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New Futures: Former Places of Worship Workshops – Series 2 

Community Ownership Support Service (COSS) is hosting our second series of informative workshops on community ownership of former places of worship as part of the New Futures: Former Places of Worship programme. The purpose of the workshops is to provide specific information on key topics and to increase awareness of the support and guidance available to help steer communities through the process of taking a historic church into community ownership and securing its long-term future as a community asset.

This workshop series began in November of 2025 and so far, we have hosted three workshops as part of the series and one standalone event. These workshops covered the first steps to community ownership, planning, community involvement and mainstream funders. The series will continue with another five workshops throughout the beginning of 2026.

The workshops are free to attend, held online and will be hosted by COSS and feature selected guest speakers. Each workshop is open to individuals and community groups interested in taking former places of worship into community ownership. More information and registration can be found at our Eventbrite page.

The workshop programme is available to book by following the Eventbrite links:

Finance and Fundraising 2: Other Funding Methods – Thursday 15th January 2026, 11:30-13:00

  • This workshop will focus on funding methods that communities may wish to undertake when bringing a former place of worship into community ownership. Crowdfunding and other funding methods are important for communities to consider as they can help prove interest and support for the project as well as raise non-restricted funds. During this workshop, you will hear from Democratic Finance Scotland and learn about funding methods that can promote longevity for community organisations such as community shares.

Your Building: A Guide  – Thursday 22nd January 2026, 13:00-14:30

  • Former places of worship can present unique challenges in terms of facilities management and require a thoughtful approach to ensure the suitability of the building for its use.  This workshop will cover the operational side of repurposing a former place of worship for community use.  During this workshop you will hear from The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) and COSS Facilities Management and learn about what is involved in maintaining a historic building.

Business Planning – Tuesday 3rd February 2026, 12:00-13:30

  • This workshop focuses on guiding participants through the key steps required in developing a robust business plan. This is an essential document to give confidence (to funders, your community and you) that you have a viable and sustainable proposal to ensure the long-term success of an important community asset.

Financial Planning  – Thursday 12th February 2026, 13:00-14:30

  • This workshop with Pamela Redpath will introduce the principles of budget setting, monitoring and effective financial management specifically relevant to community groups in the process of taking a former place of worship into community ownership. It will provide useful advice for communities to consider throughout the process and will give guidance on how to manage and plan finances at different stages of the process. This is an important topic to secure the long-term success of a community owned building.

Community Right to Buy  -Tuesday 3rd March 2026, 12:00-13:30

  • The Community Right to Buy is a means for geographical communities to acquire land and buildings. As churches listed for disposal across Scotland enter the open market, the Community Right to Buy may prove an effective tool for communities, giving them an opportunity to purchase their former place of worship. This workshop will cover key information regarding the Community Right to Buy processes, and attendees will hear from Dave Thomson, head of the community land team at the Scottish Government, to better understand what Scottish Ministers look for in an application.