Grassroots has organised a visit to CYCD (Centre for Youth and Community Development project) – a pioneering Bangladeshi led community group in Bury Park, Luton on 27th November. Community and faith leaders including the Bishop of Bedford, will be joining in to build links for working together.
Luton was privileged to host Catholic Archbishop Antonio Mennini, Apostolic Nuncio (Pope's Ambassador) to Great Britain, who visited Luton on Tuesday 29th October. He was Pope's Ambassador earlier to Russian Federation (2002-8) and to Uzbekistan (2008-10). He is vested with both ecclesiastical and political power as the Pope's representative. He has to be presented to the Queen on arrival in the country.
The Papal Nuncio joined team members of Grassroots as long as colleagues from various faith communities and Luton Council of Faiths representatives for a small reception at Holy Ghost Catholic Church to share our positive work and co-existence in Luton and to share some refreshments afterwards.
In a town such as Luton, festivals and food often bring people together. However, in a landmark initiative, Bury Park Jamia Mosque invited neighbours from other different religious and cultural backgrounds to come together and share the joy of Eid-ul-Hajj on 24th October 2013.
The Senior Imam and director of the Mosque, extended warm welcome to all and in his speech, he encouraged such initiatives while highlighting the importance of strengthening mutual friendship, peace and understanding across difference faiths and cultures in a town as diverse as Luton.
The highlight of the evening for many was young people from the schools performing nasheed (devotional signing) for the faith leaders, who were very impressed. After the formal talks, delicious food was enjoyed at a local restaurant and conversations lasted over food for more than an hour, which created opportunities for people to mingle and converse informally, while also enjoying the food.
Natu Bhai, a Hindu and also the joint Vice Chair of Luton Council of Faiths said, “Coming and standing with people of different backgrounds, we do not just reflect the richness and diversity of our town, but also promote acceptance while rejecting hatred and prejudice.”
This year over 300 Fairtrade campaigners met at Kensington Town Hall in
London for the 2013 big Annual Fairtrade Supporters Conference. The theme of the conference was Unlocking the Power of Many’.
Speakers from Fairtrade Africa and the Windward Islands inspired and challenged the audience as they spoke about the benefits of Fairtrade to their communities as well as the many obstacles to securing their livelihoods.
Workshops featured debates around the latest issues and developments in Fairtrade, such as how it delivers benefits to workers on tea plantations.
Following Luton’s Fairtrade successes and Outstanding Achievement Award last year, the Fairtrade Luton group were privileged to be invited to run a workshop at this year’s conference. The theme was ‘Taking Fairtrade to New Audiences: Interfaith Outreach in Luton’.
Luton’s Fairtrade story provoked keen interest as Ryad Khodabocus and Maureen Bourbon proudly shared Luton’s experience and remarkable achievements whilst giving advice and answering questions from Fairtrade campaigners from across the UK.
Luton’s Fairtrade campaigners returned home energised to put the ideas into action in order to give a fairer deal to the developing world’s farmers and producers who grow so much of the food we enjoy.
Karen’s cookery sessions & fashion show
In continuing his efforts of establishing positive relations with Luton’s faith communities, Bishop Richard Atkinson invited nearly 35 faith leaders to an informal buffet supper on Thursday 3rd October at Bishop’s Lodge, Cardington.
It indeed was a gathering, with Hindu, Sikh, Muslim, Christian, Zorastrian, Jewish & Bahai friends present. All shared the warmth of fellowship and friendly conversations.
“Bishop Richard Atkinson has been working hard since he arrived here a year ago,” said David Jonathan, Co-ordinator of GRASSROOTS, a Christian charity working in Luton with Churches and other faiths, in partnership with Luton Council of Faiths.
Emphasising the need for such gatherings and appreciating Bishop Richard’s kind gesture, Allama Qazi Abdul Aziz Chishti (Senior Imam and director of the Jamia Islamia Ghousia Mosque, Westbourne Road, Luton), said, “It is great to have such a positive leadership. We hope this will start a new chapter in our journey of building good community relations.”
Chief Constable of the Bedfordshire Police, Colette Paul, said, “Luton’s dynamic and multicultural buzz is one of the reasons I opted for service in Bedfordshire Police. And tonight, having met everyone, I feel I made the right choice.”
On a rather wet day of the 21st of September, nearly 150 people from diverse faiths, cultures, ethnicities and nationalities, walked together showing public solidarity and friendship by visiting different places of worship, this year: Guru Nanak Gurudwara on Dallow Road, the Holy Ghost Catholic Parish Church & Jamia Islamia Ghousia Mosque, both on Westbourne Road. With opening remarks from Zafar Khan, Chair of Luton Council of Faiths at the Town Hall, Luton’s Mayoress Cllr Sheila Rodden, Bishop Rt Revd Richard Atkinson and MP Kelvin Hopkins also shared greetings. Car loads of food items were collected for Luton Food Bank, generously donated by various community establishments including Foxdell Primary School, St Joseph Catholic Primary School, OM Group, the Luton Central Mosque and the three host places of worship. The day saw also St Joseph Catholic Primary School children presented about their journey towards becoming a Fairtrade school while at the Mosque; the Mehria Primary School children played melodious Nasheeds and Daff who charmed all the audience.Various communities brought also bread from different cultures which were enjoyed at the Mosque with great hospitality of the host.
On 10th December, a team from the United Reformed Church’s London Inter Faith Centre are visiting Luton, to explore Grassroots and the town. Grassroots will be hosting the day.
Grassroots are giving a talk on Fairtrade on Wednesday 6th November at 8pm at St Anne’s Church, Crawley Green. You are most welcome to come along to find out more.
Messy theology. Grassroots will be undertaking a day of theological reflection on 25th November. As an ecumenical Christian charity from its origins, and with the trustees and team coming from diverse denominations and Christian theological backgrounds, this will be a chance to reflect on the many different activities and projects Grassroots is leading, facilitating and supporting, in the light of the gospel.
Grassroots is facilitating the Bishop of Bedford to visit Bury Park Islamic Centre on 21st November. This is another chance for good relations to be built between different faith leaders and communities.
Luton’s Pilot Archery Project and first community archery games has shown just what a successful combination of culture and sport can be following the Olympics legacy. Around 150 people from across the diverse community of Luton attended the event on September 28 at Luton VI Form College’s Sports Hall. Six mixed teams of seven players took part in the competition. The Mayor of Luton Cllr Sheila Rodden, opened the event. Winners and Runners-up Teams’ players were awarded medals and all players got Fairtrade Chocolates. Supportive friends and families of the players also got a chance to enjoy a “Having a Go at Archery” Taster Session. Highlights of the day included food brought in by different community groups and performances of Sikh Martial Arts (called Ghatka) by Guru Nanak Gurudwara of Dallow Road, Nasheed (Arabic) singing and Daf playing (Middle Eastern & Eastern percussion) by Jamia Islamia Ghousia Mosque, Bollywood Dance performance from Luton’s Hindu Community and Polish singing by Luton & Dunstable Polish Language School.The overall project was a culminated support by Team Beds Luton, Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation (BLCF), Sports England, Near Neighbours Fund (NNF) and Comic Relief Fund.
