Churches crumbling, warns charity, as repair grant applications double The National Churches Trust, which funds repairs, said the number of requests for grants doubled last year, with 618 applications. With public spending cuts forcing the closure of libraries and community centres, almost 80 per cent of church buildings are doubling up for other uses ranging from community cafés, meeting places or Post Offices to banks or supermarket branches. In the report, the Bishop of Salisbury, the Rt Rev Nicholas Holtam, calls for tougher penalties for metal thieves. Claire Walker, the trust's chief executive, said: "The increase in demand for grants to the National Churches Trust shows a growing need for funding to help the UK's churches, chapels and meeting houses continue to serve their congregations and improve the way they can help the wider community. The poor condition of some places of worship is demonstrated by the fact that we regularly receive requests for repair grants from churches where the congregation have to worship surrounded by buckets set out to catch rainwater falling through the roof. : The Trust also announced that Luke March, Chairman of Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust is to be its new chairman.