Churches Together in Cumbria carried out a Social Action Audit across Westmorland and Furness in May 2024. This project was partly funded by Westmorland & Furness Council and gathered information on activities that support communities and enable them to thrive.
Read more about Westmorland & Furness Council’s work on faith and social action here.
We partnered with the Cinnamon Trust to help churches to measure the social and economic impact of what they do in their communities. Undertaking this has given us greater knowledge of what is taking place across the region and provide insights on how we can provide further support to our local communities.
The Social Action Audit of 2024 highlighted the remarkable contributions of local faith communities in addressing social challenges across the region. This comprehensive initiative captured the scope, impact, and diversity of social action projects driven by churches and faith groups, emphasising their role in fostering community resilience and well-being.
Key Findings
In Westmorland and Furness we counted 488 activities, 33109 beneficiaries in 2024, 2091 volunteers and over £1,674,788 of financial value being provided by faith groups in the area. As our communities evolve in the wake of COVID-19 and amidst the rising fuel and living costs, it’s encouraging to see groups of committed and faith-driven individuals responding. When we first conducted the Cinnamon Social Action Audit in 2016, we discovered that faith groups across the UK give more than £3 billion worth of time and resources annually to support those most in need through social action activities.
Local churches and other faith groups are involved in a wide range of activities including: working with families, providing debt advice, coaching people back into work, offering emergency food parcels and providing a safe place to belong and build friendships.
Participation and Impact
Over 70% of churches in Cumbria reported active involvement in at least one form of social action. These efforts collectively impacted thousands of residents, building bridges between communities, offering practical support, and fostering inclusivity.
Vision for the Future
The audit underscored the importance of collaboration between faith groups, local authorities and community organisations. By sharing resources and expertise, Churches Together in Cumbria aims to expand its outreach and create sustainable solutions for pressing social issues, guided by faith-inspired compassion and justice.
You can download the Cinnamon Social Action Audit report here.
Once you’ve read the report, we invite you to ask yourself these questions...
1. What does this mean for our church?
2. What is great about our community?
3. Where are the gaps?
4. If we could work in partnership with others, how might we help fill those gaps?
If you’d like Jonny to visit your Mission Community to present these results in more detail and find out how your church can form better partnerships, please contact him on
jgios@me.com or 07584 052102.
