An Alrewas church has secured a grant of £15,100 to make the history of the building more accessible to the public.
All Saints Church has been awarded National Lottery funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and intends to use it to make the history and heritage of the church available to the wider community through new interpretation, learning resources and activities.
All Saints Church, in Church Road, Alrewas, and it can chart its history back to 822AD, said project leader Peter Ralley. He said the history shows the church has never fallen under the rule of a local lord and has instead been looked after by the people of the village.
Now it plans to create a series of new resources, including a guide book, family trail and learning resources for local schools, which churchgoers hope will bring its history to life for wider audiences.
Virtual tours of the church will be created for smart phones and tablets, as well as a series of concept-led drawings that show the development of the church over time, he said.
The project, made possible by money raised by National Lottery players, will also enable the church's parochial council to update the churchyard survey that was carried out in 1973 and create a web-based database of the graves there.
The council also plans to forge closer links with other churches in the area and visitor attractions, boosting All Saints' profile and visibility in the area.
Reverend John Allan, from the church, said: "We are thrilled to have received this support, thanks to the National Lottery, and are confident the project will support the promotion of and involvement with the heritage of this important village building."
The project is well under way and organisers hope it will be finished by August 2018.
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The Heritage Lottery Fund invests money to help people across the UK explore, enjoy and protect the heritage they care about.
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