MLT Provides Grant for New Heating System Will Safeguard Vital Marown Community Space

A vital community space serving Crosby, Glen Vine, Foxdale and Baldwin will be safeguarded with support from Manx Lottery Trust.

Marown Parish Church has received a £50,000 Community Awards grant towards a new infrared heating system and upgraded electricity supply, allowing the fully accessible building to continue hosting community activities, civic services and other important occasions.

The church’s existing heating system includes more than 240 metres of cast-iron pipework which is over 70 years old and can no longer be used safely due to the risk of further leaks.

Installing the new heating will also require the church’s electricity supply to be upgraded from an overhead single-phase connection to an underground three-phase supply, alongside improvements to its internal wiring.

The work is particularly important following the closure of St Paul’s Church in Foxdale in 2023, while St Luke’s in Baldwin has limited accessibility and Old St Runius operates primarily as a festival church.

Louise Whitelegg from Marown Parish Church said: “The church is much more than a place of worship; it is an accessible and welcoming space for people from across Marown and the surrounding communities.

“Without reliable heating, we cannot offer the hospitality, activities and support that local people need. This funding brings us much closer to securing the building’s future as a warm, sustainable and useful community space.”

Manx Lottery Trust’s Community Awards programme provides grants of between £2,501 and £50,000 for projects that improve local communities and the lives of people most in need. Funding can support activities, equipment, training and essential improvements to community facilities.

David Christian, Chairman of Manx Lottery Trust, said: “Marown Parish Church plays an important role in an area where accessible community facilities are limited.

“The Trustees are pleased to support these essential improvements, which will help protect the building’s future and allow it to remain a warm, welcoming space for the wider community.”

For more information about Manx Lottery Trust, visit www.mlt.org.im.