C O N T E X T 1 0 5 : J U LY 2 0 0 8 23 ANDREW EDWARDS Churches in a secular age The National Churches Trust, successor to the Historic Churches Preservation Trust, aims to protect churches, chapels and meeting houses across the UK. The challenges facing churches today have changed considerably from those that prompted the creation of the Historic Churches Preservation Trust (HCPT) in 1953. In an increasingly secular society, churches are now perceived by many to be irrelevant, out of touch and often ineffectively managed. Originally built as places of worship, churches are now required to find new responses to meet the varied needs and aspirations of local communities. Ways have to be developed to adapt these buildings for wider use, and to ensure that they are properly maintained for future generations. The HCPT recognised that if it was to make an effective contribution to this process it needed first to change itself. The trust has taken forward the process of re-organising its legal structure. Launched in June 2007, the National Churches Trust aims to be the leading national independent body concerned with the protection and welfare of churches, chapels and meeting houses across the UK. The trust set itself a bold agenda, not least an ambition to raise substantial capital to provide significant non-government funding for the repair and modernisation of church buildings. The National Churches Trust recognised that success would require a fundamental shift in how the organisation worked. In January 2008 the trustees endorsed a three-year business plan based on these objectives: • to raise significant new funds and provide practical assistance to help finance structural repairs to church buildings • to improve the condition of historic church buildings by encouraging good management practices and consistent maintenance • to encourage projects that engage the wider community • to provide advice on access to funding, support and training • to play a pivotal role within the sector. Grant giving will remain the core activity of the National Churches Trust. Following extensive consultation, the trust has developed a new grants programme that it believes will enhance the previous HCPT programme and address new areas of need where funding is not currently available. The new grants programme allocates funds for both architectural restoration and modernisation schemes. It takes into account the extremely varied needs of different churches. St Peter,Winterbourne Stoke,Wiltshire Work in progress at St Mary, Burford, Shropshire
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