FAITH IN TWO CITIES:

THE CONTRIBUTION OF ANGLICAN & METHODIST CHURCHES TO CIVIL SOCIETY IN MANCHESTER & SALFORD

Contacts:

Martin Miller (Partnerships Development Officer)

Alison Peacock (Mission Planning Officer)

Manchester Diocesan Board for Ministry and Society

Church House

90 Deansgate

MANCHESTER

M3 2GH

Tel. 0161-828 1410

INTRODUCTION

In November 2003 the Northwest Development Agency (NWDA) published the findings of a survey, Faith in England’s Northwest. The Contribution made by Faith Communities to Civil Society in the Region. This initiative, a joint project of the Churches Officer for the Northwest and the Regional Intelligence Unit, covered more than 2,300 faith communities across eight faith groups, and demonstrated their contribution to the economic and social life of the region. The report was followed in February 2005 by an economic impact assessment based on the original survey data.

This analysis uses data from the NWDA survey to demonstrate the particular contribution of Anglican and Methodist churches within the two cities of Manchester and Salford. It opens with a summary of key findings for both denominations, showing first the extent of their joint contribution, and then the distinctive strengths and weaknesses of Anglican and Methodist contributions. This, in turn, raises capacity-building issues, which, as this analysis illustrates, vary by denomination.

The main text analyses responses to specific questions. To set Anglican and Methodist data in context, responses from other Christian and minority faith communities in both cities are given in Table 1. In other tables, in order to comply with confidentiality constraints, aggregate findings for Anglicans and Methodists are presented. In a small minority of tables, again to prevent identification of individual respondents, denominational data has also been aggregated. In those sections where aggregation proved insufficient to protect data, tables and charts are not displayed.

Appendix I provides sub-regional information drawn from the economic impact assessment. The faith composition of both cities, based on responses to the religion question in 2001 census, is summarised in Appendix II.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Data has been extracted from Faith in England’s Northwest. The Contribution made by Faith Communities to Civil Society in the Region (NWDA, November 2003) and Faith in England’s Northwest. Economic Impact Assessment (NWDA, February 2005). Data analysis is by Manchester Diocesan Board for Ministry and Society.

Manchester Diocesan Board for Ministry and Society would like to express thanks to Monsignor John Devine, Churches Officer for the Northwest, for granting access to the data, and to Ms Emma Charnock, Intelligence Analyst (Economic), for technical support.

This acknowledgement has been agreed with the Northwest Development Agency and must be quoted in full whenever part or all of the analysis is used.

SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS

Joint Findings

  • Anglican and Methodist churches make their buildings available to the wider community – 21.8% of respondents have a purpose-built community centre as their building, and 73.6% rent out their rooms to community groups.
  • 93.1% of Anglican and Methodist buildings have access for people with disabilities, and 73.8% have loop systems installed.
  • 44.8% are actively involved in a range of high profile regeneration initiatives, particularly via the Single Regeneration Budget.
  • 71.3% are aware of their Local Strategic Partnerships, but only 40.8% have been approached to participate and just 18.3% are aware of the Community Empowerment Fund.
  • 77.0% of churches are involved in projects that address specific social concerns. These are mostly arts and music, education, health and fitness, but there is also interest in working with issues of alcohol abuse, personal finance and the environment.
  • Church projects also seek to address the needs of vulnerable social groups, predominantly older people, children and young people. The range of groups covered by joint Anglican and Methodist activity is, however, much wider.
  • In addition to social projects, churches are also involved in running cultural and sporting activities of benefit to the wider community. There is currently considerably more interest in cultural, especially musical, than sporting activities.
  • Together, Anglican and Methodist churches contribute an estimated 1,554 volunteers and an estimated average number of 290.5 hours per week.
  • More than half (51.7%) had received public funding. Local Authority, the Lottery and English Heritage were the most popular sources of public funds.

Anglican Findings

  • Anglican churches are numerically stronger in both cities, representing 70.1% of total respondents. The level of Anglican input therefore exceeds Methodist input, at least in numerical terms, on virtually every issue covered by the survey.
  • There are some areas in which the Anglican contribution is proportionally as well as numerically stronger.
  • Heritage buildings are entirely an Anglican responsibility. 47.5% of Anglican buildings have listed status.
  • Anglican churches, attracting more than 16,000 visitors per annum, make by far the greater contribution to tourism.
  • More than half (50.8%) of all Anglican churches are involved in regeneration initiatives. They tend to be involved across a wider range of initiatives than their Methodist counterparts.
  • Anglican churches are more likely to be aware of their Local Strategic Partnership than Methodists. They are more likely to have been approached to participate in their LSP, and to be aware of the Community Empowerment Fund.
  • They are far more likely to run social projects, covering a wider range of concerns and addressing the needs of a wider range of social groups.
  • They are more likely to have received public funding, and to have accessed a wider range of funding sources. The heritage status of so many Anglican buildings means that all applications to English Heritage are from Anglican churches.
  • Anglican respondents are slightly less likely than Methodists to make their buildings available for community use, but slightly more likely to provide access for people with disabilities.
  • They produce proportionally fewer volunteers than Methodist churches, but have a greater share of volunteer hours.

Methodist Findings

  • Methodist churches represent just 29.9% of all Anglican and Methodist respondents.
  • Despite their smaller numbers, Methodists make a proportionally greater contribution in certain key areas covered by the survey.
  • Methodist churches are more likely to make their buildings available for community use. Nearly one in four (23.1%) has a purpose-built community centre as their building, and one in five (80.8%) rents rooms to community groups.
  • They have a proportionally greater involvement in sporting activities for the benefit of the wider community.
  • They are more likely to produce volunteers, although their contribution in volunteer hours is proportionally lower.
  • Methodist churches are less likely to be involved in social projects. Those that are address a more limited range of social concerns and groups.
  • They are less likely to be involved in regeneration initiatives and structures such as Local Strategic Partnerships. It is, however, significant that Methodist respondents are also less likely to have been approached to participate.
  • Awareness of the Community Empowerment Fund among Methodist churches is low in both cities.
  • They are markedly less likely to access public funds, and are heavily dependent on the local authority as a funding source.

SURVEY RESPONSES

  • 87 responses, representing 43.7% of all responses to the survey within both cities, were received from Anglican and Methodist churches.
  • 62.1% were from Anglican and Methodist churches within Manchester, and 37.9% from Salford.
  • 70.1% of responses, reflecting greater plant in both cities, were from Anglican churches, and 29.9% were from Methodist churches.[1]
TABLE 1 – RESPONSES BY CITY & FAITH COMMUNITY
Manchester / Salford / Total
Church of England / 40 / 21 / 61
Methodist / 14 / 12 / 26
Other Christian / 46 / 25 / 71
Other Faith / 38 / 3 / 41
Total / 138 / 61 / 199

COMMUNITY CONTEXT

  • 81.6% (71) of Anglican and Methodist respondents described the context of their worshipping community as “urban”.
  • 14.9% (13) of Anglican and Methodists described their context as “suburban”.
  • Just 3.4% (3) of respondents, all Methodist churches in Salford, described their context as “rural”.

HERITAGE BUILDINGS

  • Faith communities can be responsible for buildings of wider historical as well as considerable local significance.
  • 47.5% (29) of Anglican buildings had listed status.
  • 3 were considered to be of “exceptional interest” (Grade I), and 9 “particularly important buildings of more than special interest” (Grade II*).
  • No Methodist church in either city had listed status, suggesting limited potential for tourism but more for community use of buildings.

TABLE 2 – BUILDINGS BY HERITAGE LISTING

Grade I / Grade II* / Grade II / Unspecified / All
Church of England / 3 / 9 / 17 / 0 / 29
Methodist / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0
All CoE & Methodist / 3 / 9 / 17 / 0 / 29

TOURISTS AND VISITORS

  • Heritage status is closely linked with the actual and potential contribution of faith communities to tourism.
  • 79.3% of all Anglican and Methodist respondents stated that they welcomed tourists and visitors to their place of worship.
  • 80.3% of Anglicans responded positively compared with 76.9% of Methodists.
  • The total number of tourists and visitors, 99.2% of who were visiting Anglican churches, was estimated at 16,265.

TABLE 3 - TOURISTS AND VISITORS

Tourists & Visitors Welcomed / Number Welcomed per Year
Church of England / 49 / 16,134
Methodist / 20 / 131
All CoE & Methodist / 69 / 16,265
  • Only a very small number of churches, all Anglican churches in Manchester, attracted more than 1,000 tourists and visitors per year.

COMMUNITY USE OF BUILDINGS

  • Churches often contribute to the wider community by making their buildings available for use.
  • 14.9% of Anglican and Methodist respondents either lacked a building of their own or had one that was only used by the worshipping congregation.
  • 21.8% had a purpose built community centre as their building. Most community centres belonged to Anglican churches, but a slightly higher proportion of Methodist buildings (23.1%) than Anglican buildings (21.3%) were purpose-built community centres.
  • 73.6% of churches had rooms that were rented by community groups. A higher proportion of Methodists (80.8%) than Anglicans (70.5%) let out rooms.

TABLE 4 – BUILDINGS BY COMMUNITY USE

Our building is a purpose built community centre / We have rooms that are rented by community groups / Without building or building only used by worshipping congregation
Church of England / 13 / 43 / 10
Methodist / 6 / 21 / 3
All CoE & Methodist / 19 / 64 / 13

ACCESSIBILITY OF BUILDINGS

  • Making church buildings more accessible indicates a serious commitment to opening the doors to the wider community.
  • 93.1% of all Anglican and Methodist churches responding to the survey reported that their buildings had access for people with disabilities. Anglican churches (93.4%) were slightly more likely to provide access than Methodist churches (92.3%).
  • 77.0% of churches had loop systems. A higher proportion of Methodists (84.6%) than Anglicans (73.8%) had loop systems installed.

TABLE 5 – BUILDINGS BY ACCESSIBILITY

Building has Access for People with Disabilities / Building has Loop System
Church of England / 57 / 45
Methodist / 24 / 22
All CoE & Methodist / 81 / 67

INVOLVEMENT IN REGENERATION

  • The role of faith communities in government-sponsored regeneration initiatives is increasingly recognised as an important contribution to neighbourhood renewal.
  • 44.8% of Anglican and Methodist respondents were involved in one or more regeneration initiative.
  • Anglican churches were more likely to be involved in regeneration than Methodist churches: 50.8% of Anglican churches were involved in one or more initiative compared with just 30.8% of Methodist churches.

TABLE 6 – INVOLVEMENT IN REGENERATION

Not Involved in Regeneration Initiative / Involved in One or More Regeneration Initiative
Church of England / 30 / 31
Methodist / 18 / 8
All CoE & Methodist / 48 / 39
  • Together Anglican and Methodist churches involved in regeneration contribute to four high profile initiatives and others unspecified.
  • Churches were more likely to be involved in Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) initiatives than in any other regeneration scheme.
  • Anglican churches also contribute to New Deal for Communities (NDC), Sure Start, Learn Direct and other initiatives.
  • Sure Start was the only other regeneration scheme mentioned by Methodist respondents.


CHART 1 – INVOLVEMENT BY REGENERATION INITIATIVE

LOCAL STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS

  • Local Strategic Partnerships (LSP), designed to facilitate cross-sector working in the service of neighbourhood renewal, are important structures for churches concerned with regeneration.
  • 71.3% of Anglican and Methodist respondents claimed that they were aware of their LSP, although just 40.2% had been approached to participate.
  • 86.9% of Anglican churches were aware of their LSP compared with 34.6% of Methodist churches.
  • They were also more likely to have been approached to participate in their LSP - 48.1% (26) of Anglican respondents had been approached compared with 34.6% (9) of Methodists. No Methodist church in Salford had been approached to participate.

TABLE 7 – LOCAL STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS

Aware of LSP / Approached to Participate in LSP
Church of England / 53 / 26
Methodist / 9 / 9
All CoE & Methodist / 62 / 35
  • Just 4 churches, all Anglican churches in Manchester, rated their LSP as “very relevant” to their organisation.
  • Slightly more churches saw their LSP as less rather than more relevant to their organisation.

COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT FUND

  • The Community Empowerment Fund, specifically designed to resource community and voluntary sector networking, is closely linked with Local Strategic partnerships in Neighbourhood Renewal Areas (which include Manchester and Salford).
  • Just 18.3% (16) of Anglican and Methodist respondents stated that they were aware of the Community Empowerment Fund.
  • Awareness was particularly low among Methodist churches in both cities.

SOCIAL PROJECTS

  • The activities of faith communities extend beyond specifically religious activities or those designed to meet the needs of the worshipping community.
  • Many are also involved in a range of projects and activities designed to address either particular social concerns or the needs of vulnerable social groups.

Projects By Social Concern

  • 77.0% of Anglican and Methodist churches reported involvement in projects addressing specific social concerns.
  • Anglican churches (85.2%) were more likely than Methodist churches (57.7%) to be involved in such projects.

TABLE 8 – INVOLVEMENT IN SOCIAL PROJECTS

No Involvement in Projects Addressing Social Concerns / Involved in Project(s) Addressing One or More Social Concerns
Church of England / 9 / 52
Methodist / 11 / 15
All CoE & Methodist / 20 / 67
  • Asked to identify their involvement according to 12 broad categories, Anglican churches were active in every area, and Methodist churches in 8 of those listed.
  • Both Anglican and Methodist churches were also involved projects addressing social concerns other than those listed.
  • The three areas of concern most frequently mentioned were arts and music (35), education (28) and health and fitness (23).
  • The three least frequently mentioned areas were employment and training (7), personal finance (6) and social enterprise (4).


CHART 2 – PROJECTS BY SOCIAL CONCERN (INVOLVEMENT)

  • Churches responded positively to a question about interest in projects across the same 12 areas of concern.
  • Overall, the highest levels of interest were in developing projects to address issues of alcohol abuse (13), personal finance (12), the environment (12) and arts and music (12).
  • By far the lowest level of interest was expressed in social enterprise (4).


CHART 3 – PROJECTS BY SOCIAL CONCERN (INTEREST)

Projects By Social Group

  • In addition to identifying projects by area of social concern, churches were asked to identify their projects by 12 broad categories of vulnerable social group.
  • The three social groups most frequently mentioned were elderly people (45), children (43) and young people (42). Toddlers, listed as a separate group in the survey, attracted the fourth highest score (38).
  • The three least frequently mentioned social groups were people who use mental health services (6), people with learning difficulties (6), and people from refugee communities (4).
  • Anglican churches reported work with all groups listed, and Methodist churches with all social groups except unemployed people and people from minority ethnic communities.

CHART 4 – PROJECTS BY SOCIAL GROUP


CULTURAL AND SPORTING ACTIVITIES

  • In addition to social projects, faith communities may be involved in cultural and sporting activities of benefit to the wider community.
  • 73.6% of Anglican and Methodist respondents were involved in one or more cultural activity.
  • A much smaller proportion, 28.7%, was involved in sporting activities. Methodist churches (38.5%) were more likely to be involved in sporting activities than Anglicans (24.6%).

TABLE 9 – INVOLVEMENT IN CULTURAL AND SPORTING ACTIVITIES

No Involvement / Involvement in One or More Activities
Cultural Activities
Church of England / 17 / 45
Methodist / 7 / 19
All CoE & Methodist / 23 / 64
Sporting Activities
Church of England / 46 / 15
Methodist / 16 / 10
All CoE & Methodist / 62 / 25

Cultural Activities

  • The most popular activity by far was involvement in a choir: 58.6% (51) of churches were involved in choirs compared with 28.7% (25) of churches involved with instrumental music and drama.
  • The least popular activities were art, attracting 10.3% (9) of respondents, and poetry recitals, attracting 6.9% (6).


CHART 5 – INVOLVEMENT IN CULTURAL ACTIVITIES

Sporting Activities

  • The most popular activities, involving 12.6% (11) of respondents, were football and bowling.
  • The least popular activities, both of which received no responses, were walking/hiking and cricket.


CHART 6 – INVOLVEMENT IN SPORTING ACTIVITIES

VOLUNTEERS

  • The many and varied activities of faith communities are heavily dependent upon the work of volunteers.

Volunteer Numbers

  • Together Anglican and Methodist churches in Manchester and Salford contributed 1,554 volunteers involved in activities other than worship.
  • Methodist churches produced fewer volunteers, but proportionally more than Anglican churches (averaging 19.0 volunteers per church community compared with 17.4 for Anglican churches).

Volunteer Hours

  • Estimated average number of hours per volunteer for both churches in both cities total 290.5.
  • Anglican churches, although they produced proportionally fewer volunteers, delivered a greater share of volunteer hours.

TABLE 10 – VOLUNTEERS BY NUMBER AND HOURS

Number of Volunteers involved in Activities Other than Worship / Estimated Average Hours per Week per Volunteer
Church of England / 1061 / 216.00
Methodist / 493 / 74.50
All CoE & Methodist / 1554 / 290.5

RECEIPT OF PUBLIC FUNDING

  • 51.7% (45) of Anglican and Methodist respondents had received money from public funds.
  • There was a marked difference between denominations - 57.4% (35) of Anglican churches, but just 38.5% (10) of Methodist churches, had received public funds.
  • More than a third (35.6%) of churches in receipt of public funds had received money from more than one funding source.
  • Churches receiving money from more than one funding source were overwhelmingly Anglican.
  • The most common sources of funds were Local Authority (17), Lottery (15) and English Heritage (15).
  • The Single Regeneration Budget, despite active involvement in SRB schemes, was a very minor source of funding, and no church had received from the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund.
  • English Heritage, reflecting the number of heritage buildings, was accessed exclusively by Anglicans.
  • Methodist respondents relied heavily on the local authority as a source of public funds.

APPENDIX I