Status: currently in development

Who?   Newcastle Diocese (Church of England), a charity covering Northumberland, Newcastle, North Tyneside and small areas of County Durham and Cumbria. Newcastle Diocese recognises that in addition to its core religious purposes, as described in the Five Marks of Anglican Mission, it is also both a volunteer support and heritage management organisation. 

What?  Support PCC charity trustees and their volunteers to simplify how they sustainably manage the built, natural and social heritage of the churches and churchyards in their care by: 

1. Streamline Diocesan processes and upgrade data management to enable comprehensive and efficient decision making by the Diocesan Advisory Committee and Diocesan Mission & Pastoral Committee, alongside better informed and targeted church buildings and churchyards support; 

2. Assess all listed church buildings’ Quinquennial Inspections against Historic England’s Heritage At Risk criteria, and wherever appropriate request inclusion in HAR Register; 

3. Explore methodologies and emerging initiatives for applicability to managing, conserving and protecting church heritage, including: 

1. Statements of Significance and Need (SOSN) 

2. Important Trees Outside Woodlands (ie in churchyards (CY & glebe) 

3. Churchyard Biodiversity (eg DfE National Nature Park, DEfRA 30by30) 

4. Mapping Burials in Churchyards (Our Digital Ancestors) 

5. Objects/property recording (Collections at the Heart/Spectrum) 

6. Archives (Archives Revealed) 

7. Accessibility of church building and churchyard 

4. Update and digitise the original Rural Churches for Everyone ‘Open and Sustainable Church Buildings’ Toolkit to incorporate new legislation and requirements (eg Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011 update) 

5. Support PCC volunteers to assess their churches and create a 5 year ‘Open and Sustainable’ Action Plan for their parish and Deanery Development Planning; 

6. Identify potential community collaborations (eg Cool Spaces, Warm Hubs, Heritage Anchors, Emergency Hubs, Peripatetic services); 

7. Contribute church heritage data to wider registers (e.g. HARR, ERIC NE, 30by30); 

8. Study and generate reports: 

1. Heritage at Risk Register reports 

2. Potential for Heritage skills training (Construction & conservation of objects) 

3. Thematic capital projects potential (multi-churches facing similar needs) 

4. O&SCH Five-Year Management Plans aggregated for Diocese 

5. Dissemination Conference Report 

6. Project Evaluation Report 

Where?  In 64 pilot churches across Newcastle Diocese, including at least one from each Area Deanery, with a representative range of geographies, communities, contexts and congregations 

Why?  

• To increase the accessibility and relevance of churches built, natural and social heritage; 

• To support volunteers to sustainably manage church heritage to benefit its communities; 

• To manage church heritage to help places restore nature and adapt to climate change. 

When?  18 month project planned to start in January 2027.