Gordon Brown Encourages Faithworks 04/05/01

11 March 2010

Following a recent meeting with the leaders of the Faithworks Campaign, The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown this week responded by stating that the Government would make it easier for churches to access statutory funding for their community services. Paying tribute to the work of voluntary and faith-based community projects, the Chancellor said:

“We are publishing a consultation document with plans for stimulating and supporting community activity, making it easier for community organisations to get the funding that is available to them by cutting out unnecessary bureaucracy, simplifying the administration process, providing more training and support and increasing groups independence and autonomy. I wish to make it clear that this funding will be available to all groups who meet the criteria, including faith-based groups - mosques, synagogues and churches - who every day can make such an important contribution to their local communities.”

The Chancellor requested a meeting with Oasis Founder, Steve Chalke, and Nathan Oley, Faithworks Campaign Manager, before Easter in order to hear the concerns which thousands of churches have voiced through the Oasis ‘Faithworks Campaign’. Faithworks calls on politicians to ensure that effective and accountable church-based social action projects are not excluded from government funding or partnership because of their faith basis. It has already secured the support of a wide range of church leaders and denominations, including Rev Joel Edwards of the Evangelical Alliance; the Bishops of London and Liverpool; Cardinal Cormac Murphy O’Connor; and many others.

Following his meeting with Gordon Brown, Steve Chalke commented:

“ We were delighted by Gordon Brown’s enthusiasm to listen to the churches’ concerns and to discuss how government can work more effectively with faith groups. We welcome the Chancellor’s desire to ensure that churches are equipped with the resources they need to make a practical difference in their local communities, and will continue to keep up the pressure on all parties to ensure that their promises turn into policies after the Election.”

The number of churches and individuals across the country supporting Faithworks is growing by the day. Tens of thousands have already signed the Declaration, although the Campaign hopes to secure 100,000 signatures before presenting it to the next Government. Hundreds of churches are also planning to run Hustings meetings with their local MP and prospective parliamentary candidates.

In response to a survey of 3,000 church leaders which revealed that one in five churches feel that they have been excluded from statutory funding because of their faith, the Faithworks Campaign has drafted a Declaration which, in summary, calls on the incoming Government to:

Establish objective funding criteria for government and local authority grants to local welfare projects based on best practice and value to the community which do not discriminate against the faith which is vital to the success of the Church’s work.
Establish a central government mechanism to ensure the fair and uniform regional delivery of agreed policies.
Establish appropriate forums for ongoing consultation between churches and government both at national and local levels.

A web-site and campaign book is also available, providing a comprehensive campaign guide and discussion of the ways in which faith is integral to the success of local community regeneration schemes. The book, ‘Faithworks – actions speak louder than words’, is written by Steve Chalke with a foreword by the Bishop of Liverpool, James Jones. The Faithworks Campaign will also include a major debate between politicians hosted by Steve Chalke at the Christian Resources Exhibition on 15th May.