C O N T E X T 1 0 5 : J U LY 2 0 0 8 21 crispin truman A voice for historic places of worship placesofworship@heritagelink focuses on issues that are of shared interest to more than one faith group or of interest to the wider heritage sector. Churches and other historic places of worship are part of our shared heritage. Our urban and rural landscapes would be unthinkable without them. The most significant events of many people’s lives are bound up with them.Yet many beautiful and evocative buildings have to be kept going, often against the odds, by small groups of dedicated volunteers. Sadly, some buildings do not survive. It may seem surprising that these buildings have been the largest part of the heritage sector without their own comprehensive national forum. Perhaps the explanation lies in one of their distinctive features: many of those working with the buildings are quite properly concerned first and foremost with their faith, and do not see the fabric, however historic and beautiful, as their main focus. During 2007 some of the key organisations concerned with this issue (including the Churches Conservation Trust, the National Churches Trust, Heritage Link, and the Cathedrals and Church Buildings division of the Church of England) undertook a wide-ranging consultation on the case for a new, action-oriented national grouping. This would give places of worship a powerful voice and an opportunity to work together within the wider heritage sector. The consultation elicited a thoughtful and overwhelmingly supportive response from a large number of bodies concerned with various aspects of this heritage. There was wide recognition that, if we were able to provide a forum for reaching common positions when dealing with government and other stakeholders, the sector would be much better equipped to contribute to policymaking in relation not only to the historic environment, but also to community and economic development and regeneration. The best location seemed to be as an interest group within Heritage Link, which was set up in 2002 by national heritage groups to promote the central role of the voluntary movement in the sector, and to make their voice heard.The trustees of Heritage Link agreed to our proposal and were able to announce the new grouping – placesofworship@heritagelink (powlink for short) – at their AGM in December. Well over 30 national organisations immediately signed up for membership. Most of them were represented in March at the Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church for the first of what will be annual meetings of powlink. Although Heritage Link’s remit is for England, organisations based in other parts of the UK are welcome as associate members of the new grouping. Scottish and Welsh representatives made important contributions at this first meeting. We aim to help member organisations fulfil their own missions more effectively, while recognising that they are independent bodies with their own objectives. Powlink will pursue issues where there is added value in doing things together. The focus will be on issues relating to historic places of worship which are of shared interest to more than one faith group and/or of interest to the wider heritage sector. It will work with and complement the work of other organisations representing parts of the historic places of worship sector, including English Heritage’s Places of Worship Forum, the Church Heritage Forum, and county trusts working with the Historic Places of Worship Preservation Trust. The priorities members have set for powlink’s first year include engaging with government to help promote better understanding of the key issues for the sector, and their reflection in national policy; defining and disseminating to a wider public some of the crucial facts about historic places of worship; developing a web-based portal to information and examples of good practice, to be made available to all with an interest; and facilitating networking among members, and engaging with the heritage of as inclusive a range of faiths as possible. Executive support is currently being provided largely by volunteers, but we are seeking funding to enable us to appoint a part-time development officer. If you would like to know more about placesofworship@heritagelink, email Robert Green at [email protected]. Crispin Truman is chief executive of the Churches Conservation Trust and chair of the steering group for placesofworship@ heritagelink. The triple-decker pulpit at St John the Evangelist, Chichester, a chapel in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre atWarminghurst, West Sussex, is in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust.
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