Except translation, this story has not been edited by achinews staff and is published from a syndicated feed.
Built in a unique neoclassical style, St Marks was opened in 1826 and consecrated in 1828 by Bishop Sandford.
St Mark’s was one of the first Episcopal churches to be built in the Diocese of Edinburgh after the repression of the Penal Laws which followed the Jacobite rebellions in the 18th century.
The grant of £100,000 – from the National Churches Trust – will mean that the church can carry out essential repairs to the floor, ceiling and external walls and windows.
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Without these repairs, plans to improve the facilities in the church cannot go ahead. These include a new kitchen and accessible toilets, which will ensure that the church “can meet the needs of the local community”.
At the moment the church space is used for all kinds of community activities – including coffee mornings, yoga and Pilates, book clubs, drama and dance classes for children, concerts and exhibitions.
By improving the facilities, the church hopes to attract a wider pool of groups to rent out the space to and provide a vital income stream to keep the church open.
Claire Walker, Chief Executive of the National Churches Trust, said: “The National Churches Trust is excited to be able to support St Mark’s Church to enable them to carry out urgent repairs. This will protect the unique heritage of this historic church and its kept open and used for the benefit of local people.
“Whether seeking quiet reflection, access to community services or a place to worship, the National Churches Trust helps hundreds of churches each year and with the support of local people, keeps them thriving today and tomorrow.”
The Revd Canon Dr Sophia Marriage, Rector of St Mark’s, said: “This is a significant milestone in our fundraising work as we move towards the 200th anniversary of the founding of the church and work to ensure that the building and congregation of St Marks can serve Portobello people are exciting ways for the next 200 years.
“We are extremely grateful for this generous grant of £100,000 from the National Trust for Churches, which gives a huge boost to our ongoing fundraising and helps significantly towards the repair costs that started for the vision to make the church more accessible, flexible and welcoming for worship and for the many different community activities that meet there.
“We are also very encouraged by the partnership this grant opens up, which shows how much the National Churches Trust supports the vision for renewing community infrastructure at a time when costs higher fabric and withdrawing community funding threatens these spaces, which are integral to people’s prosperity.”
(Except translation, this story has not been edited by achinews staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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