The event was held in the Guards Room at Lambeth Palace which recognised and celebrated the teams behind key projects, which have been implemented to serve their communities around the UK.
One of the winners on the night was Members of the Willowfield Parish Community Association, which is based on My Lady's Road in Belfast, were celebrating last night as they received the award for the Best Transformative Community Project For Vulnerable Young People.
This grass roots community based youth work project, which started in 2002, has since seen thousands of young people engage with their programmes over the years.
The project itself prioritises meeting young people where they are at, whether that's in schools, on the streets or via a weekly drop in centre, the leaders spend time identifying with the young people themselves what the social and personal issues are that may be affecting them on a day-to-day basis.
Revd David McLay picked up the award for Best Transformative Community Project For Young People on behalf of Willowfield Church in Belfast, speaking to Premier, he said: "To receive an award like that in Lambeth Palace where just down the corridor as I walked past there was the portrait of Archbishop William Temple who said the Church was the only organisation that exists for non-members, actually I just felt was just a lovely evening."
Other winners included Sharpe Memorial Church of the Nazarene in Parkhead, Glasgow for the Best Church Building Project and Longton Community Church for the Best Church Based Social Action Project. The special Mustard Seed Gold Award winner was Way4ward, the Silver Award went to Active Listening and the Bronze Award was presented to The Feast from Birmingham.
Matt Bird, Chair of the Christian Funders' Forum and host of the ceremony said, "It was such a privilege tonight as members of The Christian Funders' Forum to recognise and award these amazing churches and organisations, who are doing some incredible and innovative work in their communities across the UK. These projects represent the growing impact that churches are having in their local areas, working together to be the hands and feet of Jesus and make a real difference to so many lives."
Revd David McLay, Willowfield Parish Community Association:
