A NATIONAL church’s trust and Cheshire’s police chief have joined forces to form a partnership supporting vulnerable people.

Cinnamon Network and the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) launched the venture at The Lion Salt Works, with more than 70 representatives from the church, council, police and other agencies meeting to discuss links and opportunities.

The project would support vulnerable people involved in the high proportion of non crime-related police calls made.

David Keane, PCC for Cheshire, has agreed to fund 10 micro-grants of up to £2,000 each through Cinnamon Network, to help the county’s churches kickstart social action projects in their area.

Mr Keane said: “I am delighted to be working in partnership with Cinnamon Network to support vulnerable people within the community.

“This new partnership aims to not only to ease the strain on the police service, but also to provide a more effective support to those in need.”

“Our faith communities are vital to helping us better protect the most vulnerable in society. Funding these projects gives us the opportunity to further enhance the role of our faith community, enabling us to spread the best practice across the county.

“Cinnamon has a great reputation for delivering fantastic projects and together I believe we can make our communities not only safer, but happier places to live and work.

“The micro-grants will help establish a vast array of projects to tackle key issues faced by communities across the county, whilst supporting residents of any faith or no faith at all.”

Alison Linfield, police partnership manager for Cinnamon said: “This is a great opportunity to support locally based faith groups and to work with Cheshire Constabulary. I am excited about the good work that can be started by these new micro-grants and the broader support available. I look forward to hearing about the projects they instigate and the people whose lives they transform.”

Once churches have identified the main areas of need in their neighbourhoods, they can apply for a micro-grant to help them start one of over 30 tried and tested ‘off-the-shelf’ community-based Cinnamon Recognised Projects (CRP).

A micro-grant up to £2,000 available, and applications will need to be match funded by any church wishing to start a CRP.

n For more information go to cinnamonnetwork.co.uk/cinnamon-micro-grants-cheshire or email alisonlinfield@cinnamonnetwork.co.uk