£217,000 to Keep Parish Churches Standing: Southwark Diocese Hires a Buildings Fundraiser and Offers Repair Grants

• The Diocese of Southwark received £217,000 from the Buildings for Mission scheme
• £73,000 funds a full-time church buildings fundraising support officer
• £144,000 goes to parish grants of typically £5,000 to £10,000
• The scheme is funded by the Church Commissioners

The Church of England’s Diocese of Southwark has been awarded £217,000 to help its parishes look after their buildings, the diocese announced in November 2023.

The money comes from the Buildings for Mission scheme, funded by the Church Commissioners and administered by the Archbishops’ Council for 2023 to 2025. The diocese will spend £73,000 on a new full-time church buildings fundraising support officer, with the diocese covering 40 per cent of the post’s cost, to advise parishes on repairs, improvements, fundraising and sustainability. The remaining £144,000 will go to parishes as grants for minor repairs and improvements, typically £5,000 to £10,000 each, during 2024 and 2025.

“Parish churches can be places of great blessing and joy and opportunity,” said Bishop Christopher Chessun. Diocesan secretary Nicola Thomas said: “This is fantastic news for our parishes. We know that our church buildings are crucial for our mission and ministry—but the challenge of keeping and maintaining them can be enormous.”

Emily Gee, the national church’s director for cathedrals and church buildings, said: “Buildings for Mission will help to fund the repair and improvement of church buildings through the dioceses.”

Southwark covers south London boroughs with large Caribbean communities, and its approach, pairing small repair grants with a professional fundraiser, is practical. Many churches in Jamaica need advice on fundraising and maintenance more than one big grant. Denominations could create similar roles to help congregations plan repairs, apply for grants and raise money from members and the diaspora.