PEOPLE working on community projects in Swindon are being encouraged to apply for church funding.

To qualify for cash from the Church Urban Fund, projects must satisfy a number of criteria.

Firstly they must serve people living in social and economic deprivation, as measured by government statistics.

And the proposed scheme must already be working in partnership with a Anglican or Christian Church in the area.

Since it was launched more than 20 years ago, the fund has dished out over £50m to worthy causes across the country.

And two projects in Swindon have already benefited from the funding support.

One of these included a donation of £14,000 to the Clivey Project in Pinehurst, which helped pay the salary for an extra youth worker to work with young people.

Another donation of £12,000 was made to employ an education project worker at Stepping Forward which is based in Park North, Swindon.

Stepping Forward is a registered charity that enables 14 to 25-year-olds with a history of truancy or school exclusion to move into further education or to find suitable employment.

The Rev Stephen Skinner, the Church Urban Fund link officer, said: "You have to satisfy a board of trustees about its merits. Several ventures in inner Bristol and Swindon have done just that in recent years."

For more information phone Mr Skinner on 01793 770568 or email skinners@shawrectory.fsnet.co.uk