A project aimed at helping reverse the 'withdrawal' of the Church of England from its urban estates is to be launched in the Diocese of Blackburn as part of a multi-million pound drive to renew the Church of England.

The Bishop of Burnley, Philip North, electrified an audience at New Wine this summer when he spoke passionately about the need for the Church to reconnect with the poor. He said then: 'The simple and hard truth is that, in the poorest parts of the country, we are withdrawing the preachers. The harvest is rich, but the labourers have been re-deployed to wealthier areas. We are seeing the slow and steady withdrawal of church life from those communities where the poorest people in our nation live.'

He has been in the forefront of efforts to persuade the Church to reinvest in ministry in neglected estates. 

The new scheme in the Diocese of Blackburn is one of eight across England to receive a share of £24.4 million in funding to support new work.

The diocese will receive £1.54 million to fund work in outer urban estates and parishes as part of the Church's Renewal and Reform programme.

The funds will resource training new leaders, lay and ordained, with a view to providing a model for other dioceses, while also strengthening mission in the areas where the work is located.

As part of the project a lead evangelist and a pioneer evangelist, based at Grange Park Church Army Centre of Mission in Blackpool, will be funded to continue work already under way by clergy and congregation on the estate. A network will also be set up across Blackpool to help parishes support each other in mission and evangelism, and a 'leadership hub' for both lay and ordained people training in outer estates ministry will be created in Lower/Over Darwen near Blackburn in East Lancashire.

Rev Peter Lillicrap from St Mark's, Layton and St Luke's, Staining said: 'In our parish we are looking forward to the prospect of continuing our growing work on the Grange Park estate.

'This is an amazing step of faith by the Church Commissioners as we seek to take the Good News of the Gospel to a neglected part of this large parish. Since the Anglican church in the heart of the estate was demolished for housing and the only pub closed there has seemed to be a lack of hope.

'Eventually we hope a church will be planted back onto the estate. We also pray that the Centre of Mission will have a much wider impact in renewing and encouraging outreach and mission in Blackpool and beyond so that Jesus is glorified.'

The award will also fund 20 young adults to take part in the Blackpool Ministry Experience over the next six years, living on the Mereside estate in Blackpool and working with local residents, as well as in nearby deprived urban parishes in Blackpool.

North said: 'I believe passionately that if we are serious about the renewal of the Church we must commit ourselves afresh to proclaiming Good News to the poor.

'This project will share the Good News with people living on our urban estates by planting a number of new congregations. However, it will also ensure that church life is sustainable over the long term in these areas by forming quality lay and ordained leaders both from and for our estates. Our aim is to call and form local leaders who can be good news for their communities.'

In a reference to the shepherd boy talent-spotted by St Hilda, who brought out his gifts of music, he said: 'The secret of long-term sustainability in estates ministry is calling and forming lay and ordained leaders and this is an area in which many estates churches struggle. We want to find an army of Caedmons so that we can renew the Church from the margins.'

Other schemes to receive funding include projects in Leeds, Liverpool and Sheffield as well as piloting new approaches to mission in rural areas in Winchester Diocese.