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07 June 2013

Cinnamon Network wins Big Society award

David Cameron has presented a Big Society award to the Cinnamon Network because of their work, through churches, helping local communities. The Cinnamon Network –is a collective of churches, social enterprises and charities working together to help people most in need in the community; it- provides small start-up grants of up to £2,000 to churches to fund social action projects.

The network supports church-run projects across the UK including night shelters, homeless projects, employment, money and debt advice; ex offenders programmes, free lunch clubs in school holidays, refugee assistance and housing support schemes.

The Big Society Awards were set up by the Prime Minister in November 2010 with the aim to acknowledge individuals and organisations across the UK that demonstrates the Big Society concept in their work or activities.

The Cinnamon Network launched in 2010 and supports projects through churches, food banks and organisations - an estimated 2,950 local churches running projects in their location, 47,440 volunteers and 690,242 beneficiaries. 

Commenting on the award prime minister David Cameron said: "I'm pleased to be able to give The Cinnamon Network this Big Society Award in recognition of the huge difference they have made across the country.

"From jobs clubs to street pastors, by supporting churches to address the most pressing issues in their neighbourhoods, The Cinnamon Network is transforming communities for the better."

Matt Bird, Co-Chair of the Cinnamon Network said: "The Cinnamon Network is strengthening the muscles of local churches by generating ideas for community projects, encouraging neighbouring churches to work in partnership and providing £2,000 micro-grants to any church that wants to start a recognised project.

"We want to make sure that local churches have the funding and support to do what they do best - reaching out to their local communities to help those most in need."

You can read more about the Cinnamon Network, partnerships and projects in the next edition of idea: the magazine out 25 June 2013

The Cinnamon Network is a partnership between Make It Happen, Tearfund and Piercing Blue, operating under Tearfund's management and governance. 76 other winners of the Big Society Award include Street Angels and Biddick Hall Community Focus.