News from the APPG

West Midlands Combined Authority Signs the Faith Covenant

September 21, 2023

On Thursday 14th September 2023, faith leaders and local authority representatives from across the West Midlands gathered in Walsall as they became the first combined authority to sign the Faith Covenant. Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, opened the night with a speech outlining the potential of what further partnership working could accomplish for the region, followed by speeches from Amrick Singh Ubhi, Chair of the West Midlands Faith Strategic Partnership Group, and Daniel Singleton, National Executive Director of FaithAction. Representatives from Walsall

Faith Covenant Forum Meeting, 4 July 2023

July 4, 2023

On 4th July 2023, the APPG on Faith and Society hosted its eighth Faith Covenant Forum, a virtual roundtable discussion providing an opportunity for faith and local authority representative from Covenant areas to hear about interesting topics relevant to them and share learning and best practice. This forum meeting was chaired by Daniel Singleton, National Executive Director of FaithAction, the secretariat to the APPG. We heard from Matthew Allen and Jeremy Simmons from FaithAction about the new Bloom Report, an independent review on how government

Faith Covenant Forum Meeting, 9 March 2023

March 23, 2023

On 9th March 2023, the APPG on Faith and Society hosted its seventh Faith Covenant Forum, a virtual roundtable discussion providing an opportunity for faith and local authority representative from Covenant areas to hear about intersting topics relevant to them and share learning and best practice. This forum meeting was chaired by Sir Stephen Timms MP, Chair of the APPG. We were pleased to be joined by Paul Woodman from City Life Church, Southampton and Canon Hilary Barber, Vicar of Halifax Minster and former vice-chair

Faith Covenant Forum Meeting, 10 November 2022

November 11, 2022

On 10th November 2022, the APPG on Faith and Society hosted its sixth Faith Covenant Forum, a virtual roundtable discussion providing an opportunity for faith and local authority representative from Covenant areas to hear about intersting topics relevant to them and share learning and best practice. This forum meeting was chaired by Sir Stephen Timms MP, Chair of the APPG. We were pleased to be joined by Prof Chris Baker, who reflected back on the findings of the recently published Keeping the Faith 2.0 report,

Faith Covenant Forum Meeting, 5 July 2022

July 7, 2022

On 5th July 2022, the APPG hosted its fifth Faith Covenant Forum, a virtual roundtable discussion providing an opportunity for Covenant holders to share learning and best practice, and for prospective Covenant areas to hear and ask questions about how and why they should establish one. This forum meeting was chaired by Daniel Singleton, National Executive Director of FaithAction, who are the secretariat to the APPG for Faith and Society. We were pleased to be joined by Baroness Uddin, Officer of the APPG for Faith

Faith Covenant Forum Meeting, 23 February 2022

February 28, 2022

On 23rd February 2022, the APPG hosted its fourth Faith Covenant Forum, a virtual roundtable discussion providing an opportunity for Covenant holders to share learning and best practice, and for prospective Covenant areas to hear and ask questions about how and why they should establish one. This Forum meeting was chaired by Rt Hon Stephen Timms MP, and had an update from Professor Chris Baker, William Temple Professor of Religion, Belief and Public Life at Goldsmiths, University of London on his follow-up research to the

Recent Highlights of the APPG Faith & Society

February 11, 2022

It has been a busy time for the APPG on Faith & Society. Take a look at some of the recent highlights and developments. Inter Faith Week 2021 Celebrating Brent’s Faith Covenant Brent Council and Brent Multi Faith Forum (BMFF) came together during Inter Faith Week to mark the fourth anniversary of Brent’s accession to the Faith Covenant. The event was celebration of all the Covenant had allowed the borough to achieve, and an opportunity for BMFF and the council to renew commitment to the

Event with the University of York: Churches, COVID-19 and Communities

December 10, 2021

The All-Party Group on Faith and Society hosted a report briefing with the University of York on Thursday 9th December. The report, Churches, COVID-19 and Communities is a joint publication by the University of York, Historic England, the Church of England, the Association of English Cathedrals, the National Churches Trust, and the Historic Religious Buildings Alliance. The report examines the impact of closing church buildings and restrictions on activities provided or hosted by churches, on the lives and wellbeing of individuals and communities. It also

Event with Leeds Beckett University: Concepts for a COVID-19 Commemoration Event

November 26, 2021

The All-Party Group on Faith and Society held a session with Leeds Becket University on Wednesday 24th November. At the event, two students from the UK Centre for Events Management, based at the university, put forward their concepts for a National Commemoration Event for the UK to mark the COVID-19 pandemic. During the session, senior lecturers Reverend Ruth Dowson, Dr Ian Lamond and Bernadette Albert, gave some background information about the brief given to the students. Students Olivia Preston-Lee and Beatriz Lobato-Castilla, then presented their

SAVE THE DATE: Churches, COVID-19 and Communities

November 23, 2021

Earlier this year, the Centre for the Study of Christianity & Culture at the University of York produced a report on the value of churches to local communities entitled Churches, COVID-19 and Communities. This was measured primarily through the services and support churches provide to local residents (members and non-members alike), as well as through the experience of loss felt as a result of the closure or restricted activity of churches during the pandemic. The report and subsequent work have looked at four central questions:

News from the All-Party Parliamentary Group