IFN E-Bulletin August 2019
This is a web version of IFN's August 2019 E-bulletin. A PDF version of this and past e-bulletins can be found here.
Items
- New Government
- Faith communities and refugees
- Security of faith communities
- Antisemitism and Islamophobia
- ‘Faith-based bigotry’ and sport and inter faith understanding
- Equality and Human Rights Commission updates
- 2021 Census
- Relationships and Sex Education guidance
- Faith communities responding to climate change
- MHCLG’s vision for stronger communities
- HTA consultation on organ donation
Inter Faith Network for the UK News
- IFN’s National Meeting – The changing face of local inter faith dialogue and cooperation
- Royal British Legion faith community roundtable
- Inter Faith Week 2019 10-17 November
Inter faith projects, programmes and developments
- Muslim Christian refugee partnership
- Scottish Faiths Action for Refugees
- Interfaith Council for Wales choir
- Trees for Life – Interfaith Scotland
- Inter faith trip to Taize for young people
- Faith Leader Training Initiative
- Two training days – Interfaith Scotland
- Chaplains on campus report
- New report on faith and belief on campus
- Right Up Your Street – Report on faith groups tackling loneliness
- Hate Crime, Faith and Belonging
- One World Week leaflet – Climate Changes Everything
Calls for information, competitions and nominations
Jobs, internships and volunteering
- Places of worship – Security funding scheme
- Inter Faith Youth Trust – Inter Faith Week grants
- Funding to promote organ donation
- Grants to address intolerance
- Windrush compensation scheme
- Faiths in Scotland Community Action Fund
- Funding websites
- Website and Facebook grants
- Google and charities
- Subsidised fundraising workshops
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FAITH AND PUBLIC LIFE UPDATES
New Government
On 23 July, the Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP was elected leader of the Conservative Party and became Prime Minister the following day.
The Government department that has a central role in relation to faith and belief is the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). The Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP has become the new Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.
Viscount Younger of Leckie was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at MHCLG and has taken on the role of Minister for Faith and Communities.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon has been reappointed as the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy on Freedom of Religion or Belief. Global religious freedom issues are on the agenda of a number of UK faith communities and the focus of a dedicated All Party Parliamentary Group – the APPG for International Freedom of Religion or Belief.
Faith communities and refugees
In a letter of 26 July - supported by Safe Passage, the Refugee Council and the Red Cross - over 100 faith leaders wrote to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, asking him to commit his government to offering refugees a sanctuary in the UK:
http://safepassage.org.uk/news_posts/faith-leaders-call-on-boris-johnson-to-welcome-refugees/
Faith communities continue, separately and together, to work nationally and locally to respond to the needs of refugees and asylum seekers, as do a number of local inter faith bodies.
Security of faith communities
Concerns continue about the safety and security of faith communities and their premises. Recent incidents in the news include vandal attacks on religious statues outside the Shree Ram Mandir in Walsall https://metro.co.uk/2019/07/06/vandals-smash-religious-statues-outside-hindu-temple-10125136/.
The Home Office has a Places of Worship (POW) Protective Security Funding scheme which provides funding for protective security measures for places of worship and associated faith community centres that are vulnerable to hate crime. The £1.6 million scheme will fund security measures including CCTV, alarms and improved locks at buildings vulnerable to attacks. Further information is in the Funding section below. There have been calls on the Scottish Government to operate a comparable scheme: https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1158773/SNP-fund-protect-places-worship-security.
Useful resources for faith communities include:
- Looking After One Another: The Safety and Security of Our Faith Communities - published by the Inter Faith Network for the UK (IFN) in partnership with the then Department for Communities and Local Government, the Home Office, the Crown Prosecution Service, the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the National Fire Chiefs’ Council: https://www.interfaith.org.uk/resources/looking-after-one-another-the-safety-and-security-of-our-faith-communities-2017
- The National Counter Terrorism Security Office’s Crowded Places Guidance: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/crowded-places-guidance.
- A guide produced by the Community Security Trust: https://cst.org.uk/publications/cst-publications.
Antisemitism and Islamophobia
Government appointment of independent adviser on Antisemitism
On 23 July the Government announced that it had appointed John Mann MP as an independent adviser on Antisemitism. Mr Mann, who chairs the All Party Parliamentary Group Against Antisemitism, will be responsible for providing the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) with independent advice on the most effective methods to tackle Antisemitism. He will collaborate with Lord Pickles, the UK’s Special Envoy for Post-Holocaust Issues, and with Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, the Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion and Belief, to ensure a consistent approach. Further information on the appointment is at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/john-mann-appointed-as-independent-adviser-on-antisemitism.
Government appointment of independent adviser for advice on definition of Islamophobia
The June issue of the e-bulletin noted that the Government had rejected the working definition of Islamophobia developed by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims, published in Autumn 2018, and had said that it would instead by appointing two advisers to examine the issue further. On 23 July the Government announced that it had appointed Imam Qari Asim MBE, Deputy Chair of the Anti-Muslim Hatred Working Group, to lead a process for establishing a definition of Islamophobia. He will be joined by a second adviser who is expected to be confirmed shortly. The new work will build on the definitions of Islamophobia currently under consideration, including the definition produced by the APPG on British Muslims. Further information on the appointment is at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/independent-expert-appointed-to-tackle-islamophobia.
These appointments come at a time when concern about hate crime, discrimination and prejudice in relation to many religion and belief groups is high, including in the context of ‘mistaken identity’. The January-June 2019 Antisemitic Incidents Report published by the CST on 1 August records the highest number of incidents CST has ever recorded in the January to June period of any year: 892. This is a 10% cent increase on the 810 incidents recorded by CST during the same period in 2018 (which was itself a record high for that six month period, and formed part of a record annual total of 1,688 Antisemitic incidents for the whole of 2018).
https://cst.org.uk/public/data/file/3/d/IR_Jan-Jun_2019.pdf
‘Faith-based bigotry’ and sport and inter faith understanding
According to a report in The Telegraph reports of Antisemitism, Islamophobia and other faith-based bigotry in professional and grassroots football increased by 75 per cent from the previous year, according to the latest Kick it Out statistics. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2019/07/24/incidents-racism-football-double-just-five-years-kick-chief/
At the same time, there is an increasing focus on the power of sport to encourage understanding and cooperation between people of different backgrounds. This was illustrated in coverage of the Cricket World Cup and the diversity and team spirit of the England team - https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/jul/15/diversity-strength-england-win-cricket-world-cup - as it has been in events such as those of Spirit of 2012’s Breaking Boundaries programme, exemplified by events such as a festival on 31 July in Slough opened by Monty Panessar - https://twitter.com/aiksaath?lang=en.
Equality and Human Rights Commission updates
Access to legal aid for discrimination cases
In June the EHRC published the report of its inquiry into whether legal aid enables victims of discrimination in England and Wales to get justice. This included whether some individuals experience specific difficulties in accessing legal aid because of a protected characteristic, such as religion or belief. The full inquiry report and the two supporting research reports are available at https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/publication-download/access-legal-aid-discrimination-cases.
Business Plan
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has published its 2019/20 Business Plan which covers the first year of its new three-year Strategic Plan. Its priorities include: equal access to the labour market and fair treatment at work; inclusion in public transport; access to justice; equality and human rights in the education system; institutions respecting equality and human rights standards.
The full plan is available at
https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/sites/default/files/business-plan-2019-2020.pdf.
2021 Census
As noted in previous e-bulletins, in December, the Government published its White Paper outlining the recommendations for the 2021 Census. The Census (Return Particulars and Removal of Penalties) Bill, to amend the Census Act 1920, had its first reading in the House of Lords on 1 May and its second reading on 17 July.
Some groups within the Sikh community have been lobbying for there to be a separate tick box for ‘Sikh’ in the ethnic group category. Other groups within the Sikh community have been arguing against this. The Office for National Statistics has said that there are no plans for a separate tick box in the ethnic group category; there will continue to be a tick box in the religion category.
In July the Jain community, through OneJain, represented by the Institute of Jainology, submitted a petition to Downing Street, requesting that there be a separate tick box for the Jain community in the religion category.
Relationships and Sex Education guidance
The Government published on 25 June 2019 ‘Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education’, statutory guidance for governing bodies,
proprietors, head teachers, principals, senior leadership teams, teachers. It can be found at; https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education.
The curriculum becomes mandatory for all maintained schools in England, including Academies and Free Schools, from September 2020. Schools, though, are being encouraged by Government to adopt it from this September. If doing so, however, they will still need to meet the current Sex and Relationship Education statutory guidance.
Sex and Relationship Education has been a focus of protests at a school in Birmingham, linked to the use of the ‘No Outsiders’ programme, as reported widely in the media.
On 16 July a joint meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Religious Education and the APPG on Faith and Society explored the issue of ‘Compliance, Assessment and Enforcement: Promoting Positive Outcomes in Religious Education and Relationships and Sex Education’. The meeting was attended by the Minister of State for School Standards, Nick Gibb MP, who has been overseeing the development of the guidance. The meeting highlighted the work of Newham SACRE, which has looked at the issue of faith communities and the response to the new guidance.
Faith communities responding to climate change
A wide range of faith community bodies and faith based organisations joined the ‘The Time Is Now’ mass lobby against climate change in Westminster on 26 June organised by the Climate Coalition and Greener UK. A number of faith leaders then led the ‘Walk of Witness’ from the National Gallery down Whitehall.
Many of the faith bodies are part of the Climate Coalition and/or Faith for the Climate: https://www.faithfortheclimate.org.uk
Environmental issues are increasingly at the forefront of faith community agendas and places of worship are also taking them up. For example on 7 July synagogues across the country celebrated the first Green Shabbat, organised by Eco Synagogue. https://ecosynagogue.org/green-shabbat-5-6th-july/
MHCLG’s vision for stronger communities
On 20 July, the Government published ‘By deeds and their results: how we will strengthen our communities and nation’. The document sets out the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government’s vision for “stronger communities, why communities matter, what strong communities look like, and what government and partners can do to support their creation”. It sets out the 4 pillars which will shape the Ministry’s work across Government, focused on supporting: trust, connectedness and local pride; active citizenship and local control; shared community spaces; and shared prosperity, with no community left behind.
The full report can be downloaded at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/by-deeds-and-their-results-strengthening-our-communities-and-nation.
HTA consultation on organ donation
The Human Tissue Authority (HTA) has launched a consultation on the changes proposed to the Code of Practice for organ donation and transplant professionals in England. The HTA has engaged with representatives from faith and cultural organisations, as well as professionals working in this area of healthcare to revise the Code, to bring it in line with the Human Tissue Act 2004, which was amended as a result of the Organ Donation (Deemed Consent) Act 2019. The consultation is asking for views on the draft version of the Code and will run for 12 weeks, closing on 26 September. Further information, including how to respond, is at https://www.hta.gov.uk/consultation-on-code-of-practice-f-2019.
INTER FAITH NETWORK FOR THE UK NEWS
IFN National Meeting – ‘The Changing Face of Local Inter Faith Dialogue and Cooperation’
IFN’s 2019 National Meeting took place at the Coin Street Neighbourhood Centre in London on 4 July. Its theme was ‘The Changing Face of Local Inter Faith Dialogue and Cooperation’. The meeting focussed on some of the possibilities and challenges of working locally for inter faith understanding and cooperation.
The day began with a welcome and opening remarks from Co-Chair Jatinder Singh Birdi and the then Co-Chair, Rt Revd Richard Atkinson. This was followed by a short overview of grassroots inter faith engagement in the UK today by IFN Executive Director, Dr Harriet Crabtree. Rabbi Warren Elf and the Revd Charles Kwaku-Odoi, Director and Co-Chair of Faith Network for Manchester (FN4M), then reflected on the impact for local inter faith organisations of seeking to respond to recurrent atrocities and hate crime issues, as well as some other challenges and opportunities of the present times. Geetha Maheshwaran from London Boroughs Faiths Network (LBFN) and Dr Maureen Sier, Director of Interfaith Scotland and IFN Trustee, offered perspectives on the variety of initiatives and the importance of the involvement of faith groups. In the afternoon, the Revd David Herbert, Chair of Newcastle Council of Faiths, reflected on how inter faith engagement has evolved across the years, as well as the importance of continuing to develop relationships of trust and mutuality; and the Revd Liz Carnelley, National Project Director of The Church Urban Fund’s Near Neighbours Programme, reflected on how small grants and programmes such as those offered by the programme can benefit in the long term.
During the day discussion groups were held on: ‘Tackling social problems - working together and with statutory agencies’, with a presentation from Penny Smith-Orr of Faiths Together in Croydon; ‘Creative Collaboration – using arts and culture to stimulate inter faith understanding and build relationships’ with a 10 minute film about ‘Angels in our City’ and a presentation from Charlotte Gravestock, Secretary of Brighton and Hove Interfaith Contact Group and Sarah West, filmmaker; ‘Inter faith engagement as part of the community cohesion agenda’ with a presentation from Rauf Bashir, Project Director, Shabaz Ahmed and Katie Nolan, Community Workers at Building Bridges in Pendle; ‘Local inter faith engagement with environmental issues’ with presentations from John Marder, Interfaith Officer of the Network of Buddhist Organisations and member of Crawley Interfaith Network and Kauser Akhtar, Chair of the South East England Faiths Forum; ‘Faith Communities and local inter faith engagement’ with a presentation from Rajnish Kashyap, General Secretary of the Hindu Council UK and member of Council of Dharmic Faiths and Faiths Forum for London; ‘Amplifying impact- maximising your local connections and highlighting your work’ with a presentation from Sheikh Irfan Soni and the Revd Simon Cash of North Kirklees Inter Faith Council; and ‘Bilateral and multi faith inter faith engagement at local level’ with a presentation from the Revd Patrick Moriarty, Trustee and Hon Christian Secretary of the Council of Christians and Jews.
A full report will be produced in due course. Reports on National Meetings from previous years can be found at https://www.interfaith.org.uk/resources/publications.
Royal British Legion faith community roundtable
IFN assisted the Royal British Legion (RBL) on a Roundtable that it held on 25 June for faith communities on Remembrance and inclusion.
Inter Faith Week 2019 10-17 November
Inter Faith Week www.interfaithweek.org is a major programme within the work of the Inter Faith Network for the UK. The 2019 programme was launched at IFN’s 2019 National Meeting. At that, Julie Jones, Vice-Chair of Interfaith Council for Wales/Cyngor Rhyngffydd Cymru and IFN Trustee, talked about the platform the Week offers for increasing inter faith understanding and cooperation, and increasing religious literacy. The booklet Inter Faith Week: Stories from 2018, Inspiration for 2019 was launched by Cllr Tom Aditya, Chair of Bristol Multi-Faith Forum; Trupti Patel, President of the Hindu Forum of Britain; Dr Norman Richardson of Northern Ireland Inter-Faith Forum; and Sheikh Irfan Soni, teacher and member of North Kirklees Interfaith Council.
2 August marks 100 days to go until Inter Faith Week 2019. IFN will be posting about this on social media on that day (Friday). Please do follow the Week on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ifweek), Twitter (www.twitter.com/ifweek) and Instagram (www.instagram.com/ifweek) to keep up to date with the Week.
Inter Faith Week: Stories from 2018, inspiration for 2019 is packed with images and stories from the 2018 Week and ideas for 2019. To download your copy, visit https://www.interfaithweek.org/resources/inter-faith-week-stories-from-2018-inspiration-for-2019. If you would like a hard copy, please contact the IFN office. Inter Faith Week posters and flyers are also available.
Free registration packs are available to those who submit details of their Inter Faith Week activities to the website at www.interfaithweek.org/submit, while stocks last.
INTER FAITH PROJECTS, PROGRAMMES AND DEVELOPMENTS
Muslim Christian refugee partnership
Mosques in North East London have partnered with churches and Christian groups to sponsor a Syrian refugee family who will be starting their new life in the UK. The Redbridge Community Sponsorship project is a partnership between South Woodford Mosque, Balfour Road Mosque, Ilford Methodist Church, Ilford Salvation Army, St Thomas of Canterbury RC Church and Wanstead Quakers. A group of residents and faith communities, with the support of Redbridge Council and Citizen UK’s Sponsor Refugees project, developed a detailed Community Sponsorship plan outlining how they will support the family and fundraised £9,000 to help cover the family’s expenses for an initial 18-mpnth period. For more information about the Redbridge Community Sponsorship project, visit https://www.facebook.com/RedbridgeSponsorRefugees.
The Community Sponsorship scheme was launched by the government in 2016, allowing groups of UK residents the opportunity to take the lead in welcoming a refugee family. Further information can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/community-sponsorship-how-you-can-make-it-happen.
Scottish Faiths Action for Refugees
Scottish Faiths Action for Refugees is currently developing and piloting a volunteer holiday hosting programme, where members of receiving communities can welcome refugees in their homes for short breaks, and receive reciprocal hospitality, in order to facilitate social connections, strengthen inter faith and intercultural dialogue and wider cultural orientation beyond refugees’ localities. Further information is at https://naccom.org.uk/members/scottish-faiths-action-for-refugees-sfar/.
Interfaith Council for Wales Choir
The Interfaith Council for Wales/Cyngor Rhyngffydd Cymru is seeking people from all faiths to join the Inter-faith Council Choir. All are welcome and its first performance will be in November. For more information, visit https://www.interfaithcouncilwales.cymru/news/.
Trees for Life – Interfaith Scotland
To mark its 20th anniversary, and in response to the climate emergency, Interfaith Scotland has sponsored a grove of trees in the Scottish Highlands to which all faith communities, inter faith groups, organisations and individuals dedicated to tackling climate change can contribute.
‘The World Interfaith Harmony Grove’ can be found at https://treesforlife.org.uk/plant-trees/grove/8922.
Interfaith Trip to Taizé for Young People
Near Neighbours is organising a trip for a dozen young people, between the ages of 18-35 to the Taizé Community in France for their Muslim/Christian Friendship weekend, from Wednesday 21 to Sunday 25 August. All expenses will be paid by Near Neighbours including train fares, accommodation and food.
The weekend will focus on Christian/Muslim relations, with Muslim and Christian speakers, but people of any faith, background or gender can apply. For more information and the application form, visit https://www.near-neighbours.org.uk/taize.
RESOURCES AND STUDY/TRAINING
Faith Leader Training Initiative
Sessions for the Government’s free Faith Leader Training Initiative are taking place in Birmingham, London and Manchester. These can still be joined. Sessions begin in Leeds in September. The training is for anyone who is in a recognised leadership role in their faith community and is designed to support them in the task of “ministering effectively in the contemporary UK”. It aims to help them “navigate the challenges of public life constructively and sensitively from a perspective that understands committed and conservative religious faith”. For more information, or to book a place, visit www.birmingham.ac.uk/FLTI or contact Programme Director Andrew Davies at A.Davies.4@bham.ac.uk.
Two training days – Interfaith Scotland
Interfaith Scotland is running a workshop on 8 August entitled ‘3 Mottos for Guiding our Approach to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Communication’. For more information and to register, visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/3-mottos-for-guiding-our-approach-to-equality-diversity-and-inclusion-tickets-63340609468. It is also running a training day on 21 August on ‘Interpreting Culture – Improving Cross-Cultural Communication’. For more information, visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/interpreting-culture-improving-cross-cultural-communication-tickets-63341463021/amp.
Both courses will run from 9.30am to 1pm at Interfaith Scotland, Dialogue Room, Flemington House, 110 Flemington Street, Glasgow, G21 4BF.
Chaplains on Campus report
In May the University of Coventry launched a report on ‘Chaplains on Campus’, which looked at the factors affecting “the development, variation and effectiveness of chaplaincy offerings”. https://pureportal.coventry.ac.uk/en/publications/chaplains-on-campus-understanding-chaplaincy-in-uk-universities.
New report on faith and belief on Campus
‘Faith and Belief on Campus: Division and Cohesion. Exploring Student Faith and Belief Societies’ was published by Theos in July. Written by Simon Perfect, Ben Ryan and Kristin Aune, it draws on research conducted in a partnership between Theos and Dr Kristin Aune of the Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations at Coventry University.
Right Up Your Street – Report on faith groups tackling loneliness
On 2 July FaithAction and the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Faith and Society launched ‘Right Up Your Street’, a report on how faith groups are working to tackle loneliness. The report calls for more links between faith groups and other organisations as part of a national drive to end loneliness. To download a copy of the report, visit https://www.faithaction.net/working-with-you/tackling -loneliness/.
Hate Crime, Faith and Belonging
In July a report was published by the Faith & Belief Forum and the Department of Psychosocial Studies at Birkbeck, Hate Crime, Faith and Belonging. https://faithbeliefforum.org/religious-hate-crime-report-calls-on-communities-to-challenge-hateful-messages-together/
One World Week leaflet – Climate Changes Everything
One World Week has published its new leaflet for 2019, inspired by climate activist Greta Thunberg’s emphasis on the urgency for action in tackling climate change. The leaflet contains a graphic outlining the likely impacts of climate change, and is available to download at: https://www.oneworldweek.org/uploads/resources/OWW2019-WEB.pdf. For printed copies, contact Ingrid at oww@oneworldweek.org.
CALLS FOR INFORMATION, COMPETITIONS, AND NOMINATIONS
World Congress of Faiths Essay Award
The World Congress of Faiths is holding an essay competition on the theme ‘Is Interfaith Worship a Desirable Practice?’. The competition is open to undergraduate and postgraduate students studying in the UK. Entries should be a maximum of 3,000 words.
The winner will receive £300 and their essay will be published in the journal Interreligious Insight. All entrants will receive free World Congress of Faiths membership. The deadline for submission is 27 August. For more information, visit www.worldfaiths.org/2019-essay-award.
Honours List nominations
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is keen to ensure that individuals from the full breadth of society who are making a significant contribution to public life are properly recognised through the Honours system, and so is seeking nominations for the Queen’s Birthday Honours list. It is particularly keen that individuals be recognised who have contributed to building integrated communities and notes that nominees can come from all levels; being in a junior role is not a barrier to a nomination.
All nominations must be made on an official citation form and nominees should not be informed that they have been nominated. Citation forms, as well as further information, can be obtained from Abdul Ghaffar at Abdul.Ghaffar@communities.gov.uk. The deadline for nominations is Monday 16 September.
Research England survey on funding
Research England distributes funding to universities based on their research performance. This is known as Quality-related Research, or QR funding. To support its commitment to improving equality, diversity and inclusion, it undertakes Equality Impact Assessments (EIAs) of its functions and policy. It is currently undertaking an EIA of its QR and formula research capital funding.
The EIA will look at the impact of our funding not only on staff at universities but also at the research it supports and the potential beneficiaries of research. To do this, it is gathering views and evidence from groups of people with protected characteristics, including religion and belief, who might benefit from research and may therefore be affected by its funding decisions.
The online survey can be found at https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/ResearchEnglandEIA/. Further information can be found in the survey guidance and in the EIA background document, which sets out how it allocates our funding. This information will be important to take into consideration when responding to the survey.
JOBS, INTERNSHIPS AND VOLUNTEERING
IFN’s website lists job and internship opportunities with a significant inter faith dimension with IFN member organisations at https://www.interfaith.org.uk/involved/vacancies/jobs.
Inter Faith Network for the UK – Volunteers
The Inter Faith Network for the UK is seeking volunteers to help with various projects in the IFN office from September onwards. For further information and an application form, contact ifnet@interfaith.org.uk.
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
Places of Worship – Security funding scheme
The Places of Worship Fund, established in 2016 as part of the Government’s Hate Crime Action Plan, provides financial support for physical protective security such as fencing, lighting and CCTV. The Government at that time committed funding of £2.4 million over 3 years. A further £1.6 million was announced after the New Zealand mosque attacks.
Organisations no longer have to prove, in order to be eligible, that they have previously experienced a hate crime incident directly. For more information, visit https://www.gov.uk/guidance/places-of-worship-security-funding-scheme. The closing date for the current round of funding applications is 31 August.
There is also a separate £5 million fund being made available over 3 years to provide protective security training to build on some of the positive work already happening in communities. The Home Office will be working closely with communities and faith leaders to develop this new scheme. Further information is at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/places-of-worship-to-get-security-funding-boost with further details to be published.
Inter Faith Youth Trust - Inter Faith Week grants
As in previous years, the Inter Faith Youth Trust will be making available a special programme of grants for Inter Faith Week 2019. This year the Trust will be awarding grants of up to £800. Grants are awarded for proposals for inter-faith activities by children and young people from Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh and other faiths and those of no formal faith. The age range for young people is 11-25 years. Priority will be given to projects which actively involve young people in planning, running, and evaluation of the project; promote positive action; and are run by non-statutory organisations, such as youth clubs, scout/guide groups, local voluntary and community organisations.
The application form can be downloaded at www.ifyouthtrust.org.uk/. The deadline for the submission of forms is 24 August.
Funding to promote organ donation
NHS Blood and Transplant is offering funding to help organisations promote deceased organ donation among black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities in England and Wales. They are looking for applications that will deliver projects to reach these BAME communities and/or engage people around their faith/beliefs.
Successful programmes for activity in England will need to demonstrate how they will help contribute to awareness and understanding of the new opt-out system in England. They should also address myths and barriers and increase support for organ donation among the target audience(s) of their project. Funding is available for projects in England and/or Wales. In Wales it is funded by the Welsh Government and the Department of Health and Social Care. Organisations applying for funds can apply for one of two options: funds up to £2,499 or between £2,500 and £10,000. The deadline for applications is 1 September. Further information about the application process is at www.nhsbt.nhs.uk/bamefundingcall.
Grants to address intolerance
The St Ethelburga’s Centre is planning to deploy £60,000 of its resources towards projects which address different forms of intolerance in society. It is specifically seeking Jewish-Christian collaborations to deliver the project. There will be an event at the St Ethelburga’s Centre in London on 4 September which will set out the aims and aspirations for this funding stream and there will be an opportunity to network and explore collaborations and partnerships. For more information, visit, https://stethelburgas.org/event/transforming-intolerance-apply-for-a-grant/.
Windrush compensation scheme
The Windrush Compensation Scheme is open to those who settled in the UK from a Commonwealth country before 1973, and in certain circumstances their children and grandchildren. It provides payments to individuals who suffered losses as a result of not being able to evidence their lawful status in the UK. These could range from a loss of employment or access to housing, benefits, education or NHS healthcare to emotional distress or deterioration in mental and physical health. Additionally, it is open to all nationalities who arrived to live in the UK before 31 December 1988 and are settled here. Claim forms can be downloaded and guidance on completing the application can be found at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/windrush-compensation-scheme. Claimants can also request a form to be sent by post by calling our helpline on 0800 678 1925 or via email WindrushCompensationScheme@homeoffice.gov.uk where they can also request a call back if they are overseas.
Faiths in Scotland Community Action Fund
Faiths in Scotland Community Action Fund is open for applications for grants of up to £2,000 over 1 year. Further information is at https://www.faithincommunityscotland.org/faith-in-community-scotland-action-fund/. For any queries email andrew@faithincommunityscotland.org or telephone 0141 221 4576.
Funding websites
The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) offers advice on fundraising and grants on its Knowhow Nonprofit site at https://knowhownonprofit.org/funding.
Funding Central - http://www.fundingcentral.org.uk/default.aspx - is a free website for charities, voluntary organisations and social enterprises in England that provides access to thousands of funding and finance opportunities, together with tools and resources for supporting organisations to develop sustainable income strategies appropriate to their needs. Similar websites for funding in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland can be found at Funding Scotland - http://www.fundingscotland.com/ - Wales Council for Voluntary Action - http://www.wcva.org.uk/funding/search - and Grant Tracker for Northern Ireland - https://www.grant-tracker.org/.
Website and Facebook grants
The Transform Foundation is offering funding to charities to help with new website builds. Grants of £18,000 are available. It is also offering grants towards Facebook advertising of £5,000. For further information and to apply, visit www.transformfoundation.org.uk.
Google and charities
Google is offering a service to registered charities which brings: Google Ad Grants: Free AdWords advertising to promote their websites on Google through keyword targeting; YouTube Nonprofit Programme: Access exclusive resources, features and programs designed to maximise their organisations’ impact on YouTube; and Google Apps for Non-profit: Free version of the Google Apps business productivity suite, including Gmail, Docs, Calendar and more. For further information, visit www.google.co.uk/intl/en/nonprofits/join.
Subsidised fundraising workshops
The Foundation for Social Improvement offers heavily subsidised training programmes for small charities across the UK. The courses cover a wide range of subjects from event planning to leadership. Many of the courses focus on fundraising and sustainability skills in particular.
Further information and dates for upcoming courses in April and May can be found at http://www.thefsi.org/services/training.
SPECIAL WEEKS/DAYS
Sewa Day will take place on Sunday 6 October. It is an annual day of faith-based social action led by the Hindu community. http://www.sewaday.org/
National Hate Crime Awareness Week will take place from Saturday 12 to Saturday 19 October. https://nationalhcaw.uk/
One World Week will take place from Sunday 20 to Sunday 27 October. This is its 40th anniversary year. www.oneworldweek.org
Inter Faith Week will take place from Sunday 10 to Sunday 17 November. It is led by the Inter Faith Network for the UK. www.interfaithweek.org See above.
Scottish Interfaith Week will take place from Sunday 10 to Sunday 17 November. Scottish Interfaith Week is led by Interfaith Scotland. www.scottishinterfaithweek.org
Mitzvah Day will take place on Sunday 17 November. It is an annual day of faith-based social action led by the Jewish community. On Mitzvah Day, people give their time, not their money, to make a difference to the community around them. Many events and projects held for the day have an inter faith focus. www.mitzvahday.org.uk/
DIARY DATES
This section includes a sample of some of the events taking place around the UK during August and September. Only one event per organisation is included. We also include information on diary dates between e-bulletins on the IFN website at https://www.interfaith.org.uk/involved/events.
Woking People of Faith is holding a Last Post Multi-Faith Service on Sunday 4 August. The service will start at 2.00pm at the Brookwood Cemetery, Dawney Hill, GU24 0JB. For more information contact administrator@wpof.org.uk or visit www.wpof.org.uk
Swansea Interfaith Forum will be at the Gower Show on Sunday 4 August. The Show is being held in the grounds of Penrice Castle in Gower. For more information Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/880671938943918/.
Horsham Interfaith Forum is holding its annual Hiroshima Remembrance event on Tuesday 6 August for the last time. The event will be held at 8.00am at the Peace Garden, Denne Road Cemetery, Horsham RH12 1JA. It will be followed by an optional breakfast at Cote or Commodore, to bid farewell to Dr Richard Boeke. Those intending to join the breakfast should email msymonds241@btinternet.com or send a text message or voicemail to 07760 275612 by 31 July.
York Interfaith Group is holding its annual planning meeting on Tuesday 6 August. The group will discuss ideas for Inter Faith Week in November and put forward ideas for the YIG 2020 programme. Shared vegetarian refreshments will be available. The event will run from 7.30pm to 9.00pm at the Hudson Room, City of York Council, West Offices, Station Rise, York, YO1 6GA. For more information, email yorkinterfaithgroup@gmail.com or visit www.yorkinterfaith.org.
Interfaith Scotland will be hosting its annual networking seminar for local inter faith groups in Scotland on Monday 19 August. The meeting will take place in the Interfaith Scotland Dialogue Centre in Glasgow and will focus on a number of key issues identified by the local groups of Scotland. For more information, visit https://interfaithscotland.org/.
The Ammerdown Centre is holding a Christian Jewish event from Monday 19 August to Wednesday 21 August. The title of the event is ‘Environmental Spirituality in Judaism and Christianity’. It will be exploring Laudato Si, Pope Francis’ encyclical on the environment in light of Jewish and Christian spirituality. The event will be led by Sr Margaret Shepherd and Jonathan Gorsky. The event will take place at The Ammerdown Centre, Ammerdown Park, Radstock, Somerset, BA3 5SW. To book a place, contact The Ammerdown Centre on 01761 433709 or at centre@ammerdown.org.
The Windsor and Maidenhead Community Forum is holding its next Women’s Group meeting on Wednesday 21 August. Ladies of all faiths or none are welcome. For more information, visit http://www.wamcf.org/womens-group/.
The Board of Deputies of British Jews is holding a half-day event on Sunday 8 September to address topical questions in inter faith relations, including how the Israeli-Palestinian conflict should be spoken about and how people can act together for social justice. The event will include speakers such as Imam Qari Asim MBE, Rabbi Helen Freeman, HOPE not Hate and Nisa Nashim. It will begin at 11.45am, at a North West London location. Tickets include a kosher lunch. To book in advance, visit http@//bodinterfaith.eventbrite.co.uk.
The Brighton & Hove Interfaith Contact Group is holding a ‘Tree of Life’ event on Sunday 8 September. This will be an inter faith and intercommunal celebration, with stalls, talks, photographic exhibitions, music, acts of commemoration and refreshments. It will take place from 2.00pm to 6.00pm at the Brighton &Hove Progressive Synagogue, 6 Lansdowne Road, Hove BN3 1FF. Entry is free for those registering at members@interfaithcvontactgroup.com.
The World Congress of Faiths is holding a conference on Tuesday 10 September on ‘Meetings of Minds: Conflict, Reconciliation and Interfaith Relations’. The keynote speaker will be Dr Kristin Aune, Professor of Sociology of Religion at Coventry University. The event is being held from 10am to 4pm at St Michael’s House, Coventry CV1 5EX. For further information, visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/meetings-of-minds-conflict-reconciliation-and-inter-faith-relations-tickets-62563425891.
Torbay Interfaith Forum is holding a talk on Wednesday 11 September. The talk is on ‘Dartmoor Mindscapes – Re-Visioning a Sacred Landscape’. Peter Knight will be speaking. Refreshments will be available after the talk. The talk will begin at 7.30pm at The Friends’ Meeting house, 48 Tor Hill Road Torquay, TQ2 5RT. For more information, visit http://torbayinterfaith.org.uk/
Newcastle Council of Faiths is holding its Annual Walk for Peace on Sunday 15 September. Participants are invited to meet at 10.00am at the Hindu Temple, West Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 9QB. The Walk will begin at 11.00am. For more information, contact Hari Shukla on 0191 2433620.
South East England Faiths Forum is holding its annual conference on Monday 16 September. The theme will be ‘12 Years to Save the Planet? - Faith and belief perspectives on our common environment and responsibility for our planet’. The event is being held from 10.30am to 3.30pm at the University of Surrey, Stag Hill, Guildford. Registration and refreshments from 9.30am. For details and registration, visit http://se-faithforum.net.
Building Bridges in Burnley is holding its next ‘Share Faith Share Food’ event on Tuesday 17 September. The event will be running from 7pm, at the Faith Centre, Barden La, Burnley BB10 1JD. For further information, visit https://bbburnley.wordpress.com/.
Bexley Interfaith Forum is holding an event on Saturday 21 September. This will be a social and a fundraiser. The event is free with a suggested donation. It will start at 6pm at Kemnal Park Cemetery, Sidcup By Pass, Chislehurst, BR7 6RR. To book, email bexleyinterfaith@gmail.com or text Sabrina on 07708 945434.
Leeds Concord Interfaith Fellowship is holding a talk on Tuesday 24 September. The talk will be on ‘Muslim and Pagan Attitudes towards Violence’. Adam Aslam and Jay Anderson will be speaking. The talk will begin at 7.30pm at the Baab ul Ilm Islamic Centre, 166 Shadwell Lane, Leeds, LS17 8AD. For more information, visit www.concord-leeds.org.uk.
The Woolf Institute is holding an Afternoon Tea event on Saturday 22 September for Alumni, Friends and Supporters. It is being held from 2.00pm to 3.30pm at the Woolf Institute, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0UB. For more information, visit https://www.woolf.cam.ac.uk/whats-on/events/tea19.
More information on events and projects in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales:
Northern Ireland Inter-Faith Forum: www.niinterfaithforum.org
Interfaith Scotland: www.interfaithscotland.org
Inter-faith Council for Wales: www.interfaithwales.org.uk
If you have items which you would like considered for inclusion in the next e-bulletin please email these to ifnet@interfaith.org.uk by 23 September with ‘e-bulletin’ in the subject line. Submissions may be edited for length or style.
SUPPORT THE INTER FAITH NETWORK’S WORK TO INCREASE INTER FAITH UNDERSTANDING AND COOPERATION
We need your help to ensure that the Inter Faith Network for the UK’s work to promote inter faith understanding and cooperation continues and grows, helping people of all backgrounds to live and work together with mutual respect and shared commitment to the common good.
Gifts at all levels are much valued and make a real difference. You can donate directly at www.interfaith.org.uk/donate or via PayPal.
Donations can also be made by sending a cheque to: The Inter Faith Network for the UK, 2 Grosvenor Gardens, London SW1W 0DH.
Thank you!
REMEMBERING A FAMILY MEMBER OR FRIEND
If you would like to make a gift in memory of a loved one, please get in touch by emailing remember@interfaith.org.uk or call us on 0207 730 0410.
A GIFT IN YOUR WILL
By leaving a gift in your will to the Inter Faith Network for the UK, you can leave a living inheritance to help deepen and strengthen inter faith understanding and cooperation in this country – for now and for the future. If you are thinking about making a will, the best thing to do is to get in touch with a professional will writer, such as a solicitor or advocate; they can help to ensure it is legally correct and that your wishes are met. If you have already made a will, you can still make an addition or amendment in the form of a codicil. If you would like to pledge a gift, please provide our name and address, along with our registered charity number 1068934.
Please get in touch with us if you have any queries.
You can call us on 0207 730 0410 or contact us at remember@interfaith.org.uk
Disclaimer: Information in this bulletin has been sourced and compiled with care. IFN does not take responsibility for accuracy of information supplied by external organisations and inclusion of items within this e-bulletin does not imply endorsement or validation by IFN of the events, publications or the bodies which have produced these.
Inter Faith Network for the UK, 2 Grosvenor Gardens London SW1W 0DH
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