<\/p>\n
IHBC Director Se\u00e1n O\u2019Reilly said: \u2018This\u00a0conference offers a unique take on faith communities, and their relationship to the fabric and places of faith and their futures.\u00a0 With key site visits adding hugely to the CPD and networking opportunities on offer from out North West Branch volunteers, this is a very important event for all stakeholders.\u2019<\/p>\n
\u2018Of course this rare programme will be of particular interest to\u00a0anyone with professional or specialist roles in faith-related buildings and the places they occupy.\u2019<\/p>\n
\u2018Clearly this is a great opportunity for conservation officers, planners, architects, developers, property owners, amenity societies, and all those who manage and care for historic places of worship, and the areas and settings they shape and inform.\u2019<\/p>\n
Marion Barter IHBC, historic building consultant, who led HESPR<\/a> member AHP<\/a>\u2019s national survey of Quaker Meeting Houses, and who is also a former DAC member, said: \u2018This is a great opportunity to hear about recent work on understanding the significance of some less well-known religious buildings, to visit some of Liverpool\u2019s great buildings and to find out about successful change\u2019.<\/p>\n The conference itself brings together a range of speakers from the heritage sector and different faiths to discuss the significance; care and use; adaptation and reuse of heritage assets used by different faith groups. It will also consider\u00a0some\u00a0examples of best practice,\u00a0current trends and\u00a0change in congregational use and expectations and many other challenges that places of worship can face.<\/p>\n The event will be held at the Liverpool Medical Institute on Mount Pleasant\u00a0opposite Sir Frederick Gibberd\u2019s Roman Catholic\u00a0Cathedral. Delegates will have the opportunity to undertake a tour during the day\u2019s proceedings, choosing from the Princess Road Synagogue, St Luke\u2019s\u00a0\u2018bombed out church and the Anglican Cathedral.<\/p>\n IHBC NW Branch writes:<\/p>\n This year\u2019s conference focusses upon the many challenges faced in the conservation of historic places of worship. These buildings are used by a wide range of denominations and faiths, including churches and chapels, meeting houses, synagogues, gurdawaras, temples, mandirs and mosques. An increasing number of secular buildings are now also being used by faith groups, such as former schools and cinemas. These buildings often have a key presence in the wider historic environment, contributing positively to the quality of the local townscape and a sense of place as well as embodying evidential, historical, aesthetic and communal values.<\/p>\n Managing places of worship to ensure their long term preservation and ongoing use whilst minimising harm to their significance can be a considerable challenge. This may require balancing evolving faith practices, congregational expectations, and accommodating a wider range of activities alongside ongoing maintenance and historic fabric repair. The conference will consider different ways in which this balance can be achieved in order to support their ongoing use as places of worship, particularly where there is a need to make physical changes to the fabric or install new facilities for community use.<\/p>\n Where a religious use cannot be sustained, these buildings often present unique challenges \u2013 as well as opportunities \u2013 to accommodate alternative new uses. Examples of best practice will be highlighted to illustrate how places of worship can be adapted and converted to new uses whilst minimising harm to their significance.<\/p>\n The conference will be of interest to conservation officers, planners, architects, developers, property owners, amenity societies, and all those who manage and care for historic places of worship.<\/p>\n For more details and booking please go to worship.ihbc.org.uk<\/a><\/p>\n For more on HESPR see hespr.ihbc.org.uk<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" [slideshow_deploy id=’19505′]The North West (NW) Branch of the IHBC hosts its 2018 annual conference – \u2018The Work of Faith\u2019 – in Liverpool on 18 October, exploring the work of faith\u00a0communities\u00a0and the challenges\u00a0they\u00a0face in\u00a0managing and\u00a0conserving historic places of worship, with fees … Continue reading