Description

A survey for the National Churches Trust has gauged the scale of repair, restoration and maintenance required by Britain's church buildings, and the challenges of local communities to keep them usable and standing. One in 20 may not be used as a place of worship in five years time, and one in ten need to make urgent repairs to roofs and guttering in the next year.

The National Churches Trust says there's an urgent need to act together to keep churches open with sustainable funding so they remain valued community assets. It recognises the valiant contributions of volunteers who spend hours fundraising, but finds 70 per cent of churches need more people to help, and says they should not be left to shoulder the burden alone. It is calling for more collaboration between heritage organisations, local authorities, denominations and the national government to face the challenge, saying the upkeep of churches is a shared responsibility.

Ruth Peacock hosted this discussion with guests:

• Karl Newton, deputy CEO of the National Churches Trust
• Sir Philip Rutnam, chair of the National Churches Trust.
• Lachlan Rurlander, of Whitestone Insight which conducted the research
• Professor Kate Giles, Centre for the Study of Christianity and Culture, University of York
• Diana Evans, Head of Places of Worship at Historic England
• Rev Huw Powell-Daves from Bethesda Chapel in Mold
• Mary Keeley and Sheila Stephens from St Grada and Holy Cross church on the Lizard peninsula in Cornwall

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