The Connect 120 Fund
Connect 120 was first set up in 2018, with money from Stansted airport. The purpose was to enable churches along the A120 corridor to facilitate mission in the local area, with a particular focus on schools.
After lockdown, Connect 120 is now back in a new incarnation. The Connect 120 Fund has been set up by the churches of Stansted, Birchanger, Farnham, Takeley and Little Canfield, working together with priest-in-charge Rev Colin Fairweather.
The Fund seeks to support community-based projects, which may be social, educational, creative or environmental in nature – basically, anything that blesses our villages!
Applications will be considered by a discernment group, which will ask three fundamental questions of any proposed project:
- How is it consistent with Christian values?
- How will it promote personal, social, emotional, spiritual or intellectual flourishing?
- What legacy will it have?
The ‘Christian values’ criterion has a broad remit, and does not mean that projects have to be explicitly faith-based. Justice, compassion, creativity, healing and well-being are all Christian values, as is the desire simply to make community life better.
The core purpose of Connect 120 fund is to allocate funds wisely in order to bless our communities. So if you are involved in community life and have ideas about how to enrich it, we would love to hear from you.
An application form is available here.
Some Connect 120 Success Stories
Little Beans, Little Canfield
In September 2022, £1000 was awarded to set up the Little Beans parents and tots group at Little Canfield. The money paid for toys, craft materials and furniture. The group now meets regularly on a Friday morning and provides fun for the children, fellowship for parents and a child-friendly worship element.
