A WEST Dorset church has taken a huge step towards securing its long term future after receiving funding from a trust.

St Andrew's Church in Charmouth has been awarded a substantial grant of £370,000 to go towards a major reordering of the church's interior by the Erskine Muton Trust, which makes grants available for Anglican church buildings in Dorset.

The Rev'd Stephen Skinner, Rector of the Golden Cap Team, was pleased that the funding will help bring the church up to date.

He said: "This grant will help us make St Andrew’s fit for the 21st Century – and beyond.

“It will enable us to install new heating, flooring, chairs and a new sound system. We will also take the opportunity for a complete redecoration of the church, hopefully with a local partner."

He added: “This work will help us serve the wider community and our many visitors more effectively through concerts, exhibitions and our FreeXChange Café.

“It will also provide our regular worshippers and our Golden Cap Team with a state of the art base for mission and ministry, whilst preserving the beauty and prayerful atmosphere for which St Andrews is treasured.”

The Archdeacon of Sherborne, the Ven Paul Taylor, congratulated parishioners on their achievement.

He said: "Huge credit goes to the Changing Spaces team at Charmouth and the Parochial Church Council, who have worked hard on these applications over the last two years.

"The diocese will continue to support them as they move to detailed planning for the reordering.

“People have been praying and serving their neighbours at St Andrew’s for 150 years, and this grant will help ensure this continues for at least another 150.”

St Andrew’s has also submitted a matched bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund for major structural work on the tower, and hopes to hear the result of this in February or March.

In October 2015, a public meeting was held by villagers to try and save the church from closure after Rev Skinner described the building as "in a seriously bad condition".