More than £3.6 million has now been handed out to local churches by the Diocese of Oxford including £216,155 of awards made in October.
Eleven parishes have received funds to support community and local church projects bringing the total number of projects supported to 201, since the Development Fund was established in 2019. Now in its 14th round of awards, the Fund was set up to divulge more than £1 million a year for the growing needs of communities across the Diocese of Oxford. Supporting Christ-like church projects to be missionally creative in their local context, reflect where God is at work and encourage learning.
Support for children, young people and families features strongly in the applications which have received the green light this time. Among them are plans for a new children’s minister in High Wycombe, a chaplaincy lead for six schools in a multi academy trust in Eynsham, a church youth worker to work with secondary schools in Marlow, a new community volunteer and empowerment officer in Wokingham, a youth worker in Langley Marish and two new weekly support groups for parents whose children have additional needs in Kidlington.
The Revd Felicity Scroggie, Vicar at St Mary’s Kidlington, St John’s Kidlington, and St Mary’s Hampton Poyle, says the £19,900 grant for two support groups in her parish would provide something not available anywhere else in the area. The sessions will support parents/carers of secondary-school aged children with mental ill health, neurodiversity, or special educational needs by running two facilitated support groups, as well as parents of adult children facing the same challenges.
She added: “These parents do not have any support, no one is in touch with them. Through conversations with people in my parish talking about their struggles and their frustrations I realised we could give them the support they were crying out for.
“Our groups will provide a safe space to support the parents. People are going to come here to talk about their families’ complex needs which is why we needed a professional facilitator to run the groups. The Development Fund grant will pay for those facilitators for the next two years.”
The deadline for applications for the next round of awards is the end of October. To find out more about how to apply visit the Diocese of Oxford website.
Awards
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St Mary and St George, High Wycombe – to develop children's ministry and mission by employing a children and families ministry coordinator.
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Holy Trinity, Seer Green and Jordans – to develop plans to provide an improved space for church and wider community use by commissioning a measured survey.
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Kidlington with Hampton Poyle – to support parents/carers of children with mental ill health, neurodiversity, or special educational needs by running two facilitated support groups.
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Eynsham Parish/Eynsham Partnership Academy – to develop partnerships between the school and church communities by employing a chaplaincy lead for pastoral and spiritual support across six schools within the multi academy trust.
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St Clement's, Ashampstead – to provide more diverse opportunities for worship, fellowship and outreach across the parish by purchasing suitable IT equipment.
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All Saints, Marlow – to increase mission into Marlow's secondary schools by growing the church youth worker role.
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Wokingham All Saints – to develop the church's ‘space for all’ into an active community hub by employing a community and volunteer empowerment officer.
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Langley Marish Team Ministry – to foster a dynamic youth ministry within the parish by appointing an apprentice youth worker in conjunction with the Diocese of London.
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St Barnabas, Emmer Green and Caversham Park – to support young people by establishing a Safe Space Hub in St Barnabas Parish Centre.
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All Saints, Bisham – to expand the opportunities for community groups to use the church by installing a servery.
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Greyfriars/New Hope Church – to support Sanctuary Seekers and their connection with the church by fully establishing Conversational Kitchen and employing a project manager and English teacher.
Ends
Notes to Editor
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About the Development Fund
The Development Fund was launched in 2019 to enable missional creativity and assist churches in the Diocese of Oxford with their vision to become more Christ-like and support their local communities. Since its launch, the fund has donated over £3.6 million to more than 200 local church projects across the Diocese of Oxford.
About the Diocese of Oxford
The Diocese of Oxford is the Church of England in the Thames Valley region of Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire. There are over 800 churches in 626 parishes, the largest number of churches of any diocese in the Church of England. The diocese is also home to 285 schools and academies educating some 60,000 pupils.