MORE than 40,700 people were supported by Bristol diocese, “a diocese united in compassion, creativity and commitment”, throughout last year, an audit has found.
Its report, published on Monday, says that 1634 volunteers contributed 121,660 hours of service, and 40,773 people were “supported by social action activities”.
The three most common needs that churches met were in building community and community cohesion (33 per cent), reducing social isolation (12 per cent), and supporting families (11 per cent), the report says. “Overall, the findings show a diocese united in compassion, creativity and commitment, acting as a powerful force for Gospel change.”
The diocese worked in partnership with a Christian charity, the Cinnamon Network, to carry out the 2025 Social Action Audit. A total of 108 parishes, representing 64 per cent of the churches in the diocese, responded to the survey. Ninety-seven of these described themselves as “active”, in the sense of delivering at least one social action over the past 12 months.
The survey found that 418 activities were delivered, including toddler groups, foodbanks, youth groups, community cafés and lunch clubs, mentoring programmes in schools, bereavement support, and mental-health groups.
To “sustain or develop social action activities”, further funding was needed, 83 churches reported. “Sustained financial support is essential for keeping their volunteer-led projects viable and for enabling more ambitious social action in areas of high need,” the report says.
Fifty-nine parishes reported collaborating with charities, schools, statutory agencies, community groups, or other faith organisations. Fifty-six “expressed a desire to develop these relationships further”.
The report also suggests that volunteer shortages remain a challenge: 52 churches said that they needed more. Although the diocese, in the audit, was “deeply grateful” for existing volunteers, phrases such as “we need more people power” and “our core team is very small and ageing” appeared repeatedly.
In a foreword to the report, the Acting Bishop of Bristol, the Bishop of Swindon, the Rt Revd Neil Warwick, said: “Parishes across the diocese act as beacons of hope to their local communities.”
The diocesan secretary, Richard Leaman, said: “The findings reflect what many of us already knew: that our parishes are right at the heart of their neighbourhoods, offering places of welcome, comfort, and hope.”