Sometimes we take our Places of Worship for granted, that they will always be there, that they will just take care of themselves. Maintenance plans and procedures can seem like a daunting prospect and are easily put off as we get on with the more important day-to-day stuff…..until, that is, the roof starts leaking or bits of masonry start falling off!

The National Churches Trust are delighted to be able to present a workshop, led by professionals, where we will explore the importance of maintenance and early diagnosis of potential issues as well as looking at what help is out there to help you stop minor problems becoming major ones.

This workshop is part of the new Treasure Ireland Project to support Places of Worship in Northern Ireland. See here for further details.

Speakers include Chris McCollum (Conservation Accredited Building Surveyor specialising in historic buildings) and Nigel Mills (Senior Church Support Officer from the National Churches Trust).

This interactive workshop will cover a variety of practical issues common to Places of Worship in Northern Ireland. These include:

• The benefits of carrying out regular inspections and maintenance;
• Common issues facing churches and how to resolve them;
• How to devise and carry out a simple maintenance plan;
• Making sure you are doing it right (what you can do yourself, what you should get help with, permissions etc);
• New technologies available and cost saving tips and techniques;
• What funding is available to churches in Northern Ireland and how to access it.

There will be opportunities to ask questions throughout the session and there will be time at the end to speak on a 1:1 basis.