A PROJECT to create a national stained glass centre at a disused city-centre church in York has received an £8,600 boost, it is announced today.

The team behind plans for the Stained Glass Centre in the historic but long-redundant church of St Martin-cum-Gregory on Micklegate has secured backing from the Heritage Lottery Fund as they look to breathe fresh life into the building and open it to the public once again.

The funding will be used for a project called Mobilising Our Supporters, Empowering Our Friends. A part-time development officer will be brought in to work with volunteers and others and develop a programme of events, lectures, classes and tours based around the discovery and interpretation of stained glass.

The Stained Glass Trust was established as a charity in 2009, based at the church, and is also a member of the Micklegate Action Group which is looking to revitalise the area, with the centre playing a part in this.

Trustee Sarah Brown said: “It is wonderful news that we have received the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund in reviving this building as a resource for the promotion of one of York’s oldest and most important arts and crafts.”

York has 60 per cent of the surviving in-situ medieval glass in the country and the trust beleives the centre will attract residents, visitors and students. It will allow them to explore, learn more about and take part in the craft of stained glass, which it says “continues to be central to the heritage, culture and economy of York”.

The new Friends organisation will also open up training and internship opportunities, and more information about the scheme is at stainedglasscentre.org

The funding for the project was one of 82 Catalyst heritage grants totalling more than £700,000 announced today to help heritage groups raise more funds, as part of a wider initiative between the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, Arts Council England and the Heritage Lottery Fund.