Who we are
We bring churches and government together to affect change in our society.
During the Covid-19 pandemic a network of over 1,000 churches came together to work alongside local and national government to support their communities through vaccination rollouts and food distribution.
As the pandemic ended, it was clear that there was a huge need for churches to work together across denominations to support the most vulnerable in communities.
That’s how the ChurchWorks Commission was born.
Our vision:
To bring together the Church and the Government to support the vulnerable in our communities
Our Story
Over the last 3 years
ChurchWorks evolves from YourNeighbour
During Covid, church buildings were closed, but the church remained open and active. The YourNeighbour network mobilised churches across the country to provide a co-ordinated Covid response in collaboration with the government.You can read more about the impact of Your Neighbour here.
First Meeting of the ChurchWorks Commission for Covid Recovery
During the Commissioner’s first ever meeting, Commissioners identified some key priorities for us to work on: wellbeing, support for vulnerable families, and social isolation. The Commission agreed that our work should be targeted towards those most affected by the pandemic: young people, people of colour and disadvantaged communities.
Inaugural Summit of the Commission
During the first ChurchWorks Summit, the commissioners were joined by Kemi Badenoch, the Minister for Faith. Ms Badenoch praised the work of faith leaders through the Covid pandemic and their efforts to engage in Covid recovery
Cost of living becomes Key Priority
It became clear that we needed to also work together to support people through the cost-of-living crisis, and especially looking ahead to the winter months, as a major concern for many of the communities already stretched by the pandemic.
Launch of The Warm Welcome Campaign
In August 2022, following a meeting with church and community leaders on how to coordinate a response to the cost-of-living crisis, the Warm Welcome Campaign was set up. Now led by a wide range of partners, the campaign has created a network of thousands of free, warm, welcoming and safe spaces for people who are affected by the cost-of-living crisis and social isolation.
First ChurchWorks Summit
The November Summit was the first in person event. Over 100 church leaders, commissioners, government leaders and member charities gathered in Westminster Central Hall to discuss how collaboration can take place across the three different ChurchWorks priority areas. Baroness Scott, Faith Minister, spoke as did member charities and commissioners. Stephen Timms MP, Tim Farron MP, Danny Kruger MP and Lord Wei were also present.
2024 onwards
Wellbeing, support for vulnerable families, and anti-poverty form the basis of our existing projects and their aims, and direct new initiatives moving forward.
Kids Matter
Our approach
Everything we do at ChurchWorks is to further one of these four aims:
Collaborate
Collaborate
Collaborate
ChurchWorks is at its best when we are working collaboratively. We see the assets and energy of the church and help them become greater than the sum of their parts. We connect those working to tackle similar social issues to share best practice and increase the impact of collective efforts.
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Showcase
Showcase
Showcase
We want to tell the story of a church in this country that is alive and actively seeking the wellbeing of our communities, and we want to use the experiences and expertise from right across the church to help the government and other organisations appreciate the value churches bring in tackling big social issues. We do this through thought-leadership, set-piece events and expert workshops
Research
Research
Research
We are committed to not only telling the stories of how churches are helping to address issues such as homelessness, social isolation and family breakdown, but also helping the church and the government to understand the collective impact of this work through high-quality research.
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Advocate
Advocate
Advocate
We recognise that there are barriers that limit the impact of churches to be agents of transformational change in their communities. When we identify these barriers, we work to understand them and offer solutions to the government and other partners that can lead to better outcomes for all involved.
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Our Work
Find out more about our work
Get in touch
Find out more about working with us