Ride and Stride CHCT Grants 2008/9 This year’s event is on CHCT has paid out well over half a million pounds in WREN and 12th September. CHCT grants in the 10 years since the inception of the WREN After almost thirty years as the county scheme. Adding the offers yet to be taken up nudges the figure to organiser of the annual bike ride, David almost £600,000. Harrison has decided to retire. Successive Chairmen and Trustees have been enormously grateful for all he has done to promote our largest fund raising CAMBRIDGESHIRE HISTORIC CHURCHES TRUST 2009 event and we wish him the very best for the future. reduce the need for landfill sites. A As I write, we have yet to appoint a sad fact for CHCT, but it is at least successor, but Andrew Westwood-Bate From the Chairman good news for the planet (and even will be printing and distributing the more reason to ‘ride’ or ‘stride’ in material in good time for this year’s ride The 25th Anniversary year was a busy time for the Trust and we will not September). on September 12th. Don’t forget that it is let up in 2009 as we help the diocese of Ely celebrate its 900th anniversary. This Newsletter gives further details now ‘Ride and Stride’, so walkers as Our focus will be the Garden Party from 6.00pm at the Bishop’s House in of our Conference, Church Tours and well as cyclists and horse riders can Ely on Friday June 26th, by the kind invitation of Bishop Anthony. All grants. I hope you find it interesting participate. Many churches and college members are invited and there is no charge but we will be asking for and more copies are available if you chapels can be reached in only an hour in donations. We also hope to arrange some short guided tours of items of would like to give it to others with Cambridge, and in our smaller towns like specific interest in the Cathedral. As we need to know numbers for your recommendation to join CHCT! March or Huntingdon, it is possible to catering, please register your intention to attend at the Conference on 25th get to half a dozen or so quite easily. We April or by letting the Secretary know by the end of April. Richard Halsey cannot expect all the county’s places of Chairman worship to be manned, but as it is also On our Church Tours this summer we because we too have volunteers Heritage Open Day weekend, many are will see fabric that witnessed the raising and distributing our funds. likely to be open. Nearly all make a form * Work in progress at Stretham creation of the diocese in 1109. As CHCT can always do with more help, available for you to sign in and some many of those churches would have and this year we would particularly churches will be pursuing other activities In the last twelve months we have carefully consider whether they can been built by local landholders, the welcome more organisers and (I nearly got roped into a churchyard awarded grants of £96,755 to 25 church afford not to apply this deterrent. change of diocese from Lincoln to participants for the Ride and Stride working party last year!). Ely probably didn’t have much of an on September 12th. For our AGM on projects, coming in virtually equal Additionally we would like to remind The 2008 Ride and Stride raised just measure from WREN and CHCT funds. you that CHCT has for many years set impact at parish level. Then, as today, October 24th we will revert to the over £26,500 (some £1,200 less than in (In 2007, £69,000 was paid to 21 aside a small fund solely for the it was the congregation who were usual format of including church 2007), half of which came to the Trust churches). restoration of historic churchyard responsible for the day-to-day care of visits after the formal business. and half went to the 102 churches that their parish church. Our initiative to support ambitious new monuments, such as table tombs. CHCT has another celebration, ten took part. A further £3,800 is likely to be projects (inclusive of disabled toilets) We are here to help every historic That continuing enthusiasm to years of support from Waste recovered from HM Revenue & Customs announced in last year’s Newsletter has church of a Christian denomination in in respect of Gift Aid declarations. This maintain the life of the Church by Recycling Environmental Limited. been particularly successful: we have Cambridgeshire and our emphasis in keeping the building in good repair Since 1999, we have offered almost is a real achievement for a small trust, agreed to help fund 10 projects judging how we allocate grants will but we think we should be able to do and worthy for the worship of God is half a million pounds in WREN (£47,250 total grant value) in the last always be on the importance of the what has really impressed me in my grants and Trustees are most grateful better! Whether you walk or ride, this is twelve months, including at Stretham. work involved and the individual a very pleasant way to get to some financial circumstances of the first year as Chairman. The Trust for their continued support. different churches and also to see more Disappointingly, there has only been applicants. We also wish to encourage does what it can to support these Unfortunately, their generosity will • Completed South Aisle roof and of the countryside without using the car one application for financial support congregations in their endeavours to congregations through our grants and inevitably decrease, as we all get stonework at Easton – so it has the added bonus of being following on from the SmartWater become more welcoming places for loans, but we can only do that better at recycling our rubbish and so healthy for you and the environment too. initiative we also announced early last their congregations and communities. year. Trustees have set aside grant Go with a friend or as a family or a The Trust currently has money available The trust is an independent Charity with a primary task to support the repair and restoration of places of Christian worship in funding to cover up to 50% of the cost church group and make it a day to so, if your circumstances dictate, please Cambridgeshire. Its funds accrue from the annual sponsored cycle ride and are used to make grants and interest-free loans to churches. It also gives grants from Landfill Tax Credits made available through Waste Recycling Environmental Ltd (WREN). remember. of SmartWater treatment up to £1000. take that first step and apply by We understand that Ecclesiastical Support to the Trust is also given through Membership. Members receive advance notices of the Annual Conference and the summer If there is anyone who would like to be consulting our website Insurance Group are amending almost www.cambshistoricchurchestrust.co.uk afternoon Church Tours. Annual subscription is £10. the county organiser or to help with the all church policies on renewal to limit Secretary: Our secretary is now David Stazicker, The Willows, Low Bank, Mepal, Ely, Cambs. CB6 2AU. Tel: 01353 778129 paperwork in their local area, then do cover to just 50% of work arising from and clicking on “grants” - it really is Email: [email protected] please contact the Chairman. the theft of metal from roofs where that simple. Membership Secretary: Mr Peter Hewitt, 101 Elwyn Road, March, Cambs PE15 9DB. Tel: 01354 654783 Email: [email protected] Richard Halsey SmartWater has not been applied. Kevin Doyle email: [email protected] Therefore, we urge congregations to Grants Secretary Publicity Officer: Andrew Westwood-Bate 01223 892430 Email: [email protected] www.cambshistoricchurchestrust.co.uk www.cambshistoricchurchestrust.co.uk 4 Free One Day Course Lead theft – Secure your Churches Cambridgeshire Historic Churches Trust How to Maintain Despite a recent drop in global lead prices the church community is still your Church suffering a large number of lead thefts. Annual Conference 2009 ordinary immediately. Consider Watch an old building with an anxious installing security lighting, CCTV care; guard it as best you may, and at or a security system. Ecclesiastical ‘Liturgy & Architecture’ any cost, from every influence of can give advice and guidance on dilapidation. this. On Saturday 25th April 2009 at Wolfson Visit Ecclesiastical’s website John Ruskin’s words are as true today as they (www.ecclesiastical.com/metaltheft) College, Cambridge were in 1859. But where to start and what to for more information and advice. look out for? The Society for the Protection 9.30 Registration of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) has launched John Coates 10.00 Dr Allan Doig Liturgy and Architecture from the Faith in Maintenance, a five year campaign Direct Operations Manager Fellow and chaplain to Lady Early Church to the Middle Ages to train churchwardens and fabric officers to Ecclesiastical Insurance Margaret Hall Oxford look at their buildings with a critical eye and so spot problems before they turn into an • Lead Theft 11.00 Coffee expensive crisis. A free one day course is accompanied by an excellent, easy to use 11.45 Dr Bridget Nichols The Reformation and Liturgy Lay Chaplain to the Bishop ‘Good maintenance guide’, a DVD that The crime of lead theft saw a significant walks you around various types of churches Ely 900 of Ely rise in 2007 and 2008. In that time spotting the potential for trouble and there Ecclesiastical received over 4,500 lead 12.45 Buffet Lunch in the Lee Hall are helplines too. See the website On October 17th 1109, the feast of theft claims from Anglican churches, www.spabfim.org.uk for further details and the Translation of St Etheldreda, 2.00 Dr James Garrard The 19th Century: Revolution by resulting in a total payout of £18.5m. to book a place on the Ely diocese event at King Henry I issued a charter at Canon Precentor at Ely Tradition(s): Ancient and Invented St Mary’s Ely, Saturday 16th May 2009. Or The Ely diocese alone suffered nearly a Nottingham establishing the contact Kate Minnis, Project Administrator, claim per week. The costs approached diocese of Ely out of the vast 3.00 Tea SPAB Faith in Maintenance, 37 Spital nearly £470k. By comparison, just a few diocese of Lincoln (that then 3.30 Richard Giles New Liturgies and Adapting our Square, London E1 6DY Tel: 0207 456 years earlier in 2005, only one church in stretched from the Humber to the Former Dean of Philadelphia Buildings for the 21st Century 0913 the diocese was affected. So the increase in Thames). and author of ‘Re-pitching the number of crimes in 2007 and 2008 is Take proper care of your monuments and the Tent’ you will not need to restore them (Ruskin, both dramatic and shocking. Abbot Hervey, the former Bishop of Bangor in north Wales, became the first 1859) The current economic climate has brought 4.30 Depart Bishop of Ely and began to split the a rare sense of relief to the church lands and income of the Benedictine For more details about the conference visit our website or contact community. The declining price of lead abbey to fund the Bishop and diocese. [email protected] or 01223 892430 • A.W.N. Pugin’s vision has resulted in a fall in lead thefts over the The charters and letters in Book III of last few months. However, although metal Rainwater tax the Liber Eliensis (translation by Janet Conference Fees: prices and heightened awareness of the You might have heard that changes in Fairweather, 2005) give us many CHCT Members (excluding Buffet) £15.00 problem have caused this recent drop in levying water rates could mean that fascinating details. Non-members (excluding Buffet) £20.00 claims, the problem is still far worse than it places of worship (and other charity was only 2 years ago. and community owned meeting The diocese is celebrating the year with Due to a Wolfson College internal celebration the college dining hall is not available this year. Therefore we shall be arranging a special buffet served in the Lee Hall. Full Churches are encouraged to secure church lots of activities listed at places) will have to pay much bigger details will be available in the Conference Booking Form. bills, particularly in relation to buildings against possible future thefts. www.ely.anglican.org/900 and in the newsletter 900 News. Of particular drainage charges. Specialist insurer Ecclesiastical has continuously supported the protection of interest is the Cambridge Antiquarian The February General Synod passed a our church buildings by providing expert Society’s conference on 28th March in motion calling on the Government to act advice on the subject. Here are a few easy Cambridge; Ely 1109-2009; Church Tour Dates 2009 celebrating 900 years. • Ely, Church of St Mary through Ofwat. The very informative steps every church can take to tackle this Sunday 10th May: Sunday 12th July: briefing papers GS 904A and 904B, and a issue: CHCT will celebrate at an early evening petition on the Prime Minister’s website Ely, St Mary Fen Ditton, St Mary Garden Party in Ely Bishop’s House on (open until 6th April 2009), can be found on Apply the free SmartWater kit and signage Chettisham, St Michael Chesterton, St Mary Friday 26th June. We hope to include www.dontdrainus.org Perhaps the most issued to you by Ecclesiastical to Stretham, St James Chesterton, St George some guided trips to look at specific discouraging part of it all is that churches permanently security-mark the lead and other metals of the church building. Don’t items of interest in the Cathedral. There which are not currently water customers, but Sunday 14th June: Sunday 9th August: which seek to provide community facilities forget to register with SmartWater (see kit is no charge but we will be asking for such as a new kitchen or WC requiring a for details). Keep the church busy and donations. We need to know numbers, Glatton, St Nicholas Great Abington, St Mary water supply, could become liable not just ensure everyone in the local community so members are asked to register their Folkesworth, St Helen Hadstock, St Botolph for the water they use, but also the new keeps an eye on it. Inform the neighbours intention to attend at the Conference or Stilton, St Mary Linton, St Mary highway drainage charges that are based on of any scheduled works for the church, so by letting the Secretary know by the end water consumption. they can report anything out of the of April. Each tour begins at the first church at 2.30pm and ends with tea and evensong at the last church • Fen Ditton, St Mary the Virgin www.cambshistoricchurchestrust.co.uk www.cambshistoricchurchestrust.co.uk

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