YOUR article on page six of the Wiltshire Times of December 31, Difficult Times for Churches, paints an unnecessarily gloomy view.

There are currently no plans to make redundant any Anglican church in the Archdeaconry of Wilts.

You quote an estimated rate of 60 churches a year to be made redundant, which would amount to less than 1.5 churches per diocese.

These churches are almost invariably in places where the population has dropped drastically, either in inner city areas or very rural ones.

Against these closures must be set the opening of new churches in more suitable areas, and the re-deployment of churches by other denominations.

The magnificent church of St Osmond in Poole, which sadly could not be maintained by its Anglican congregation, is to become a Romanian Orthodox Church.

If there is not sufficient money available for a redundant church to be vested with the Churches Conservation Trust additional or alternative uses must be found for what is almost always a listed building.

To quote the Ecclesiological Society, congregations are increasingly receiving support of one type or another as they continue to reach into their wider communities

The study by the Ecclesiological Society, How do we keep our Parish Churches? may be downloaded from the society's site at www.ecclesoc.org

'Keep' is used in the fullest sense covering the retention and wider use of church buildings, and their maintenance.

The latter alone makes the study recommended reading for all who care about their church.

A WILLIS

Information Officer, Bradford Deanery

Bradford on Avon