Bath and North East Somerset’s Faith Foundation has launched a financial appeal to help it stay afloat this year.

The organisation, which promotes and encourages social cohesion and dialogue between religious groups, desperately needs to secure £5,000 in order for it to cover its essential costs.

Faith Foundation Director, Nathan Hartley, said: “Like other organisations in the voluntary sector, a lot of our usual funding streams and income have been massively effected by the Coronavirus pandemic.

We’ve not been able to rely so much on donations and grants, as was previously the case, so we are launching this appeal hoping the public might be able to help.”

The Bath & North East Somerset Faith Foundation exists to:

- Support, encourage, and strengthen the work of faith groups across the district.

- Act as a conduit between faith groups and public bodies in ensuring they have a voice and have representation on issues that matter to them.

- Carry out research into socio-religious trends in Bath, Somerset and the wider area.

- Run community engagement projects with faith (and non-faith) groups

- Organise events that promote social inclusion, learning and understanding

With a recent increase in hate crimes, particularly anti-Semitism, the work of organisations like the Faith Foundation has never been more important.