Did you know you can apply for grants to assist you in holiday clubs, uniform groups and for general child/ youth work.
It can sometimes be tricky to know how to resource an event or venture that has a missional focus if you have limited finances. Holiday clubs are always in need of more pens and glue, kids in uniform groups may need help subsidising the purchase of uniform and refreshments are always needed for a hungry youth group – the URC are keen to help ensure these financial concerns are not a barrier to fulfilling missional work.
There have been a few applications for grants just recently and each application is asked to send back a report and photos of how the money was spent.
Bamford Chapel, Rochdale, used the URC material ‘sparks and stories’ to present their holiday club, turning the church into a giant campsite. The ‘Holiday club grant’ enabled the church to hire a badge maker and to pay for craft and science equipment.
St John the Evangelist, Kingston Park, applied for a ‘links to uniformed groups grant’. The Church held a Christmas tree festival and hosted a cake fundraising event at it. The uniform groups are new and so are low on funds, the Church were delighted to offer trees for them to use purchased with the grant money.
London Street URC, Basingstoke applied for a ‘general CYW grant’ and were able to take 8 children to camp in Wessex. While at camp the children joined in with high ropes, zip wire and skate boarding. The camp also enabled the children to bond and to meet other young Christians from other churches.
1st Haydock girls brigade group which meet at Christchurch URC, Haydock applied for a ‘links with uniformed groups grant’ to enable them to subsidize the purchase of uniform. The church felt that being able to help subsidize uniform made it more accessible for families to join, thus ending with 18 new members.
Through the ‘general CYW grant’ Heath URC, Halifax were able to buy a URC advent pack for each child who attends their beaver pack. The leaders really appreciated using the packs during their December meetings.
After the Elders of Tadley united, Tadley attended the excellent “Growing Your Church” course hosted by Wessex Synod they decided that some “re-focusing” on their children’s work would be a vital factor in their “long term growth plans” for the church! Thanks to the support of the C&YW/DDF Grant they have now run 3 successful events with between 6 & 8 children each time, and more events are already planned for this year and envisaged for next year.
Click the link to apply for a grant or to find out more.bit.ly/CYWgrants