St Peter’s Church, an iconic 19th-century landmark in the village of Mansergh, near Kirkby Lonsdale, has undergone a series of pathway renovations, courtesy of funding from a renewable energy company.

The grant was provided by Banks Renewables' community benefits fund, which operates the nearby Armistead Wind Farm.

The worn out and broken up concrete paths leading to and surrounding the church were dangerous and difficult for its congregation to use, especially for older worshippers and those with mobility issues.

This assessment was made in the most recent diocesan report, which evaluates the overall condition of the church.

Consequently, the District Church Committee, which shoulders the responsibility for maintaining the church's upkeep started looking for funding options to facilitate the much-needed repairs.

A £6,996 grant was handed to the District Church Committee from the benefit fund.

This enabled the committee to engage local contractors, Wenning Surfacing, to perform the repairs.

Ms Yvette Burchnall, a member of the District Church Committee at St Peter’s, said: "We’d long been aware of the increasing problems with the state of the paths around the church, and while they had been patched up over time, they were becoming ever more dangerous for visitors to use, especially when icy or wet.

"We’ve put a lot of effort into fundraising for repairs to the church tower over recent years and also have a lot of other regular costs to cover, meaning that we didn’t have the money needed to complete the repairs to the path that we knew were getting increasingly urgent.

“Banks Renewables’ support has filled a funding gap that would otherwise have taken us years to address and we’re really grateful for their generous contribution towards improving the fabric of our church."

The renovated paths, surfaced with a more resistant grade of tarmac, are not only more impervious to weather effects but also significantly easier for wheelchair users to navigate.

The Armistead Wind Farm Community Fund will provide around £500,000, directly from the revenue of the Armistead Wind Farm.

This facility produces enough clean electricity annually to power more than 8,000 homes.

Earlier this year, South Lakeland District Council granted permission to Banks Renewables to run its six-turbine project for an added 15 years, extending its lifespan to 40 years.

The wind farm company also confirmed it will make the community fund available for the same extended duration.

Jamilah Hassan, the Community Relations Manager at the Banks Group, said: "The Armistead Wind Farm Fund is specifically designed to help local community organisations improve the facilities they can offer to people in the area and it's great to see how the St Peter’s District Church Committee has been able to use its grant to do just that."

Those interested in applying for funding are encouraged to contact the fund manager via fundmanager@bankscommunityfund.org.uk or on 0191 378 6342 to check eligibility before submitting an application for a grant.