Mission
There are several grants aimed at making churches greener and helping them to lower emissions and become more efficient.
The first step is to get in touch with Gordon Sephton at
gordon.sephton@derby.anglican.org
Gordon will talk about what you want to do and help you to decide which grant would be the right one to go for.
A brief overview of the grants available:
Quick wins: Best for churches which have a relatively immediate opportunity to undertake small decarbonising projects in the range of £3k-£6k.
Give to Go Green: Medium scale projects with costs up to about £20k (though there is some flexibility here) in parishes wanting to grow their fundraising capabilities and confidence. This works well where churches have a good capacity for volunteers and PCC members to commit to a fundraising campaign. Funds raised are then matched, up to £10k, giving a total of £20k.
Decarbonising Churches Grant: Largest scale projects. Supports high emitting churches (over 10 tonnes pa) and those with failing heating systems to plan and deliver major carbon cutting projects. It focuses on improving energy efficiency and moving to electric heating, so that buildings feel warm, welcoming and are fit for the future.
These grants will have different rounds throughout the 2026-2028 period. More details are available here: Net Zero Carbon Programme Grants for Churches | The Church of England
St Marys is an ancient church, whose origins are entwined with the history of the Anglo-Saxon settlement which became Ilkeston The Church’s History – St Mary's Church, Ilkeston.
It is also a very large church, having been significantly extended over the years.
Like many old churches, heating was probably first added by the Victorians.
Parts of this system are still in use, with heat generated by a boiler which is over seventy years old!
This venerable system is not the most efficient. It is also expensive to run, costing up to £120 per day in the heating season, and whilst it succeeds in raising the temperature of the building by a few degrees, it struggles to make the building feel warm. On top of this, the church was emitting over ten tonnes of planet warming greenhouse gases every year, making it one of the highest emitters in the diocese.
This became evident when the churches Energy Footprint Tool (EFT) returns were studied. As a result the church became eligible for a free energy audit as part of the national Net Zero programme Reducing emissions from churches | The Church of England
This measured how much heat would need to be generated to keep the whole building warm. The answer was an awful lot! Which would result in bills to match.
There had to be a better way.
Fortunately, the report went on to suggest that a ‘heat the people’ approach might be the answer.
This would involve providing heat directly to the members of the congregation, and not the empty space around them.
After visiting a few churches with different technologies (an important step to get a feel for different solutions), the church decided that they wanted a pew-based heating system.
These use electrical heating either under the pew or in pew cushions.
Importantly, energy is only used to heat the seats which are occupied, tailoring the heating to the congregation.
Equally important, as the system is electrical, using a renewable supply means the heating does not contribute to climate change.
They chose heated pew cushions from Kovoschmidt ABOUT US - Church pew seats heating
With such a large church, over 200m of cushions were needed! The finished installation looks really smart, with wiring that is barely visible and tasteful blue seats throughout the nave and side chapels.
Midweek services with smaller numbers of congregants are often held in the side or Peter chapel.
I joined such a service on a cool day just before Christmas. As soon as I sat down I could feel the heat emanating from the seat, and the system worked well throughout the service.
The gas boiler is still in operation, but reduced to a supporting role- at a much reduced cost.
The price of running the pew heating in the side chapel is estimated at about £2 per service, which on the day I visited, worked out at about 10p per person!
St Marys are in the process of adding heaters (such as these Pew Heaters | Pew Heating For Churches | BN Thermic) underneath the pews in the Peter chapel as well. These will provide extra heating on the coldest days, and, if rolled out further, allow the gas boiler to be dispensed with altogether. Crucially, they will provide extra heat lower down, helping to keep peoples feet warm and provide a ‘blanket’ of warm air around each person.
St Marys is a great example of how a church can reduce its reliance on fossil fuels in stages, and reduce its running costs in the process!
If you would like to know more about how your church could do the same, please get in touch at netzero@derby.anglican.org
St Marys is an ancient church, whose origins are entwined with the history of the Anglo-Saxon settlement which became Ilkeston The Church’s History – St Mary's Church, Ilkeston.
It is also a very large church, having been significantly extended over the years.
Like many old churches, heating was probably first added by the Victorians.
Parts of this system are still in use, with heat generated by a boiler which is over seventy years old!
This venerable system is not the most efficient. It is also expensive to run, costing up to £120 per day in the heating season, and whilst it succeeds in raising the temperature of the building by a few degrees, it struggles to make the building feel warm. On top of this, the church was emitting over ten tonnes of planet warming greenhouse gases every year, making it one of the highest emitters in the diocese.
This became evident when the churches Energy Footprint Tool (EFT) returns were studied. As a result the church became eligible for a free energy audit as part of the national Net Zero programme Reducing emissions from churches | The Church of England
This measured how much heat would need to be generated to keep the whole building warm. The answer was an awful lot! Which would result in bills to match.
There had to be a better way.
Fortunately, the report went on to suggest that a ‘heat the people’ approach might be the answer.
This would involve providing heat directly to the members of the congregation, and not the empty space around them.
After visiting a few churches with different technologies (an important step to get a feel for different solutions), the church decided that they wanted a pew-based heating system.
These use electrical heating either under the pew or in pew cushions.
Importantly, energy is only used to heat the seats which are occupied, tailoring the heating to the congregation.
Equally important, as the system is electrical, using a renewable supply means the heating does not contribute to climate change.
They chose heated pew cushions from Kovoschmidt ABOUT US - Church pew seats heating
With such a large church, over 200m of cushions were needed! The finished installation looks really smart, with wiring that is barely visible and tasteful blue seats throughout the nave and side chapels.
Midweek services with smaller numbers of congregants are often held in the side or Peter chapel.
I joined such a service on a cool day just before Christmas. As soon as I sat down I could feel the heat emanating from the seat, and the system worked well throughout the service.
The gas boiler is still in operation, but reduced to a supporting role- at a much reduced cost.
The price of running the pew heating in the side chapel is estimated at about £2 per service, which on the day I visited, worked out at about 10p per person!
St Marys are in the process of adding heaters (such as these Pew Heaters | Pew Heating For Churches | BN Thermic) underneath the pews in the Peter chapel as well. These will provide extra heating on the coldest days, and, if rolled out further, allow the gas boiler to be dispensed with altogether. Crucially, they will provide extra heat lower down, helping to keep peoples feet warm and provide a ‘blanket’ of warm air around each person.
St Marys is a great example of how a church can reduce its reliance on fossil fuels in stages, and reduce its running costs in the process!
If you would like to know more about how your church could do the same, please get in touch at netzero@derby.anglican.org
The village of Curbar in the peak park nestles between the river Derwent and the escarpment which forms the ‘bar’ to the east.
On Ascension day 2026 I was pleased to join with over thirty others for a benefice service at the village church, All Saints.
I had another reason for my visit. The May sunshine shone brightly, making for a beautiful day (albeit with a cool wind!). The sun was making the grass in the churchyard grow, and the trees wore a vivid coat of new leaves.
And, thanks to the solar panels on the roof of the church, the sun was also boiling the kettle for tea inside the building!
Back in 2020, the church installed 12 Panasonic solar panels and an inverter, to turn the DC generated into the AC which we use in our homes.
Like many churches, All Saints possesses a large south facing roof, ideal for catching daylight. The panels were installed on top of the slates to the east end of the building. This location makes them unobtrusive and they blend in well. This was important as the church lies in both the peak park and the village conservation area.
On learning of the reason for my visit, one member of the congregation asked ‘Ah, but what would Betjeman say?!’
Sir John Betjeman, poet laureate and keen ecclesiologist, was famously no fan of the intrusions of modern technology.
I replied that both SPAB and the Victorian society had not objected to the installation, and since Betjeman was a very active member of both organisations, that ought to count for something.
On further reflection, whilst Betjeman was a staunch defender of the traditional fabric of churches, I think that he would have been moved by the idea of a church- a place of light- using solar energy to address the modern, highly destructive power of climate change.
I’m sure that he would have seen beauty, love and the hand of God in the work of a church community caring for the world around them.
(As an aside, St Annes in Highgate, where Betjeman was christened, installed a large solar array back in 2016, saving several tonnes of carbon each year!)
I spoke to Jane, the PCC treasurer. She told me that the panels cost about £7000 to instal, with the money being donated by members of the congregation.
As the church is used only a couple of times a week, they decided not to install a battery, rather they sell excess power back to the grid. This is something which could be revisited in future, as it is possible to add batteries in order to store generated energy.
Jane told me that the panels have resulted in the electricity bills falling by over 25% -which will result in the project having paid for itself in just a few more years.
Whilst the installation itself went smoothly (and the panels have worked flawlessly since they were fitted), gaining planning permission was more difficult.
I’m pleased to say that this is becoming far more straightforward. Both the DAC and planning authorities (including in the national park) have become much more familiar and accepting of applications to install panels, even on listed buildings.
If you are interested in installing panels on your church please contact netzero@derby.anglican.org
We are also holding an event looking at the solar panels at St Helens Grindleford on June 18th. If you would like to come along, please get in touch.
St Mary the Virgin’s in Denby near Derby is a beautiful small rural church which dates from the 13th century.
On February 24th Forty of us gathered to learn more about their new electrical heating system.
The following is a summary of our discussion.
You can learn more about their project here:
http://www.denbychurch.org.uk/new%20heaters.html
Why was the project done?
Heating a small, rural, ancient church economically and sustainably is difficult. The previous gas boiler and radiators at St Mary’s did not heat the church even after being left on for 6 hours before a service in winter! The heat simply went up and out. Most of the pipes and radiators were 100 years old and leaks had meant that some radiators had been isolated. The boiler was not big enough to give useful heat, and we were wasting a lot of money for no benefit.
The PCC started to think about what could be done, with the pandemic slowing things down a lot. It was difficult to find a heating engineer, when we did, he wrote a specification for a gas boiler system with new pipework and seven fan assisted radiators. We obtained two quotes, which were shockingly high (£60,000 and £77,000). This led to a total rethink.
What did you do?
We were unsure what to do next. This uncertainty and lack of a plan was one of the hardest parts of the whole process.
Part of the Church of England’s approach to net zero has been the development of the ‘’5 Ws’’ 1
This aims to help decide what is really needed, both now and in the future.
We also used the approach to net zero checklist 2 to see what else could be done and identify possible ideas.
We chanced upon an article in Church Times about a new infrared heating system being trialled in a church in Bristol. Two of us visited the manufacturer 3 in Avonmouth twice in early 2023 to understand the technology. The large heater, called a Halo, is suspended from the ceiling and has been designed for heritage buildings. The technology is called “zero-light, far infrared.” The heaters do not emit any light and use a lower frequency of infrared compared to legacy infrared heaters. The frequency is nearer that of the sun’s rays - it does not boil your forehead while keeping your feet cold!
We have two 7.8 kW halo heaters with smaller 2.6 kW ‘Summit’ and 1.9 kW ‘Aspect’ heaters at the sides of the building.
All of this necessitated a new fuse box, distribution board and electricity meter. We also needed switchgear and cabling to the heaters. We were fortunate to already have a three-phase electrical supply, so external work to connect this was not needed.
What were the hardest parts?
Dealing with the uncertainty of how to proceed. We are lucky in having a retired electrical engineer with a wealth of project management experience as a member of the PCC. Other churches will not be in that position. The good news is that people who do have the knowledge and skills are often willing to help.
The other hard part was changing perceptions. People are very familiar with gas boilers and how they heat their houses, by warming all the air in the room. The far infrared (FIR) technology works differently, warming people and objects rather than air. This is a different way of thinking about heating, and some people were sceptical at first.
What other options did you think about and why did you choose this one? We looked at lots of other options. A gas boiler was the easiest to think about as it is very familiar. But as we needed a completely new system it was an expensive option. It would also be ignoring the fact that human induced climate change is happening, and we all need to do what we can to limit this.
Heat pumps and an electric boiler were also considered, but these work by work by heating up all the air in the (big and draughty) church. As the warm air rises, so do the running costs!
After our visit to see the technology in action, we began to think seriously about infra-red heating.
Did everyone agree? If not, how were they persuaded?
Some people were sceptical of the technology. However, they trusted the people who had been looking in detail for a solution to the problem.
Did anything go better than expected?!
We were glad to find that we already had 3 phase electricity.
The company we worked with were excellent. We chose them from a recommendation. Don’t be afraid to pick the contractor who you think will do the best job, even if this does cost more. These are projects which will affect the church for years to come, so it is important to get it right.
Was the diocese involved?
As a Grade I Listed Church, an application for a Faculty had to be made to the Derby Diocesan Advisory Committee (DAC). The following documents were written for the faculty application:
- •Project Overview & Plan
- •Background & Options Appraisal (including the Five Ws)5
- •Specification (2 documents)
- •A Statement of Significance
- •A set of photographs.
- •A completed Church of England Checklist called the Practical Path to Net Zero Carbon.
The DAC members asked a few questions prior to their meeting, but the proposal was supported first time. The most important document was the Options Appraisal 5 which looked at all possible options for the energy source (electricity, gas, air-source heat pumps, solar panels, etc) and how the heat would be emitted (radiators, under floor heating elements, infrared panels, heated pew cushions, etc). The conclusion was that the only viable and affordable option was the new technology infrared electric system. This system was calculated to reduce the running cost by 66% and reduce the carbon emissions by 88%. The main decision making (by the PCC), planning and preparing the documents took about 8 months. The faculty process took 4 months.
Raising the money
It took five years to raise the money! Few grants for heating systems in churches were available. This situation is improving now. We successfully applied to the following grant making bodies:
- •The Benefact Trust
- •The Garfield Weston Foundation
- •The Raymond Ross Fund (managed by Diocese of Derby) We also received a small grant from the Derbyshire County Council Members’ Community Leadership Scheme, which helped to fund the early specification work.
A church decarbonisation grant is being launched in 2026 which will be accessed through the grant management platform 4.
Contact netzero@derby.anglican.org for up to date information about funding.
What was the result?
One of the things that was really important to us was to make better use of the building. It’s a beautiful church, we didn’t want it to stand there, almost unused. We had a small kitchen and toilet extension built a few years earlier, so we just had to make the building more comfortable to be in.
Since the work was completed, the building has seen much more use. This is especially apparent in the autumn and winter months. Last year there were over 40 events between September and December which simply wouldn’t have been possible without the new heating system. With the technology we have chosen, the rapid warm up time means we can switch the heating on a few minutes before the building is needed, rather than hours before with a conventional system.
Is there anything which you would do differently if you were to do it again?
We installed 7.8 kW halo heaters with 1.9kW aspect heaters in the north aisle. These are adequate, but in retrospect it would have been worth spending a little more to spec heaters with a slightly higher output for when the weather is at its coldest.
What would you say to someone thinking about a similar project?
Go for it! The hardest part is making a start.
Be patient. There are many facets to this, and lots of questions to be answered and tasks to be done. It can feel overwhelming at times, but progress will happen.
Be organised.
Take the time to make sure that you know what you want, and why you want it. Have a good look at other examples of option appraisals which have been done by other churches going through a similar process. This will save a lot of time trying to work out what you need to do. Get in touch with netzero@derby.anglican.org for help with this.
References.
- https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2023-05/heating_options-appraisal.pdf
- https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2021-01/PP2NZC_SelfGuidedChecklist_print_version.pdf
- https://www.herschel-infrared.co.uk/heritage/
- Get in touch with netzero@derby.anglican.org for up to date information
5 Get in touch with netzero@derby.anglican.org if you would like a copy of this.
St Peters is a Victorian church though there has been a church on the site since at least medieval and possibly Saxon times. The interior has an art nouveau style, with a medieval font being reinstated after it was rediscovered in a farmyard in 1973!
Why was the project done?
The 40 year old gas boiler finally broke down just in time for Christmas in 2023. We struggled through the festive period and used the church hall for the rest of the winter.
What did you do?
St Peters is a large church, and we were one of the top 20% producers of fossil fuel emissions in the diocese.
We knew that a replacement gas boiler was not an option so we began to look at what else we could do.
We considered air source heat pumps but were unsure if these would be suitable given the intermittent use which the church building sees. Also, we do not own the land around the church, so siting the external units would be difficult.
We heard about far infra-red heating (FIR) and the way that it works, by heating people and other objects directly rather than heating all the air in the room.
We found two churches locally who had fitted this technology (Mansfield Rd Baptist church in Nottingham and Acton Trussell in Staffordshire).
We thought that the heaters worked well in these locations and decided that this was the way to go. We still had our doubts, but the building was so cold that we had to do something.
Raising the money took time. We raised £10,000 which was match funded by the Give to go Green fund. https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/building-generous-church/encouraging-generosity/inspiring-generosity/give-go-green
The total cost of the project was £50,000.
A church decarbonisation grant is being launched which will be accessed through the grant management platform.
Get in touch with netzero@derby.anglican.org for up to date information about funding.
How did the process go?
The hardest part was knowing what to do in the beginning. We had a sum of money which was raised by the community, and it was frightening to think that we might make the wrong decision and waste this.
We found out that the company we were working with had recently changed their name. We were not sure why this was and it compounded our fears. Eventually they agreed to let us pay them only when the heaters were installed and working.
Some things went better than we expected. Our fears about the suppliers turned out to be unfounded, and they were very helpful. The heaters, complete with wiring and control gear, were installed in four weeks. We used a local contractor who we knew and trusted. This gave us peace of mind that the installation would be done correctly.
An application for a Faculty had to be made to the Derby Diocesan Advisory Committee (DAC). This is made much smoother if you have the following documents prepared.
- •Project Overview & Plan. This includes stating what you would like to achieve.
- •Background & Options Appraisal
- •Specification of the proposed heating
- •A Statement of Significance
- •A set of photographs.
- •A completed Church of England Checklist called the Practical Path to Net Zero Carbon.
The DAC members will ask questions about the proposal. It is best to treat the process as a conversation and keep in regular communication as the application goes through.
An options appraisal is important. This looks at all possible options for the energy source (electricity, gas, air-source heat pumps, solar panels, etc) and how the heat would be emitted (radiators, under floor heating elements, infrared panels, heated pew cushions, etc). The conclusion was that the only viable and affordable option was the new technology infrared electric system.
One of the main stumbling blocks was the position of the side heaters. To get these to the correct height (which is important in ensuring the correct spread of heat energy) we had to change the heating units size so that they did not cover the gaps in the arches at the sides of the church. This took a while to sort out and caused some frustration.
The whole process took longer than we thought it would. Waiting for replies to questions which arose took up a lot of this time. Once we the report back from the DAC we had to wait for the final go ahead from the chancellor. This took a long time, but once it arrived, we could begin.
The whole process took about twenty months.
What was the result?
We are pleased with the changes we have made.
We are delighted to have some heat again! We are still learning how to get the best from the remote (mobile phone) operating system. Generally, we have been running the system for about 90 minutes before a service. This raises the temperature of the building by about three degrees. This may not sound much, but it has the effect of taking the chill off. It is also warmer if you are sat in the beam of IR from the heater, like sitting in the sunshine on a cool day.
We fitted a total of twenty heaters, 8 x 4.5 kWh and 12 3.2 kWh. We also have a couple of 800 W infra-red panel heaters in small side rooms.
The new heating is changing how the church is used. The church building is currently used on one day a week. There is also an old Victorian church hall which stands close by, on the busy A444. This building is expensive to heat and we are now looking at closing the church hall and increasing the use of the church itself. This was part of the plan with the new heating system.
Our costs should be brought down. We do not have figures for a heating season yet, but our usage projection suggests it will cost about £3000 per year.
Looking back on the process, there were a couple of things which we would do differently, if we were to do this again.
The main one would be to start thinking about this before the boiler is on its last legs! It takes time to look at all the options and to work out what is the right choice. Raising the money can take a long time too.
If your boiler is over ten years old, it is time to start considering what will replace it.
We should also have got our architect involved as soon as possible. They had insights into things which we did not consider, which would have been good to know earlier.
What would you say to someone thinking about a similar project?
Go for it! The process takes time, and there will be frustrations, delays and doubt along the way. But it will be worth it in the end!
Grindleford is a village which lies in the Derwent valley in the Peak District National Park.
St Helens was started in 1910, though its construction was interrupted by WW1 with the nave being added later. The building is not listed but is light, airy and has a beautiful simplicity. It is much loved and also houses the community shop located within the vestry. This sells groceries along with snacks and hot drinks making it popular with locals and visitors alike. Well worth a visit!
The building is used for worship every Sunday, with a small but loyal congregation. Christmas, Easter and harvest festival see larger numbers.
Why was the project done? The QI confirmed what we already suspected. The roof was in a poor state, and a bad storm could prove disastrous. We decided that maybe we could do something better and go for a new roof that helped to generate the electricity we use.
What did you do?
A group of us are concerned to do what we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We went to look at St Michaels in Shirley, near Ashbourne. They have a heat pump as well as solar panels.
The heat pump is something we would consider when the time comes, but we decided to go for the solar option first.
Decarbonisation doesn’t need to happen all in one big project. After all, our church wasn’t built like that!
Having a new roof gave us a chance to have the panels as an integral part of the roofs structure. This looks really good, and the appearance is important with the church being in a national park.
How did the process go?
To work out what we wanted to do we had to gather a lot of information.
We used our metered bills to establish that we used about 10,000 kWh per year. So we wanted to get a system which would get as close to that as possible. As the church is mostly used on Sundays it seemed sensible to store some energy in a battery for when we needed it. Any extra would be sold back to the grid.
We got in touch with a company to fit the panels through a contact in the community.
They made suggestions about the number and power rating of the panels which we could have as well as the size and location of the battery. We also spoke to out insurers. There are rules which need to be followed, especially about battery locations.
As we were replacing the roof as well, we needed an architect to draw up plans. It was important to make sure that the roof would be strong enough to support the panels which are heavier than roof slates.
The architect considered how the roof would look before and after. They produced a plan showing views from different angles.
Our church lies in the Peak District National Park. As such, we needed to apply for planning permission. The architect helped us to go through this. My best advice would be to talk to your planning officer as early as possible. If they are not happy with the original plan, then they may suggest an alternative.
I think that the hardest parts of the whole process was coping with the unexpected.
As we are close to the river and surrounded by trees we needed to have a bat survey done. These needed to happen at specific times of the year to match parts of the bat’s life cycle.
As we found that we had an active bat population we had the roof designed to include spaces from them.
The bats led to us needing to change the type of insulation which we could use too.
The unexpected hold ups cost us time, but in that time the rules relating to VAT on energy saving materials for charities changed, which saved us some money!
How did you find funding for the work?
We were fortunate that most of the funding came from a bequest The cost of the total project was £120,000.
There are a number of different funding sources available. See https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/churchcare/net-zero-carbon-church/short-guide-grants-and-projects-help-your-church-get
Please get in touch with netzero@derby.anglican.org for up to date information about grants and funding.
In terms of timing the faculty process took around 9 months. We made sure we kept on top of it by being prompt with replies whenever we could. The work was completed quite quickly once everything was in place.
What was the result?
We are very pleased with the results. The new roof looks really smart and we get a lot of comments about how good it looks. The insulation has made an appreciable difference to how warm the church is.
.
It is also a great feeling to know that we have taken an important step to protect and support our building and the wider environment for now and for generations to come.
This positive feeling has spurred us on, and we are now looking at ways in which we can reduce heat loss from our windows.
The new solar roof coincided with the community shop starting to serve hot drinks. These are very popular with visitors, walkers and cyclists. The good news is that despite the kettles being on the boil throughout opening hours, our bills have not increased at all. So the panels have helped us to do more (and raise funds) without spending any more. Through our electricity company we get a good rate (around 15p/kW) to sell any surplus electricity back to the grid.
The battery allows us to use ‘homegrown’ electricity to keep the lights on in the evening and on gloomy days without drawing any energy from the grid.
What would you say to someone thinking about a similar project?
Communication is really important.
Keep the whole congregation, your neighbours and the wider community informed and onboard. Treat contact with planners, the DAC and architects etc as conversations. Don’t be scared to ask for advice and help.
There were lots of unexpected pitfalls which cropped up. The bat surveys had to be done at specific times of year. The presence of the bats meant we had to alter aspects of the roof to allow for them.
At first we thought that it would be a fairly straight forward process, but it took a lot of time and perseverance. It helps if there are several of people involved who can all share the load.
GYC26: Inspiration, Energy and a Shared Passion
We are so grateful to everyone who joined us at Growing Younger Church 2026. Your presence, openness, and passion for children and young people helped make it such a rich and encouraging day.
There was a real buzz as over 90 people gathered, each bringing their own experiences, questions, and hopes for what God might do in their churches. Together, you created a space full of energy, generosity, and shared purpose.
One of the greatest gifts of the day was the willingness of those in the room to pause, reflect, and engage so thoughtfully. As one delegate put it:
“A chance to reflect and hear how we can, in simple Christ-like love, encourage and enable ministry in young people.”
Others spoke about the value of coming as a team:
“Coming as a parish team and gathering fresh ideas.”
It was your contributions, conversations, and shared learning that shaped the day and made it what it was.
Together, we explored the realities facing Generation Alpha and shared practical ideas for nurturing young disciples, building a sense of belonging, and creating more inclusive communities. What stood out wasn’t just the content, but the way people engaged with it—ready to listen, to learn, and to take the next step.
We’re also hugely thankful to all our contributors, including Youthscape, The Peak Centre, Growing Hope, Hazelnut Community and others, who helped shape the day with insight, wisdom, and encouragement.
What’s Next?
GYC26 may be over, but the momentum you helped create continues.
Whether you were in the room or following from afar, you are part of this journey. If something has sparked an idea or a next step, we’d love to hear from you: GrowingYounger@derby.anglican.org
Because growing a younger church isn’t just a goal—it’s something we’re building together.
Have a little look at some highlights of the day on our social media on Instagram and Facebook.
Church Urban Fund is a national charity working with local leaders, churches and other faith groups all over England. Our local partners are committed to serving and strengthening the community where they live.
Click on their logo to go to their introduction page.
The breadth of funding streams potentially available for your project
Note: Many of these funders flow in and out of funding so it will be necessary to check directly to see if they are currently open to applications.
Youth Work Project
- National Lottery Funding – Flexible, supports salaries, equipment, and community-led youth projects.
- The Childs Charitable Trust– Supports Christian organisations sharing the gospel, including youth work.
- John James Charitable Trust – Supports Christian education and youth ministry.
- The Cinnamon Network – Offers micro-grants for churches starting youth-focused projects.
- Laing Family Trusts – Support Christian youth initiatives, including capital improvements.
- Joseph Rank Trust – Supports youth-focused Christian projects and church property improvements.
- Garfield Weston Foundation - Garfield Weston Foundation funding youth work.
Community Outreach Project
- National Lottery Funding– Strong fit for community-led outreach, especially in disadvantaged areas.
- Benefact Trust – Supports projects with community impact and Christian ethos.
- MB Reckitt Trust – Funds Christian social action and community cohesion.
- Sir Halley Stewart Trust – Supports innovative social projects that promote human flourishing.
- The Bishop Radford Trust – Supports Christian ministry with community impact.
Mental Health Support Project
- National Lottery Funding– Supports mental health initiatives, especially in underserved communities.
- Sir Halley Stewart Trust – Funds pioneering social and medical projects.
- Benefact Trust – Supports projects tackling social issues, including mental health.
- Joseph Rank Trust – May support if framed within practical and spiritual needs.
- MB Reckitt Trust – Supports Christian social thought and action, including mental health.
- The Bishop Radford Trust – Supports Christian ministry, including pastoral care.
Funders that May Support Equipment (with the right framing):
- Benefact Trust – Typically funds capital projects, so if the equipment is part of a building upgrade or a tangible, lasting asset, it may be eligible.
- Biffa Award– Focuses on building improvements, but may include fixtures and fittings (e.g. kitchen equipment, heating systems).
- National Lottery Funding– Very flexible and can fund equipment, especially if it supports community benefit.
- Joseph Rank Trust– May support equipment if it’s part of a broader Christian community or educational project.
- Laing Family Trusts– Could support equipment if it’s essential to a Christian youth or community initiative.
- The Cinnamon Network – Their £2,000 micro-grants could be used for small-scale equipment needs tied to a recommended project.
Possibly Suitable for Salaries or Staff Costs
- The Childs Charitable Trust – Supports Christian organisations sharing the gospel; may fund staff if aligned with mission.
- John James Charitable Trust – Supports individuals in ministry training and Christian education; may support youth workers if aligned.
- Benefact Trust - This is another funder that can support salaries for community-based projects.
Building Renovation Project
- Biffa Award – Excellent for community building renovations; must meet location criteria and provide 10% match funding.
- Benefact Trust – Funds capital projects with Christian ethos and community impact.
- Joseph Rank Trust – Supports church property improvements for community use.
- Laing Family Trusts – Fund capital improvements for Christian organisations.
- John James Charitable Trust – May support building improvements for Christian youth work.
Funders Likely to Offer 100% Funding
- National Lottery Funding flexible and equity-based; can fund full project costs including salaries, equipment, and delivery.
- The Childs Charitable Trust No mention of match funding; supports Christian organisations sharing the gospel.
- The Cinnamon Network offers fixed micro-grants (£2,000); no match funding required.
- John James Charitable Trust supports individuals and organisations; no match funding mentioned.
- Sir Halley Stewart Trust focuses on innovative projects; no match funding requirement stated.
- Slavanka Trust supports Christian ministry and education; no match funding mentioned.
- Saltley trust funds Christian learning and education; no match funding requirement noted.
- The Bishop Radford Trust supports Christian ministry; no indication of match funding needed.
- MB Reckitt Trust Funds Christian social thought and action; no match funding required.
Funders That Require or Prefer Match Funding
- · Biffa Award requires a 10% third-party contribution. This is a strict condition for eligibility.
- · Benefact Trust typically funds only a small percentage of the total project cost to support more causes. Match funding is expected.
- · Joseph Rank Trust While not explicitly stated, they often fund part of a project and expect applicants to have other sources of funding.
- · Laing Family Trusts may not fund 100% of a project; co-funding is often expected, especially for capital projects
Be encouraged by stories from parishes across Derbyshire and see how you can pray for children, young people, families, schools, and church communities across the Diocese of Derby.
You never know how far reaching your ministry can be… it is amazing how God uses what we do to reach way beyond our expectations.
Messy Church is just such a ministry, we realise that our ministry goes beyond just the families that come along to our Messy events… who know who the children will speak to about what they got up to at Messy Church and how those stories can be a wonderful vehicle for God’s message of hope.
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We welcomed our new Future Youth Workers!
Follow this link to hear them on the Mission Matters Podcast.
