CCT garden party held at Lambeth Palace

As part of our 50th anniversary celebrations over 200 supporters joined us at Lambeth Palace, the home of The Archbishop of Canterbury, for a garden party on Thursday 23rd July. We were honoured to be joined by representatives from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport who support the vital work that we do.

Guests were entertained by Circomedia, who run the only Circus School in the UK in one of the churches in our care. Entertainment was also provided by St Bartholomew's Lower Basildon Choir and This is My Theatre.

Our chair of trustees, Peter Ainsworth, said our churches are “places of social value that bring real joy both through the real beauty that they offer but also through the numinous sense that they convey of something very spiritual.”

Chief Executive, Peter Aiers, highlighted to guests how the recent fire at Notre Dame in Paris demonstrated how these historic buildings still hold a special place in people's hearts and in their communities.

“It would be a terrible loss if we were to deem these buildings irrelevant for the future,” Peter said.

“I would argue that historic parish churches mean the same to the place that they are in as Notre Dame does to Paris.”

Peter also called on guests to get involved and support The Great National Steeple Chase as part of 50th anniversary celebrations.