Steve Chalke, welcoming the new Government’s specific mandate to work with faith groups said:

"Faithworks was launched in February 2001 to call on the incoming government to take policy measures to ensure that faith-based groups are given backing in their community work, rather than being treated with suspicion or even outright discrimination.  However, now that polling day has passed, the Faithworks Campaign is by no means over."

In the run-up to the election, Faithworks received a warm reception from all major parties. Faithworks leaders have already had extremely positive meetings with senior politicians, including Tony Blair, William Hague, Charles Kennedy and Gordon Brown.  The Campaign has been able to highlight the vital role that churches play in providing practical community services across Britain, as well as to call for more Government support and encouragement of this work. 

Hundreds of hustings were held across the country using Faithworks resources and discussing the Faithworks issue.  More than 50,000 people also signed the Faithworks Declaration. This petition calls on the new Government to implement concrete policy changes to ensure that effective church community projects in every region are supported on the basis of their results and not excluded because of their faith.  The Declaration will be presented at No. 10 on 19th June by Steve Chalke, the Bishop of London and other church leaders.  Supporters of the Campaign can still sign the Declaration before the 15th June at www.faithworkscampaign.org or by calling Nathan Oley on 020 7450 9050.

Faithworks Campaigners are delighted that great progress has been made, but there are many hopeful signs for the future. For instance, the Government has asked Faithworks to contribute both to consultations being run by the Home Office and Local Government Association (LGA).  We expect that, following these discussions, the Home Office will initiate a single application procedure for faith-based groups who wish to apply for the range of government funds which are available.  This in itself marks a huge breakthrough, making the  grant application process significantly easier for churches who can find the present system bewildering and so time consuming as to be totally uneconomical. Faithworks will also continue to work with both the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats, in response to their requests, to help them explore how they can most effectively work with faith groups.

Faithworks is committed to bringing about a transformation in the opportunities available to faith-based social projects across the UK. Therefore, over the coming years we will launch inspiring books, relevant resources and practical conferences with the aim of equipping more churches to demonstrate the truth that faith works within their local community. We shall also continue to work closely with politicians to ensure that when they formulate policy they take into account both the skills and the concerns of Britain’s churches, and that they work with faith groups for the benefit of our society as a whole.