Shropshire churches could see upturn in visitors after £200,000 grant
Churches in the county could see a huge upturn in visitors after two groups promoting places of worship were awarded more than £200,000 to improve church tourism.
Shropshire and Herefordshire Churches Tourism Groups have been given the money from the Resilient Heritage Fund of the National Lottery.
It will be used for a project which the groups say "could change the face of church tourism and its contributions to the tourism industry generally".
They have also claimed that the project could be a new model for church tourism nationwide, also making historic buildings more sustainable.
Called “Virtuous Circles” – Sustainable Tourism for Sustainable Churches, the scheme will be launched at an event in Leominster Priory at 2pm on November 5.
“This is really exciting for Herefordshire and Shropshire Churches Tourism Groups which have more than 200 church members committed to welcoming visitors to the two counties,” said Wendy Coombey, Chair of the Herefordshire group and a member of the executive of the Shropshire group.
“If the trials which form a major part of the plans are successful, it could make a massive change to church tourism locally across Herefordshire and Shropshire, where tourism is a vital part of the rural economy. It will also be the blueprint for a roll-out nationwide.”
The grant is worth £215,000 and will be spent over the next two years in the region.
The Virtuous Circles project will include input from the National Churches Trust, the Churches Conservation Trust and Herefordshire Historic Churches Trust.
The plan has two distinct features, the first of which will see a number of member churches in each county, being selected to help develop and assess a new Churches Tourism Handbook.
Vital
“The development of a branding and marketing action plan, promoting themed bookable tourism experiences in the two counties will be promoted not only regionally and nationally but to overseas markets as well,” said Jenny Beard, who will chair the tourism development steering group and has a life history in tourism and food.
“It will also see the growth of themed trails such as veteran trees, poets, musicians and authors and themes yet to be proposed by our member churches. We are blessed with a rich heritage of hidden gems, historic and contemporary customs and remarkable churches set in stunning landscapes for any and all of these.”
The second element of the project will see an accommodation pod fitted in a church which is still open and with church services on the first Sunday of every month.
The space will provide self catering facilities in a rural church.
St Mary Magdalene Church in the tiny village of Turnastone in Herefordshire will be the first to host the pod.
“The two church tourism groups are small and efficient at what they do now but lacked the capacity to expand without help, practically and financially,” said Wendy Coombey, who is Chairing the Accommodation Pod Steering Group.
“We have joined with several other organisations to help and support us in the development of church tourism, a vital part of the visitor offer of both counties.”
The two year project will produce a Church Tourism Handbook, a Church Building Development Handbook and will host a National Church Tourism conference at the end of the project which intends to roll out a blueprint for church tourism nationwide.
