The Development Fund has already supported over 200 parishes and deaneries with their mission development: be inspired by their stories of change and find out how the fund might support your vision and journey to become a more Christ-like church.
Broughton Narrowboat
In Aylesbury, local families in need and struggling with the cost of living can join free narrowboat day trips run by along the Aylesbury arm of the Grand Union Canal.
“The families and groups say they have been made to feel really welcome and are very grateful for the rest time away from the stresses and busyness of normal life. Some of the visitors just want some time to relax, others ask for prayer and to talk through their issues.”
Gatehouse Oxford
St Giles’ Church in Oxford has been supporting the provision of regular specialist counselling for the homeless in the city of Oxford through a partnership with The Gatehouse charity. A three-year grant from the Development Fund aids the project in expanding the psychological and emotional wellbeing and support more of its clients into longer-term independent living with the appointment of a new Counsellor.
“The partnership we have with St Giles’ Church, is absolutely crucial to the success of the support we provide. We wouldn’t be able to continue running the counselling service without their daily support and providing space in the Parish rooms.”
Community hub in Black Bourton
St Mary’s Church in Black Bourton was awarded a Tier 1 grant to complete a feasibility study for its project to turn the church into a community hub. It then successfully applied for a Tier 2 grant to install a WC and servery as part of the project. The church is now used for a wide range of village activities and the project has generated greater interest in the church.
“So far there has been significant change in the way St Mary’s is viewed by the village as a whole. […] There has also been an increase in enquiries for our bible study sessions held every week and there is some interest in holding a warm space/soup lunch from our church community.”
Round 20 – announced March 2025
- Holy Trinity, Sibford – to improve access, fellowship and community engagement opportunities by reordering the church and installing a WC and servery
- Holy Trinity, Cookham – to support an increase in community use of the church by installing an accessible WC and drainage as part of a reordering project
- St John the Baptist, Cookham Dean – to support better community and school engagement and use of the church building by installing new AV equipment
- Wycombe Deanery – to encourage young people and support churches’ engagement with children and youth by running a deanery youth weekend away
- Upton-cum-Chalvey – to grow engagement with local schools by running a pilot of the Story Tent project in St Mary’s Church, Slough
- St Mary’s, Headington – to help expand capacity to serve the Barton community and grow outreach work by installing a kitchen and accessible WC
- St Mary’s, Chalgrove – to develop mission with children and families, grow links with the local school and revive the church’s musical tradition by forming a church and community choir
Round 19 – announced December 2024
- Basildon, Aldworth & Ashampstead – to increase engagement with the toddler group and faith development of children who come to church by enhancing facilities for children across the benefice
- St Marks Milton Keynes – to support the growth of St Mark’s Meals and related advocacy work, feeding thousands more hungry children in Milton Keynes (and beyond), in a move to new premises
- Blackthorn Chase Benefice – to grow our engagement with children and families by developing a Sunday club for children and families (‘WILD’)
- Begbroke St Michael – to grow engagement with the community by developing a monthly all-age service in Begbroke Village Hall
- Bicester Emmanuel – to revitalise family engagement and support outreach at Hope Church by employing a children, families and school minister
- Cowley St John – to increase mission and church growth by employing both a children and families worker and a youth worker
- Cherbury with Gainfield – to grow mission and engagement with the school community by running an iSingPOP workshop with the local school and holding a concert in the church
Round 18 – announced September 2024
- Iffley Parish – to grow engagement with children and families in Iffley, Rose Hill and Donnington by starting a Messy Church
- Berinsfield – to grow engagement between Berinsfield church and villagers and enable witness to our faith through care for the environment by developing a small community garden next to the church
- Ruscombe & Twyford – to develop new initiatives to bring children and families into a closer relationship with Jesus by growing the role of the children and families worker
- St Paul’s, West Wycombe – to support enhanced mission, inclusivity, greater flexibility in worship patterns and events by installing a new sound system in the church
- Little Marlow – to consolidate and build on links with the local community by employing a children and families minister
- Hazelemere Parish – to grow mission in the local community by employing a family outreach worker
- Akeman Benefice – to develop the benefice choir project and its missional opportunities by starting a junior choir
Round 17 – announced July 2024
- All Saints, Bucklebury – to enhance music provision and develop more diverse worship, fellowship and outreach opportunities by purchasing a sound desk
- St Mary’s, Turville – to expand potential usage of the church, in particular the relaunch of children’s and young people’s work, by installing a new, accessible WC
- St Mary’s, Banbury – to begin development of greater outreach to the Banbury community by commissioning architect’s drawings for a café project
- St Giles, Wendlebury – to be a more open, inclusive and welcoming centre for our community and increase use of the church by installing a WC and servery
- Holy Trinity, Henley – to carry out a feasibility study for the development of Holy Trinity Church in order to serve the community and congregations better
- St Michael’s, Tilehurst – to carry out a feasibility study for a new church hall to support development of the church’s visionary outreach to the community
- Wendover Parish – to grow ministry to children, young people and families in Wendover and Halton by employing a pioneer youth and children’s minister
- West Downland Benefice – to purchase a portable microphone system to support delivery of our vision of “People, Place, Purpose” and lead to better inclusion for all
- St Paul’s, Slough – to establish and grow ministry to children and youth by employing a full-time children, youth and families worker
Round 16 – announced March 2024
- St James, Bierton – to produce early-stage project documentation for the creation of a multi-purpose space in the church in order to help build on existing mission and outreach
- Dorchester Team – to develop links with four local primary schools by running a children’s opera project with Opera Brava on their production ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’
- St Mary Magdalene, Great Hampden – to develop mission beyond what happens on a Sunday morning by installing AV equipment as part of a wider reordering of the church
- St Mary’s, Princes Risborough – to increase growth in our outreach and children’s ministry by employing a children’s and families’ worker
- St Paul’s, Wokingham – to complete a feasibility study for work to improve usability and accessibility in the church in order to expand opportunities for missional activities
- St Mary’s, Wheatley – to grow a new congregation by setting up a new junior choir supported by the Director of Music and an Assistant Director of Music
- St Mary’s, Bloxham – to support a project to reach out and serve the needs of others and welcome all into the body of Christ by installing new facilities in the church
- St Nicolas, Newbury – to carry out a feasibility study for improving the warmth, accessibility and flexibility of the church building in order to align it with the vision for mission and ministry
- Bracknell Parish – to employ two lead workplace chaplains in order to expand the town chaplaincy ministry in Bracknell
- St Andrew’s, High Wycombe – to reduce physical barriers to engagement with the community by improving access to the church building
- St Frideswide, Water Eaton – to commission early stage project documentation for redevelopment of the Church Centre in order to support mission and ministry over the next generation
- St Frideswide, Oxford – to produce early stage project documentation for servery improvements in order to cater better for the Community Meal and for witness to all who come into the church
- Wycombe Deanery – to deliver our integrated strategy to inspire schools, churches and people in our Deanery by employing a deanery leader for youth and children’s work
- Flackwell Heath – to develop and grow our mission and ministry to children and families by employing a children’s minister for three years
Round 15 – announced December 2023
- Bampton with Clanfield – to grow personal faith by delivering an Alpha course in Bampton Village Hall
- Quainton and Oving with Pitchcott – to reach families and develop a more vibrant church culture by employing a Families And Community Enabler
- Church of St Peter and St Paul, Broadwell – to increase use of the church both for religious services and for wider community activities by installing improved heating
- St Mary’s, Ivinghoe – to resource and promote a newly launched toddler group and a series of children’s craft workshops
- Farnham Royal with Hedgerley – to cultivate more community outreach to children, young people, schools and families by recruiting a Community, Schools and Youth Leader
- St Michael at the North Gate, Oxford – to provide technical support for an outdoor Community Passion Play over Easter 2024 jointly with other churches in Oxford
- St Michael & All Angels, Hughenden – to improve engagement with children and families and grow faith in the community by employing a full time Children and Families Minister
- St Lawrence, Hungerford – to develop further engagement and outreach with the local community by upgrading and creating practical, flexible, warm spaces within the church building
- St James, Downley – to support more families of children with additional needs and to share faith by employing an Occupational Therapist for Growing Hope, High Wycombe and growing an Accessible Messy Church at St James’
- St Matthew’s, Oxford – to provide technical support for an outdoor Community Passion Play over Easter 2024 jointly with other churches in Oxford
- Chenies and Little Chalfont – to grow children’s and families work across the parish and to see more people taking courageous steps of faith by employing a Children and Families Minister
- Wolverton Benefice – to support those exploring faith by buying a projector to use for a Come and See Lent course and other missional opportunities
- Lambourn Valley Benefice – to help children become confident, enthusiastic singers, grow spiritually and offer their singing in worship by starting an after-school singing club
- Clewer Parish – to hold more outreach events and worship and mission activities with higher quality sound by upgrading our sound system
Round 14 – announced October 2023
- St Mary & St George, High Wycombe – to develop chidren’s ministry and mission by employing a children & families ministry coordinator
- Holy Trinity, Seer Green & Jordans – to develop plans to provide an improved space for church and wider community use by commissioning a measured survey
- Kidlington with Hampton Poyle – to support parents / carers of children who struggle with mental ill health, neurodiversity, or special educational needs by running two facilitated support groups
- Eynsham Parish / Eynsham Partnership Academy – to develop partnerships between our school and church communities by employing a chaplaincy lead for pastoral and spiritual support across six schools within the multi academy trust
- St Clement’s, Ashampstead – to provide more diverse opportunities for worship, fellowship and outreach across the parish by purchasing suitable IT equipment
- All Saints, Marlow – to increase mission into Marlow’s secondary schools by growing the church youth worker role
- Wokingham All Saints – to develop the church’s “space for all” into an active community hub by employing a community and volunteer empowerment officer
- St Barnabas, Emmer Green and Caversham Park – to support young people by establishing a Safe Space Hub in St Barnabas Parish Centre
- All Saints, Bisham – to expand the opportunities for community groups to use the church by installing a servery
- Greyfriars / New Hope Church – to support Sanctuary Seekers and their connection with the church by fully establishing Conversational Kitchen and employing a project manager
Round 13 – announced June 2023
- St Peter’s Chalvey – to carry out a feasibility study for the adaptation of St Peter’s Church to meet the current needs of a diverse and disadvantaged area
- St Mary’s, Black Bourton – to turn the church into a community hub by installing a kitchen, WC, mains water and drainage.
- Goring and Streatley with South Stoke – to lead children and families to know the love of God and grow in faith by employing a children’s and families’ worker
- St John’s, Crowthorne – to enable greater engagement with local children and their families by relaunching “Crowthorne Summer Activities”
- St Mary & St Berin, Berinsfield – to increase knowledge of the gospel and strengthen relationships with the community by running a Christmas outreach workshop for children and families
- St Francis of Assisi, Terriers – to grow the church’s outreach by developing plans for new kitchen and toilet facilities in the church and upgrades to the church hall
- All Saints Boyne Hill / Altwood School – to create a warm, welcoming environment and to support pastoral care in the Altwood School chaplaincy by providing more flexible furnishing for its chapel
- St Mary’s, Chalgrove – to support growth in community outreach and engagement by installing a permanent projector and screen
- Church on Berryfields (Aylesbury Parish) – to build stronger relationships and grow discipleship with families outside the church community by employing a youth leader and a children’s and families leader
Round 12 – announced March 2023
- St Peter’s, Loudwater – to continue to grow the church and engagement with children and families by employing a children’s worker
- St Mary Magdalene, Willen – to carry out a feasibility study for improving facilities, developing a Hooke Heritage Centre and increasing community engagement
- St Peter & St Paul, Newport Pagnell – to increase community use of the church for a growing population by improving accessibility and providing additional facilities
- Chinnor, Sydenham, Aston Rowant & Crowell Parish – to enhance teaching and worship, particularly for young people, by purchasing a portable TV
- Christ the Vine, Woughton – to carry out a feasibility study for an extension to improve accessibility and support growing and emerging church communities
- St Hugh’s, Banbury – to enhance the welcome of an inclusive warm space by purchasing round tables
- North Hinksey with Botley – to carry out a feasibility study on the use of the whole church site
- Waddesdon, Westcott & Over Winchendon – to increase community engagement, particularly with schools, by improving AV facilities in all three churches
- St Paul’s, Banbury – to employ an Associate Minister in order to help grow a new congregation on the Bretch Hill estate
- Upton-cum-Chalvey / Slough & Eton School – to establish a chaplaincy in Slough and Eton CofE Business and Enterprise College and to develop a chaplaincy model appropriate for a culturally diverse, inter-faith context
- St Joseph’s, Newton Leys (Bletchley Parish) – to help develop creative and accessible Sunday services by purchasing a short throw projector
- Reading Minster – to develop a music mission project in the heart of Reading for those most socially disadvantaged by employing a Music Development & Outreach Worker
- St Mary’s, Purley – to develop ministry to children and their families by buying equipment for a new purpose-built children’s cabin
Round 11 – announced December 2022
- St Mary’s, Black Bourton – to carry out a feasibility study for the installation of running water, WC and a kitchen, and thereby make essential improvements to support the church’s mission
- Thame Benefice – to grow our witness to children and families by employing a full-time children and families worker
- Sonning Deanery – to support the development of new Cantonese-speaking congregations emerging locally
- Kidlington with Hampton Poyle – to improve community engagement in the ‘Follow that Star’ event by augmenting the live nativity procession
- Cuddington Parish – to provide opportunities for more inclusive worship, contemplation, learning and outreach by installing an AV system and screen
- Reading Gateway (St Agnes with St Paul & St Barnabas) – to provide loving service to the parish by employing a Parish Nurse
- Walbury Beacon Benefice – to enable the development of creative outdoor worship across the benefice by using portable sound equipment
- New Hope Community, Reading – to create missional links with families in the community by starting a quarterly Messy Church
- St Mary & St Barnabas, Thatcham – to set up and run ‘The Nest’, a parent-toddler group specifically for local adoptive and foster families
- St Nicolas, Abingdon-on-Thames – to increase opportunities for inclusive outreach and mission by refurbishing and improving access to a toilet and kitchenette block
- St Peter’s, Furze Platt – to develop a more intergenerational and intercultural church by employing a youth minister and an international minister
Round 10 – announced October 2022
- Emmanuel Church, Woodley – to help spread the Good News by purchasing equipment to increase provision at Minecraft Church services.
- Wooburn, St Paul – to extend the use of the pastoral centre as a community hub by undertaking building work and improvements
- Lantern Community Church (St Mary’s), Marlow Bottom – to help more children and their families find out about and respond to the Good News by employing a dedicated, part-time children and families worker
- St Giles, Oxford – to provide counselling services to support mental health issues of the vulnerably housed / homeless users served by the Gatehouse Project
- St Mary the Virgin, Fawley – to provide space for a wider range of activities by reordering St Mary’s church and improving facilities
- Christ Church, Abingdon (North Abingdon Parish) – to increase knowledge and awareness of racial issues and a commitment to justice and inclusivity by presenting the African (Black) History Season interactive exhibition at Christ Church
- St John the Baptist, Eton Wick – to create a more flexible and welcoming space for community and church use by building a new Church Room
Round 9 – announced June 2022
- St Peter’s, Wolvercote – to teach, nurture and positively influence the lives of children and families by employing a children and families worker for 3 years
- St Michael & All Angels, Stewkley – to make better use of the church by carrying out a feasibility study for installing a WC and kitchen facilities
- Reading St Luke with St Bartholomew (Redlands Parish) – to contribute to a ‘Year of Wholeness and Healing’ and community-centred mission by building a healing garden, developing community gardening sessions and producing promotional materials
- St John’s, Manor Park – to expand the worship experience and to reach out and witness to the congregation and community in song by purchasing a Hymnal Plus
- St Mary’s, Charlbury – to improve the welcome at church activities by building a fit-for-purpose kitchen and accessible toilet with baby changing facilities
- Holy Trinity, Shenington – to work with and serve the local community better by carrying out a feasibility study to adapt the church building for wider use
- St Aldate’s, Oxford – to help identify, encourage and equip people of ethnic diversity to discern their vocation and pursue ordination by creating two Ministry Development Roles for UKME members of the congregation
- Holy Trinity, Windsor – to support those who are homeless by using Holy Trinity Parish Room as a community hub centre for Windsor Christian Action
- Holy Trinity, Theale – to employ a pioneering new community chaplain role, bridging the parish and the local school
- Caversham, Thameside & Mapledurham – to help young people grow in faith and to provide safe spaces for young people and help combat knife crime by employing a Youth Worker for 5 years
Round 8 – announced March 2022
- Broughton Parish – to ‘bless those who need a blessing’ by providing trips on a narrowboat for those in need
- St Mary Magdalene, Shippon – to improve accessibility and to enable development of further activities by installing a handrail at the churchyard entrance
- St Peter’s, Loudwater – to feed and support vulnerable families by running a Holiday Lunch Club
- Akeman Benefice – to develop and deepen relationships with the wider community by strengthening and expanding the Akeman Church Community Choir
- St James, Leckhampstead – to facilitate increased attendance and greater community outreach by providing essential WC and drainage facilities
- St Mary’s, Thatcham – to extend the church’s mission by providing streaming and recording equipment to enable more people to access services
- Caversham, Thameside and Mapledurham Parish – to provide a missional presence in greater Reading and to engage with other local churches by staging an open-air service to celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee at Pentecost 2022
- St Luke’s, Oxford – to encourage the local community to participate creatively in, and belong to, the Body of Christ in the aftermath of the pandemic through the ‘Coming back to life again’ arts project
- St Mary the Virgin, Burghfield – to increase community use and opportunities to further the kingdom by altering the layout of the Parish Centre
- St Nicholas, Marston – to develop the church’s work with families by employing a part-time children and families minister
- St Mary’s, East Ilsley – to enable further mission in the parish by carrying out building works