Our grants committee

Grants Committee Members

• Nigel Walter (Chair) is a Specialist Conservation Architect. Through his Cambridge practice, he works with church communities across many denominations to create a better fit between their buildings and their communal life. He is inspecting architect for some 50 historic churches, mostly listed, many Grade I, and a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects (FRIBA).
• Judith Alfrey is based in Powys, Wales, and is Head of Conservation and Regeneration at Cadw, the historic environment service of the Welsh Government. She has lead on places of worship strategy, repair grant programmes and listing.
• William Arnold is a licensed Church of England reader and retired civil servant, former the Deputy Chief Executive of the UK Supreme Court, with previous responsibility for regional development agency budgets. William grew up in the North West and attended 
  a Baptist church, but is now based in London.
• Isabel Assaly is the former Head of Regeneration and Consultancy at the Churches Conservation Trust, where she worked nationally with communities to keep historic churches open, sustainable, and connected to local life. Now managing a programme of conservation and public access projects at Historic Royal Palaces, Isabel continues to play an active role in the church and community regeneration sector. She is an Oversight and Grant Committee member for the Archbishop’s Council Housing Project, and provides ongoing support to community groups leading place‑based regeneration initiatives across the country.
• June Butler served as Diocesan Secretary for Anglican dioceses of Connor and Down and Dromore until 2017, overseeing over 200 churches. She chairs the Places of Worship Forum in Northern Ireland, previously chaired our Treasure Ireland grants committee, and is a former Assistant Chief Electoral Officer.
• Marcus Chantrey is a Conservation Architect with RIBA Specialist Conservation Architect accreditation and AABC accreditation. He's a Member of the Church of England’s Church Buildings Council and Chair of their Stained Glass Grants Committee, as well as a member of the Salisbury Diocesan Advisory Committee. He is based in the South West of England.
• Angie Creswick is the Methodist Resource Manager working with churches to advise on buildings and governance. She is a civil engineer by background with project management experience from the construction industry, and a Masters in Conservation Studies (Historic Buildings) from the University of York. Based in Yorkshire.
• James Crowley is an architectural historian and ecclesiastical heritage consultant. He is also Secretary of the Catholic Historic Churches Committee for Wales and Herefordshire. James is based in the North West of England.
• Debbie Dance OBE is a senior heritage and conservation professional with a background originally as a commercial property surveyor. She was Chief Executive of the Oxford Preservation Trust for many years until the end of 2023. She now chairs the Buildings Fabric Committee of Christ Church Cathedral. She is also Chair of the Board of the Oxford Playhouse, a member of the Church Buildings Council of the Church of England and a member of the Statutory Advisory Committee on Closed Churches.
• Robert Gray worked for 40 years as a Chartered Town Planner and Chartered Landscape Architect in both the private and public sectors. His final professional post, prior to taking early retirement, was as Head of Planning at Aberdeenshire Council.
• Edward Kepczyk is a Conservation Architect with RIBA Specialist Conservation Architect accreditation. He's also a Member of Blackburn’s Diocesan Advisory Committee. Edward is based in the North West of England.