We are delighted to let you know that over 5 million people now live in areas covered by the Faith Covenant, developed by the APPG. Brent this week became the 10th local area to adopt the Covenant, a set of principles that guide joint working, through which faith groups and councils (and other local bodies) all make a commitment to working together to meet the needs of their communities. Brent follows Essex, which signed a Covenant at county-wide level in October, and Blackpool, which in September...
On Tuesday 19th September, Blackpool Council and local faith leaders met at the Blackpool Solaris Centre to sign up to new framework for working in partnership, the design of which was inspired by the APPG on Faith and Society’s own Faith Covenant. The drive to promote better partnerships between the Council and faith groups was spearheaded by Together Lancashire, who had previously co-ordinated initiatives to map the extensive work being done by faith groups in service to communities in the area. Andy Divall, Strategic Equality...
by faithaction · Published November 15, 2016
· Last modified September 22, 2017
FaithAction and the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Faith and Society hosted an event in Westminster on Monday 14th November, at the start of Inter Faith Week. The Faith in Local Government reception celebrated the Faith Covenant developed by the APPG, for which FaithAction is the secretariat. Our keynote speaker was the Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, who was vocal in his support of faith, describing it as “undoubtedly a force for good in our country”. He...
by faithaction · Published September 19, 2016
· Last modified September 22, 2017
The APPG on Faith and Society is delighted to announce that the Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, will be joining us for a parliamentary reception to celebrate the Faith Covenant. This invitation-only event is to be held in Westminster on Monday 14th November, and will be attended by members of the APPG alongside Council and faith leaders from areas that have adopted the Faith Covenant. This reception will be an opportunity to share the good practice that...
A policy roundtable discussion was held on Thursday 14 July in Portcullis House, focusing on faith-based organisations’ responses to issues of finance, poverty and austerity. The event marked the publication of the report Public Faith and Finance: Faith responses to the financial crisis, which was presented by authors Dr Therese O’Toole and Dr Katya Braginskaia of the University of Bristol. Omar Shaikh of the Islamic Finance Council UK spoke about the Council’s work, and its joint project with the Church of Scotland to develop ethical...
by faithaction · Published July 20, 2016
· Last modified September 22, 2017
The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Faith and Society was formed to support and promote the work of faith organisations in the United Kingdom. Faith groups are often the very glue of society; they provide a place for people to come together, they seek out solutions, and they provide hope. We want to affirm these values of community and hope for the United Kingdom today.
by faithaction · Published May 10, 2016
· Last modified August 3, 2016
US agencies have published a ruling that will provide new religious liberty protections for beneficiaries of federally funded social service programmes, while also adding new protections for the ability of religious providers to compete for government funds on the same basis as any other private organisation. This ruling provides a very interesting comparison with the Faith Covenant here in the UK. Read more We are grateful to Dr Harriet Crabtree, Executive Director of the Inter Faith Network for the UK, for bringing this to our...
by faithaction · Published May 5, 2016
· Last modified August 3, 2016
The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Faith and Society, chaired by the Rt Hon Stephen Timms MP, has pressed today for national support and uptake of the Faith Covenant. The Covenant, developed after hearing evidence from faith groups across the country, was the idea of David Lammy MP, who was keen to develop a set of principles that faith groups and local authorities could adopt to promote joint working. Since its development in 2013, six local authorities have recognised the significance and potential of the...
by faithaction · Published May 5, 2016
· Last modified June 2, 2016
On Thursday 5th May, there was a general debate in the House of Commons Chamber amongst MPs on ‘the contribution of faith organisations to the voluntary sector in communities’. The debate was scheduled by the Backbench Business Committee after the issue was raised in a meeting by Fiona Bruce MP and Rt Hon Stephen Timms MP, both members of the APPG on Faith and Society. A video of Fiona Bruce MP and Rt Hon Stephen Timms MP’s representation to the Committee is available below, courtesy...
by faithaction · Published March 1, 2016
· Last modified June 2, 2016
Updated 5th May 2016: Minutes from these events have now been made available. The Counter-Extremism Strategy What are the responses and concerns of faith groups to the Counter-Extremism strategy – and should people of faith be more concerned? Speakers: Liam Byrne MP, Fiona Bruce MP, educational consultant David Brown and others tbc Date: Tuesday 22 March Time: 3:00pm – 4:30pm Location: Jubilee Room, House of Commons (entrance via Cromwell Gate) Minutes of this meeting are available Commission on Religion and Belief in British Public Life ...
