A PUBLIC clock is set to be repaired following the awarding of charitable funds distributed by Monmouthshire County Council.

The authority’s Welsh Church fund working group has agreed to award Chepstow Priory Friends £3,000 towards its £18,000 goal to restore the church clock and tower steps.

The friends group said repairing the clock would benefit the whole community as it is “the only public clock within Chepstow”.

The group has also awarded Portskewett and Sudbrook Recreation Hall £1,000 to install security lights and to painting the building to increase its weather protection as well as enhance its “aesthetic appearance”. The total project will cost £2,373. 

St Mary’s Church, Magor, was also awarded £1,500, towards its £4,242 project, to replace halogen lights in roof of the nave, north and south aisles with LED efficient lighting.

The church has said it “wishes to become greener and this is the first step in achieving a lower carbon footprint”.

The Welsh Church Act Fund is an independent charitable trust established from the proceeds and assets following the disestablishment of the Church in Wales in 1914.

Its assets were distributed to county councils and unitary authorities now allocate the funds, with Monmouthshire awarding money towards the advancement of education and religion, relief of poverty, arts, libraries and museums or other purposes that benefit the community.