Full extent of Church of England’s involvement in social action revealed

That means 80 per cent of congregations are involved in one or more forms of social action.

The biggest area of work is in food banks – with 60 per cent, or nearly 8,000 churches – involved in either running or supporting food banks through volunteers, donations and providing venues.

Nearly a third of Church of England churches run or support parent and toddler groups; just over a quarter lunch clubs; and 22 per cent, community cafes. Holiday clubs and breakfast clubs, often providing meals to children from low income families, are supported or run by nearly 17 per cent of churches.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, said: “From food banks to debt counselling and lunch clubs to language classes, these figures spell out for the first time the sheer scale and range of our churches’ commitment to their communities.

“We are doing more to love and help people in need than at any time since 1945.

“We don’t just do this to be ‘nice’ but because our faith in Jesus Christ compels us to act.”

The Bishop of Rochester, Rt Rev James Langstaff told Premier: “We have a great many projects, debt advice projects, foodbanks, initiatives in dementia care, initiatives around fostering and adoption – promoting those opportunities, a whole range of things.

“At one level it’s good news, but it’s also deeply worrying that we are having to do this, but it’s in our DNA, it’s what we…