Historic Buildings

Enhancing Life Through Heritage

This project will provide the foundation for a nationally significant restoration and outreach initiative which demonstrates how church buildings can be used to improve lives and communities. Our ambition is to connect building restoration with heritage engagement and the development of skills in the heritage sector. It will allow us to develop a clear understanding of what we need to do to ensure our building is structurally sound and environmentally sustainable for use by future generations, by: • Listening to, and understanding, wider community needs; empowering and supporting ownership of St. Mary’s. • Creating welcoming, usable spaces showcasing how contemporary development enhances ancient buildings and break down social barriers. • Using opportunities afforded by the building works to demonstrate how heritage restoration can engage frequently overlooked members of the community, by providing programmes centred around transferable heritage skills. • Offering varied programmes of immersive learning engagement including cultural events.