Articles from our blog
featuring guest authors
No space: no problem!
Having experienced the cancellation or postponement of just about every event imaginable as a direct result of the Coronavirus pandemic, it is a great relief that things appear to be getting better. As we reflect on life prior to lockdowns and restrictions the...
Retaining Records Part 1
John Truscott is currently contributing a number of one-off articles, although this particular one comes in two parts. This time and next he recommends churches to set up a Document Retention Policy. In this and in the second part in the next issue I consider what...
ETC fos/4 Lights the Way for Pioneering High School TV Channel
Wycombe High School invests in ETC fos/4 LED panels to deliver studio and location lighting for exciting new TV Channel initiative led by Bob Massie… Wycombe High School (WHS) is an Academy Grammar school for girls, located in the Buckinghamshire town of High Wycombe....
Focus on Professional Church Trades
Looking after a church building is a complex and challenging task. Whether it is a Grade I listed medieval country church, a Victorian inner city chapel or even a modern suburban building, finding expert help can be a time consuming task. That’s why the National...
What do churches need to do to prepare for winter?
Every year winter brings with it risks that can affect churches and churchgoers, including storm damage, localised flooding, burst pipes, slips and trips Each of these pose different challenges and should be taken into account ahead of the winter season. For example,...
Disability design
The importance of this topic John Truscott is currently contributing a number of one-off articles. Recent titles in this series have included ‘Mission metrics’, ‘Staff sessions’, ‘Handover help’, ‘Filing features’ and ‘Joyful joiners’. This time he considers what...
Exhibiting in the new normal
During the past year or more, so many events have had to be either cancelled or postponed because of the Coronavirus pandemic, that many of us seriously wondered if life as we knew it would ever return to normal. And now we seem to be crossing the threshold into a new...
Outdoor musical instruments bring more than just music to a child’s education
Parents, teachers and primary aged students have had to experience the grating sound of a beginner’s violin or the cold ‘toots’ from a recorder. None of these sounds are conducive to developing a child’s love of music. In this article, Robin Ashfield, director of...
Monitoring technology can bring churches peace of mind
Churches are major landmarks in rural and urban areas. Preserving ecclesiastical architecture from damaging conditions within a building, whether a chapel or cathedral, is as important as protection against the outside elements. This is where being forewarned is being...
Joyful Joiners
John Truscott is currently contributing a number of one-off articles. Recent titles in this series have included ‘Difficult decisions’, ‘Able Assistants’, ‘Mission metrics’, ‘Staff sessions’, ‘Handover help’ and ‘Filing features’. This time he considers how to...
Streaming beyond the pandemic
Just as plans for this issue of MEN (Maintenance and Equipment News for Churches and Schools) were under way, the United Kingdom Prime Minister, Rt Hon Boris Johnson announced the UK Government’s so-called Roadmap for, hopefully, ending the England Covid-19 pandemic...
Thieves increasingly targeting historic properties, warns specialist insurer
Historic properties are being urged to take steps to prevent being victims of crime following a spate of thefts from churches and stately homes. The warnings come as the UK’s National Intelligence Unit for Serious Organised Acquisitive Crime (OPAL) reported a spate of...
Jangro introduces new deep cleaning resources
Independent janitorial and cleaning distributor launches a ‘Deep Cleaning Product Guide for Education’ and adds a ‘Deep Cleaning Task Card’ to its innovative training platform. Two new resources are now available to help ensure shared spaces, such as education and...
Filing features
John Truscott is currently contributing a number of one-off articles. So far he has covered ‘Worrying websites’, ‘Global giving’, ‘Changing churches’, ‘Eco-education’, ‘Difficult decisions’, ‘Able Assistants’, ‘Mission metrics’, ‘Staff sessions’ and ‘Handover help’....
Giving during the pandemic
Just as many of us were hoping that the Covid-19 pandemic was about to pass into history, along came a new strain. Rather than a break from the heavy stresses of the disease, health services around the world suddenly found themselves dealing with a new version of the...