Charitable Grants and Awards made to this Historic Church

St James Church is an historic building which has required significant repair and modernisation in recent years. We gratefully acknowledge the grants awarded by the organisations shown below.

Tower Repair Project St James the Great Norton Juxta Kempsey wins National Lottery support

St James’ the Great has received a National Lottery Heritage Fund grant of £205,100 for urgent repairs and exciting heritage projects in Norton Juxta Kempsey, Worcester. Made possible by money raised by National Lottery players, the project focuses on essential conservation work to the Church tower and improvements to the interior of the building in support of community and heritage projects .

Supported through The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the project will enable the repair of the ancient church tower and the establishment of a number of heritage projects highlighting the history of the Church and its role as Garrison Church for Norton Barracks.

Veterans from all over the world have memories of Norton Barracks and of St James as their garrison church. The project will build on the Church’s heritage and relationships to create a place and space for the whole community. Audio visual displays and digital media will be used to create an interactive educational experience highlighting the Church’s army connection, the lives and service of local soldiers and of those from across the world who came to Norton.

The Churchyard at St James’ contains a number of military and other graves and already serves as a place of quiet contemplation for members of the local community and for visitors. Heritage Lottery funding will help to revealing its hidden heritage and wildlife with the establishment of a conservation and education area. The Church yard will become a focus for community involvement, a tranquil place for quiet reflection and resource for inspiration and community learning.

Commenting on the award, Reverend Mark Badger said: “We’re delighted that we’ve received this support thanks to National Lottery players. St James has been at the centre of the Community in Norton since medieval times and it’s great to know that we are a step closer to preserving it for future generations.”

St James has a rich history which spans nearly 10 centuries and in a rapidly expanding and changing community it is an important reminder of our shared history and heritage. However, the church and its surrounds are not just a monument to the past, but part of a living, developing community.

This funding affords us a wonderful opportunity not only to honour and celebrate our history and heritage but, perhaps more importantly, to add new chapters to it! We are committed to making St James fit for purpose as a spiritual and community resource, to making St James not only a sacred place but also a shared space, where community can be celebrated and strengthened.

We are delighted that the National Lottery Heritage Fund shared the belief of this community that greater community involvement in church and local heritage projects is a valuable education tool which will not only help us welcome visitors, but also help foster a stronger sense of community too.

All Churches Trust have awarded St James £2250 towards the installation of new heating and lighting system. Improved heating will allow the use the church building throughout the year and enable wider community use of the building and greater creativity in the provision of mission and outreach events.

Alongside extensive repairs to the 14th Century tower, the PCC of St James is aiming to make the building fit for purpose both as a place of worship and a space for the whole community. A £350,000 programme of restoration and improvement is underway and new heating and improved lighting will be at the heart of the next phase of works.

REV Mark Badger said: This much welcomed funding from All Churches Trust funding is a essential to our fundraising efforts to improve facilities at St James. Effective heating will enable us to continue with our program of outreach and evangelism, whilst also establishing St James as a much valued and well used asset at the heart of our rapidly expanding community. In order to maximise opportunities for mission and evangelism we are engaged in a range of innovative outreach programmes. We have also developed and exciting opportunity to partner with the Parish Council in order to open up the church facilities for as a community asset. However, in order to do this, we need to create a comfortable space which facilitates wider church and community use, particularly in relation to children and families ministry. Thanks to grants aid from organisations such as All Church trust we are now able to undertake these essential works.

All Churches Trust is one of the UK's largest grant-making charities and gave more than £16 million to churches, charities and communities in 2018. Its funds come from its ownership of Ecclesiastical Insurance Group.

A grant of £15000 from the Garfield Weston Foundation will help fund tower and roof repairs at the Grade II* listed St James the Great church, Norton Juxta Kempsey, making the church watertight and preserving its historic fabric. In addition to these essential repairs this funding will help to enable much needed improvements to the heating and lighting of the building, enabling greater community use.

Rev Mark Badger said: ‘We are deeply thankful to the Garfield Weston Foundation for this funding which will help us not only to preserve the building which has stood at the heart of the community for over 900 years, but also make it fit for purpose for current and future generations. Adapting and improving our church buildings means that they can be a wonderful blessing both to worshipping communities and wider society. We believe that these repairs and improvements will establish St James as a much valued and well used asset at the heart of our rapidly expanding community.’

Established in 1958, the Garfield Weston Foundation is a family-founded charitable grant-making trust which now gives away approximately £80 million a year to charities across the UK. Having established one of the most respected charitable institutions in the UK, the Weston Family Trustees today remain highly active and hands-on. The Foundation’s funding comes from an endowment of shares in the family business – a successful model that still endures today and as the businesses have grown so too have the charitable donations.

Each year the Garfield Weston Foundation gives away its income and donations have continued to grow. Since it was established it has donated over £1 billion, of which over half has been given away in the past ten years alone. In the most recent financial year the Foundation gave away over £79 million to over 2,100 charities across the UK.

A much-loved Worcestershire church is to share in a £265,000 funding payout from the National Churches Trust.

A £15,000 National Churches Trust Repair Grant will help fund tower and roof repairs at the Grade II* listed St James the Great church, Norton Juxta Kempsey, making the church watertight and preserving its historic fabric. The church is currently on the Historic England At Risk Register.

Broadcaster and journalist Huw Edwards, Vice President of The National Churches Trust, said: “The UK's historic churches and chapels are a vital part of our national heritage. But to survive, many need to carry out urgent repairs and install modern facilities. The cost of this work is far beyond what most congregations can pay for themselves.”

“I’m delighted that the St James the Great Church, Norton Juxta Kempsey, is being helped with a £15,000 National Churches Trust Grant. The work on the roof and tower will help secure the future of an historic building.”

A total of 63 churches and chapels in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will benefit from the latest grants from the National Churches Trust, the charity supporting church buildings of all Christian denominations across the UK.

These grants are the third made in 2019. Earlier in the year the National Churches Trust distributed over £600,000 to 38 churches and chapels around the UK.

The church

The oldest portion of the existing church is part of the Norman wall dating from 1080. The nave is 12th Century and appears to have been lengthened in the 13th Century. The chancel appears to have been rebuilt in the 14th Century and the tower may have been added later that century. St James’ features an Octagonal Font from around 1220. The bell tower seems to have been built around 1370 and contains a Dovecote. There are three bells in the tower. The oldest was cast in Worcester in 1450 by Richard le Bellyterre. The second bell is the largest and was cast by ‘I.M’ which was the makers mark of John Martin. The third bell is the smallest and was cast in Gloucester in 1716 by ‘Abe Rudhall.’ The regimental depot was located in Norton in 1877, since when Norton became a garrison village and St James the Great, a garrison church.

The project

The project will facilitate tower and roof repairs to help remove the church from Historic England’s At Risk Register.

Reverend Mark Badger Vicar at St James the Great said:

We’re delighted that we’ve received this support from the National Chjurches Trust. St James has been at the centre of the Community in Norton since medieval times and it’s great to know that we are a step closer to preserving it for future generations.”

This funding will help us to protect St James both as a place of worship and community space for generations to come.

The PCC of St James the Great Norton Juxta Kempsey has received funding for a biodiversity enhancement project within the Churchyard..

The project is receiving £2971 of funding from the England European Regional Development Fund. The Natural Networks programme is delivered in partnership between Worcestershire County Council and Worcestershire Wildlife Trust.

The project will create a community space to include a wildlife area with a diverse range of habitats which will provide an attractive and peaceful place for visitors to the church and will act as an education facility for a range of community groups, such as schools.

Commenting on the funding received, Reverend Mark Badger said: The churchyard at St James as a very important place within the life of the local community, not only as a place of remembrance but also as a peaceful space for quiet reflection. We have a great many visitors who come just to sit and enjoy the surroundings. This grant will help us to protect and enhance the churchyard environment and also afford us the help strengthen a sense of community through the involvement of local groups in the project. We are committed to making St James ’s a spiritual and community resource, not only a sacred place, but also a shared space, where community can be celebrated and strengthened.

We’re delighted that we’ve received this support from European Regional Development.