National Churches Trust launches free online church maintenance surgeries

Caring for a church, chapel or meeting house can be a complex task, especially if a building is old or listed. With so many different aspects to managing a church building, it can be difficult to find the right support and advice.

To make the job easier, church repair and support charity the National Churches Trust is offering free Skype online church maintenance surgeries. The surgery sessions are hosted by Sarah Crossland, the National Churches Trust's National Support Officer.

The first Skype online church maintenance surgery involved members of the West Exe Team Ministry, serving the St Thomas and Emmanuel parishes of Exeter. Fr Nicholas Edwards and Revd Anne Dowdeswell joined Sarah Crossland on Skype to discuss funding applications for potential projects at the church, both where and how to apply.

Sarah Crossland said: "Our free Skype online church maintenance surgeries will help places of worship wanting to manage their buildings more effectively and efficiently."

"The National Churches Trust's website already offers a wide range of advice on how to care for church buildings. Now through our Skype online church maintenance surgeries we will be able to deal with the specific issues churches, chapels and meeting houses have when managing repair projects and also answer their more general maintenance questions." We will also be happy to share other ideas with churches including how best to develop tourism initiatives to attract more visitors and ways to get the support of the wider local community by developing a Friends Group.

"The National Churches Trust exists to support the churches, chapels and meeting houses of the United Kingdom. Through this new initiative we will be able to give direct support and assistance to more places of worship and safeguard them for future generations."

To book a Skype online church maintenance surgery email info@nationalchurchestrust.org or phone 020 7222 0605