And I'd like to start by perhaps giving a few good examples of where this approach has been successful and then briefly explain how Welsh Government is currently working with partners at a strategic level to address some of these shared concerns. So, there are, for example, conversion schemes that respond to the social value of religious buildings, with new uses that deliver community benefit. And Welsh Government has invested heavily in some of these, including the library in Hanbury chapel in Bargoed. The Transforming Towns programme supports projects that develop underused or empty properties, including several former places of worship. And I particularly commend the commitment of Circus Eruption, a youth charity, which has taken on the former St Luke's church in Cwmbwrla in Swansea. They work mostly with young people, including refugees, asylum seekers, young carers and the disabled, and they want this historic building to be a place for everyone. As a charity with no previous experience of heritage, they also want to inspire other charities to see that heritage buildings create opportunity. 

The Faith in Affordable Housing programme of Housing Justice Cymru is working in partnership with a number of Welsh housing associations to release surplus land or buildings for affordable housing. The organisation is currently working with the Architectural Heritage Fund on a pilot project focused on the conversion of historic redundant chapels.

Places of worship are also being encouraged to investigate ways in which they can open their doors for community use, alongside their original purpose. An important exemplar, which I'm sure Mike Hedges is aware of, is the Morriston Tabernacle, where ancillary spaces will be adapted for community use, leaving the glorious chapel interior intact and in use. Now, while opening the doors to meet local community needs is important, it won't necessarily provide sufficient income to help keep the roof on. However, places of worship can reach out to a much wider community to help sustain those buildings. For instance, there's a growing interest in faith tourism, and we're beginning to see some imaginative new ideas to realise its potential, including bookable experiences and themed trails promoted by Visit Wales and the National Churches Trust. 

In exceptional cases, redundant religious buildings may be maintained largely unaltered by trusts specifically set up for that purpose. And there are two trusts that operate nationally in Wales. There is Friends of Friendless Churches, which rescues and repairs redundant Church in Wales churches and keeps their doors open, and it currently has some 28 churches, mostly in rural areas. Then there's Addoldai Cymru, which was established to care for a small number of the best nonconformist chapels across Wales, and it currently looks after 10 chapels. Both organisations receive annual grant support from Welsh Government to continue their work. 

So, adaptation for new uses that respond to the full significance of religious buildings, the introduction of additional uses that help to sustain a building, reaching out to a variety of new communities and new interests or vesting in trust are just some of the ways in which our religious buildings may be given a future. But all of them depend on people—to care for the buildings, to open the doors, to welcome visitors, to deliver a community service. They show the overarching importance of sparking new connections between buildings and their communities, recognising that these buildings belong to us all. So, I'm encouraged that there is much already going on to try to tackle this issue, and I would like this activity to be more widely shared and celebrated. 

Now, Members may be aware that, in 2015, the Welsh Government, through Cadw, published a strategic action plan for places of worship in Wales. The focus of the plan was on people and communities using, enjoying and looking after historic places of worship, and foremost of its actions was setting up a places of worship forum to share information and best practice and review ongoing needs. The forum attracted representation from across the sector and for several years used its meetings as an opportunity to learn from a range of projects across Wales. These physical meetings were, of course, halted by the pandemic, but the forum took the opportunity to reflect on its direction and is now in the process of establishing itself on a new footing. Supported by a grant from Welsh Government, again through Cadw, the National Churches Trust is organising a series of forum events to undertake a formal review of its work and of the strategic plan. And in addition, they are using online webinar meetings to reach their grass roots. Three such meetings have already been held, bringing together speakers to offer professional advice, with passionate voices from communities across Wales talking about their own experiences. The two most recent events focused on community engagement and fundraising. Later this month, the next event will consider the environment and responses to climate change.

But I am very taken with Mike Hedges's suggestion that we could explore the possibility of such an empty church building, or chapel building, being used as a national museum for religion. I think that this is something that this forum could look at as an opportunity to see what possibilities might open up for some of these empty buildings.

Now, I'm under no illusion about the scale of the challenge. But when I survey the initiatives that are already under way, and I see the energy and the commitment that's dedicated to meeting this challenge, I believe that many of the elements that will help us re-establish the vital link between buildings and community are already in place. It is that link that will give our historic places of worship faith in their future.

So, I am happy to support the motion and agree that we need to work with the various denominations to secure a future for these buildings. Of course, we will need to work with other partners, but I hope that I have explained that we are seeking to do just that.