The Inspired! campaign was launched in May 2006, with the aim of making a case to Government for more support for those who manage and maintain historic places of worship. Five solutions were put forward, which English Heritage, Government and the denominations and faiths could collectively pursue in order to stem the rising costs of repairs and ensure a sustainable future for the buildings.
- Re-write out-dated list descriptions so that congregations can better understand the heritage value of their buildings and plan acceptable changes to make them ‘fit for purpose’ for the 21st century.
- Help congregations to help themselves by appointing advisers who can offer support and practical assistance in making the most of buildings.
- Fund a maintenance scheme to enable congregations to get their basic maintenance done efficiently and economically.
- Create a simple light touch grant scheme for small repair projects which are currently ineligible for English Heritage/Heritage Lottery Fund grants.
- Safeguard the Churches Conservation Trust and other trusts which look after historic places of worship after they have gone out of use, by increasing the funding available to them.
The campaign was publicly supported by the major denominations with listed buildings and by partners in the heritage sector. By the end of 2006 over 3,000 of the campaign postcards had been sent in by members of the public to show their support.
There was also tremendous interest in parliament, with short debates in both Houses, a well-attended reception following the launch of the campaign and an exhibition in the Palace of Westminster in summer 2007.
Following the Government spending review in autumn 2007, which set our funding until March 2011, English Heritage Commissioners agreed that an extra £1.5m should be provided to work with places of worship in order to implement some of the Inspired! solutions.
While the funding specifically requested in the campaign could not be provided in full, the proposed budget allowed the highest priority elements of the campaign to be addressed, without reducing the annual repair grants allocation.
The priorities on which we focused were:
- capacity-building in the form of support officers who can advise congregations on the care of their buildings (Solution 2).
- maintenance schemes to help congregations arrange for easier and more cost-effective ways to maintain their buildings (Solution 3).
The response of a wide range of organisations and individuals concerned with the future of historic places of worship, in formal and informal consultations, helped us to prioritise these two solutions and we are grateful for their contribution to the campaign.
The two solutions together provide the best way that we can contribute to the long-term sustainability of historic places of worship. You can find out more about them by following the links above.
