Community projects get £250,000 Inter Faith Week boost

A quarter-of-a-million pounds is being made available in ‘small grant funding’ to bring communities together, to mark the eighth annual Inter Faith Week.

The ‘Common Good’ programme was announced by the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) this week, to offer funding for projects that bring together ‘diverse communities and different faiths.’

Grants of between £250-£5,000 will be made available to local projects, which are managed by the Church Urban Fund, such cookery classes and computer coding lessons.

Marking the start of InterFaith Week, Communities Minister, Lord Bourne said: “There is good evidence to show that our society is well-integrated and that people from different backgrounds get on well.”

“However we know there’s more we can do during Inter Faith Week to foster greater understanding and reduce incidents of intolerance across the country.”

“That is why we’re bringing people together and celebrating what we have in common by funding these new projects, giving lasting benefits to neighbourhoods and making them even better places to live.”

Speaking on behalf of the Church Urban Fund, Executive Director Paul Hackwood said: ‘Hate and prejudice and the misunderstanding they create have become an increasingly worrying aspect of our lives in Britain.

This fund will create opportunities to work together for the common good of all and to show a way of tackling our differences and concerns constructively. It is timely and much needed.”

Near Neighbours, who have previously awarded seed capital worth over £3.5million to over 1,120 projects across the UK, will also be involved in the co-ordination of events during Inter Faith Week.

Inter Faith Week was set up in 2009, and runs from 13-20 November 2016.

• Jewish News has a dedicated Interfaith channel, sponsored by the Pears Foundation. If you have Interfaith news or opinion, get in touch: E: jackm@thejngroup.com