Published: 15 June 2022
A total of £140,000 is on its way to 44 churches and Christian charities across the UK and Ireland, in Benefact Trust’s latest round of grants.
Here are four organisations benefitting from the latest wave of General Grants, running inspiring projects focussing on supporting families...
The Message Trust, Stockton-On-Tees
The Message Trust is a Christian organisation that shows its faith through various social outreach initiatives. It works in schools, prisons, and disadvantaged areas to help people overcome the challenges they are facing.
The latest project, Community Groceries, was born from the need to help families struggling with food poverty during the pandemic. The Message Trust launched its first Community Grocery in Manchester in September 2020, to give residents an alternative to food banks, choosing fresh food at a subsidised cost from supermarket surplus. With the North East having among the highest deprivation in the UK, the organisation prioritised the area and have now opened four Community Groceries.
In summer 2022, with the support of £6,000 from Benefact Trust, The Message Trust plans to open a fifth Community Grocery in Middlesbrough – one of the country’s most disadvantaged regions.
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Discover Church, Bournemouth
Discover Church was established in 1985 and has grown to have a wide and varied congregation. A little over three years ago, its home for over 33 years was sold by the trust that owned it, and so the church moved from a six-storey 1930’s theatre to single rented room. The church is passionate about growing its children’s ministry, but is restricted with its current space. £20,000 from Benefact Trust’s General Grants Programme will help Discover Church to purchase a building in the heart of the community, where the church can grow and actively engage with children and families from all walks of life. Plans include lively services, after school homework and social skills clubs, family fun days and an on-site café to connect the community.
South Cheshire CLASP, Crewe
CLASP supports single parent families in the local community, offering specialist support and friendly encouragement whatever their circumstances. CLASP's support can help families progress from crisis point to wholeness and a more positive future.
£1,000 from Benefact Trust will help to reduce the isolation and loneliness of single parent families in Cheshire, by providing new equipment for staff members so that they can reach out to vulnerable families.
St Mark’s Episcopal Church, Portobello, Edinburgh
Built in 1826, St Mark’s Church is a unique Georgian building with a rich history. The church is home to a vibrant worshipping community and is widely used by community groups for a range of different activities and classes. The church occupies a prominent position on Portobello High Street, surrounded by a garden that is used regularly by local people and families.
£6,000 from the General Grants Programme will help to make significant repairs and improvements to the church to make it safe for the future, and make the space more flexible and accessible for a wide range of community and church events.
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