Published: 28 March 2024
We’ve awarded more than £268,000 to churches and Christian charities in our recent wave of monthly smaller grants. The funding is supporting a wide range of projects across the UK and Ireland.
With spring upon us, it’s the perfect time to recognise the different ways churches and charities are breathing ‘new life’ into their own communities. Here’s some of the latest projects to receive funding through our Community Impact and Building Improvement grants programmes:
Community Impact Grants
Acacia Family Support, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands
Acacia was founded in 2003 by two local mothers who suffered from postnatal depression. The charity offers a range of free services to support families across Birmingham struggling with pre and postnatal mental health.
Sadly, teenage mothers are twice as likely to suffer with depression compared to mothers over the age of 20. They often face judgement and stigma, which combined with feelings of loneliness and isolation can lead to poor mental health.
A grant of £6,250 will help to fund a new role that will expand the work Acacia can do with young mothers. The new worker will support young parents individually but will also set up peer support groups so that young families can connect with each other and feel less alone.
Freedom Community Project, Chesterfield, Derbyshire
Freedom offers practical and emotional support for people in poverty across North Derbyshire. Following a community consultation with The Bolsover district in 2023, it became clear that this rural community was in need of support to access paid work and local befriending and counselling services. Freedom Community have since piloted two new services to address these needs, both have been successful.
A £4,400 grant will help the charity to continue to embed and expand the new Job Club and Befriending Services to alleviate poverty and poor mental health in the area.
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The Emmanuel Church Lurgan Trust, County Armagh
Emmanuel Church is located in an area where child poverty is becoming a growing issue. This often leads to unrest and anti-social behaviour. Police UK reported that in the last 12 months, anti-social behaviour made up more than 34% of all criminal activity in Lurgan.
Emmanuel Church has developed its FUSE youth project to provide opportunities for vulnerable young people who are at risk of anti-social behaviour. A £9,300 Community Impact Grant will help to fund two new staff members to run this innovative project and make a difference to young lives.
Building Improvement Grants
St John's Burlington Methodist Church, Bridlington, East Yorkshire
St John’s Burlington is the only remaining Methodist Church in Bridlington, playing an important part in the community. It has an open-door policy providing a warm space for people who are struggling, and it hosts a range of community groups. The 1893 Forster & Andrews pipe organ is the focal point of the church and has been largely unaltered for 130 years.
A £5,700 Building Improvement Grant will support the complete restoration of the pipe organ so that it can continue to provide joy and music for its second century of life.
St Mary's Church, Swilland, Suffolk
St Mary’s Church is a Grade II listed building which is beautiful, but unfortunately not currently fit to meet the needs of its community. It currently has no toilet, kitchen facilities and has limited accessibility.
A £3,900 grant from Benefact Trust will help to construct a new toilet/kitchen extension at the site and help to reorder the church itself to be more flexible and accessible. This will contribute to the future security of the church and make it a hub for its growing community.
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