St Mary's Church in Banbury is set to benefit from the latest round of Development Fund awards made available by the Diocese of Oxford.

St Mary’s is one of nine churches that will receive a portion of the £500,000 grant.

The church will use the money to commission an architect's drawings for a cafe project.

St Mary’s hopes that the construction of a cafe will further develop outreach to the Banbury community.

St Mary's Church in Banbury will receive funding to help get its cafe project underway.

placeholder image — St Mary's Church in Banbury will receive funding to help get its cafe project underway.

The Development Fund is available to all Church of England churches in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire.

It is aimed at supporting local projects that are working in the community.

A spokesperson for the Diocese of Oxford said: “The Fund is open to all but aims to be particularly helpful to those parishes who, after paying Parish Share and other essential costs, have very limited financial resources to invest in missional activity.

"We know even modest grants can make a significant difference in such parishes.”

For more information, visit: https://www.oxford.anglican.org/development-fund/