Caring for your church – news, advice and more. Sent to all Clergy, Readers, ALMs, LLMs, Churchwardens, Treasurers and Deanery Lay Chairs.
In this Issue: The theme of this Bulletin is Opening and Using your Church, the subject of a recent workshop led by Ann Wise and other members of the DAC team. We also invite you to take a look at Emma’s recent blog post: Can Buildings Speak?
1. Information
- Visitation services
- Filming in Churches and Churchyards
- Heritage skills for the future
- For sale
2. Events and Resources
- Training: Churchyard Management
3. Environment
- Season of Creation
- Can you help?
- Energy Footprint Tool
- Net Zero Carbon Quick Wins Grants
- Heating Systems Guidance
4. Maintaining your building
- Recommended monthly tasks
5. Grants and Funding
- Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme – Update
- Minor Repairs & Improvements Grant – Update
- The Benefact Trust – Important Update
- National Heritage Lottery Fund
- Fundraising idea for your pets?
6. Good news stories
- Keysoe – flower festival
- Newnham’s annual garden party fundraiser
7. Upcoming Events
- Bike and Hike
- Heritage Open Days
With thanks for all you do to maintain our wonderful churches as places where people can encounter God, parishes can reach out in mission and local communities can be transformed.
The DAC Team
Emma Critchley, DAC Secretary
Ann Wise, Historic Buildings Support Officer
Seamus McGibbon, Pastoral and Closed Churches Officer
Tom Abraham, Net Zero Carbon Officer
Mayra Shaw, Team Secretary – Church Buildings
Liz West, Church Buildings Maintenance Officer
Richard Jackson, Local Church Income Support Officer
1. Information
Visitation services
Pic: Visitation, Abbots Langley, St Lawrence
It has been lovely for all the members of the DAC team to attend the Visitation services, enjoy the singing of massed churchwardens and say hello to new, continuing and retiring churchwardens. We really appreciate putting faces to the names of the churchwardens we are in contact with every day as we support them in their work.
Lights, Camera, Sound, Action! Filming in and around your church
Pic: St Mary’s church, North Mymms, exterior during filming by the BBC
Opening up your church and grounds to film crews can be a wonderful way to generate much-needed income whilst sharing the beauty and majesty of your church and its surroundings with people all around the world.
We are fortunate to have some large TV and Film studios in our patch such as Elstree, Borehamwood, Leavesden, Cardington etc. We have some tips and guidance to assist if you get an approach from a location manager. For more information check on the DAC leaflet by clicking below.
Heritage skills for the Future
Increasingly churches are finding it harder than ever to find suitably qualified contractors to work on historic building projects. We’re delighted to hear that the Benefact Trust has launched a national heritage skills programme in partnership with Cathedrals’ Workshop Fellowship.
The Benefact Trust Scholars Programme is an exciting, new initiative that will train 36 heritage students across 14 iconic UK cathedrals, over the next four years. The programme aims to safeguard the future of heritage conservation by equipping students with hands-on experience and qualifications in crafts such as stonemasonry, joinery and leadwork.
For Sale
St Clement’s Church Turnford, Cheshunt Deanery, have a wheeled rack of 48 folding chairs for sale. They have a slightly padded seat and back in blue material and not had a great deal of use. The original cost was around £2500, but they are prepared to sell at £1500. They also have a variety of sets of anthem books for sale.
If you are interested, please let the DAC team know and we will put you in touch.
2. Events and Resources
Training: Churchyard Management
Earlier in June we ran a session on churchyard management for clergy, churchwardens and others involved in the care of churchyards and involvement with families on burials and memorials.
The session included a practical demonstration by Richard Lee, a local memorial mason, on how to install a memorial safely as well as presentations on the legal, pastoral and practical aspects from the Diocesan Registry team in conversation with one of the Archdeacons. We have updated the Churchyard Management Resources on our website to include Questions and Answers from the sessions and the Registry team’s presentation.
Look out for a further date in the autumn at a venue in East Hertfordshire!
3. Environment
Season of Creation
1 September – 4 October
Ecumenical resources exploring the theme for this year, ‘Peace with Creation’, can be found through the link below.
Pic: Renhold, All Saints Churchyard
Can you help?
Pic: Clophill, St Mary the Virgin
We are looking for examples where churches have already used their buildings and outside spaces to explore the season of creation theme ‘Peace with Creation’, from prayer vigils to poetry pilgrimages. Photos would be very welcome too.
We are also interested to hear of churches offering refuge as cool spaces at this time of year and the practical steps being taken.
Energy Footprint Tool
We would like to thank all those that submitted data to the energy footprint tool by the closing date.
We are pleased that we have information on 263 of the church buildings in the Diocese that will help inform our plans as we move forward.
Net Zero Carbon Quick Wins Grants
If you have completed the Practical Path to Net Zero then there may be things you identified that a ‘Quick Wins’ grant can help to fund. This grant fund from the National Church has a limited pot of money which must be spent by the end of 2025 or returned.
Funds are allocated on a first come first served basis, and the grant can be applied for at the same time as permissions are sought through the faculty system. Please check the application criteria and start your application by clicking below.
Heating Systems Guidance
Over the summer months we will be updating the website with information to help you when you are trying to work through your options for replacing your heating system when it comes to the end of its life.
The DAC team will be encouraging you to complete the Practical Path to Net Zero, the heating checklist, and an initial heating options appraisal before you request a visit to discuss heating so that you gain the maximum benefit from a visit.
3. Maintaining your building
Recommended monthly tasks
The tasks taken from SPAB’s maintenance calendar are on our website.
4. Grants and Funding
Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme – Update
There was no announcement in the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) on 11 June on the future of the LPWGS. The DCMS will be considering the Scheme alongside its other expenditure following the CSR but that it maybe sometime before we hear more, possibly some months.
With lots of events being run during the summer and beautiful weather, now is the time (if your church is listed) to build closer relationships with your local MP! Invite them to Sunday afternoon cream teas, flower festivals, art exhibitions – anything you have taking place, that gets them to visit. Let them see for themselves the value of what your church does within the local community and the importance of the LPWGS scheme to help with repairs and making improvements to listed churches. MPs like to keep a high profile on social media – offer up your event as a great photo opportunity!
Whether you have benefited from LPWGS or hope to, keeping churches visible to MPs remains vital, as is making the case for the LPWGS to continue beyond April 2026, ahead of decisions for forthcoming fiscal decisions.
Also, even if your church is not listed, do invite your MP to visit and enjoy one of your summer events!
Minor Repairs & Improvements Grant – majority of fund has been awarded
Please note we are no longer accepting new applications for the Minor Repairs & Improvements Grant this year.
The Benefact Trust – Important Update
A new improved grant application system was launched at the end of May. Any applications in progress which were not submitted by the 19 May 2025, will no longer be available as the previous system has now closed, with no further access.
For questions call 01452 873189 or email The Benefact Trust by clicking below.
Thinking of applying to the National Heritage Lottery Fund?
Help is available if your church is in the process of planning to raise funds for a major project in your church and the PCC has agreed to make an approach to the National Heritage Lottery Fund (NHLF).
Before you submit an Expression of Interest form, please remember to let Ann know before you press the submit button so she can advise on wording and act as your critical friend.
Fundraising idea for your pets?
We love enterprising and slightly quirky fundraising ideas!
Back in 1973, two cats spent their ‘pocket money’ on helping to raise funds for cathedrals, including St Albans Abbey.
4. Good News Stories
Did you know we add news items about church buildings on the diocesan website? Click below for a direct link to Church Buildings News. You can also select ‘All News’ from the dropdown menu in the top right-hand corner, to see all recent news stories.
Flowers at Keysoe
For two days in June St Mary’s, Keysoe was taken over by the local Women’s Institute (WI). To commemorate Keysoe WI’s 80th Anniversary, members held a Flower Festival in the church on the weekend of 7-8 June. A Special Church Service was held on the Sunday to mark the event.
Churchwarden, Jenny Carter, told us that the weekend went very well and the displays, marking each of the eight decades, were “beautiful and fun”.
As well as taking in the stunning floral displays, visitors could treat themselves to a cream tea, enjoyed in a beautiful medieval church.
Pic: Keysoe, Flower Festival display
Newnham’s annual village lunch
A date in everyone’s diary who lives near the church of St Vincent’s in Newnham, is the annual village lunch in aid of the church. Held this year on the 29 June, at 33 degrees it was one of first very hot days of the summer. It was held in someone’s large garden and attracted people from Ashwell, Hinxworth, Edworth and Newnham. Despite the heat, the lunch was a great success.
Richard Stark, the churchwarden, told us: “The amazing and delicious food was produced by many willing villagers of Newnham”.
Everyone helped to make it a successful event, including moving tables and chairs to and from the host’s cottage and village hall. In total, £2, 2124 was raised for St Vincent’s church.
7. Upcoming Events
Bike & Hike – Saturday 13 September
Beds and Herts Historic Churches Trust annual Bike & Hike is being held on Saturday 13 September.
All ages can take part in the Bike & Hike. It is a chance to help raise money for the trust which in turn is able to award grants to churches within the Diocese.
Visit other churches that you’ve been wanting to see and if you are lucky the churches you stop at may also be taking part in the National Heritage Open Days on that Saturday and may have extra activities arranged or have cakes and drinks on sale! For more information about Bike & Hike, click below.
Heritage Open Days
Do let us know if you will be taking part in the heritage open days in September, and if you would like any help creating new volunteer roles, please get in touch with Ann.
Heritage Open Days: 12-21 September 2025
If your church is listed, this national event is a fantastic way of letting the wider community know about the wonderful place of worship that you look after.
Many of the Diocese’s churches already take part but we’d love more to get involved! To find out more, please click the link below to take part.
Each individual church can decide what to do and how often to take part; for example, you can decide to open your church for just one Saturday afternoon during the event. In past years there have been guided walks around churches and church yards, tower tours and art exhibitions, but just as lively has been volunteers welcoming visitors to look around at their leisure and serving tea and cake.
Several churches have linked a Heritage Open Day with being open for Bike & Hike (Saturday 13 September). As in previous years, Ann offers to come along and help if needed.