A campaign group is urging the government to make church security funding permanent, after newly released figures revealed hundreds of crimes at places of worship across Essex.
According to data obtained by the Countryside Alliance, Essex ranked among the UK’s ten worst-affected areas, with 500 recorded incidents between 2022 and 2024.
These included 213 thefts, 159 cases of criminal damage, and 128 violent incidents, including lead thefts from church roofs.
The group is calling for long-term support for schemes like the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, and the Places of Worship Protective Security Scheme.
Mo Metcalf-Fisher, the group’s director of external affairs, told the BBC: “If I think about my parish church outside Saffron Walden in Ugley, it’s a beautiful church, but it is isolated… Lots of people… have had concerns about the security of their local church.”
He encouraged local vigilance, adding: “Any dog walkers, people out in the area, just keeping an eye on their churches… could go a long way in protecting the future of those churches.”
Revd David Ibiayo from St Margaret’s Church in Bowers Gifford said his church was “pained” after a break-in last year caused around £15,000 worth of damage.
Thanks to a GoFundMe campaign, the local community raised £10,000 to help with repairs and CCTV installation.