West Cheshire: figures show faith groups' community action
Link Up have just completed their 2010 Faith Sector Audit across West Cheshire. This audit process has sought to capture community action by all faith groups across all communities.
Key findings include:
- 254 Faith Communities and Groups across West Cheshire of which 56% (144) responded to this Audit
- 420 community initiatives serving 11,000+ users (nearly 6,000 weekly) mobilising 2,000+ volunteers and 47,000+ volunteer hours. This represents an annual contribution of nearly £275,000 to civil society in West Cheshire based on the current national minimum wage.
If the sample is representative, this rises to nearly £490,000 from 740+ projects engaging 3,500+ volunteers drawn from nearly 20,000 people regularly attending a place of worship on a weekly basis. That equates to 6.08% of the total population, based on 2007 population figures.
Faith Communities and Groups directly employ 150+ people.
Link Up will be hosting a launch event in Autumn 2010 aiming to gather West Cheshire’s Faith Groups, the wider Third Sector and other community partners and public sector agencies. With a mixture of presentation, discussion and informal networking, Audit findings will be presented along with break-out sessions:
- Faith in action: why Faith Groups should engage
- Connecting Faith and Third Sectors
- Communicating and connecting locally
This event will be free of charge, open to all and held at All Saints’ Church in Hoole on Thursday 30 September 2010 from 10.30-2pm.
If you would like to attend this launch event, then please register your interest with Hazel Gilbert at office@linkup.uk.net or by calling 01244 343464. You can read more about the Link Up and the Faith Sector Audit at www.linkup.uk.net.
