Urgent call to Government to save church buildings
from Christian Today:
Anglican and Catholic Church leaders have issued a joint appeal for more government funding to protect key services run by local churches, many of which have come under increasing financial pressure because of Covid-19.
It follows a new report from the National Churches Trust, which estimates that churches provided £12.4bn in essential social and economic support services to their communities in the 12 months up to May 2020.
These services, which included food banks, mental health counselling and youth groups, are now at risk as the pandemic threatens vital funding needed for the upkeep of church buildings, many of which are old or listed.
Chief Executive of the National Churches Trust, Claire Walker said: “During the COVID-19 pandemic, church buildings were placed in the same category as gyms and cinemas and forced to lock down.
“But for the most vulnerable in our society, the support church buildings offer is not a recreational choice – it’s an essential need – and lockdown served to highlight the increasing reliance of people on this support. These buildings have become our National Help Service.
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