Tourism Toolkit

A follow-up from the Church Tourism Association Conference in Swanwick last November is a ‘toolkit’ that has been produced by Jenny Bate, formerly Carlisle Diocesan Tourism officer. It can be found by following this link.

CHURCHES TOURISM NETWORK WALES

CTNW seeks to support all Christian Churches in Wales. It’s aims are:

• To encourage access to places of worship
• To advance education through providing increased and better managed access (physical and intellectual) for the public to church buildings.

The site has useful information on projects elsewhere in Wales, hints and tips, and ‘Tourism Tidings’ newsletter which has reports on national and international church tourism events.
http://www.ctnw.co.uk

View the latest CTNW tourism update

HIDDEN BRITAIN

Currently awaiting funding for projects in Wales. The scheme comes under the ‘Arthur Rank Centre’ umbrella, and is an initiative to encourage visitors to lesser-known areas of the countryside, and provide a meaningful experience for visitors. Canon Jeremy Martineau, (formerly an adviser to ‘The Archers’, I believe!) is very keen to base ‘Hidden Britain’ centres in churches, once funding becomes available. It will be interesting to see how the scheme develops.
http://www.hidden-britain.co.uk/

tourism

North Wales Pilgrims' Way

In August 2011, an inaugural pilgrimage took place across North Wales, taking in historical and spiritual locations during a walk from Basingwerk Abbey near Holywell to Bardsey Island - a distance of some 150 miles.

Click on the photograph of the Island or the title of this piece to find out more.

Sacred Doorways

The Sacred Doorways Project is a tourism initiative funded through Conwy’s Rural Development Plan. The project is working with historic churches and chapels across rural Conwy to raise their profile as visitor attractions, and encourage their sustainability through heritage tourism.

For further information visit the Sacred Doorways website.
You can also download the Sacred Doorways brochure here.

National Churchwatch

Ecclesiastical, the church insurers state on their website:

If at all possible, your church should be left open during the day for those who wish to pray, or who wish to find a place for quiet contemplation.

It should also be open for tourists and other visitors with an interest in historic buildings who find it very disappointing when a church is locked, particularly if they have travelled some way

Nick Tolson of National Churchwatch is sponsored by Ecclesiastical, the church insurers, and he delivers free of charge a seminar on security advice for churches, clergy and people working within the churches. He gives advice relating to physical security, church security strategy and personal safety. 
Nick can be contacted via the National Churchwatch website on:
http://www.nationalchurchwatch.com, which also has some useful downloads.

Open Church Network

This highly successful project that has seen sixteen churches working together has attracted international interest. Strongly supported by Northern Marches Cymru, the network has received substantial funding that has provided:

• benches, signage and litter bins for the churchyards;
• interpretation boards and display cabinets for the interior of the buildings;
• excellent literature in the form of information packs, and a ‘Discover’ trail around the churches and their local communities;
• sponsorship on training courses for Welcomers, newsletter writers, and safety / security, for visiting church tourism conferences;
• support with publicity and funding for participating in Wrexham Science and Arts Festivals;
• education packs for use with school pupils.
  

The Open Church Network also has a website: http://www.openchurchnetwork.co.uk/ on which all sixteen churches has information about service times and events, and some churches have, or will have, graveyard information to enable people to research ancestors on-line.