Freedom of Speech Discussion Is a Great Success

A public discussion about Freedom of Speech was held on Tuesday 19th May 2015 at Chaul End Community Centre in Dunstable, jointly hosted by GRASSROOTS and Luton Council of Faiths (LCOF).

Around 80 people were in attendance to hear the key note speech from Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, a Ugandan born British journalist and author, and then take part in the subsequent discussion. We were also joined by Rt Revd Dr Richard Atkinson, Bishop for Bedford & Luton, and Superintendent Mark Upex from Bedfordshire Police.

To download and read a summary of the key note speech and discussion, please click here.

A second public discussion shall be held in the summer on the subject of the Counter Terrorism and Security Bill. Keep your eyes open for details coming soon on the website, Facebook and Twitter!

Berakah Concert - hosted by GRASSROOTS & LCOF

Berakah are coming back to Luton to showcase both some new and old music, written especially for their tour to celebrate their first ten years!

London-based organisation The Berakah Project unites musicians from Jewish, Christian and Muslim faiths. With a mixture of World Music, Jazz, Blues and traditional elements drawn from Europe and the Middle East. 

Mohammed Nazam, Founder of The Berakah Project, says: “Each and every time we perform I see the power of our music melting the differences between people and bringing us together in a spirit of unity and celebration."

• Date: Sunday 7th June 2015
• Time: 6:30pm - Doors Open / 7:00pm - Band on Stage
• Cost: This event is free to attend but tickets MUST be reserved in advance
• Venue: Luton Library Theatre, St George's Square, Luton. LU1 2BQ

Places are limited and must be reserved in advance on a first come, first served basis. For more information or to book please:

• Call us on 01582 416946
• Email admingrassroots@btconnect.com
• Download the poster here!

Freedom of Speech - Public Discussion

Seeking contextual relevance in a multi-faith and multi-cultural Britain, with specific implications for Luton

Join us for a key note speech from Yasmin Alibhai-Brown (Journalist and Author) and then a panel discussion with Q&A session on the subject of Freedom of Speech.

• Date: Tuesday 19th May 2015
• Time: 6:30pm - Doors Open for Food & Drinks / 7:00pm - Programme Starts
• Cost: This event is free to attend but by invitation only!
• Venue: Chaul End Community Centre, 515 Dunstable Road, Luton, LU4 8QN (Access via unnamed slip road off Chaul End Lane, opp. Currys, running parallel to Dunstable Road. Parking available on site)

Places are limited and must be reserved in advance on a first come, first served basis. For more information or to book please:

• Call us on 01582 416946
• Email admingrassroots@btconnect.com
• Download the poster here!

This event is being supported by Near Neighbours Programme and United Reformed Church (URC)

GRASSROOTS in now on social media!

GRASSROOTS is pleased to announce that you can now follow us on social media too!

In addition to the information and news that we will have on our website, we will also be using Facebook and Twitter to keep you updated with the latest exciting developments, events and initiatives that GRASSROOTS are involved in!

How do you follow us online you ask? Well to like us on Facebook click here, and to follow us on Twitter click here. It really is that simple!

If you do not have a social media account then please do not worry as we will be updating our website regularly too so that you do not miss out!

Faith Talk Events: Celebrating Differences - Staying Faithful

You are cordially invited to our Faith Talk events where you will be able to:

• Encounter other Faiths to foster dialogue and friendship
• Listen to guest speakers from the Hindu, Sikh and Muslim Faiths
• Enjoy an array of refreshments!

The talks will take place from 7.30pm - 9.00pm on: 

Hindu Faith
Thursday 12th March 2015 at 
St Martin de Porres, 366 Leagrave High Street, Luton. LU4 0NG.

Sikh Faith
Thursday 16th April 2015 at 
St Joseph's Catholic Church, Gardenia Avenue, Luton. LU2 3NS.

Muslim Faith
Thursday 23rd April 2015 at 
Holy Ghost Parish Centre, 33 Westbourne Road, Luton, LU4 8JD

For more information please call 01582 416946 or download information here.

The Near Neighbours programme brings together people in religiously and ethnically diverse communities, to create relationships of trust and to help people transform their neighbourhoods for the better. Please visit www.cuf.org.uk/how-we-help/near-neighbours for more information.

Circle Dancing Sessions are on now!

Circle Dancing is traditional folk dancing from countries such as Greece, France, Russia, Israel, The Balkans and Celtic Britain, together with more recent choreographed dances to contemporary music.

The music is wide ranging from across the world. We dance together in a circle so no partner is needed. The steps are taught before each dance. Circle Dancing is good exercise and fun. It can also be meditative. Beginners welcome.

Classes take place at: 

Blenheim Crescent Baptist Church Hall (Blenheim Crescent)
Tuesday Afternoons from 2.30-4.00 pm
10 Feb / 10 March / 14 April / 12 May / 9 June / 14 July / 8 Sept / 13 Oct / 10 Nov / 8 Dec

St Anne’s Church Hall (Crawley Green Road)
Tuesday Evenings from 7.30-9.30 pm
17 Feb / 17 March / 21 April / 19 May / 16 June / 21 July / 15 Sept / 20 Oct / 17 Nov / 15 Dec

Hockwell Ring Community Centre (Mayne Avenue)
Wednesday Afternoons from 1.00-2.00 pm 
These are weekly and Term Time only

High Town Methodist Church Hall (High Town Road)
3rd Wednesday of the month 3.30 – 4.30 pm 
18 Feb / 18 March / 15 April / 20 May / 17 June / 15 July / 16 Sept / 21 October / 18 Nov / 16 Dec  

All sessions cost £3. If you would like further information please: 

• Call Ann Hyde on 01582 725266 or 07722 677280
• Email annhyde204@msn.com
• Download the poster here!

Join us for Prayerful Dance - Meditation through Movement

You are warmly invited to join us for our Prayerful Dance Circle Dancing meetings with the theme of 'Meditation through Movement'. 

Flowing dance to beautiful music is a way of getting in touch with our inner spirituality and expressing it through movement. The Prayerful Dance Group focuses on this style of dancing and sessions always begins with a standing meditation.

All are welcome and no experience is needed!

This will take place:

• At High Town Methodist Church Hall (49 High Town Road)
• On Wednesdays  (Monthly)
• 3.30-4.30 pm

The dates this will take place are 18 Feb / 18 March / 15 April / 20 May / 17 June / 15 July / 16 Sept / 21 October / 18 Nov / 16 Dec  

If you would like further information please:

• Call Ann Hyde on 01582 725266 or GRASSROOTS on 01582 416946
• Email annhyde204@msn.com
• Download the poster here!

Ghar se Ghar Exercise Groups

Ghar se Ghar exercise groups are running now across Luton on a weekly basis (Term Time Only). At present they are located at:

Bury Park Community Centre (161-161B Dunstable Road) on Mondays from 10.00-11.30 am - WOMEN ONLY                                 

Sacred Heart Church Hall (148 Ashcroft Road) on Tuesdays from  10.00-11.30 am

Beech Hill Methodist Church (385A Dunstable Road) on Fridays from 10.00-11.30 a.m

Sessions cost £2

For more information please:

• Call 01582 416946
• Email gharseghar@btconnect.com
• Download the poster here!

Our Church Related Community Work (CRCW) Project is 5 Years Old!

We shall be enjoying an afternoon of shared celebrations, reflection & story-telling with the theme of 'Celebrating Our Achievements & Looking to the Future', and we would like to invite you to join us!

This event will take place on Saturday 21st February 2015 from 3.00pm at Holy Ghost Parish Centre, 33 Westbourne Rd, Luton LU4 8JD.

Programme:

• 3.00pm-4.30pm Sharing the Journey
• 4.30pm-6.00pm Refreshments & Highlights

If you would like to attend RSVP by Friday 13th February to Karen (Church Related Community Worker):

• Call 07957 450624
• Email: crcwsmiles@hotmail.co.uk
• Download the invitation here!

Precious Pearls Celebration

"Woman, who is your neighbour?"

GRASSROOTS is happy to announce that it's annual 'Precious Pearls' event will be taking place during the International Women's Week, where you can:

• Share the talents of Luton women 
• Meet women from different backgrounds
• Enjoy yourself with different cultural entertainment
• Enjoy the refreshments provided!

This event will take place on Thursday 5th March 2015 from 6:30pm - 8:30pm at Bury Park Community Centre, 161 Dunstable Road, Luton, LU1 1BW.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS A WOMENS ONLY EVENT

For more information please contact Ghar se Ghar or GRASSROOTS:

• Call 01582 416946  
• Email gharseghar@btconnect.com
• Download the poster here!

Circle Dancing Christmas Special

Join us for a Circle Dancing 'Dances for the Festive Season' Christmas Special featuring:

• Dancing to music both old and new...
• The Nut Cracking Dance from Romania...
• The Shepherds Dance from France...  and many more!

Saturday 6th December 2014 from 1:00 - 3:00 pm

Hockwell Ring Community Centre, Mayne Avenue, Luton.

Entry costs just £3!

PLEASE BRING FOOD TO SHARE!

For more information please contact Ann Hyde:

• Call 01582 725266
• Email annhyde204@msn.com 
• Download the poster here!

Supported by New Creations

A Grand Christmas Dinner and Dance

Presented by 

BURY PARK BEECH HILL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES

Join us on Friday 5th December 2014 at 7pm for some Christmas festivities at Holy Ghost Parish Centre, Westbourne Road, Luton, LU4.

• 3 Course Christmas Dinner
• Local Entertainments
• Party Night
• Raffle tickets on sale - just £1 per strip!

*Tickets only £12*

For tickets or information contact Karen (Church Related Community Worker):

• Call 01582 967265 / 07957 450624
• Email: crcwsmiles@hotmail.co.uk
• Download the poster here!

All proceeds towards the Bury Park Beech Hill Community Work Project

Neighbourhood Community Worker Vacancies

Current Vacancies - Neighbourhood Community Worker

The Luton Near Neighbours Programme, working with the Nehemiah Foundation, is looking to appoint THREE Neighbourhood Community Workers to work in the Biscot, Hightown and Dallow / Farley areas of Luton. Each post holder will:

• work with local people and neighbourhood organisations – including a diverse range of faith groups;
• facilitate grassroots community action and forward;   
• participate in bespoke training and support provided by the Nehemiah Foundation.

The post holder will work closely with people and groups with a diverse range of faiths and ethnicities.

The role is initially 24 hours per week with a salary of £15,000 pro rata

Closing date: Midnight on 11th December 2014

Interviews: Thursday 18th December 2014

For more information on the role and how to apply please download the Briefing Pack here or contact:

Kim Greig on 07930 601640 or email: near.neighbours_luton@btconnect.com

Kind Gift of Samosas

The Grassroots Team were surprised by a gift of a box of delicious samosas on Wednesday. During the Grassroots team meeting, friends from IHT (Islamic Home Tuition) delivered a box of samosas as part of their Ramadhan service to the community.  IHT have been delivering boxes of samosas during this month of Ramadhan to various Churches in Luton as an act of friendship.  It was certainly well appreciated by the Grassroots team.  Thank you IHT!

Event: Annual Bishop's Cup Cricket Match, Sunday 3rd August

With the summer speeding by, the Annual Bishop's Cup Cricket Match is soon to take place! This is a great day of friendly cricket, family fun and inter faith fellowship, and is always enjoyed by all (even if Luton has not yet won the competition).  

More details are below and we very much hope to see you there!  Please do let us know if you would like to join in as part of the Luton team.  This could be Luton's year to win the cup!

Date: Sunday 3rd August

Time:  12noon - 7pm

Venue: Woodside Leisure Centre  (Watford Town Cricket Club), Horseshoe Lane, Garston, Watford, Herts, WD25 7HH

Rain Venue: Parmiter's School, High Elms Lane, Watford, Herts WD25 0UU 

Teams from Bedford, Luton, St Albans and Watford must have at least three religions represented with a maximum of four players of the same faith. Players may be clergy and lay people, men or women, and as young as 15 years of age.

Come along to support your team and  make new friends!

Schedule for the Afternoon:

Arrive from 12.noon

1.00pm   Pitch 1 Watford versus St Albans

                 Pitch 2  Bedford versus Luton

3.30pm   Bring and Share Picnic

4.30pm   Pitch 1   Championship Match

                 Pitch 2   Third place match

7.00pm   Awards presentation

Luton Peace Walk, Saturday 20th September, 2-5pm, Farley Hill area

Luton's annual Peace Walk is one of the highlights of the year.  Every year, Lutonians - local people from various cultures, backgrounds and beliefs, of all faiths and none - gather together to walk to a few different places of worship, as friends. 

This is a great chance to learn about different faiths in a friendly, welcoming and non-threatening atmosphere, as well as standing for peace and all that is good about Luton.

This year's annual Peace Walk in taking place in Farley Hill area.  The event will involve a visit to several different Churches in Farley, as well as Farley Hill Mosque and Farley Hill Community Centre.  We are also hoping to work with local schools in the area.  To top it all off, the event will finish with a delicious traditional English afternoon tea, hosted by the Reconciliation Walk Community in Farley.

The event is taking place on Saturday 20th September 2014, from 2-5pm.  Please do put the date in your diary. 

This is something not to be missed!  More details will be released in due course.  Please do get in contact should you need any more details.

Near Neighbours Briefing Session for Churches

The Near Neighbours Funding Briefing Session for Churches is taking place on Wednesday 21st May at 10am - 11:30am at St Hughes Church in Lewsey Farm (Leagrave High Street, Luton, LU4 0ND).

Invitation

The Keynote Speakers are:

a) Bishop Richard Atkinson (Anglican Bishop for Bedford & Luton and Near Neighbours Trustee)

b) John McCallum (Near Neighbours Development Officer in Leicester)

This will also be an opportunity to ask questions about the Near Neighbours programme nationally or locally in Luton.

Please kindly encourage any interested individuals to make use of this opportunity. Near Neighbours Programme is routed through Church Urban Fund, with a view to access and use Church of England local parish networks and outreach.  Near Neighbours small project grants fund is aimed at empowering local people to identify and develop solutions to improve their local community and neighbourhood, by bringing people together.  You can find out more about the Near Neighbours programme by visiting their website http://cuf.org.uk/how-we-help/near-neighbours

We very much hope that you will take this opportunity to attend this briefing to find out how your Church can utilise this great resource. If you are able to come, please could you confirm your attendance by phone 01582-416946 or by email to admingrassroots@btconnect.com by 6pm on Wednesday 14th May. This is to assist us with seating/catering arrangements, please.

Near Neighbours Funding Briefing for Faith Communities

The Near Neighbours Programme Briefing Session for Faith Communities is taking place on Thursday 8th May at 6:30pm - 8pm (including refreshments) at Holy Ghost Catholic Parish Centre's Executive Lounge. 

The address is 33 Westbourne Road, Luton, LU4 8JD.  Holy Ghost Parish Centre are kindly allowing parking in their car park for this event.

Invitation

The Keynote Speakers are:

a) Bishop Richard Atkinson (Anglican Bishop for Bedford & Luton and Near Neighbours Trustee)

b) John McCallum (Near Neighbours Development Officer in Leicester)

There will also be an opportunity to ask questions about the Near Neighbours programme nationally or locally in Luton.

Please kindly encourage any interested individuals to make use of this opportunity.

Near Neighbours small project grants fund is aimed at empowering local people to identify and develop solutions to improve their local community and neighbourhood, by bringing people together.  You can find out more about the Near Neighbours programme by visiting their website www.cuf.org.uk/how-we-help/near-neighbours

We very much hope that you will take this opportunity to attend this briefing to find out how you can utilise this great resource. If you are able to come, please could you confirm your attendance by phone 01582-416946 or by email to admingrassroots@btconnect.com by 6pm on Tuesday 6th May. This is to assist us with seating/catering arrangements, please.

International Women's Day Celebration - Precious Pearls: Women Loving Luton

Over 110 women across faiths and cultures attended Women loving Luton, organised by Ghar Se Ghar women.

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The opening address was given by ‘Love Luton’, now in its 4th year supported by 20 businesses. The closing address, by Deputy Police & Crime Commissioner Cllr. Tafheen Sharif, spoke about the importance of women in society, women inspiring change and the recent introduction of Clare’s Law.

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The evening was full of interest and laughter with presentations on a range of subjects: a fashion & design collection; books about Luton by a local author; fundraising to save a 143 year old church organ; and businesses related to health and dance. Other women spoke about their experiences of life in Luton.

Students from Luton Adult Learning brought along ‘cultural boxes’, a diverse collection from across the world. The Zimbabwean Ladies Fellowship, the Sai Singers and a local poet performed and entertained.  A fashion parade demonstrated the cultural mix of women in attendance, providing an array of colour.

Fairtrade refreshments in the cafeteria gave the opportunity for everyone to socialise and enjoy food together.

Fairtrade Fortnight 2014 Celebration: Stall in Luton Mall

Our annual Fairtrade Fortnight celebrations culminates in a stall held at Luton Mall.  This year's stall was held on Saturday 8th March. 

Volunteers from Fairtrade Luton were joined by friends and colleagues from

• the University of Bedfordshire
• Luton Council of Faiths
• Discover Islam
• Luton Polish school, dressed in gorgeous hand made costumes (see photo below)
• a member of staff from Lush Cosmetics offering lovely free hand massages
• the manager of Café Culture in Luton Central Library, who kindly offered a 50% off promotion on hot drinks to all who visited the stall
• ASDA

Members of the public were able to sample Fairtrade wafer biscuits, Fairtrade Palestinian Medjol dates and Fairtrade dried fruit, as well as find out more about Fairtrade by looking at the Fairtrade display of products and the leaflets available.

Over 150 petitions for Fair Bananas were signed.  Bedfordshire honey from a Luton producers was also on display, generating much interest.

The Co-operative membership, long-term supporters of Luton's Fairtrade project, kindly supported the event.

To find out more about this year's campaign for Fairtrade bananas, themed Stick with Foncho, please visit http://foncho.fairtrade.org.uk/

Please do get in touch if you would like to get involved with Luton's award winning pioneering Fairtrade work.