Nature in Sacred Spaces Project Manager

Project Overview

This is a new project, made possible through a grant from National Lottery Heritage Fund. the Appointed Project Manager will lead a team for 18 months through the 'development phase' of the project, culminating in the submission of the main project plan which, if successful will release £5.2 million to run a four year delivery phase working with Church of England, Churches Conservation trust, Bat Conservation Trust and Caring for God's Acre.

Natural England is the lead partner and will host the project. Your new team will sit within National Operations. You will be line managed through the Resilient Landscapes & Seas Portfolio, although the Funding Development Team will initially recruit the role and set up the Project Team.

NiSP will build on principles established by the Bats in Churches (BiC) project, which previously received a grant from the Heritage Fund, to work with different faith groups, community volunteers, young people and professionals across three main strands:

Reach a wide group of people, including faith groups and underserved communities, increasing diversity, inclusion and enjoyment of natural and cultural heritage through engagement events. We will adapt existing BiC school sessions to cover urban settings and expand them to suit a wider range of ages and will adapt the BiC challenge badge for uniform groups to better suit NISP. We will champion the message that England’s natural and built heritage in sacred places is for everyone, and work with communities to improve access in respect of multiple needs.

We will work with project partners to engage new audiences with local wildlife and green space.

Work with c.150 religious buildings (selected for heritage value, wildlife impact, community engagement and capacity) to develop biodiversity and cultural heritage. NISP staff and partners will deliver workshops to communities to empower and upskill volunteers to maintain, enhance and develop biodiversity and protect the built heritage in their own sacred spaces into the future. We will produce guidance so communities have a reliable reference manual for long term use.

Through these training sessions and reference materials, communities will be able to develop and deliver their own Conservation Management Plans independently. Small-scale funding (