Our blog

Read our latest blogs and stories of churches we have helped and the people who help look after churches to keep them open, in good repair and being used for the benefit of local communities.

Inside a crypt

The little-known London church behind St John’s Ambulance

St John’s Ambulance is an iconic institution, known for providing first aid at public events like village fairs and sports competitions. But behind the service of these committed volunteers is a history that spans a millennium, and a London church at the heart of it.

An image of some books on a shelf

2024 summer reads: Our nine picks for church-lovers

Summer is the ultimate reading season. If you’re taking time off to unwind or to venture far and wide, a collection of books is always a great companion. This summer, we’ve got you covered. Find a page-turner you’ll have to get hold of with our top picks for church lovers.

Keir Starmer sits in a circle of people inside a church
Russell Rook

What is Keir Starmer’s favourite church?

During the election campaign, and before he became Prime Minister, Keir Starmer MP told us about his favourite church, St Martin’s Church, in Gospel Oak, London.

A group of people standing on the steps outside a church

How to put on a heritage open day that gets the whole church and community involved

Opening your building up to the public is a great way of welcoming visitors into your church. And by tying it into a local heritage open day event, you could end up attracting many more people into your building. Ebrington Presbyterian church took part in a Heritage Open Day for the first time last year and managed to get their entire church and community involved. Here’s how they did it and the success they had.

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ChanceDeSilva

How to find volunteers for your church

Finding volunteers to help keep your church open and able to serve your community can be difficult. But support is out there to help you to not only recruit new volunteers, but to keep them engaged with your church. Ruth, from St Hilda in Redcar, shares some advice that helped their church attract volunteers.

Four people stand outside the front of St Stephen on the Cliffs Church in Blackpool

How to be an open church

We all hear about a church being open, but what does it really mean? Who gets to come into the building and when? And what for? St Stephen on the Cliffs church in Blackpool shares with us why their building being open is a vital part of the life of the church – even in the midst of a large building project. 

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NinaMcNeary

How to set up a museum in your church

Churches, chapels and meeting houses are the guardians of generations of local history. This amazing heritage is too precious not to be shared and enjoyed by all. Let us head to Northern Ireland, where the team at Strabane Church of the Immaculate Conception share how they turned their historic church into a visitor destination.

Four people sit on a pew, facing the camera, in RCCG Church, Edinburgh
Chris Hoskins / National Churches Trust

They bought a church building – now they have to keep it running

When the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) church outgrew the buildings, they were renting, they bought an abandoned church. The disused building has been transformed into a thriving community church. And this is just stage one of the journey.

An aerial photograph of Llanfihangel Y Creuddyn St Michael Church
Iestyn Leyshon

How being turned down for a grant helped a church reach new heights

St Michael Church in Llanfihangel y Creuddyn in Wales got turned down for a large grant that would help save their tower. But being rejected ended up being the best thing for the church and the local community. Find out what happened next.