ST PETER’S CHURCH ONCHAN AMPLIFIES EVENTS WITH MANX LOTTERY TRUST GRANT

St Peter’s Church in Onchan has received a grant of £2,490 from the Manx Lottery Trust, which will be used to purchase new sound desk furniture to house their upgraded mixing equipment.

This grant is part of a wider fundraising effort with more than £35,000 in donations, all of which will go towards improving the church's audio-visual (AV) capabilities, benefiting both religious services and the diverse range of secular activities hosted within the church.

Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, St Peter’s Church has regularly streamed services on social media, but the outdated AV system has been a limitation. With funding already in place for an equipment upgrade, this grant from the Manx Lottery Trust will provide the essential furniture needed to house the new mixing equipment.

The upgraded AV system will also enhance secular events such as film nights, which draw an average of 90 attendees per screening, talks, band concerts, and activities involving local schoolchildren. The church premises are also a popular rehearsal space for drama groups and bands.

Elaine Litherland, a representative from St Peter’s Church Onchan, said: “We are thankful to the Manx Lottery Trust for this grant. The new sound desk will be a great enhancement of our upgraded AV system, allowing us to offer high-quality streaming of our services and improving the experience of all the community events we host.”

Stephen Turner, Chairman of Manx Lottery Trust, added: “We are pleased to support St Peters with this grant, alongside the fantastic fundraising efforts for the wider project. Their commitment to enhancing both religious and secular activities within the community is truly commendable. By funding the new sound desk, we’re helping to ensure that the church can continue to be a vibrant hub for a wide range of events.”

The Smaller Grants programme from Manx Lottery Trust offers straightforward and accessible funding for local groups, with grants ranging from £300 to £2,500. This initiative is part of the Trust’s broader commitment to enhancing community life across the Isle of Man.