Churches Tourism Association

English Heritage and the Diocese of Newcastle have joined forces to fund the "Inspired North East" project aimed at helping to maintain and develop church buildings in the North-East of England. The new role of Development Officer has been taken on by Andrew Duff and David Lovie on a job-share basis, starting on 12th April 2010.

Their task will be to help local people improve the quality and accessibility of church buildings across the Newcastle Diocese – a large area stretching from the River Tyne to the Scottish border in the north and Haltwhistle in the East. More information here, and below...

David Lovie is a heritage consultant and writer, who initiated the Grainger Town regeneration project in Newcastle and is the author of a guidebook to Newcastle Cathedral. Andrew Duff is a tourism and heritage consultant who has worked for VisitBritain and the Churches Conservation Trust.

The “Inspired North East” project is planned as a joint venture between the Newcastle and Durham dioceses. David and Andrew will be working in Newcastle’s parishes for the time being, but it is expected that the project will expand into the rest of the North-east at a later date.

The Support Officers project, part of English Heritage’s on-going Inspired! campaign, was launched in December 2008 by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Andy Burnham. Since then English Heritage has part-funded 30 Support Officers to help congregations of all faiths all over the country. For more information on the English Heritage Support Officer scheme and its Inspired! campaign, visit the English Heritage Inspired webpages.