LONG-TIME readers of the Church Times will be familiar with our annual Lent appeal for the Church Times Train-A-Priest (TAP) Fund. For the past 73 years, our readers have been giving generously — to the tune of more than £4.7 million — to help to relieve ordinands of financial worries.
A few years ago, the TAP fund received a very generous legacy from a former headmistress, Angela Tuddenham, which gave us confidence that C of E ordinands in difficulties would be well supported for some years to come (News, 28 February 2020). As a result, in 2020, we shifted our focus towards Africa, and, after consultations with the Anglican Communion Office and USPG, a plan was hatched to send readers’ donations to ordinands in need in that continent.
In the past six years — despite the economic pressures of the pandemic — we have been very pleased to send nearly £180,000 to those in training for ministry in the countries that fall under the aegis of the Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa. Recipients of TAP Africa grants have expressed heartfelt gratitude to readers for their support, something that we are glad to pass on.
In 2026, we are returning our attention to those with a vocation to serve in the Church of England. The financial support of ordinands in training was recently overhauled — and, because the regular grants that ordinands receive will now be more generous, the need for hardship payments, such as those that TAP provides, should be less necessary than was once the case.
As a result, we are going to extend the reach of the TAP fund to help people at an earlier stage of exploring their vocation. This seems particularly timely, given the Church’s strategy to nurture the vocations of people with working-class backgrounds (News, 30 January). Our hope is that the availability of TAP grants will help to remove some of the barriers to participation for people from less financially secure situations.
The director of the national Ministry Development Team, Canon Nick McKee, said: “We are grateful to the Church Times and its readers for their generosity over the years, which has made a real difference to ordinands. We are delighted we will also now be able to work with dioceses to make small grants where this will enable people to explore their vocation without this leading to financial hardship.”
We open our TAP appeal each year on Ash Wednesday. Thanks to another legacy, we are starting with almost £80,000 in the kitty. May I encourage readers, none the less, to give as generously as possible?
Every penny that you can give will go to ordinands, and those who are exploring a vocation to ministry in the Church of England and face financial difficulty. Nothing is retained to cover administrative expenses.
Donate online quickly and securely here.
Or you can give by cheque or charity voucher. Please make cheques payable to: “The TAP Fund” and send to: TAP Fund, Church Times, Hymns Ancient & Modern, 13a Hellesdon Road, Norwich NR6 5DR
If you are a UK payer of income or capital gains tax, a payment by Gift Aid means that the Church Times, through the Hymns Ancient & Modern charity, can recover 25p for every £1 that you give. If your donation is eligible for Gift Aid, please include a completed TAP Gift Aid form with your cheque. You can also opt for Gift Aid when making an online donation.