Heather Buckingham is Director of Research and Policy at Church Urban Fund. Sharing her own experience and referring to some recent research of 1000 churchgoers in the Midlands, she argues that if we want to grow in our faith and get involved in our local community, there’s no substitute to just getting stuck in.

Recent research by Church Urban Fund and the Saltley Trust examined the impact of community activities on the personal growth of 1000 churchgoers. 78% felt their community engagement had helped them grow as a Christian and 65% said it had helped them understand their faith better. The Christians in Practice report examines these and other findings and looks at what churches and church leaders can learn.

‘What one thing do you wish the Church understood about mental health?’ is a question Mat Ray – author of Livability’s Lifting the Lid – has asked people living with ill health. In this article Mat shares his inspiration and hopes for Livability’s new mental health resource for churches.

David Primrose is a Social Responsibility Officer working in the Diocese of Lichfield. David talked to Livability about his involvement in the development of the new course ‘Lifting the Lid’ which aims to raise mental health awareness in churches.

This article, from the Guardian Voluntary Network explores the benefits of volunteering to health and wellbeing, tackling social exclusion and improving social integration. Quoting research on what different groups are looking for from volunteering, it calls charities and voluntary bodies to shift their approach towards the needs and motivations of individuals rather than those of the organisation.