New website: Explore Churches Experience

The National Churches Trust website: ExploreChurches, allows people to discover the wonder of the UK's sacred heritage. Now, ExploreChurches Experiences offers tourists, tour operators and church lovers the opportunity to find and book 'hands on experiences' in churches and cathedrals.

These include: Cartmel Priory- The Priory offers specialist tours about William Marshall and the Magna Carta, the Reformation, church architecture and more. Lincolnshire Cathedral - A guided tour of Lincoln Cathedral with exclusive access to vestments, as well as an embroidery demonstration. Tale of Two Potters Tour - A guided tour of Gloucester Cathedral and a visit to the House of the Tailor of Gloucester from Beatrix Potter. Faith and Food in Yorkshire: A visit to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Fountains Abbey, followed by a tour of St Mary's church and Harrogate Baptist church and finishing with afternoon tea at the famous Betty's Tea Room.

Church of England, Baptist and Methodist places of worship are currently part of ExploreChurches Experiences with churches belonging to other denominations set to be involved in the future.

Each ExploreChurches Experience has its own page on the website at at : www.explorechurches.org/experiences and users can search these using descriptive key words and by geographical location. Tour operators and others booking ExploreChurches Experiences will be able to register and create their own account to manage bookings.

Claire Walker, Chief Executive of the National Churches Trust said: "The UK's churches are amazing buildings which have so much to offer to tourists and visitors. ExploreChurches Experiences makes it easy to book online for a fascinating range of themed visits in churches and cathedrals. These include hands on activities, behind the scenes tours and local food and drink as added extras."

"ExploreChurches Experiences will appeal to families, students and independent travellers alike. Thanks to the support of the VisitBritain/VisitEngland Discover England Fund, we have been targeting the US travel market and in particular the many Americans who are fascinated by the UK's religious history and buildings."

"Churches are a vital part of the UK's heritage. Getting more people to visit them and allowing churches to benefit from the tourist pound is a key way of securing their future."

ExploreChurches is supported by the National Churches Trust and managed by NCT Heritage Services Ltd.

Visit Explore Churches here: www.explorechurches.org