GRASSROOTS teamed up with Luton Council of Faiths (LCoF) and held an event Strengthening Cohesion in Luton, supported by NEAR NEIGHBOURS Programme, during Inter Faith Week 2021.
Besides different faith leaders invited to read out a shared statement commemorating Inter Faith Week, this event was also about acknowledging and celebrating the invaluable contributions of several volunteers, faith and community leaders, supporters and partner organisations in building peace and reconciliation in Luton and presenting a QAVS Badge to volunteers, supporters and partners for their services and support.
Earlier in Jul’21, amidst Covid restrictions, only few people could be invited to witness HM Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire Helen Nellis, presenting the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS) to Luton Council of Faiths (LCoF). At this event many others were invited who weren’t able to join in Jul’21.
Sheila Marsden was one of them.
Sheila Marsden is part of Wigmore Methodist & United Reform Church (URC) Local Ecumenical Partnership (LEP) Church . She is one of the trustees and back bone of Grassroots Luton and has been supporting voluntarily the work of LCoF over the years. She has been a long standing supporter of Interfaith work and over the years, she has helped in making the key decisions to support the work of LCOF and GRASSROOTS. Her support and presence in our Town is invaluable and her commitment, dedication and goodwill for everyone in this town is exemplary.
Here’s the poem written by Sheila Marsden, which was also read out by her at GRASSROOTS 25th Anniversary Celebrations held on 22nd March 2018.
My Town Luton
It's the place I know best;
the place of my birth and rites of passage,
where I grew up loved and wanted.
We raised our family here,
and gathered friends, young and not so young.
This town gave me my livelihood,
and the many children I still remember through the passing of years.
As I reflect on my town -
seeing it changing, as it will always do -
I will defend it from those who seek to scoff, deride and divide.
I see people around me
working to make this town a harmonious place in which to live;
people who speak up and speak out,
together,
as peacemakers and reconcilers.
I hope their example will rub off on me.
I pray so,
because I feel blessed to be a Lutonian.
And so in my daily living
I will choose to be a maker of peace.
Sheila Marsden, May 2016
