Aldborough church in Churches Day

The YHCT charity - set up to help repair, restore and maintain churches in the county - is launching the county’s first Churches Day on Saturday September 10 to showcase the heritage found inside and run in partnership with Heritage Open Days.

YHCT President, Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York said: “I’m delighted to support the Yorkshire Churches Day, which is a wonderful opportunity to share many of our county’s beautiful churches.

“At the heart of many of our communities sits the parish church; there to welcome everyone.

“These are rightly centres of community, places to gather, learn, serve, places where we mourn and where we celebrate and places where week by week the good news of Jesus Christ is shared.

“However you engage with our wonderful churches, remember that they are not merely places of heritage and history, but rather vibrant and living places of worship and community.”

He added: “I’m so grateful to the Yorkshire Historic Churches Trust for this initiative and for the many ways in which they support and encourage those who work so hard to care for these buildings, their work, along with the work of so many volunteers will help ensure that the richness of these buildings is preserved and enhanced for generations to come.”

Locally, St Andrew’s Church, Aldborough, near Boroughbridge, will be one of the churches which will open on Yorkshire Churches Day.

The YHCT is encouraging all places of worship to consider opening up on September 10, and those who are curious about history and heritage or those who have never stepped foot inside church before, to get exploring.

Full details of how to get involved and all the support available can be found at https://www.yhct.org.uk/yorkshire-churches-day/

Tom Ramsden, chairman of the YHCT said: “Please use this day each year to pop in to your local church, sit there quietly for a minute or two and feel the magic of the place.

“They were created with love and care and they will be kept alive for future generations with your support.”