Faith's story

Faith, a curate, first heard about Clergy Support Trust when she was at theological college. Now ordained, Faith and her family have received a number of grants from the Trust to support them with their health, wellbeing and unexpected costs.

However, while she loves the vocation to which she has been called, like many serving clergy, Faith is very aware of the day-to-day challenges facing Anglican clergy, and what more could be done by the national Churches to support them.

Below, she encourages first-time applicants to the Trust to be bold, but also encourages the national Churches to invest in clergy wellbeing. Faith is a pseudonym, as this person wishes to remain anonymous.

"Having that support felt like being resuscitated."

"The first grant that we applied for was a Financial Support grant for childcare costs. It was a significant lifeline for us, because my husband had taken three years off so I could get through college."

"Sadly across that year, and I say sadly because it's never something that you look forward to, we also had to apply for Emergency grants. Many things broke at the same time, one of them being a wardrobe, and our son needed a new bed."

"There was a Wellbeing grant towards a family holiday as well. Having that support again and being able to have that break; it felt like being resuscitated."

"I received a Health grant as well. I had long-COVID - it was quite brutal - and I was able to see a physio. It was really good to have that support from Clergy Support Trust. It helped because if not, I would've struggled to have got through Easter without treatment."

A woman wearing a colourful jacket, standing in front of a blue tiled wall.

A woman wearing a yellow jumper, stood outside on a street.

What would you say to someone applying to us for the first time?

"Be bold. Just be bold, because the worst that can happen is that you're going to be better in your ministry. That's it."

"You're going to be better in your ministry, because you've actually actively done something about your situation, and more than anything else, you've let somebody know."

"It's not your decision to make. It's not for you to assess. It's not for you mull over. It's for someone else to make that decision. But more than anything else, it's for someone that's going to offer you care. It should be called Care Support Trust. Because you guys care, and that means so much."

"I always read the emails that I get from Clergy Support Trust, because they're never generic. I think 'that person cares. I can tell'. That means a lot in this day and age, to know that somebody cares."

"The Church have yet to identify the real needs of the clergy of today."

"There are so many elements the Trust wants to support us with, whether it's sleep, retreats, holidays. There's all these different ways in which they're trying to enable clergy to function, and to function well. It's amazing what they do; it's really life-giving."

"Clergy Support Trust does what it does, but we all know that things could be done a lot differently and a lot better if the Church looks to invest in clergy wellbeing. I think that's what lies at the heart of it."

"I'm all for speaking up wholly and honestly about where the Church can look into the gaps. We get more and more clergy that are struggling and suffering, and I hope that change will come at some point. I don't know when. At some point, it'll happen."

We, and many Church leaders, are concerned that more than 1 in 5 serving clergy relied on our help last year. That’s why, as well as providing grants and services for those in need, we're working with the national Churches and others to develop longer-term solutions, so that every clergy household can thrive.

Last year, we supported over 2,700 Anglican clergy households, with 6,800 grants. The demand for our services has quadrupled in the past four years, and continues to grow. We're only able to walk alongside clergy and their families with your help.

If you feel able to make a donation through the link below, to help us continue to serve the people who spend their lives serving others, it would be very greatly appreciated.

See if you're eligible for a grant

Donate to support our work