaeology under our feet
to the historic parks and buildings we love, from precious memories and
collections to rare wildlife”.
www.hlf.org.uk
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and use #HLFsupported.
For further information, images
and interviews, please contact:
Fr Paul Trathen, Vicar:
07871584997 or stpeterforestvicar-main@yahoo.co.uk
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