More than 6,500 Church of England parishes now provide special services for elderly people, schoolchildren, parents and new immigrants, a study by the Church Urban Fund shows.

And eight out of 10 reported that individual parishioners give up their spare time to provide informal help to people struggling with issues such as isolation, family breakdown, drug abuse, domestic violence or spiralling debt.

The figures do not include large numbers of projects run by Roman Catholic churches, Methodists and other faiths.

It comes after the new Archbishop of Canterbury called on the Church to step into the void to do things the state has “run out of the capacity to do” in the wake of the financial crisis.

The Most Rev Justin Welby said last week that the Church could be facing its “greatest moment of opportunity since the Second World War” to reach into communities.

The Church Urban Fund, the Church of England’s poverty charity, asked clergy whether they provide either formal or informal help to address a list of social needs ranging from poor parenting or low self esteem to homelessness or mental health problems.

Overall 54 per cent said they run at least one organised activity to address a specific social need in their area, and many organise several.

Activities range from parent and toddler clubs to highly specialised debt or stress counselling, community cafés and food, clothes or furniture banks.

More than one in 10 said they run street “patrols” providing blankets and food to homeless people or simply helping drunk people get home safely.

Paul Hackwood, chair of trustees, said: “All over the country, churches are working to transform their communities, providing food banks, drop in centres and youth projects.

“The recession has led to unemployment and benefit cuts, which are having a really negative effect on people’s lives. It has often left to communities themselves to come together and fill the gap.”

Source: Daily Telegraph