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Farming Today: Farming Today This Week: Rural Churches

Farming Today This Week

02/09/2017

Farming Today This Week: Rural Churches

BBC Radio 4 - Farming Today, Farming Today This Week: Rural Churches

As congregations decline and maintenance costs rise, what future for rural churches?

Farming Today This Week takes a look at the state of rural churches. With declining congregations and rising maintenance costs, what future is there for them?

This programme investigates the current situation with rural churches. According to Church of England statistics, rural churches are more likely to be listed than urban ones, and three quarters of all its Grade 1 listed church buildings are in rural areas. Often their congregations are tiny, but their maintenance costs are huge. Many are now struggling to survive, and some have had to close their doors - or look for a new use. In this programme, David Gregory-Kumar explores some of the different routes rural churches have taken to find new roles in their communities, and survive for generations to come.

Presented by David Gregory-Kumar and produced by Emma Campbell.

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

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