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Link Up is a relational network of Churches and Church leaders in and around Chester, West Cheshire and into North Wales. Drawn from across denominations and traditions, Link Up seeks to support and extend partnership working for personal and community transformation.
In data published by the North West Regional Development Agency in 2005, faith groups were demonstrated to be present and active in areas both of affluence and deprivation in urban and rural settings. With over 45,000 faith volunteers and premises made available at neighbourhood level, faith communities made a net £90-95 million annual contribution to civil society in the North West.
In 2009/2010, Link Up is undertaking a full audit of the faith sector across the Cheshire West and Chester area. Based on the work and methodology of the Saltbox Christian Centre in Stoke on Trent and Staffordshire, preliminary reports are anticipated by summer 2010.
Link Up leaders have already been engaged within Local Strategic Partnerships and now Area Partnership Boards within local communities. We seek to now extend this by:
• Enabling, connecting and profiling the work of Churches in and across the communities they serve.
• Encouraging faith groups to share local knowledge and engage with their communities for the long term.
• Encouraging partnership based on shared values with statutory, voluntary and community sectors.
• Providing a connection point and voice for faith groups to other community stakeholders using a common language around a community cohesion agenda.
• Orienting the wide array of service provision already routinely undertaken by faith groups with the delivery of statutory outcomes.
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