Council for Social Aid (CSA) funding is a great way for parishes to achieve their fundraising targets for projects which serve the church and community. One such CSA Small Grant was recently awarded to St Clement’s in Openshaw, who were desperately in need of a new carpet for a room which is regularly used by both the church and community.
The lounge area of the church building is frequently used throughout the week for a wide variety of church ministries. Weekly, these include an English conversation class, a music group for toddlers, a free community café, an over-60s café/club, St Clement’s youth group and more. The space is vital for the church’s outreach into the community, serving as a warm and hospitable environment for people when they attend the church building.
Before being granted the CSA funding, the old carpet in the lounge area hadn’t been replaced since the 1980s. Years of use had led to the carpet becoming very tired, stained and even buckling in some places too. It had also become extremely difficult to clean due to its age, making it unhygienic for babies and toddlers to crawl on.
Fitting a new carpet has allowed St Clement’s to continue using this space for their regular outreach ministries, without having to worry about any potential safety concerns or other problems. It has also made the lounge area a much more inviting and modern space, which will hopefully draw more people into the building and create a more welcoming environment.
Rhea Tatchel attends St Clements and applied for the grant on behalf of the church. She said:
“The CSA grant was crucial to the completion of this project; in fact, it wouldn’t have been possible without it. We are grateful to the CSA team for recognising our need and allowing us to develop this well-loved and used space in our church building. We hope it will allow our outreach ministries to continue to thrive, develop and grow!”
Head over to our Council for Social Aid page. to find out more about CSA grants, and how they could benefit your parish project.