Relaunch of Churchcare website
The Churchcare website has been
relaunched and can be accessed at
www.churchcare.co.uk.
While the website has, so far, focused on maintenance, legal matters
and funding, the new Churchcare site includes more advice and
guidance on maintenance, repairs, churchyards, the care of
furnishings and fittings, legal and technical matters as well as a
completely new section on the development and use of church
buildings.
The website aims to equip the non-professional with the knowledge to
look after, and care for, a church building, its churchyard and
contents and to develop the church building further, for example by
opening it to school visits, tourism and other uses.
The four core sections are:
Caring for Your Church Building (maintenance and repairs of the
building)
Caring for Your Church's Contents (maintenance and care of artworks,
furnishings and fittings)
Caring for Your Churchyard (churchyard management and legislation)
Developing Your Church Building (advice and information on extended
and additional uses and on the option of making alterations and
extensions)
These are accompanied by further sections on Legal Matters,
Archaeology and Funding. Churchcare also features a list of
Frequently Asked Questions, a Glossary and a Who is Who of church
conservation which sets out the roles and duties of the various
people and institutions involved.
To guide churchwardens and others through the complex procedures
involved, the new Churchcare website includes simple, step-by-step
processes, such as "How to Implement Repairs", "How to Conserve Your
Church's Contents", "How to Develop Your Church Building" and "How
to Make Alterations to Your Church Building". These guides and the
greater emphasis on the use, development and community involvement
of church buildings are part of the Building Faith in Our Future
agenda which recommended the further development of Churchcare.
The Council for the Care of Churches gratefully acknowledges the
continuing support of Ecclesiastical Insurance Group for the
development of the Churchcare website.
