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Dear [FIRSTNAME]
Welcome to the CTFC May Newsletter
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In this month's newsletter
- General Information
- Training
General information
How ‘User-Friendly' is your church?
Does your faith building have a kitchen, meeting room, lavatories or other facilities and including efficient heating which allow you to host events and activities? If you've adapted your building and would be willing to tell others about it, we'd love to hear from you. Please contact Jemma Metcalfe-Gibson on 07733 886284 or jemmamg@ctfc.org.uk.
Free publicity for your church
Have you updated your own webpage on our website yet? Each of Cumbria's faith buildings have their own page on our website which can be used to tell others about events, fundraising projects, to advertise meeting space, or to inform the visitor about points of interest in our near your church. For an example of an updated page, search for ‘Glassonby' in the Churches Directory. There are directions on how to register your church on the website. We would appreciate feedback if you have difficulties in regsitering. Please email info@ctfc.org.uk.
Save the Listed Places of Worship VAT Back scheme!
If your place of worship is listed and you are carrying out repairs and maintenance now, or have done since April 2001, you may be able to claim back 100% of the VAT spent. This can save you thousands of pounds. Unfortunately this scheme may end in April 2011, which would be a huge financial blow to many churches. To help save the fund, please write to Downing Street, your (new) local MP and add your name to the petition (this will re-open once the dust has settled following the General Election). For more details, go to the Save the Refund website. To find out whether you're eligible to reclaim your VAT, go to http://www.lpwscheme.org.uk.
National Survey 2010
During April, the NCT launched its first National Survey of Churches, Chapels and Meeting Houses across the UK. The Survey takes the form of an online questionnaire. Please ensure that your church participates as this will help tremendously with the overall results and also give us more information about Cumbria's churches.
The survey aims to establish:
- The social value of churches (through welfare, volunteering, community events)
- The current and future costs of buildings (repairs, maintenance, management)
- Profiles of well-run churches (the building itself, its management structure, successful
- organisational models for both mission and alternative use)
TRAINING
Please see our website for full details of training courses and events. All courses/events are free unless stated.
12 May Faith in Maintenance
Keswick Methodist Church 10-4pm - A few places are still left!
Led by Sara Crofts, SPAB (Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings).
This will be an invaluable and practical day for anyone involved in maintaining a faith building. It will help you to identify what needs to be done, how and when and also when to call in the experts. Please book online.
25 May How Your Church Bases Community Project Can Get Support
10.30am - 2pm. Penrith Methodist Church
Faith to Engage is hosting a free lunch and networking event. (Registration and tea / coffee at 10am). For registration or more information email fte@communitystrategy.co.uk or mobile: 07891 102 674.
8 June Reviewing your Visitor Welcome
St Michaels' Church, Burgh by Sands, CA5 6AW - Please note that this is a change of venue.
Provided by Joanna Booth, NWMFTA, this seminar is based around an ‘audit of welcome' which is designed to help you to measure your welcome. It is a tool that could help you to make some inexpensive, simple, yet effective changes to your church that will enhance and improve the experience of the visitor. It is not always easy to be objective about a place that you love and are very familiar with but this exercise is as much about giving participants the tools to identify what they currently do well as it is about enabling them to highlight the things could be improved on. Jemma Metcalfe-Gibson will also provide advice on writing a statement of significance for your building. To book a place contact joanna.booth@nwda.co.uk or 07545 580437
23 June Successful Fundraising : Developing a Strategy
Swarthmoor Hall, Ulverston, Cumbria CVS, 10-4pm. Cost £45
This course will help you to be more strategic in your approach to finding funds and will cover topics such as match funding, full cost recovery and why funding applications succeed or fail. For details or to book, contact Nicola Howells 01900 819 191 nicolahow@cumbriacvs.org.uk.
May-June 2010 - Improve the energy efficiency of your church (and utility bills!)
Faiths 4 Change offer a free Sustainability Audit of your building and will advise on the energy savings and better heating/lighting for your church. To enquire about organising an event at your own place of worship please contact Tom Fyson at Faiths 4 Change on 01772 521014.
The North of England Civic Trust has launched an inspiring range of courses of practical heritage buildings skills. The Heritage Skills Initiative was set up to promote and raise awareness of heritage skills and subsequently provide practical opportunities for training and hands on opportunities. The programme has been running for 3 years in
the North East and recently secured funding for supplying heritage skills
training in Cumbria. Please see a copy of the Cumbrian Heritage Skills Initiative brochure on our website .
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