Faithworks will award three community projects with £5000 this November. Each of the projects will be motivated by Christian faith and committed to professionalism, innovation and best practice in service to their local communities. The recipients of the Awards will also receive strategic provision for the development of their work from the Faithworks Support Team.
The 2006 Awards are sponsored by Congregational & General Insurance plc and Spring Harvest Charitable Trust. Congregational & General Insurance plc is sponsoring one Faithworks Community Excellence Award 2006 which will be given to a project that is committed to professionalism and valuing people. Spring Harvest is sponsoring two Faithworks Community Innovation Awards for projects that are delivering services to their communities in ways that are creative and original to the local area.

Since 2003 the programme has awarded a total of £45,000 to seven initiatives, providing them with a vital injection of finance and PR. But as Rev Malcolm Duncan, Leader of the Faithwork Movement explains, the vision for the Awards reaches beyond the recipients alone:
 
“Through these Awards, Faithworks hopes not only to boost the work of the three recipient projects, but also to inspire further initiatives where Christian faith is practically put into action for the benefit of the local community. Faithworks is excited to be working with Congregational and Spring Harvest in order to celebrate the vital ways in which people of Christian faith are transforming lives and communities.”

Each year Faithworks receives hundreds of applications from projects across the UK. Representatives from Faithworks and the sponsors will select the recipient projects for each of the three awards who will be announced at a ceremony in November? The deadline for all applications is Friday July 28th and application forms are available online at www.faithworks.info/awards or by calling 0207 450 9088.

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If you have any further queries please contact Hannah Curry, Faithworks Press and Media Officer, on 020 7450 9088.

NOTES TO EDITORS:Faithworks is a movement of individuals, churches and organisations motivated by their Christian faith to serve the needs of their local communities and positively influence society as a whole.  Faithworks has developed books, manuals, a DVD for small groups, and a training programme to support churches as they serve their local communities professionally, in a way that is consistent with their Christian ethos.  For more information please visit www.faithworks.info.

Congregational & General is one of the country's most respected insurers of homes and churches with over £9 billion household assets and almost £5 billion church assets covered in the UK.  Based in Bradford, they are wholly-owned by a charitable trust which to date has disbursed grants totalling several million pounds to churches and other worthy causes. In addition to issuing policies for over 7,000 places of worship of all denominations, the fastest growing area of our business today is the private homeowner. To find out more about Congregational call 01274 700700 or go to www.congregational.co.uk

Spring Harvest is an interdenominational Christian charity which exists to 'equip the church for action'. Through a range of conferences and events Spring Harvest specialises in resourcing Christians to impact their local communities and beyond. The Spring Harvest Charitable Trust makes grants from money given to the offering by Spring Harvest guests. For more information call 01825 769111 or visit www.springharvest.org.