Cup being presented by the Deputy Mayor of Luton

The Deputy Mayor of Luton awarded the trophy and a good day was had by all from the many different faiths who attended.

129 runs were scored by a combined Bedford/Luton team but this was not enough as Leicester hit a winning four with just four balls to go and one wicket in hand.

Next year’s match will be held at Grace Road, Leicester,  when we will be trying to make it 5 wins in a row!

Download here: may-2010-newsletter-finl

On Sunday 6^th June 2010, faith leaders joined together to take part in a World Cup Interfaith Football tournament at Judgemeadow Community College with Leicestershire Constabulary beating the Faith Leaders by 6-0!

The recipe of sport and interfaith has been pioneered by St Philip’s Centre, the Community Football Academy (CFA) and their partners who on the fifth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks held an Imams Vs Clergy Cricket match at Grace Road, home of Leicestershire County Cricket Club, to show how faith can be a force for unity and shared understanding. Alongside Cricket, St Philip’s Centre, the CFA and their partners have staged annual interfaith football matches.

In addition to St Philip’s Centre, the CFA and Leicestershire Constabulary, this year’s partners include Leicestershire County Council, Leicester City Council, Leicestershire & Rutland County Football Association and the Football Foundation.

Canon Dr. John Hall, Director of the St. Philip’s Centre said, “St Philip’s Centre and our partners have shown that sport and interfaith go hand in hand. This year’s tournament is a continuation of our hard work each year in building bridges across communities and promoting stronger ties amongst faith groups and other agencies. Alongside sport we provide corporate training, leadership for young people and workshops where people can learn about matters of faith”.

David Parsons, Leader of Leicestershire County Council, said: “Leicestershire County Council is keen to support this annual event, which is an opportunity for people of different faiths and beliefs to come together and celebrate the rich multi-cultural diversity of Leicester and Leicestershire.

 “The event also gives people of different faith communities the chance to demonstrate their commitment to interfaith understanding and acceptance, as well as strengthening the ongoing, positive interfaith relations between our different community groups.”

 Ahmed Maravia from the CFA added, “Whether we run interfaith football or cricket matches, every year so much excitement is generated particularly among the children who are so keen on taking part. It is vital that faith representatives and indeed parents play their part in supporting our work of enhancing good community relations”

HEARING THEIR VOICES:

EVENT TO SUPPORT WOMEN IN COMMUNITIES

On Tuesday 8th June 2010, an event titled ‘Religion, Honour & Obey’ was held to provide a platform for discussion about issues facing women in society today. The STR!VE project, which was formed by two local women, organised the  event which explored issues such as domestic violence, ‘honour’ killings and the perceptions of Asian women in wider society. STR!VE is managed by St Philip’s Centre in partnership with Leicester City Council.

Highlights of the evening included a keynote speaker, Samaya Farooq who recently completed her PhD thesis at the University of Warwick looking at Muslim women’s lives, identities and experiences. Attendees  also had the opportunity to view a small exhibition and put forward their ideas about how  STR!VE could develop further.

Rumena Choudhury, co-founder of STR!VE said, “Through the work of numerous support agencies and research, we know that there are still too many cases of women who are facing difficulties in their own homes let alone wider society. There are also superb role models whose voices are often not heard and we want to provide a platform where this dialogue can begin to take place”.

Riaz Ravat, Faith Training Development Manager at St Philip’s Centre added, “The Religion, Honour and Obey’ evening  covered some pertinent issues but the event also celebrated the excellent work which both Rumena and Sumaiya as co-founders of STR!VE have done over the past 15 months. We look forward to hearing from the attendees how STR!VE can develop further in future”.

Leicester’s Young People net nearly £10k to combat malaria

On Sunday 25^th April 2010, Leicester’s Interfaith Youth Hub raised an incredible £8500 as part of World Malaria Day. Over 30 young volunteers worked tirelessly as 250 people attended Leicester’s First Ever Multifaith Dinner for Malaria.

After months of preparation, the Leicester Interfaith Youth Hub which consists of young people aged 16-25, planned and ran the entire event including providing some of the entertainment. One group performed a drama piece, called “Supply and Demand” on the injustice of malaria. Another performed “Faith Monologues”, on their own feelings and personal commitment to the cause. A final group performed “Malaria Madness”, a comedy extravaganza written by themselves, featuring an African Zulu Chief, a Mad Scientist and a special appearance from Malaria Man!

The Leicester Interfaith Youth Hub is a joint initiative between the St Philip’s Centre and the Faiths Act fellowship programme. Hub Volunteer, Shelina Patel said, “I was really excited to take part in the dinner. I think it’s really important to take action against malaria; so we did it by writing, producing and performing in a malaria themed comedy! I couldn’t believe we got a standing ovation at the end. It was all great fun!”

The unique event at the Empire Banqueting Suite, was attended by 250 people from all faiths and backgrounds in Leicester. The attendees were told that purchasing a bed net for £5 would protect an African family for up to 5 years against catching malaria, a disease which kills a million people every year, mostly pregnant women and young children.

The Assistant Bishop of Leicester, Revd Christopher Boyle said, “I am absolutely delighted at how these young people have taken the initiative on the cause of malaria. Having been Bishop in Northern Malawi, I know how crucial it is to take action against this preventable and treatable disease. The efforts of the Leicester Interfaith Youth Hub will make a real difference to the lives of 3400 Africans, by buying bed nets to protect them against malaria”.

The event was part of a global series of events for World Malaria Day, as part of the Faiths Act Network. Young adults from different faith backgrounds have been taking action around the world. These have included a Night Under Nets in London, film screenings in California, a football tournament in Montreal and an evening of African Dance and Drumming in Washington DC.

To join the hub of Multifaith young people making a difference in Leicester, access the Facebook group, “Leicester Interfaith Youth Hub” or drop into the St Philip’s Centre in Evington! 

Suleman Nagdi OBE DL, an Independent Consultant who works alongside St Philip’s Centre, has been awarded the One Leicester Award by the Federation of Muslim Organisations of Leicestershire (FMO).  The One Leicester award, in conjunction with the council’s One Leicester initiative,  celebrates community cohesion by recognising those who have made an “extraordinary effort to build positive and harmonious community relations”. 

Suleman’s award was presented at an  Awards Ceremony held on 10th April.    The FMO also presented other awards recognising achievements across six categories – sport, literature, humanity, education, creativity and community. 

Our congratulations go to Suleman on this prestigious award.

Canon Dr John Hall

Staff were pleased to welcome Dr John Hall as he started work as the new Centre Director on 6 April.   John comes from the West Midlands where he was Chair of the West Midlands Regional Faiths Forum.  He combines his role as Director for the Centre with that of Director for Inter Faith Relations in the Diocese of Leicester. 

As a newcomer to Leicester he is very much looking forward to meeting people from both the faith communities and the other sectors seeking to improve understanding  between faiths and in building social cohesion. 

Feel free to contact John through the Centre and introduce yourself.

Fifteen young people aged 16 to 25 have been successfully accepted onto Leicester’s first Multi Faith Leadership Residential Programme. The experience is being run by the Leicester Interfaith Youth Hub as part of St Philip’s Centre.

The young men and women were selected for their dedication to community service and passion for global causes. The diverse group come from five different religious backgrounds and are from across Leicester and Leicestershire.

Seeking to equip, inspire and empower the next generation of young leaders across the different communities in Leicester, the leadership programme has been put together by Bilal Hassam and Michael Tweed, Faiths Act Fellows for the Tony Blair Faith Foundation who are working in conjunction with Raheema Caratella, Engagement Worker at St Philips Centre, Leicester.

The weekend residential, from the 26^th to the 28^th of March 2010 will include training in communicating personal change, which has been drawn from Barack Obama’s Presidential Campaign. There will be a Dragon’s Den style session, presentations and workshops planned with the Interfaith Youth Core based in Chicago, USA.

Those who graduate from the programme will be offered the opportunity to be leaders of the Leicester Interfaith Youth Hub over the next year. The ‘Hub’ is the place for young people aged 16-26 to explore what it means to live in a multi-faith city and plan out local community service. With the motto “Think Global, Act Local”, the ‘Hub’ is mobilising the communities of Leicester to raise awareness and funds to help end deaths caused by Malaria, Africa’s biggest killer.

Harsha Taylor is a Hub member of Hindu faith and has been selected onto the leadership course. She said, “I am excited to be part of this programme and keen on demonstrating how people of different religious backgrounds can work together for the greater good. Malaria kills someone every thirty seconds. I don’t think this is acceptable. We here in Leicester can make a change”.

Faiths Act Fellow and organiser of the leadership programme, Bilal Hassam added, “I am moved to see such a diverse group of young people dedicated to serving the world around them. These young people are inspired by their faith in God and their faith in humanity. It is through initiatives like the Leicester Interfaith Youth Hub that people from all walks of life can come together and work towards the moral, spiritual and intellectual development of a united community”

Canon Dr Andrew Wingate retired as the founding Director of the St. Philip’s Centre at the end of January. Several gatherings paid tribute to his skills of inspirational leadership and committed ministry.

On Saturday evening, 30 January, there was a happy gathering at St. Philip’s Church Hall, with many friends from different faith communities in the city, to celebrate the achievements of St. Philip’s Centre and Staff under Andrew’s leadership. The party atmosphere was alive with warm affection for someone whose skills at making friends and building bridges between people is well-recognised.

Andrew with Rashmikant Joshi at the Saturday evening celebration

Andrew was appointed Director of St. Philip’s Centre in 2004.  The Archdeacon of Leicester, the Venerable Richard Atkinson, was Chair of the Steering Group in 2005 and then of the ecumenical body of Trustees in 2006. The Archbishop of Canterbury became the Patron and the Centre was formally opened in 2006. Since then it has gone from strength to strength with new projects and appointments, sparking interest far and wide, and all with Andrew’s enthusiasm in the driving seat.

Prior to the Saturday evening party, the staff and trustees of the Centre had said their own farewells, with a moving moment which saw the unveiling of The Wingate Library plaque on the door of the library. 

Andrew & Angela outside the 'Wingate Library'

Angela Wingate has been the Centre’s librarian and has established a professionally organised library system of specialised books, mainly in the field of inter faith relations.

On the Sunday morning St. Philip’s Church congregation, together with guests from St. Denys Church, Evington, and the Evington Rd United Reformed Church, marked the retirement with a special Holy Eucharist at which Andrew presided and preached, and which was followed by lunch.

It was the Sunday evening service in the Cathedral which paid the golden tribute to Andrew’s ministry which has stretched over many years and encompassed appointments in the West Midlands and India before coming to Leicester. All this ministry has been in the fields of theological training and education, yet spiced with a pastoral heart. In loving reminders, different speakers remarked on Andrew’s gifts for ‘friendship, hospitality, warmth and care’, which have left their mark on all who have come into contact with him.

Retirement will be far from inactive for the Wingates. They will be spending some time in Sweden after Easter, where Andrew will be involved with the Dioceses of Gothenberg, Lund and Linkoping, in training and education work in the Christian response to other faiths, and particularly helping with preparations for a Porvoo (Scandinavian) inter faith consultation in March 2011. An agreement between the Diocese of Gothenberg and St. Philip’s Centre was signed during the Saturday evening farewell and this strengthens the partnership with the Centre.

Andrew has left the future of St. Philip’s Centre with a strong sense of the need both to consolidate what has been achieved and to reach out for new opportunities for building relationships of trust and understanding between the churches and different faith communities. The Church - local, national, European and beyond - has much to be grateful for in the ministry of Andrew Wingate and so much was evident during this weekend of farewells. The Centre sends its best wishes to Andrew and Angela as they step out on the next phase of their journey together.

Alan Race
on behalf of St. Philip’s Centre Staff

National Interfaith week will take place from Sunday 21st November to Saturday 27th November 2010.

One of the week’s events will be a Muslim/Christian Dinner, on the evening of Friday 26th November in St. Philip’s Church Community Hall .
Details of further events in Interfaith Week to follow.