Clergy Support Trust

Ben is wearing a white robe, and is standing in front of a stained glass church window. He is behind a small lectern, equipped with a standing microphone.

Ben is sat at a desk. On his left is an open bible. In front of him is an iPad with a keyboard. He is wearing a pair of noise-cancelling headphones.

Ben is wearing a white robe, and standing in front of a stained glass church window.

"I have autism, ADHD and dyslexia, so a Health grant from Clergy Support Trust was a big support."

We were privileged to fund assistive technologies to help with Ben's training, including specialist audio equipment to block out distracting background noise.

www.clergysupport.org.uk/bens-story

Text reads: Help us to journey alongside thousands of clergy and their families in need. Support our Lent Appeal.

Since we reopened in January, we've received over 1,000 applications from clergy households in need, just like Lina and her family.

This Lent, please help us to support them with a monthly gift of any amount.

Donate today:
www.clergysupport.org.uk/lent

A laptop. On its screen is the Clergy Support Trust logo, and text which reads: 2025 Impact Survey - How did we help?

Were you one of the over 2,900 households we supported with a grant or service last year? 🏠

Check your email inbox - We'd love it if you'd take a few moments to complete the survey we've sent you. Your feedback will help us to improve what we do, and to better tailor our offering.

A golden chandelier, letting off a warm yellow light, hanging from the ceiling of Plaisterers' Hall.

The interior of Plaisterers' Hall. Chandeliers let off a warm, yellow glow. Guests are sat at circular tables, with white tablecloths, glasses and plates.

The interior of Plasterers' Hall. In the background, paintings of former Masters of The Worshipful Company of Plaisterers are hung. Formally dressed guests are engaged in conversation, sat at circular tables.

Our 371st Festival Dinner is an evening of fellowship and fundraising, as we ask guests to support our work journeying alongside thousands of clergy and their families.

We hope to see you there, as we raise funds for our vital grants and services.

Find out more:
www.clergysupport.org.uk/festival

The sign of the cross is marked in ash on a woman's forehead.

This #AshWednesday, as we mark the start of #Lent, our thoughts are with our applicants, including the many clergy who will be leading their communities through this time of prayer and worship.

A pile of American-style pancakes, covered in flour and maple syrup, topped with chopped strawberries and bananas.

Wishing everyone a very happy #ShroveTuesday #PancakeDay! 🥞

Last year, over £900,000 of the grants we provided were for general living expenses and energy costs, including milk, eggs and the electricity and gas needed to cook food.

No clergy household should struggle to afford the essentials.

Text reads: What barriers do disabled and neurodivergent clergy face?

Academics from Bournemouth University have published 'Fearfully and Wonderfully Made', a study into the wellbeing of disabled and neurodivergent clergy, co-commissioned by Clergy Support Trust.

Find out more:
www.clergysupport.org.uk/disabled-neu...

Text reads: Clergy to access independent counselling, says General Synod.

Recognising the stresses and pressures of their calling, Synod – the Church of England's governing body – has voted to ensure clergy can access therapy.

Today's news is a welcome step in a better direction.

Find out more:
www.clergysupport.org.uk/synod-2026

The choirs of Blackburn, St Albans and St Paul's Cathedral will sing as one; we'll hear from clergy and their families who've been supported by the Trust; we'll worship together, and give thanks for the people who dedicate their lives to their communities.

www.clergysupport.org.uk/festival

Text reads: Church of England provides £500,000 to support the Trust's vital work.

"The Church of England's own research shows that many clergy are anxious about their finances. This grant from the Archbishops' Council is an important recognition of that."

- The Revd Ben Cahill-Nicholls, Chief Executive

Find out more:
www.clergysupport.org.uk/vital-funding

Text reads: Over 800 applications in one month!

Since we reopened earlier this month, we've received over 800 applications for support from clergy and their families.

Our small, hard-working team will endeavour to respond to all of the queries, emails and applications we have received as soon as we can. Thank you so much for your patience.

Dame Sarah Mullally, the Archbishop of Canterbury, wearing a black jacket, pink shirt and white clerical collar.

Today, Dame Sarah Mullally was confirmed as the Archbishop of Canterbury.

“As an Honorary President of Clergy Support Trust, and as chair of the Triennium Funding Working Group, Archbishop Sarah understands well the challenges facing clergy."

- Our Chief Executive, The Revd Ben Cahill-Nicholls

Rachael is stood in a forest. She is wearing a black top and white clerical collar. Her arms are folded, and she is looking at the camera. Behind her, her name is shown in large, pink capital letters.

Clergy Support Trust - READY! 🥊

Well done to The Revd Rachael Phillips, a priest from Darlington and former Army captain, for an impressive effort on BBC's #Gladiators last weekend.

“Jesus said turn the other cheek, and I did, and I got battered there as well!”

📷 Photo credit: BBC Gladiators

A card, surrounded by glitter and confetti. Text reads: Happy New Year.

Happy New Year! 🕛 🥳 🎉

Thank you to our applicants, our donors, our Governors and Stewards for your support in 2025.

Demand for our vital services continues to grow. If your New Year's Resolution is to give more to charity, please consider making a donation.

Donate:
www.clergysupport.org.uk/donate

A Christmas tree, decorated with baubles and artificial snow, topped with a red star.

From the whole team here at Clergy Support Trust, we hope you all have a restful, very Merry #Christmas 🎁 🎄

Text reads: In 2025, 2900 households were supported with a grant or service. 7000 grants were given to clergy and their families across the UK, Ireland, Europe and the Isle of Man. £1.4m in grants was provided to help cover the essentials, like household appliances.

Text reads: The number of retired clergy households applying for support has grown sixfold in the past five years.

Text reads: We provided over £973,000 in Health grants, to help applicants with physical or mental health conditions. We provided over £583,000 in Wellbeing support, to help carers, clergy children and people with special educational needs.

We're blessed to be able to do what we do. 🙏

Thank you to everyone who made our work in 2025 possible. As we log off for a break, we hope you all have a joyous, restful Christmas.

Discover our impact:
www.clergysupport.org.uk/2025

A man is sat on a wooden park bench, looking out across the sea. The weather is grey and autumnal, and he is wearing a dark hoodie and wooly hat.

"The challenge is to develop structures and systems that enable clergy to flourish in their calling, so the vocational aspect of their ministry doesn't get squeezed out by other concerns."

Find out more:
www.clergysupport.org.uk/living-ministry

A radio microphone in the foreground. A Christmas tree with lights, and a number of wrapped gift boxes, in the blurred background.

Tune into Premier Christian Radio this morning, as our Chief Executive, The Revd Ben Cahill-Nicholls talks about the joys and pressures of being a Church leader at Christmas.

Listen now:
www.premier.plus/stations/pre...

Church of England crisis as pensioner priests forced into poverty EXCLUSIVE: England's clergy are living in a state of "anxiety" amid rising cost-of-living, housing insecurity and pension cuts.

Thank you to The Daily Express for talking with our Chief Executive, The Revd Ben Cahill-Nicholls, and shining a spotlight on the financial challenges facing retired clergy and their families.

Read the article:
www.express.co.uk/news/uk/2145...
©️ The Daily Express

Text reads: Support our Advent Appeal. Find out more at www.clergysupport.org.uk/advent

Help us to serve the people who will spend their Christmas serving all of us. 🎄

Throughout Advent, many clergy will run food banks, support the homeless, visit people in hospitals and prisons, and give comfort to those who are spending Christmas alone.

Donate today:
www.clergysupport.org.uk/advent

The logos of Clergy Support Trust and Thrive Worldwide. Text reads: Explore our Wellbeing Workshops at www.clergysupport.org.uk/wellbeing-workshops

Thrive Worldwide deliver two of our popular Wellbeing Workshops: Stress & Resilience, and Building a Healthy Team.

We're privileged to work alongside them, and they've now delivered 46 of these workshops to over 500 Anglican clergy, across 14 dioceses! 👏

www.clergysupport.org.uk/wellbeing-wo...

Four choristers, dressed in white and red robes, singing from the Order of Service.

The Baroness May of Maidenhead, giving a reading behind a lectern.

The Revd Canon Thomas Woodhouse, dressed in a golden robe.

The patterned ceiling of The King's Chapel of The Savoy, with two flags of the House of Lancaster.

Thank you to everyone who joined our Carol Service last week! 🎵

We welcomed supporters of the Trust - including our Honorary Vice President, Theresa May - to a wonderful evening of song, celebration and mince pies.

View the gallery:
www.clergysupport.org.uk/christmas-2025

Clergy ‘feel isolated’ and lonely, latest Living Ministry study concludes But majority of those in ministry feel they are fulfilling a vocation

The final report from the Church of England's ten-year Living Ministry study has found that, of those surveyed:

▪️ 40% of clergy felt isolated
▪️ 29% - 35% showed signs of possible, mild or clinical depression
▪️ Many felt the support provided by Church leadership was “inadequate and ineffective”

Text reads: Their approach reminds us that receiving help is not a sign of weakness: It’s part of belonging to a community that cares for one another in Christ’s love.

Text reads: Clergy Support Trust has been an absolute Godsend for me and my family. I don't know what we would’ve done without you. Bless you!

Text reads: I am grateful not only for their help in times of need, but for treating me with integrity and dignity. I will always remember this with a grateful heart.

Text reads: The Trust treated me and my wife with special care and consideration. Their staff are truly kind.

Thank you to all of our applicants who took part in our annual survey, and to those who left comments like these - They brightened our day! 🧡

Text reads: From the start of the year to St Andrew's Day, we’ve supported clergy households in the Scottish Episcopal Church with over £42,000 through 52 grants.

Happy #StAndrewsDay to all of our applicants from the Scottish Episcopal Church! We are privileged to walk alongside you in your lives and ministry. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Text reads: Applications to close over Christmas.

Text reads: Monday 1 December, Verifications close. Monday 8 December at midday, Applications close. Wednesday 7 January at 9am, Applications and Verifications reopen.

A final reminder that Verifications will close on Monday 1 December, and Applications on Monday 8 December. ⏰

This is to give our hard-working team, processing more applications for support than ever before, the chance to rest and recharge over the Christmas break.

www.clergysupport.org.uk/closure

The dome of St Paul's Cathedral, as seen from below. Text reads: Save the date. The 371st Festival. St Paul's Cathedral. Tuesday 12 May 2026, 5pm.

Our annual Festival at St Paul's Cathedral is the oldest #choral music event of its kind in the world. 🎵

It's free to attend and open to all, as we celebrate and give thanks for clergy and their families.

If Santa gifts you a new diary this Christmas, make sure it's the first thing you add to it!

How can clergy make changes in a parish without upsetting the flock? Clergy who want to do things differently can face resistance. What is the best way forward? Madeleine Davies investigates

How can #clergy make changes without upsetting the flock? 🤔

Our Chief Executive, The Revd Ben Cahill-Nicholls contributed to this enlightening article from Madeleine Davies, exploring the challenging relationships and resistance to change that can come hand-in-hand with ministry.

buff.ly/p4GL87L

Text reads: Applications to close over Christmas.

Text reads: Monday 1 December, Verifications close. Monday 8 December at midday, Applications close. Wednesday 7 January at 9am, Applications and Verifications reopen.

We'll be closing Verifications from Monday 1 December, and Applications from Monday 8 December. ⏰

This is to give our hard-working team, processing more applications for support than ever before, the chance to rest and recharge over the Christmas break.

www.clergysupport.org.uk/closure

Text reads: Could you be our new Head of External Engagement? Find out more and apply online at www.clergysupport.org.uk/vacancies

2026 will be an exciting year to join our team! 🗓️

We'll embark on a bold 2026-28 Strategy, deliver our first Fundraising Strategy, and grow our programme of events.

If you're experienced in media engagement and strategic #communications, visit www.clergysupport.org.uk/vacancies