Submitted by george.somers@… on

We've been supporting clergy children for over 300 years, primarily through the Clergy Orphan Corporation Fund. The Fund has had many names over the centuries - The Corporation of the Sons of the Clergy (1655), The Clergy Orphan Society (1749), The Clergy Orphan Corporation (1809) - but today, the Fund's purpose is to support the financial, health and emotional wellbeing of clergy children.

In September 2023, we were privileged to majority-fund two vital projects with donations from the Fund: Life to the Max and Rock & Water Wild.

Life to the Max

An activity-based residential weekend for clergy children, aged 11 - 17, in the Dioceses of Bristol and Bath & Wells, Life to the Max was three days of tobogganing, raft-building and active archery at Mendip Activity Centre.

Safe spaces like this are crucial for clergy children. Growing up with a clergy parent who plays a key role in your community, moving schools and home regularly, is a unique experience that few other children can relate to.

"It came out last night, as we were talking around the campfire, some of the young people said:

'I always felt like I was the only person who had a vicar for a dad, because I'd never met any other young people like that.'"

- Andy, Go Team Advisor

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A group of young people sitting around a campfire.

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A child on a climbing wall.

Rock & Water Wild

A joint pilot project between Diocesan Children and Youth Teams in the Dioceses of Llandaff and Swansea & Brecon, Rock & Water Wild took place in a Christian residential centre in Trelewis.

From picking blackberries to toasting marshmallows, caving to bushcraft, the weekend was the perfect way to bring clergy children from four of the six dioceses of the Church in Wales together to share their experiences and make new friends.

"The feedback from clergy parents was that they were very grateful for the opportunity given to their children.

The main feeling coming from the young people was that they wanted the weekend to be longer so that they could spend more time together!"

- The Revd Rachel Bunting

"Can we have this in our diocese?"

This is a question we've been asked a lot on social media. It's great to have such a high level of interest from clergy and their families about holding activity days and residential weekends in their dioceses.

Life to the Max and Rock & Water Wild were both supported with an Organisation grant. This is a grant awarded for an activity or event which supports multiple clergy households with their health and wellbeing.

If you’re interested in hearing how we might be able to support such an event in your diocese, read more below or reach out to our Charitable Services team.

Organisation grants

Contact our team