A Grade One-listed church once sketched by John Constable is to receive a substantial grant from the Government to repair the roof.

Holy Trinity Church in Theale is to be given a cash grant of £85,200 from a government scheme set up to help restore listed religious buildings in urgent need of repair.

The funding will mean Holy Trinity Church, which was consecrated in 1832 and modelled on Salisbury Cathedral, can restore its roof and upgrade its drainpipes.

Over the last three years, Holy Trinity’s regular congregation has grown by 40 per cent and the church has sought to play a larger role in the community.

It is used twice weekly by Theale Primary School and last November the pupils of Theale Green School attended the church for Remembrance Day.

The church played a major role in the Jubilee Celebrations in 2012 and when the Olympic Torch came to Theale.

In September 2014, it featured prominently in the local commemorative events of World War 1, including the Rededication of its War Memorial by the Bishop of Reading in a church service attended by well over 200 people from all sections of the community and a commemorative concert with the Reading Phoenix Choir.

With funding for the roof repairs now secure, the church will be able to meet the needs, not only of its expanding congregation of all ages, but also hopes to expand its role in the community and open the church for even more community use.

Reading West MP Alok Sharma wrote to all the churches, mosques, temples, gurdwaras and synagogues in his constituency to tell them about the new £15 million building fund after it was launched by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Autumn Statement in December.

Mr Sharma said: “I am absolutely delighted that Holy Trinity Church has been able to benefit from this government scheme, launched by the Chancellor at the last Autumn Statement, which will make a big difference for the village. Holy Trinity Church is a beautiful building built in the early nineteenth century and this funding will help ensure that it can stay open safely for many more years to come.”

Reverend Ann Templeman said: “I am delighted that Alok drew this generous grant to our attention. The much needed funding will enable us to meet not only the needs of our existing expanding congregation of all ages but open the way for our wider rejuvenation and access project to make our magnificent iconic building the centre of our growing community for generations to come.”