An Isle of Wight church is to receive £30,000 from the National Churches Trust.

The Cornerstone Grant is to help fund urgent repairs to The Minster Church of Ss Thomas in Newport.

The church will also be given an extra £10,000 Wolfson Fabric Repair Grant, from the Wolfson Foundation, on the recommendation of the National Churches Trust.

Sitting on Historic England's ‘At Risk’ Register, the cash will be spent on roof and stonework repairs, the installation of four toilets, a new kitchen and new flooring.

The south aisle and south nave roof will be repaired using Douglas Fir for timber repairs, along with new welsh slate.

Eroded stone will either undergo a mortar repair, a shelter coat to match existing stone, or will be replaced (matching like-for-like), using Bath and Caen stone.

Part of the ground floor is being reconfigured, for use as a choir vestry, family area and for community use.

A church as been on the site since the 12th century, but the current building, built on the footprint of the medieval church, dates from 1857.

Much of the building material was retained from the medieval church, including Caen and Quarr stone and several fine 17th century furnishings, including the Flemish pulpit and a reading desk.

There are several stained-glass windows in the Elizabeth Chapel, by the French artist Joseph Villiet.

Dated 1858, they were donated by Queen Victoria.

In 2008, Newport Parish church was granted the title of Minster in recognition of its contribution to the wider community.

Broadcaster and journalist Huw Edwards, Vice President of The National Churches Trust, said: “I’m delighted that the Minster Church of Sts Thomas, Newport is being helped with a £30,000 National Churches Trust Cornerstone Grant.

"The grant will safeguard unique local heritage and help Sts Thomas’ continue to support local people as we begin to emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic."

It is among 67 churches and chapels in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to benefit from the latest grants (the first for 2021) from the National Churches Trust, a charity supporting church buildings of all Christian denominations across the UK.

Last year the Trust awarded (or recommended on behalf of other funders) 260, amounting to £1.7million.

The Venerable Peter Leonard, Archdeacon of the Isle of Wight and Rector of Newport Minster said: "This exciting project will make a dramatic difference to the Minster, to Newport and to the Isle of Wight itself.

"The heritage aspects of the building will be much more accessible to all, and the building will function as a community resource, benefitting all but with a particular ability to serve young people and those with mental health challenges. "We are very grateful to both the National Churches Trust and the Wolfson Foundation for making this possible."