£2m to boost inter-faith activity

The grants – totalling £2 million – are part of the second and final round of the Government’s Faiths in Action programme, a £4 million initiative to build better understanding between faith groups.

The programme is run by public body the Community Development Foundation (CDF) and funded by the Department for Communities and Local Government.

The grants are intended to fund inter-faith activities such as training and workshops, seminars, sports tournaments, cultural festivals, culinary activities and visual and performance arts.

Among the community groups to have received funding so far are the Culcheth Methodist Church in Warrington, which plans to deliver youth services following the closure of a local youth club, and the Pakistan Cultural Society in Newcastle, which will use the grant to fund its Islamic Heritage project that aims to inform young people about the history of Muslims in the UK.

Junior communities minister Andrew Stunell said: "Inter-faith activity is an important component of the Big Society [the coalition government] is hoping to build.

"If we want to live in a truly integrated society, we need opportunities for people from diverse backgrounds to come together – not just to better understand each other but also to work together towards shared goals that benefit the whole community."

Applications are invited from organisations running inter-faith activities due to take place up until March 2011. To apply, visit www.cdf.org.uk/web/guests/faiths-in-action.