A CHURCH near Highbridge has come on leaps and bounds thanks to almost £1million worth of grants to aid its development.

St Peter and All Hallows Church, in West Huntspill, received a £678,200 National Lottery Heritage Fund grant, plus a total of £247,000 from 21 other grant providers, to help fund its Saving the Heritage and Sustaining the Community project.

Making up some of this grand total was £108,138.40 from the UK Government, as part of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, which enabled the church to reclaim the VAT spent on the project, according to the church's Grants Co-ordinator.

It was one of three churches in the Burnham and Highbridge area to receive a share of the UK Government's £42 million conservation fund.

St Mary's Church East Brent was awarded £17,104.06, and Holy Cross Church in Mark was granted £34,799.71.

The successful project enabled essential repairs to be carried out to the Anglican church's tower, and also went towards the creation of a community space in the west half of the church, complete with its own toilets and kitchen.

The new community space, now dubbed the 'Huntspill Hub' by locals, which was created with the grant money, has been 'a great success'.

A 'very well attended' community café event takes place in space every Monday, as well as an 'honesty café' which runs from 10am until 4pm every day of the week.

Several community activities are also ran in the new community space, which hopes to take on more clubs and social events in the near future.

Similar progress was made at a church in Bridgwater, which also benefitted from the government's Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme last year, receiving £102,667.93 from the UK Government's £42 million conservation fund.

Works at Bridgwater Baptist Church included the creation a new Enterprise Hub, made up of eight affordable offices to be utilised by local small businesses or start-up enterprises, as well as lift access to all floors of the building.

Similarly to St Peter and All Hallows Church, the money was used to create a 'calm and welcoming' Wellbeing Café/Coffee Bar in the previously derelict cellar at the church.

Amelia Thompson, senior programmes manager at Somerset Community Foundation, said: "While the offices offer affordable space for start-ups and other organisations, the wellbeing café supports people’s mental health in a safe and welcoming environment.