CHURCH HERITAGE - Diocese of Ely
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June 2021
St Mary's Whaddon
CHURCH
HERITAGE
News from the Church Buildings and
Pastoral Team
Welcome to the newsletter from the Church Buildings and Pastoral Team,
giving a quick overview of key information and updates.
All the information in this newsletter is correct at the time of writing.
If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact the team directly.
REMINDERS
Quinquennial Inspections
We know that circumstances over the last year
made Quinquennial Inspections difficult, but now
that restrictions have been lifted it is important to
arrange for any overdue inspections to be
completed as soon as possible.
This Diocese pays £600 towards the cost of a
quinquennial inspection (QI). We will be
contacting parishes in due course where QIs are
either overdue or due this year. In the meantime,
if you are not sure when yours is due, please
contact Poppy.
It is also important to keep your logbooks,
maintenance plans and inventory up to date.
St Peter, Old Hurst - Kevin Sims
COVID-19
For the latest information concerning church buildings and Covid-19
please visit the Church of England’s website.
The National Churches Trust has advice and resources on the re-
opening of church buildings and engaging with new visitors: Re-opening
Your Church
Churches, Covid-19 and Communities: “…it really is about buildings…”
The results of the “Where do we go from here? Churches, communities,
and buildings during COVID and beyond" project have been published.
Among the many recommendations, the report highlights the central
role that buildings play in the multi-faceted contribution churches make
to society. Read more on our website: Key Report Published.
Church Buildings and the Post-Covid Church Sessions St Andrew, Impington
During April and May, the Diocese of Worcester pulled together a
range of experts to provide practical advice around a range of topics:
sustaining and developing our churches
adapting to new technology
how we secure our buildings whilst remaining open to the
community
the best ways to fundraise, now and for the future.
The advice is relevant to parishes across the country. Recordings of the
sessions and presentations can be found here: Church Sessions.
BUILDING VOLUNTEERS
National Volunteers Week: A Time to Say Thanks
Volunteers’ Week takes place 1-7 June every year. It's a chance to
recognise the fantastic contribution volunteers make to our
communities and to say thank you. Find out more about this and FREE
training in volunteer management: Volunteer and Community Events In
June.
Focus on Volunteers
We need to hear from you and yes, that does mean another survey.
BUT, this one is aimed at you or the people supporting you – church
building volunteers, including PCC members and churchwardens. We
know that the care and management of our historic church buildings
relies on volunteers. We want to make sure we are providing the right
training and support for people, but to do this we need a better
understanding of what it means to be a church building volunteer,
particularly in light of the pandemic. The survey will be launched later
this month, followed by individual and group interviews.
St Peter, Cambridge - CCT
GOOD NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
Grant Success for Little Paxton
Earlier this year, St James in Little Paxton was one of just a few churches which had success with
round two of the Cultural Recovery Fund. This grant scheme focused on revenue costs to help
heritage organisations adapt to the impact of Covid-19 and prepare to welcome back visitors.
Little Paxton was awarded a grant towards providing new carpet, live streaming equipment and
PPE to reopen St James' church safely for its many groups and activities throughout the year.
“It was a very tricky form to fill out and thanks go to Kate our treasurer for being able
and willing to complete it.”
The Revd Canon Annette Reed
Work Starts at Wisbech St Peter and St Paul
It seems hard to believe that it was 2018 when the team at Wisbech started their journey with the
National Lottery Heritage Fund, back then it was still called the Heritage Lottery Fund. Thanks to
the determination of the volunteers, particularly during 2020, the scaffolding is now up, repairs
have begun and the local MP, Steve Barclay, has visited:
“It was great to see for myself the renovation work going on at St Peter’s and St Paul’s Church
in Wisbech….It’s important we look after the heritage we have inherited and pass it onto
future generations in good shape.”
Soham Receives National Churches Trust Grant
A grant of just under £4000 might not seem worth the effort when your total repair costs exceed
£2 million. But the team at St Andrew’s Soham are taking advantage of every opportunity to slow
the deterioration of the building, whilst they navigate the incredibly challenging situation with
funding for major repairs. Every little really does help! Read more: Soham Success.
Cultural Recovery Fund
It is hotly rumoured that there will be a third round of the Cultural Recovery Fund. We do not know
when or what the criteria will be – if it will include a dedicated repairs fund like last summer. All we
can say is be prepared as it generally has a short application window. Last year the grants for
repairs were up to £25k for works costing up to £30k, so it might be a good idea to have something
along those lines prepared just in case! We will share details as soon as we have them.
Ss Peter & Paul, Watlington St Andrew, Soham
MAINTENANCE MATTERS
Maintenance Commandments
A slightly abbreviated version of some top tips from Southoe St Leonard’s, a runner up at 2020's Nayler
Awards for excellence in maintenance.
St Clement's, Outwell
1. Designate leaders who ensure maintenance is carried out and recorded in the logbook.
2. Work closely with the inspecting architect.
3. Work together with other churches in the benefice, and share good practice and knowledge.
4. Foster the input of local volunteers across the benefice.
5. Follow a tailored maintenance plan and review and update it regularly.
6. Include a fabric report at each PCC meeting and note progress or items still to be sorted.
7. Report on fabric matters at each APCM and update on action plans following the QI inspection.
8. Ensure that sufficient funds are available for maintenance and servicing each year.
9. Be courageous when a QI throws up major issues! Develop an action plan, foster a culture of love and
appreciation for your building.
10. Use social media and newsletters to keep your local community aware of the progress (and costs!) of
maintenance, and to commend your wonderful building to all people, whether of faith or not, as a wonderful
community asset.
"Don’t give up when faced with big mountains to climb. Keep those basic tasks going...
whilst a bigger project may be slowly developing behind the scenes."
Read more top tips on the National Churches Trust's website.
Recommended Monthly Tasks
From SPAB’s Faith in Maintenance Calendar.
June
Inspect all windows. Check the glazing, putty, lead cames and wire ties for signs of damage.
Check timberwork for signs of rot including less accessible areas such as floor and roof voids, under
stairs and in cupboards.
Clear any dirt from condensation drainage channels and holes at the base of windows.
Remove any vermin from floor and roof voids.
July
Look at timber windows, doors, fascias and bargeboards. Check
for cracked and rotten wood. Redecoration may be required.
Clear away any plant growth from around the base of the walls
and in particular from the drainage channel.
Have the lightning conductor system serviced once every five
years.
If your building has a steeple, consider having it inspected by a
steeplejack once every five years.
August
Take a break!
St James, Little Paxton
ENVIRONMENT
Churches Count on Nature
Many readers will be lucky enough to have a churchyard with many wildflowers that are increasingly
uncommon in the wider countryside or town. With these and the trees, churchyards can attract animal life,
both great and small. Ely diocese encourages churches to care for their churchyards to enhance their nature
conservation.
This month you can join in a national wildlife watch, a bit like the Big Garden Birdwatch, called “Churches
Count on Nature.” It is 5th to 13th June, but choose a later date if need be. You can find out all about it at
Caring for God’s Acre.
We are promoting the Wildlife Trust’s Churchyard Conservation Award. This will guide you in what to do
and motivate people with the award scheme. For more information on this and other projects please see the
Environment and Sustainability pages on our website. Diana Cook is generously offering to give personal
advice too. Please send your wildlife sightings in the Count to her as well - Diana.Cook@wildlifebcn.org
Trees and Faculties
You will know that work to churchyard trees falls under faculty. This is because trees, as well as buildings,
are part of our national heritage entrusted to the church. That may feel burdensome in prospect, but, apart
from felling a sound tree, tree-work is covered by the light-touch Lists A and B.
List A sets out what a parish can do without reference to the diocese. In simple words, you can:
Do what you want to saplings, including felling. These are defined as trees with a diameter of less than
75mm at 1.5m above the ground.
Commission pruning of trees that are dead, dying or dangerous.
Remove dead wood from a tree Snowdrops at Shouldham Thorpe
If the trees are in a Conservation Area or have a Tree Preservation Order, you must first obtain the consent
of your local authority. You should also read and make use of the Church Buildings Council’s guidance on
Trees. If you want to do more than this, including plant a tree, this is a List B matter and you must apply to
the DAC.
Self-guided Checklist to Help Churches on Path to Net Zero
The new self-guided checklist accompanies the Practical Path to Net Zero Carbon. The checklist is a clear
and simple place for churches to start, considering how to cut their carbon footprint.
Webinars on net zero carbon continue across 2021.
GRANTS
Introducing…
ASDA Foundation: Two Schemes Now Open
The Green Token Giving Scheme returns as an online vote. Three local, grassroots community
projects are selected per Asda store per month. The one with the most votes received £500, with
the other to receiving £200.
The new Bringing Communities Back Together Grant has been set up to give a maximum of
£1000 to support a celebration event or to get activities and community services back on track.
Visit the ASDA Foundation website for more details.
Current Deadlines Grants without Deadlines
All Churches Trust
The Archer Trust
BIFFA Award - Community Buildings
Church Buildings Council Conservation
Reports
Garfield Weston
Geoffrey Watling (Norfolk only)
Henry Smith Charity
National Lottery Community Fund: Awards
for All
National Lottery Community Fund: Reaching
Communities Fund
National Lottery Heritage Fund: Grants for
Heritage (upto £250,000)
Paul Bassham Charitable Trust (Norfolk only)
Suez Community Fund
Tarmac Funding
Tesco Bags of Help
The Barron Bell Trust
The Beatrice Laing Trust
The Bernard Sunley Foundation
The Clothworkers' Foundation
The Co-op Local Community Fund
The Hobson Charity Ltd
The Jack Patston Trust (Cambs only)
The John S Cohen Foundation
The Round Tower Churches Society
The Swire Charitable Trust - grants under
£25,000
The Tudor Trust
Virridor Credits Environment Co.
For more help with church finances,
particularly during the current crisis,
visit the Financial Guidance and Giving
pages of the Diocese’s website.
Suspended Deadlines
Greggs Foundation – focusing on Covid-19 projects, particularly in North of England.
The Prince of Wales' Charitable Fund - closed until further notice.
The Idlewild Trust – details for 2021 due to be published in the summer.
The Foyle Foundation – all grants have re-opened except for the major capital requests scheme, which
is unlikely to re-open before autumn 2021.
The Rank Foundation Pebble Grants – priorities for 2021 due to be announced soon.
The Jill Franklin Trust – closed until summer 2021 for church restoration projects. The current focus is
on Covid-19 related projects, especially in the North of England.
For more advice on grants and lists of grant making organisations, please contact Sue or Holly. If you would
prefer to search for grants and receive more frequent updates on funding opportunities, you can register for
free with the following websites:
• Support Cambridgeshire
• Hunts Forum
• Grants Online
• My Funding Central
• Funds Online
Please note that the Diocese of Norwich’s subscription to Fundfinder ended on the 31st May. A similar
database can be accessed via some county/district council websites.
OTHER SUPPORT
St James, Newton in the Isle
A Toolkit for Rural Churches
One of the major impacts of Covid-19 has been an increase in
isolation and loneliness especially in rural areas. The Arthur
Rank Centre have produced a free toolkit to help churches
address the issue.
Free Support from Rebuilding Heritage
One-to-one and group support is available to heritage
organisations including places of worship. Topics include
financial literacy, digital marketing, business planning,
fundraising, legal issues, leadership and wellbeing. The final
round will (to receive support Sept-Oct) will open Thursday 8
July 2021. Deadline: 11pm, Tuesday 27 July 2021. Book now.
Norfolk Community Foundation Launch New Initiative
Opportunities4Communities aims to connect charities,
community groups and voluntary organisations working in
Norfolk. Find out more on the Norfolk Community Foundation
website.
New Visitor Engagement and Volunteer Resources
Resources and training produced for Cathedrals but worth any
sized church having at look at: English Cathedrals Resources. St James, Newton-in-the-Isle
Write to your MP
The future of funding for churches is being discussed now, but if we are to get an appropriate, realistic level of
support, we need decision makers to understand what is needed. Please write to your local MP to highlight
both the positives and negatives of recent government support. If you were successful with the Historic
England Covid-19 Heritage at Risk Fund (part of the CRF) please highlight how this benefitted your church and
the difference government grants can make. Equally, point out any negative aspects i.e. the cap of total costs
at £30,000. If you couldn’t access any recent funding or have been negatively impacted by the suspension of
and changes to the National Lottery Heritage Fund, please highlight this. Do also draw attention to the
Churches, Covid-19 and Communities Report.
TRAINING & EVENTS
National Volunteers Week 1st – 7th June
Including FREE Connecting Communities Conference on Volunteer Management. See Building Volunteers
section.
Love your Burial Ground Week/ Churches Count on Nature: 5th– 13th June
See Environment section.
Fascinating Fens Day: 19th June
Fascinating Fens are excited to announce the “Celebrate the Fens” Day, will be returning on 19th June 2021
(for the whole weekend 18th-20th). There will be a mixture of actual and virtual events taking place. Visit
the Fascinating Fens website.
St James, Newton in the Isle
Learning Hub Family Open Day: 26th June
Find out more about the Learning Hub at Ely Cathedral Hub (a project to help parish churches work with
local schools). There will be activities and taster sessions on offer free of charge during this fun-packed,
family event which is open to all ages. More details on our website calendar.
The Churches Conservation Trust Lunchtime Lectures
A popular series of online talks every Thursday at 1pm. Find out more at CCT lectures.
Virtual Events Calendar
The National Churches Trust are listing events on their website, so that you can support some of the
lectures, talks, plays and concerts that are taking place in the UK's church buildings as well as attending
conferences and training sessions. Find out more at NCT Events.
Cambridgeshire Historic Churches Trust Online Lectures
The series of FREE lectures continues (if you aren’t a Trust member, donations are welcome to support the
work of the Trust). Book Now.
• Tuesday 20th July 7pm - Change ringing explained - Gareth Davies, Cambridge bellringer
• Tuesday 17th August 7pm - Turret clocks - Chris McKay, Horologist
• Tuesday 28th September 7pm - Towers and Spires – Robert Walker, Architectural historian
Ride and Stride: Saturday 11th September
Ride and Stride will take place again this year, with whatever adaptations are needed to keep people safe
whilst exploring our fabulous churches and raising funds. Please join in this year in whatever way you can.
More details coming soon on websites for Cambridgeshire and Norfolk.
CONTACT DETAILS
Please contact Holly if you:
have any problems with the links contained in this newsletter
would like to be added to/removed from the mailing list for the newsletter
have a good news story or information you would like included in the next edition; cut-off
date 16th August.
All initial enquiries about works to your building or churchyard and queries about the faculty
process or applying for consent should please be directed to the Church Buildings office via
dac@elydiocese.org
Geoffrey Hunter - DAC Secretary and Head of the Church Buildings and Pastoral Department.
Telephone (01353) 652737 or email geoffrey.hunter@elydiocese.org
Sue Dickinson - Assistant DAC Secretary and Grants Adviser. Telephone (01353) 652705 or
07856 307855 or email sue.dickinson@elydiocese.org
Poppy Crooks - Church Buildings Advice Assistant. Telephone (01353) 652729 or email
poppy.crooks@elydiocese.org
Holly Isted - Historic Church Buildings Support Officer. Telephone (01353) 652720 or 07948
350211 Email holly.isted@elydiocese.org
Sally Gilson - Pastoral and Elections Secretary. Telephone 07946 715733 Email
sally.gilson@elydiocese.org
Ss Peter & Paul, Wisbech
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