About the CSA

The Manchester Diocesan Council for Social Aid is a charitable trust (Registered Charity Number 233814) dating back to the 1800s. It was registered with the Charity Commission in 1964. The CSA relieves poverty and the affects of poverty within the Diocese of Manchester, through making grants to local Anglican Church-owned or church-linked projects. Our understanding of poverty includes: ‘Want, Disease, Squalor, Ignorance, Idleness and Isolation’, based on the paper commissioned by the House of Bishops Thinking Afresh about Welfare; The Enemy Isolation, (March 2016), drawing on Beveridge’s Five Giant Evils.

The Trustee of the fund is the Manchester Diocesan Board of Finance; the Bishop of Manchester appoints seven managing trustees who oversee the distribution of the funds.

The Managing Trustees work closely with Diocesan Officers and with the Development Officer of Greater Together Manchester to promote the work of the CSA and to support projects that fulfil the CSA aims and objects.

The Trustees

The current Managing Trustees are:

• Rev’d Fayaz Adman
• Rev’d David Brae
• Dr Helen Gatenby
• Rev’d Graham Hollowood
• Richard Lewis
• Archdeacon Rev’d Karen Lund

Large Grant Recipients 2021-24

• Holy Trinity Community Centre, Ashton-under-Lyne – Information, Advice and Guidance Community Language Service – offering client-centred advice in the heart of the community for those that would otherwise face language barriers.
  
• St Paul’s, Blackley – Commnity Garden, a collaborative project providing a safe, green area, opportunities to gain new skills, work as part of a team, play and learn about nature, to alleviate isolation and improve mental health.
  
• Third Space, Bolton – Building Bolton Well Project, a work and skills property renovation project, supporting clients with complex needs to discover work is good for their wellbeing.
  
• Gateway M40, Collyhurst – Community Hub, supporting financially vulnerable people to become free of debt
  
• Greater Together Manchester – ‘Places of Welcome’ Expansion, increasing the number of parishes involved in the Places of Welcome scheme, with a particular focus on parishes with high levels of deprivation.

2020-21 Small Grant Recipients

• St Peter’s Halliwell – CAP Centre, supporting financially vulnerable people to become debt-free
  
• St Paul with Emmanuel, West Bolton – ‘Project Emmanuel – Teach English’ – supporting new arrivers to learn English, so that they may take further courses and gain education enabling them to find work and support their families
• St John’s Centre, Old Trafford – Purchasing Constituent Relationship Management (CRM) software to support the ‘Moving On’ Project
• St Peter’s Westleigh – Kitchen Feasibility Study to support community work at St Peter’s
• St Martin’s, Droylsden – ‘Dementia Friendly’ Place of Welcome

Large Grant Recipients 2020-23

• Re:Dish – ‘Community Hub’, where Community Champions will deliver projects to support the local community
  
• Christchurch, Brunswick – ‘Positive Steps’ Community Programme Manager
  
• Church of England in Wythenshawe – Community Support Work, including Foodie Fridays, Place of Welcome
• St Aidan’s, Lower Kersal – Lower Kersal Young People’s Group, development & strengthening relationships with the Parish
  
• St Andrew’s, Radcliffe – ‘CAP Job Club’, supporting people back into work

2019 Small Grant Recipients

• St Michael’s, Tonge-cum-Alkrington – ‘Remember Me’, Living Well with Dementia, training Parish Advocates to foster Dementia Friendly Parishes
• Christ with All Saints, Heaton Norris – Music School Community Outreach Project
• St Mary the Virgin, Eccles – Place of Welcome with Twiddleknits
• St George the Martyr, West Bolton – CAP Job Club in Project George Marsh
• Church of the Epiphany, Droylsden – Place of Welcome