Britain’s topsy turvy weather damages churches as more than ever need emergency cash
Churches are amongst the most widespread and accessible rural community assets. On an ecumenical basis many priests have a key role to play in supporting those most in need in rural settings. The Bishop of Manchester who, perhaps surprisingly to some, has a deep sympathy with rural issues, spoke very effectively on this theme at the launch of the new National Centre for Rural Health and Care which is a key new RSN partner in the health agenda. I think we underestimate at our peril the challenge of keeping local churches in a good state of repair to help support their wider non religious role as community centres. This article is a wake up call in that context. It tells us:
Dramatic weather patterns including storms and flooding have led to an growing bill to patch up England’s thousands of historic churches.
Eddie Tulasiewicz, of the National Churches Trust, said the issue had been a particular problem during flooding in Cumbria during recent winters.
In particular, rooves and wooden church fittings have been damaged by wet winters and hot, dry summers, leading emergency applications to the charity to reach their highest ever level.
“It’s happening with lots of historic buildings – there has been flooding which has affected Cumbria quite badly, we had to bail out some churches there.”
In the summer, he said, it’s “very hot and dry, that affects wood.”
The number of applications for urgent repairs and maintenance funding to the charity rose by 44 per cent between 2013 and 2017, from 328 applications in 2013 to 473 in 2017.
The figures suggest that church rooves and drainpipes are taking a battering from wet weather, with almost half of all applications during one period connected to roof repairs or gutters.
During 2015 to 2018, 45 per cent of the 1,274 applications to the charity were for roof repairs, to repair gutters or to fix drainage.
The figures come from the organisation’s report, which marks 200 years since the creation of the Incorporated Church Buildings Society, a Church of England drive to keep the country holy, which led to the founding of many Victorian churches.