IDEAS WANTED – HOW TO SPEND MONEY!
We have been brainstorming, and then had the best idea of all – to ask you for your ideas.
The question: What new ways are there to spend grant money to help secure the future of historic religious buildings?
At the moment, most grant money goes straight on repairs, or on toilets and such like, or on interpretation. Obviously this use of grant money is very important, and needs to continue.
But there must be other good ways to spend money, whether its public money or from private charitable foundations . . . we want ideas for new ways that aren’t being tried at the moment.
All types of ideas welcome
We want obvious and sensible ideas (if you’re not sure whether they’ve been tried, then just suggest them anyway). And we also want off-the-wall ideas which might stimulate further thought.
For example, how about brown signs to ancient churches and chapels, or bulk-purchased ‘welcome: open for visitors’ signs? Or starter packs, seedcorn money and training for Friends groups? Or subsidising a national organisation to support those who look after the buildings? Or supporting a Youtube channel? Or . . . what?
A chance to contribute to future thinking
We promise to take all ideas seriously, and think how each one might be taken forward, using our network of contacts.
And in a few weeks time, we’ll let you know what ideas have been flowing in.
This is your opportunity to provide fresh thinking about using money in new ways to help secure the future of historic religious buildings. We look forward to hearing from you.
Trevor Cooper
Chair, HRBA
hrbchair@theheritagealliance.org.uk
6 July 2016