22/06/2026
The tower restoration project at All Saints' Parish Church in Antrim has been generously awarded £250,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The Vicar of All Saints' parish, the Venerable Dr Stephen McBride said that 'everyone, parishioners and members of the community are delighted to see that the scaffolding is now in place at the tower and the restoration work is in full progress. We are fully optimistic that the external work to the tower and the internal fire restoration work will be completed to allow us to have an opening service for our parishioners on 8 November. We are also planning a civic celebration for those who are not parishioners but have generously supported all our efforts on 29 November at which the Archbishop of Armagh will be present.'
One of the four strands that applications to the National Lottery Heritage Fund must fulfil is that the project will help protect the environment. In March 2025 parishioners and members of 5th Antrim Scouts in conjunction with the Woodland Trust planted 2000 sapling trees and there are plans to rewild part of the church's graveyard in 2027. The Rev Peter Blake contacted Councillor Paul Dunlop and he helped to secure funding from Antrim and Newtownabbey Council to supply litter pickers, protective gloves and bags. On Sunday 21 June upwards of 60 parishioners took part in a litter pick around the town centre, Antrim Castle grounds, Station Road and Oriel Road.
Thankfully the weather was on our side and over 55 bags of litter were collected. As an incentive, the Rev Peter Blake hid some golden lemonade bottles and several intrepid young litter pickers were rewarded with chocolate bars and Amazon vouchers. The much appreciated hot dogs and ice creams, supplied by the Yew Tree deli, were greatly appreciated by the litter pickers. The costs were generously funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Rhoda Walker from Positively Antrim attended the litter pick and encouraged parishioners to join in in future community litter picks which she hopes to arrange and the parish litter pick will definitely become an annual event.
