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32
BCD SPECIAL REPORT ON
HISTORIC CHURCHES
22
ND ANNUAL EDITION
MAINTENANCE
CO-OPERATIVES
Kate Streeter
‘A STITCH in time saves nine’, or as SPAB
founder William Morris put it: ‘Stave off
decay by daily care’. However you look at
it, avoiding major, costly works to places
of worship through cheap and cheerful
regular maintenance has to be a good
thing. The Maintenance Co-operatives
Project is all about providing free
practical support to the dedicated staff
and volunteers who take care of some of
Britain’s most treasured heritage.
The SPAB has long taken a keen
interest in historic churches and chapels.
Approximately five per cent of all listed
buildings are places of worship, but
this figure jumps to 45 per cent if you
just look at Grade I listed buildings.
Because the SPAB is a statutory
consultee in the planning process, as
well as the Church of England’s faculty
process and its equivalents in other
denominations, places of worship form
a significant proportion of the SPAB’s
casework. The society sees first-hand
the importance of religious architecture
to the landscape of British heritage and
to British society, and it is not alone in
this view. Research recently published by
the National Churches Trust shows that
over three quarters of the British public,
regardless of their religious persuasion,
feel that churches and chapels form an
important part of the nation’s heritage.
However, the SPAB is also keenly
aware of the challenges faced by those
looking after faith buildings. Balancing
income, faith use, wider community use
and the general public’s expectations
with often complex maintenance needs
can feel like an impossible juggling act
for those responsible for their care. The
challenges are even more acute where
congregations are small, geographically
dispersed or physically unable to carry
out maintenance. This is where the
SPAB can help. Its wealth of knowledge
and expertise is freely available and
the society aims to help people enjoy
their places of worship and see them
as assets rather than as a burden that
detracts from mission. The concerns of
those taking care of places of worship
differ from those of private owners of
listed buildings, and the SPAB has been
working hard to provide programmes
tailored to the former’s needs.
Back in 2007 the SPAB launched the
Faith In Maintenance programme
(FiM),
supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund
(HLF). A one-day training event covering
all aspects of caring for historic places
of worship, took SPAB deputy director
Sara Crofts all over the country. By 2012
she had delivered 150 training days to
over 5,000 volunteers, who also received
a maintenance calendar, book and DVD.
The course was a huge success, winning
a Europa Nostra award for education,
training and awareness-raising. When
demand remained high in 2012 English
Heritage stepped in with further funding,
covering 60 per cent of the running costs
and allowing the SPAB to continue to offer
the day at a subsidised price of just £500.
Feedback from FiM was positive
but one important aspect of the
programme needed further development.
Maintaining buildings is not just about
knowing how, why and what needs to be
done, but also about having the capacity
to actually carry out those tasks. That
means having systems in place and
trained people on the ground who are
willing and able to assist. For many places
of worship this is easier said than done,
and it was this capacity shortage that led
to the creation of the Maintenance Co-
operatives Project (MCP).
(All photos: SPAB)