'In light of the cost-of-living crisis, projects like this matter more than ever' 

For 10 years the Cinnamon Network has sought to help others replicate innovative church initiatives that address challenges in their communities. By Kate Sharma

Back in 2013, Cinnamon Network had a crazy idea. They noticed that churches across the country were finding innovative ways to address challenges in their communities. 

They embarked on an audacious plan to seek out these initiatives, bottle their brilliance and help other churches replicate their great work at speed and scale.

It was the start of the Cinnamon Incubator Programme. Described as an ‘MBA for church-led social action’, over the past ten years, the Incubator has seen 53 projects, addressing challenges as diverse as addiction, homelessness, poverty and mental health, through its two-year programme.

32 of these have now replicated in over 1,000 locations impacting the lives of more than 160,000 people. What’s more, the value of time given by volunteers in these initiatives is estimated to be worth more than £30 million.

On Wednesday 15 November, Cinnamon will be celebrating this decade’s worth of impact at their Cinnamon Incubator Final.

Previous Incubator participants will share their journey and five finalists of this year’s Incubator Competition will pitch their projects for a chance to win a £25,000 development grant and additional funding. 

This year’s finalists are already doing incredible work in areas of healthcare support, female genital mutilation, separation and divorce, sexual exploitation and emotional health.

In reaching this stage, they have already secured a place on the Cinnamon Incubator Programme. With Cinnamon’s guidance, it is hoped that they will go on to replicate and adapt their work across more communities.

In light of the cost-of-living crisis, projects like this matter more than ever. This month it was revealed that a staggering 3.8 million people are experiencing destitution in the UK. This is two-and-a-half times the number in 2017.

Cinnamon believes that every community has assets and skills that can be harnessed to address the challenges in their midst.

 

Seven years on: Renew Wellbeing 

Back in 2016 in the basement of Emmanuel Centre Church in Westminster, Ruth Rice took to the stage for what was then known as Cinnamon Project Lab Final. She spoke of her own mental health struggles and her vision for churches to set up spaces where it was OK not to be OK.

Ruth was one of our winners and, seven years on, that seed of an idea has flourished into a national network with 250 Renew Wellbeing spaces across the UK. Cinnamon have been privileged to be part of the journey.

‘When we started out, I longed to see every church prioritise wellbeing, have spaces for those who felt isolated to come and belong; to become places of peace and prayerful habits,’ explains Ruth.

Ruth was clear about her vision, but she didn’t know how to bring it to life. Which is where the Cinnamon Incubator Programme came in.


More than just funding

‘I was able to use the funding to work part time to develop the charity and make sure the principles were multipliable and simple,’ she explains. ‘The help and advice given was of as much value as the funding.’

Cinnamon worked with Ruth to provide  guidance as she developed the structure, governance, funding and franchising model for Renew Wellbeing. ‘After the funding ran out, there was no going back and I set up the charity working as director full time,’ she says.

Communities across the UK are now reaping the benefits of that leap of faith. Our nation’s mental health was at epidemic levels before the COVID-19 pandemic. And, according to the charity Mind, around a third of adults and young people said their mental health has got much worse since March 2020.

While the strain on our National Health Service is well reported, Renew Wellbeing has been instrumental in helping churches and communities across the country to respond.


Just the beginning

Beyond the 250 Renew Wellbeing centres,  the team have also developed online training, published two books and are in the process of establishing a youth and children’s programme.

But there’s more to do. ‘I still long to see at least 10 per cent of all UK churches setting up simple safe sustainable spaces to prioritise wellbeing,’ says Ruth.

 

The Cinnamon Incubator Final takes place on Wednesday 15 November 2023.