NORTH Yorkshire furniture and kitchen manufacturer Treske has played a leading role in the £750,000 renaissance and conservation of St Giles’ Church in Pontefract.

Thirsk-based Treske, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, was chosen to provide a selection of bespoke church furniture, including more than 160 chairs and armchairs, two Deacons’ chairs, one president’s chair, together with a lectern, six servers’ stools, six benches for the choir, four choir frontals and four choir readers for the Grade II listed church.

Both architect John Cunnington and vicar Canon Bob Cooper believe that Treske’s contribution to the regenerated St Giles has been pivotal and invaluable.

Canon Cooper said: "We had an excellent working relationship with Treske, who delivered exactly what we asked for. They have played a crucial part in transforming our beloved church from an imposing building into a welcoming place for everyone to meet.”

Justin Bartlett, the managing director of Treske, said: "We were very honoured to be awarded such a prestigious contract in such a historic church, which has been the heartbeat of Pontefract for many years now.

"As a company, we are now specialists in manufacturing bespoke church furniture, with contracts coming from across the United Kingdom, and the successful completion of this project is a resounding endorsement of our expertise."

Treske has undertaken ecclesiastical projects for high-profile churches across the UK, including Ripon Cathedral; St George’s Chapel, Windsor; and St Martin-in-the-Fields in central London.

The overall refurbishment of St Giles’ Church has already won awards, including the top prize at this year’s Pontefract Civic Society annual design awards and the 2014 RICS Pro Yorkshire Award for Building Conservation.