Projects

The work of GRASSROOTS is incredibly varied and involves new projects and events on a frequent basis, but in general this work fits between one of the five main categories as listed below:

 

Community Cohesion & Inter Faith Relations

Working with different faith communities and LCoF (Luton Council of Faiths), while continuing to support people from both within and outside the Church, we at GRASSROOTS have come to realise that engagement with other faiths and cultures is no longer a choice. In the given context of Luton, where migration from across and within continents seems never ending, we meet strangers every day. In an ever increasingly busy world, it is time for ‘breaking and sharing the word in action’ with all of God’s peoples, amongst all of God’s peoples. Our call to mission is to share our ‘God of Love and the Love of God’.

GRASSROOTS gave birth to Luton Council of Faiths (LCoF) and continue to facilitate its work (see LCoF Facebook page), often organising events and activities in partnership, such as:

  • Annual Peace Walks (previously known as Luton Faith Walk)

  • Peace Rallies, Vigils and other related events, in preparation of and response to community cohesion issues and heightened tensions that arise due to various local, national and international events

  • Cultural & Festive Celebrations

  • Faith Woodlands Communities Project [https://sites.google.com/site/faithwoodlands/] and local legacy projects in Dallow Downs, Beech Hill & High Town

  • Educational events, workshops and conferences on relevant and contemporary themes & issues

  • Inter-cultural and inter-faith exchange visits and events

  • Other learning & mentoring opportunities to enhance mutual appreciation and befriending

 For general guidance and information on various topics and themes, please view the following links;

Inter Faith Network for the UK https://www.interfaith.org.uk/news/ifn-e-bulletin | East of England Faiths Agency http://www.eefa.net/

Strengthening Faith Institutions https://www.sfitogether.org/ | Faith-Based Regeneration Network http://www.fbrn.org.uk/

Community Security Trust https://cst.org.uk/ | FaithAction https://www.faithaction.net/

 For general guidance and information on inter faith relations in various Church denominations and other organisations, please see the following links;

Church of England https://www.churchofengland.org/about/work-other-faiths/about-presence-engagement

https://nifcon.anglicancommunion.org/resources.aspx | https://www.stalbans.anglican.org/faith/mission-in-multi-faith-areas/

Methodist Church https://www.methodist.org.uk/our-work/building-relationships/inter-faith-relations/

Roman Catholic Church https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/interelg/index.htm | https://rcdow.org.uk/interfaith/

United Reformed Church https://urc.org.uk/our-work/interfaith.html | https://urc.org.uk/ecumenical-and-interfaith-relations-staff

https://londoninterfaith.org.uk/

University of Bedfordshire https://www.beds.ac.uk/faiths

Bedfordshire Hospitals https://www.bedfordshirehospitals.nhs.uk/patients-visitors/chaplaincy-service/

Spirituality of Justice

It encourages dialogue between people of different cultures and faiths in order to foster a vision of human solidarity, development and the integrity of creation – a movement from dialogue to action for peace and justice.

The overall aim of the project is to develop the experiences of Justice Spirituality by building compassion and solidarity with and among people of different faith traditions in Luton and its neighbourhood. In this, conversations with all are necessary, along with the need to support each other in the public acknowledgement of faith festivals and to show genuine concern for the common good locally and globally.

The ongoing work of the Spirituality of Justice Project has been leading inter faith and ecumenical work into issues of Fair Trade and Trade Justice, and GRASSROOTS has been leading on the ‘Making Luton a Fair Trade Town’ Campaign since 2007. The project also benefits from and contributes significantly to the work of CAFOD (Catholic Agency for Overseas Development) https://cafod.org.uk/News/Latest-news & National Justice & Peace Network (NJPN) https://www.justice-and-peace.org.uk/. NJPN has Catholic roots, but it works with groups and individuals of all faiths and none, who share its aims and values.

 

Working with Women across Faiths & Cultures In partnership with Ghar se Ghar (Hindi/Urdu words meaning Home to Home)

This project is about developing recreational, educational and health activities for women, primarily from different faiths and cultural backgrounds, to address their needs, concerns and aspirations. These are often from sections of the community that are otherwise considered as “hard to reach”.

This is largely achieved through supporting the women’s network of ‘Ghar se Ghar’, and through the running of various events such as Health Fayres, and encouraging participation in various other events, Annual Conferences & Peace Walks organised by the partnership of GRASSROOTS and Luton Council of Faiths.

 

Church Related Community Work

Over the years, GRASSROOTS has supported Church related community work in Luton, but particularly in the Bury Park Beech Hill area of Luton “Church Related Community Work Project” was run during 2010-2020, with the help of Bury Park Beech Hill Council of Churches and with the support from several other ecumenical partners as listed here.

Church Related Community Work is about exploring how people in Churches can develop relationships while living alongside and working with those of other or no particular faith affiliation around us. It is also about challenging ourselves and learning as to what it means to be a Christian presence in the rapidly changing demography & issues around us. Together, Churches use many gifts they have to uncover new ways of working with each other, and with the community in which God has placed them, addressing issues of concern affecting our lives locally as well as globally.

Please watch for latest news updates

Churches Together in Luton http://lutonchurchestogether.org.uk/news/

Churches Together in Britain & Ireland https://ctbi.org.uk/category/communication/ctbi-news/

World Council of Churches https://www.oikoumene.org/news

Near Neighbours

Grassroots is the Luton hub for Near Neighbours, an initiative of the Church of England’s Archbishops Council and the Church Urban Fund and is supported by a multi-faith advisory panel. It is a response to the Government’s desire to provide resources to strengthen relationships in multi-religious neighbourhoods.  It is funded by Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG).

It operates a small grants fund, that provides seed funding for local groups and organisations who are working to bring together neighbours; to develop relationships of diverse faiths and ethnicities and also to improve their communities. These grants have offered funding to a broad range of work: Environmental, Social, Cultural, Artistic, Sporting etc., which furthers the aims of Near Neighbours to encourage social “inter-action” and “social action”.

You can find out more information by visiting the Near Neighbours website or by clicking on the Near Neighbours heading above within this website.