A £50,000 grant has been awarded to help safeguard a community space serving Crosby, Glen Vine, Foxdale and Baldwin.

Marown Parish Church has received the Community Awards grant from Manx Lottery Trust towards a new infrared heating system and upgraded electricity supply.

The fully accessible building hosts community activities, civic services and other occasions, but its existing heating system can no longer be used safely.

It includes more than 240 metres of cast-iron pipework which is more than 70 years old, with concerns over the risk of further leaks.

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

The work follows 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 aimed at improving local communities and the lives of people most in need.

Funding can be used for 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.’