Advice about caring for war memorials and related funding
The centenary of the outbreak of the First World War will involve particular commemorations throughout the period 2014 to 2018. There will clearly be particular public attention on war memorials. PCCs may wish to encourage and enable wider community engagement with those memorials associated with churches.
Care of memorials:
- You should always take professional advice from your church architect before contemplating cleaning a memorial - amateur work can result in permanent damage which must be avoided. Some excellent advice on the care and funding of memorials has been made available via Churchcare. Please note the strong discouragement of the Church Buildings Council to adding memorial plaques or other objects to an existing war memorial to mark the centenary.
Events:
- Ad Clerum - encouraging churches to be open on 4 August 2014
- Churches together in England
- HOPE - "Greater Love" initiative
- Churches Conservation Trust
Funding sources:
Heritage Lottery Fund "Then and Now" programme
- £3K-£10K grants available for community projects. This programme makes at least £1million per year available for six years until 2019, and enables communities to explore, conserve and share their First World War heritage.
War Memorials Trust- Small grants scheme: All war memorials in the UK eligible. Conservation work. Max grant of up to 50% of costs, up to £2,500 for conservation work. No deadlines. Starting point is completing the ‘Grants pre-application form’.
- Grants for War Memorials (Freestanding in England): Funded by English Heritage / The Wolfson Foundation. Max grant of up to 75% of costs, up to £30k (minimum project cost £3k). Four deadlines per year.
- VAT reimbursement by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (central government). The scheme makes grants towards the VAT incurred by registered charities and faith groups excepted from registering as charities, in the construction, repair and maintenance of public memorial structures on or after 16 March 2005. Currently funded until 31 March 2015.
- Project by War Memorials Trust in partnership with the SmartWater Foundation. Will protect memorials at risk of theft or damage by marking them with SmartWater. If interested, contact the DAC office first.