Open up and tell your story
Yorkshire Churches Day (YCD) is a chance for every place of worship in the county to open up and showcase the amazing history and heritage found inside their buildings.
A day to tell stories and bring to life the variety, beauty, history and sheer wonder of Yorkshire’s churches, chapels and places of worship. The aim of the day is to encourage everyone to visit their local church even if they have never stepped foot inside a church before. It will be a day for those who are curious about history and heritage of their local surroundings.
Get involved
This year we are running YCD in partnership with Heritage Open Days (HOD), holding it on Saturday 10th September. This is England’s largest festival of history and culture, when thousands of people come together to celebrate their heritage, community and history. Stories are told, traditions explored, and histories brought to life.
Whilst we are working directly with a small number of churches this year to get the event up and running, our ultimate aim is to have every church in Yorkshire open. We’d love you to consider getting involved.
Ideas…
Although as part of the HOD remit, entry to your event must be free, there are many ways you can engage your visitors and encourage donations.
Ideas include:
Provide refreshments, run tours, stage exhibitions, offer bell ringing, put on recitals, offer skills/craft demonstrations, provide eye spy sheets for children, set up treasure hunts, seeds/book swaps, flower demonstrations, holding a teddy bears picnic – there are so many possibilities.
Publicising your event
Publicising your event is really important, let us know your plans and we will add your details to the list of participating churches which will drive visitors on the day.
3 easy steps:
- Registration: https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/about
- Event preparation: https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/organising/how-to-get-involved
- PR and Publicity: https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/uploads/_document-library/Get_Started2022.pdf
You can use the and add details following poster template to display in your church:
More advice on the use of social media, local papers and local radio to promote your event can be found here:
5 good reasons to take part:
- Attract new audiences to your church
- Engage with the local community and make strong local connections
- Showcase the history and heritage of your church
- Bring in funds
- Meet and inspire potential new volunteers
Support us
Yorkshire’s places of worship need your help
It was during lockdown that the Trustees of the Yorkshire Historic Churches Trust came up with the concept of a ‘Yorkshire Churches Day’. The vision is to have one day a year when people who may never have stepped foot inside a church get to explore the treasures of the building and hear the stories throughout history associated with the building. A day when places of worship open up and welcome people to experience the beauty and history of the buildings in their communities.
The future of many churches is under threat due to crumbling roofs, windows and stonework. The YHCT works to ensure these places of worship are kept in good repair, recognising the contribution they make to society at large and the support they provide to local communities.
If you are visiting a participating church, please do consider becoming a Friend of the Trust – you will be joining a group of like minded people, passionate about preserving and maintaining places of worship and helping secure their future.
If you are opening up your place of worship, although entry must be free, we have suggested many fundraising ideas and ways to encourage donations. By taking part in Yorkshire Churches Day, you are helping all places of worship in Yorkshire as well as your own church. We’d encourage you to donate 50% of any funds raised to the Yorkshire Historic Churches Trust, to help us continue to offer vital support to churches, chapels and meeting houses across Yorkshire. Do also consider joining as a Friend, you can see a list of all those places of worship that currently support us here:
Current participating churches:
Latest YCD News
Call for churches to sign up for Yorkshire Churches Day
Tom Ramsden, chairman of the YHCT said: ‘The Yorkshire Historic Churches Trust is launching this initiative in the hope...Read more-
Aldborough church in churches day
https://www.harrogateadvertiser.co.uk/news/people/aldborough-church-in-churches-day-3743284 St Andrew’s Church, Aldborough, near Boroughbridge, will be one of the churches which will open on Yorkshire Churches...Read more -
History and heritage showcased this Yorkshire Churches Day
Churches across our diocese are being encouraged to showcase their history and heritage by taking part in the first...Read more -
Yorkshire Churches Day – A Great Day to Explore
21 June 2022 The YHCT is delighted to be launching the inaugural Yorkshire Churches Day (YCD) on Saturday 10th...Read more -
Funding news
Six churches from across Yorkshire are celebrating this month after being awarded over £32,000 from the Yorkshire Historic Churches...Read more
