Question

To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, whether the National Church Institutions have issued guidance on the use of sacred places of worship for secular purposes.

Church of England parish churches are public spaces. Their primary use is for worship, but for centuries the church has welcomed appropriate use, alongside worship, for the benefit of the community and the church.

Currently the Church is the largest provider of space in local communities where amateur and professional art, culture, and music can be enjoyed. In addition churches run coffee mornings, warm spaces, food banks and credit unions. They are also used for election hustings, planning enquiries, emergency relief in floods or natural disasters, public community meetings, and official announcements such as the proclamations made at the Demise of the Crown.

Churches respond to local need, and other creative ideas include village shops, community banks, children’s social and holiday clubs, wellbeing and mental health support, libraries, nursery and play spaces, and flexible office space. In rural parts of the country, churches are also supporting their communities by using their buildings to broadcast internet and wifi to support and retain the viability of local businesses and schools.

The Church publishes case studies to share examples that inspire others, along with guidance and policies for initiatives such as ‘Support for struggling churches’ (found here: https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/churchcare/church-buildings-council/how-we-manage-our-buildings/struggling-churches ) which recognises broader use alongside worship as part of a sustainable future for church buildings.

There is extensive guidance, including videos, about making changes to churches (which can be found here: https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/churchcare/making-changes-your-building-and-churchyard/develop-your-vision ) and this guidance covers many non-worship uses of the space.