Andy Drozdziak
Monty Python star Sir Michael Palin is backing a new plan to tackle the UK’s ‘single biggest heritage challenge’ and save the UK’s churches.
With over 3,500 churches having closed since 2013, and many more now facing closure, the National Churches Trust has launched a manifesto, ‘Every Church Counts’, to save the UK’s church buildings-and Sir Michael, who is Vice-President of the National Churches Trust, is calling for urgent action ‘to prevent the loss of tremendously important local heritage.’
“Churches are a vital and much-loved part of the UK’s history and we need to act now to prevent the loss of tremendously important local heritage,” Sir Michael said.
“If you care as much about the future of these much-loved buildings as I do, you’ll find that the National Churches Trust’s ‘Every Church Counts’ offers a way forward for these wonderful buildings.”
Around 38,500 churches, chapels and meeting houses are open for worship in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, with many offering community services such as food banks to warm spaces. However, the future of many of them is under threat.
‘Every Church Counts’ proposes the following six key actions to save UK church buildings: creating a network of professional support officers to help those who look after church buildings; creating more community support services in church buildings; additional public funding of £50 million and a national matched funding scheme; a strategy to increase tourism to historic churches; regular opening of churches beyond worship times; and the development of a national plan.
Sir Michael Palin underlined the importance of the plan.
“Right now, many church buildings are in danger of closure. ‘Every Church Counts’ proposes a range of ways in which the future of the UK’s churches, chapels and meeting houses can be secured,” he said.
The yearly social and economic value provided to the UK by its church buildings is at least £55 billion a year, whilst church buildings are often also key parts of local cultural life.
Claire Walker, CEO of the National Churches Trust, said: “ ‘Every Church Counts’ offers a blueprint of how churches can be saved for the future. We are calling on Government, heritage organisations and Christian denominations to work together to tackle what is the UK’s single biggest heritage challenge.”
Sir Philip Rutnam, Chair of the National Churches Trust, said that the ideas in ’Every Church Counts’ are designed ‘to lead thinking and stimulate debate.’
‘Every Church Counts’ was launched at a reception in the Attlee Room in the House of Lords hosted by Lord Cormack and attended by MPs, Peers and church and heritage leaders, on Wednesday 24th January, 2024.Those attending included Sophie Andreae, Vice-chair of the Patrimony Committee of the Catholic Bishops Conference for England and Wales, Lord Parkinson, the Heritage Minister, The Baroness Sherlock, Shadow Minister for Faith, Simon Thurley, Chair of the National Lottery Heritage Fund, The Right Reverend Dr Andrew Rumsey, Bishop of Ramsbury and Co-lead for Church Buildings and Cathedrals for the Church of England, and representatives of the Quakers, Baptists, and the Church of Scotland.
Pictures
Sir Michael Palin by John Swannell