List members may be interested in the following piece I have been sent by an architect
who specialises in restoring churches, and which is of serious concern
to anyone interested in matters related to historic churches in Britain.
“I
have been told authoritatively, and from a completely dependable
source, that the initial results from the Heritage Lottery Funding
on-line e-mail consultation are not especially encouraging with regard
to potential future funding for churches.
Although
a sizeable proportion of those responding to date have indicated that
they enthusiastically support future funding for historic structures
and buildings, a far smaller proportion have indicated support for
resources being targeted at churches. This may reflect a shortcoming in
the questions themselves, and therefore a confusion in the public mind
about whether funding would be offered to churches as historic
buildings or whether all churches are to regarded as religious
institutions, and therefore as a low priority for Heritage funding.
Given the eventual phasing-out of much English Heritage money to
support historic buildings, and the need to garner support from the HLF
for our churches, it is essential that we do all we can to influence
the on-line consultation in the direction of continued (and greater)
support for church buildings as important historic structures and part
of the national patrimony.
The deadline for on-line comments is 26th April and the documentation is available on www.hlf.org.uk/consultation2011 Please
respond yourselves and get anyone else (DAC members, workers in your
diocesan office, friends, complete strangers off the street…) you can
to do the same. The numbers of people responding are fairly small, so
the chances of having a significant effect on the statistical balance
are good. "
John Whitehead Oriel College Oxford onceiwasacleverboy.blogspot
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