Transforming Communities Together (TCT) will be integrated into the Diocese of Lichfield so that its crucial social justice work with churches and communities can flourish into the future.
TCT was established in 2014 as a joint venture between the diocese and Church Urban Fund to help churches and local organisations tackle poverty and the causes of poverty in and around the whole of the Black Country, Staffordshire and northern Shropshire. Its mission is to partner with others, seeking the common good, working for justice as people of hope, so that communities may flourish and those who are vulnerable, isolated, and disadvantaged might enjoy life in its fullness.
Various challenges, including the changing nature of the national funding landscape, the Covid pandemic and the cost of living crisis, led to a strategic review of TCT’s work. This review was carried out from December 2022 until the beginning of March 2023.
As a result, the TCT Board of Trustees has agreed that, from 1 April 2023, TCT will be integrated into the Diocesan Board of Finance (DBF).
This will provide organisational and financial stability in the coming years so that TCT can continue to deliver its core work streams with other partners, such as Sandwell Churches Link and the Diocese of Worcester, in areas including Places of Welcome, Dementia-Friendly Church, Enabling All and Mental Health & Wellbeing. It will also offer sustainability as TCT listens carefully to the needs of parishes to develop further work that supports mission and ministry in local communities.
TCT’s current staff members have helped shape the discussions around these changes which will see their roles align with the DBF where they do not already.
Diocesan Chief Executive Julie Jones said: “Following the pandemic and other recent challenges, this is a Kairos moment as we seek to re-establish TCT’s crucial work at the missional heart of the diocese.”
The Bishop of Shrewsbury, the Rt Revd Sarah Bullock, Chair of TCT’s Board of Trustees, said: ‘’We are excited to be moving to working as fully integrated members of the diocesan team to support our diocesan direction of travel, to meet the needs of parishes and communities expressed through our Shaping for Mission process and our focus on living out the 5 Marks of Mission in word and action.’’