Grant helps make revamped cathedral accessible

A grant of £26,000 has been awarded to the Cathedral Quarter Trust for the new toilets

A major revamp of a cathedral in the west of the Isle of Man is set to make the 140-year-old building "fully accessible".

Cathedral Isle of Man in Peel has received a £26,000 Manx Lottery Trust (MLT) grant for three new wheelchair accessible toilets and a baby changing facility.

The works are part of a renovations that began in August 2023 and also include new automatic entrance doors, an updated kitchen and underfloor heating.

The Very Reverend Nigel Godfrey said updating that part of the building had been a "priority" when modernising the building.

The cathedral in the west closed a year ago for the start of the works

The funding, given to the Cathedral Quarter Trust, has been provided via the MLT's community awards programme.

Dean Godfrey previously said restoring the cathedral would enable it to serve groups such as The Big Table Cafe and mother and baby classes, as well as daily worship, while making the building more energy efficient.

The toilet facilities would be "essential for ensuring that the building can be fully accessible from day one when we open our doors to the community”, he added.

MLT chairman Stephen Turner said ensuring the space could be used by all "aligned with our mission to improve communities and support projects that enhance public welfare".

The cathedral is set to officially reopen once further works on the kitchen and a sound system have been completed.