In France, Emmanuel Macron has launched a new fund to raise hundreds of millions of euros to pay for the preservation and renovation of ancient church buildings across the French countryside. The move has excited church conservation types on this side of the Channel, as a possible model to follow to safeguard our crumbling Christian buildings which can no longer rely on local tithes or cash-strapped denominations to pay for essential maintenance. But how can we safeguard Britain’s Christian heritage in an era of rapidly declining church attendance and growing secularism? Should taxpayers be expected to foot some of the cost? Or is it a waste of time to worry about maintaining medieval buildings which are in the wrong places, impossible to heat, and no longer able to sustain a congregation anyway?

Guests this week:

- Rachel Morley, director of the Friends of Friendless Churches

- Eddie Tulasiewicz, head of policy and public affairs for the National Churches Trust