A Government grant to give Rochester Cathedral a makeover has been hailed by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.
It follows a visit by Sajid Javid to the cathedral on Thursday along with Kelly Tolhurst - the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Rochester and Strood.
The pair came to the cathedral to celebrate £153,000 of funds awarded this week to be spent on fixing the historic building's roof.
It comes as part of a £20m Government pot announced in this year's Budget to renovate and repair cathedrals nationwide.
Both Sajid and Kelly enjoyed a tour of the cathedral and spoke to the Rev'd Dr Philip Hesketh about the future plans for the cathedral – which includes opening up the library to the general public.
Sajid Javid said:
"I was delighted to accept Kelly's invitation to visit Rochester Cathedral today and see how the £153,000 government grant will help fix its roof and protect it for future generations.
"Rochester Cathedral is a building that belongs to everybody - to people of all faiths and none. It attracts hundreds of volunteers each year, is visited by more than 20,000 children on school trips and is used by the whole community.
"If Kelly becomes Rochester and Strood's next MP I hope she will encourage them to bid for our third round of grants to help it deliver all these fantastic projects and many more for the people of Rochester and Strood."
Kelly Tolhurst added:
"As a local girl I know the importance of our cathedral both as a community asset and as a key attraction for visitors.
"I am thrilled by this cash boost for Rochester Cathedral and enjoyed taking Sajid to view what is a true jewel in Medway's crown.
"If I am able to earn the privilege of being elected MP for Rochester and Strood I will continue to push for more investment for our cathedral."