9th October 2001

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Research into the role of church organisations in Northern Ireland society has won a prestigious national award for a researcher at the University of Ulster.

Derek Bacon from the University’s Centre for Voluntary Action Studies was awarded the Campbell Adamson Prize of £500 for the best research paper presented to the 7th Researching the Voluntary Sector Conference in London.

Derek Bacon is the first person from Northern Ireland to be awarded this important national research prize which he won in the face of national and international competition.

Dr Arthur Williamson, Director of the Centre for Voluntary Action Studies, said: "Derek Bacon’s research is at the leading edge of studies in this growing international research field. His work shows that faith based organisations in Northern Ireland make a huge contribution to strengthening our fragile and damaged social fabric."

The Prime Minister and the Chancellor have expressed great interest in the work of faith bodies and their contribution to neighbourhoods and to social regeneration. Very often churches are the only point of reference for neighbourhoods and they take their social responsibility very seriously.

Mr Bacon’s paper investigates the work being carried out by three faith based organisations:

· Shankill Church of Ireland parish in Lurgan set up Shankill Caring Association to carry out initiatives in social action, community development and cross community work. More than 350 people are active in the organisation and 200 work as volunteers each week.

· Oasis Caring grew out of the Christian Fellowship Church in East Belfast. Its innovative projects focus on the needs of unemployed people and on strengthening family life. It also attempts to bridge the sectarian divide.

· The Flax Trust is based in the Ardoyne area of North Belfast and provides cross-community workspace for emerging businesses, housing services, runs a shopping complex including a health centre and attracts about 1,500 people daily to its wide range of services. It has also forged links with the Salvation Army.

Mr Bacon said: "These bodies come from different strands of Christian faith and work in individual settings but they share certain common emphases. Each is cultivating a sense of belonging to the community and incorporating an emphasis on serving the community. Each is presenting its vision of hope."

"Each in its unique context has set out to identify what people need and the social and political issues affecting them. Each is learning to maximise the potential for co-operation in a way that empowers local people to meet that need and address those issues. The result in each case is action that is rich in social capital and that serves economic life".

For further information, please contact:

Press Office Department of Communication and Development
Telephone: 028 9036 6178
Email: pressoffice@ulster.ac.uk