Why get involved?

The Maintenance Co-operatives project is designed to save places of worship time and money, and ensure that these incredible buildings are still here for future generations, whilst having plenty of fun and if at all possible excellent cake.

Here are some great reasons to get involved:

For Places of Worship and/or PCC’s

• New/additional volunteers to help look after your place of worship - we often here that there are not enough volunteers to form a co-operative. In fact that is where we can help you, indentifying and training new volunteers to ease the burden of maintenance.

• Pooling of resources - borrowing equipment from others within the group, rather than having
  to buy it.
• Saving money - hiring equipment or specialists to work on a group of buildings at the same time, rather than each one doing it individually.
• Condition surveys – these feed into the QI process, helping your architect to make it a much
  smoother process.
• Maintenance schedules – these also feed into the QI process, and will allow churches to more
  easily prioritise repairs and plan ahead in terms of budgets and resources.
• HLF Applications – being part of a Co-op means you will have a maintenance plan/schedule, and a programme of activities which include community events

For Volunteers, including Wardens and Stewards

• No additional Work – just tools and training to help you more confidently carry out essential
  preventative maintenance.
• Support network – you’ll be able to discuss maintenance issues, pick up ideas and useful contacts, and share skills and information with other members of the group.
• Help, advice and guidance – with access to the SPAB’s technical team, and lots of local contacts
  too, we can help you with advice ranging from fire safety to being dementia friendly, and
  everything in between.
• Free, hands-on training – sessions and events tailored to meet the needs of both you and your
  building e.g. dealing with damp, working with professionals and understanding historic buildings.
• Continuing Professional Development – Our training sessions look fantastic on your CV, with
  certificates at the end for those who want them.
• For new volunteers – the opportunity to make a real difference in your community! You don’t have to be a member of the congregation either, all you need is enthusiasm, and be willing to have fun getting your hands dirty!