Adrian Dorber

The Dean of Lichfield has welcomed George Osborne’s plans for a £20million fund for improvements to cathedrals.

George Osborne. Pic: M Holland
George Osborne. Pic: M Holland

The Chancellor announced the money would be available in his budget statement yesterday (March 16).

Lichfield Cathedral has recently completed work on a lighting and rewiring project after being awarded £800,000 in the last round of funding.

Adrian Dorber
Adrian Dorber

The Very Rev’d Adrian Dorber, Dean of Lichfield and chair of the Association of English Cathedrals, said the new commitment would help preserve a number of historic sites.

“We are deeply grateful to the Government for the pledge of continuing funding for cathedral repairs,” he said.

“Every cathedral faces steep challenges in keeping this great collection of inspiring and historic buildings safely and properly, whereby we can continue to welcome nearly a quarter of the English population every year.

“Cathedrals play an important role as community hubs – they foster volunteering, music making, public debate and social action, alongside their primary task of worship and prayer. We also play a role in economic regeneration and are increasingly recognised as important contributors to local and regional economies.

“What we spend on repairs helps us sustain craft skills and local employment.

“We congratulate the Chancellor on helping us steward and sustain a key national asset.”

Founder of Lichfield Live and editor of the site.

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AgitatorofPeople
8 years ago

Change the word “Cathedral” for Library and “worship and prayer” for “books and education” what is the difference?

“Cathedrals play an important role as community hubs – they foster volunteering, music making, public debate and social action, alongside their primary task of worship and prayer. We also play a role in economic regeneration and are increasingly recognised as important contributors to local and regional economies.
What we spend on repairs helps us sustain craft skills and local employment”.

And the Dean of Lichfield “Congratulates” a chancellor that takes money from the poor and disabled and gives those monies to the Cathedral. I am pretty certain that somebody can give me a biblical extract that covers this callous act!

FiveSpiresLive
8 years ago

No taxpayer cash should be used to subsidise the wealthy Church of England estate
http://www.bbc.com/news/business-23467750

saveLichLibrary
8 years ago

There’s a verse in Proverbs about not taking advantage of the poor.
I suppose the lord will forgive GO if he gives his penny pinchings to the cathedrals. Guilt free £20 million.

Frustrated
8 years ago

We manage an investment fund of £6.7 billion

https://www.churchofengland.org/about-us/structure/churchcommissioners.aspx

Didn’t realise Church of England was so broke.

Good use of tax payers money. The really are a deserving cause.