Prof Robert Beckford
Prof Robert Beckford joined the University of Winchester in 2021 as the Director of the Institute for Climate and Social Justice. Robert is an activist scholar, working interdisciplinarily to address, confront and overturn injustice in African mainland and diaspora communities. Robert’s scholarship takes place across a range of media. He has written eight monographs exploring the interface of religion, ethnicity and social justice. His most recent work is an action-research project on decoloniality, music and theology (Decolonising Gospel Music: A Revolutionary Theopraxis, Bloomsbury 2022).
Robert is a BAFTA award-winning documentary filmmaker. His films have contributed to increasing public awareness of issues of corporate malfeasance in Africa, the reparations movement and anti-racism in Britain. Robert’s most recent media projects are an independent film project funded by the Movement for Justice and Reconciliation (50k), exploring the meaning of reconciliation in response to the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade (‘After Noah: Christianity, Slavery and Reconciliation 2022’), and a BBC World Service documentary on the environmental impact of colonialism on Barbados (2022).
Robert is currently involved in a range of research and knowledge exchange projects, including a hip-hop/rap music-inspired sustainability resource for Key Stage 1 Geography and a series of religious icons titled ‘Our Lady of Climate Justice.’
Dr Jayme R Reaves
Dr Jayme R Reaves is Director of Academic Development at Sarum College. She is a public theologian with specific interests in feminist and liberation methods, and has a keen interest in helping congregations, organisations, communities and individuals to reflect on both, developing theologies on specific public issues such as race, gender, economics, and immigration. However, she is also interested in helping people learn to think more deeply about theology’s public impact by considering what we believe and how we talk about theology and religion in ways that shape and influence culture, both for good and for ill.
Her book Safeguarding the Stranger: An Abrahamic Theology and Ethic of Protective Hospitality looks at the theology and ethic of providing sanctuary or refuge to those who are under threat, and how the Western Christian theology and practices of hospitality can be enriched by the recovery of honour and etiquettes related to hospitality as seen in the Jewish and Islamic traditions.
The majority of her work explores socially-engaged biblical studies and considering the various theological and social legacies created by social injustice, violence, peace, reconciliation and moral courage, with interests in both non-violent resistance and non-confessional and interfaith theological and ethical constructions and practice. Over the last 20 years, she has worked as a consultant, researcher, facilitator, and lecturer in the United States, Bosnia, Croatia, Great Britain, and Northern Ireland.
Bishop Mike Royal, General Secretary, Churches Together in England
Bishop Mike Royal is the general secretary of Churches Together in England.
He is a Pentecostal Bishop with the Apostolic Pastoral Congress.
Bishop Mike is a social justice advocate and was previously the co-chief executive of The Cinnamon Network, and is a founding trustee and former national director of Transforming Lives for Good (TLG).
Rt Revd Rose Hudson-Wilkin, Bishop of Dover and the Bishop in Canterbury
Bishop Rose was born and raised in Jamaica, and was educated at Montego Bay High School for Girls and later at Birmingham University.
She trained with the Church Army and was commissioned in 1982 as an Evangelist; she later trained for ordination at Queens Theological College on their part-time course, ordained deacon in 1991, priested in 1994 and served her title at St Matthew’s Church, Willenhall Road in the Diocese of Lichfield. For sixteen and a half years she served as a priest in Hackney (Holy Trinity with St Philip, Dalston and All Saints, Haggerston). In 2007 she was appointed as a Chaplain to Her Majesty the Queen and in 2010, she became the first female appointed to the position of the 79th Chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons. In November 2014, she took on the additional responsibility as Priest in Charge of St Mary-at-Hill church, London. In November 2019, she was consecrated as a Bishop in the Church of England.
She has previously served as a member of the General Synod of the Church of England and also as one of the Panel of Chairs of the Synod. She has twice represented the Church of England at the World Council of Churches (in Zimbabwe and Brazil); she served as its priest representative on the Anglican Consultative Council for 9 years. She also served as a Selection Secretary for the Church of England, helping to select men and women seeking to test their vocation to the ministry.
Revd Dr Inderjit Bhogal, Lead, Church of Sanctuary
Revd Dr Inderjit Bhogal OBE is a leading theologian and Methodist Minister. He is founder and President of City of Sanctuary, a former President of the Methodist Conference, and the former Leader/CEO of the Corrymeela Communty.
His work in interfaith relations was recognised with an OBE in the 2005 New Year’s Honours List. Inderjit was also the recipient of the 2018 World Methodist Peace Award.
Read Inderjit’s comment on social justice in immigration.
Dr Nicola Brady, General Secretary, Churches Together in Britain and Ireland
Dr Nicola Brady is the General Secretary of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI). She was formerly the General Secretary of the Irish Council of Churches, and Joint Secretary of the Irish Inter-Church Meeting.
Dr Brady has experience in faith-based peace-building both in Ireland and internationally, her work having included human-rights advocacy, support to victims and survivors, community engagement with policing, and research and publications.
She is a Director of Christian Aid Ireland and of the Maximilian Kolbe Foundation.
Richard Reddie, Churches Together in Britain and Ireland
Richard is the Director of Justice and Inclusion at Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI).
He is a writer, researcher, cultural and religious commentator and broadcaster.
He is the author of three books, and the editor of the new publication, Race for Justice (Lion/SPCK – 2022).
Vanessa Baker, St Dunstan’s Primary School, Birmingham
Vanessa Baker is the Assistant Head Teacher at St Dunstan’s Catholic Primary School, a school in the heart of vibrant Kings Heath. St Dunstan’s has been a School of Sanctuary since December 2021 and is something of which the school and community is very proud. At the core of its values, is to live out the Gospel values of loving one another, as Jesus loved us. This for the school, includes welcoming the stranger, which it teaches its pupils is what Jesus teaches themto do. All the pupils believe that they are builders of a new humanity, one where everyone is treated as an equal, and this has been down to the Catholic Social Teachings and its School of Sanctuary Journey.
Jasmine Cullen – Restore
Jasmine Cullen is Restore’s Befriending Co-ordinator. Jasmine matches refugees and asylum seekers with trained volunteer befrienders and supports a team of over 100 volunteers.
Befriending is a mutually beneficial service that helps refugees settle into their new community and helps volunteers to understand more about the cultures of those moving into Birmingham. Befriending involves providing welcome and time to practice conversational English, as well as sharing information on relevant services, college courses or volunteering opportunities. The main benefits are relationships across cultures, reduced social isolation, improved confidence with both English and navigating life in the UK and better mental health and wellbeing. Each befriending match is unique. One refugee described the impact as follows, “In the country I fled, so many people were trying to break me down. Through Restore and befriending I have learnt the beauty of being built up. This was new to me.”
Restore is a project of Birmingham Churches Together responding to the call of Jesus to welcome the stranger. Restore’s vision is for a society into which all refugees and asylum seekers are welcomed, valued and integrated. Restore works towards that vision through building relationships and equipping for integration, motivating for action and working for change. Restore’s relational services are one-to-one befriending and group social activities.
James Trewby – Fatima House
James Trewby is the Columban’s Justice, Peace and Ecology (JPE) Co-ordinator and Education Worker. In this role he helps young people and educators explore the relationship between faith and action, where possible through experience and encounter; “A life unlike your own can be your teacher” (St Columban).
James is a qualified teacher with an MSc in ‘Education and Training for Development’ and a PhD exploring life stories of activist educators. He has volunteered and worked for the Salesians and the Columbans and has varied experiences of community life, prayer, supporting volunteers, social action and activism. None of this adequately prepared him for having two small children.
Revd Gerard Goshawk
Rev Gerard Goshawk is pastor at Six Ways Erdington Baptist Church in North Birmingham, the first Church of Sanctuary in the UK. He is also chair of trustees of Erdington Foodbank and very much active ecumenically. And within the Baptist Union of Great Britain, he has been at the forefront of working for racial justice.
QARN
The Quaker Asylum and Refugee Network (QARN) was set up in 2006 with the aims of supporting each other in our support for asylum-seekers and refugees, and ensuring that Quakers across the country are kept up-to-date with developments. We believe that a principled critique of current asylum policy should be part of our corporate Quaker witness, in keeping with our Testimony to Equality. For almost twenty years we have held meetings and workshops, produced leaflets and written articles, organised conferences and online courses, and have regularly contributed to parliamentary inquiries. Our current priorities (as well as the ongoing tightening of the asylum system) are visa fees, detention, the outsourcing of government work, and housing and accommodation. We have a small steering group and hold open meetings four times a year.
Stories of Hope and Home
Stories of Hope and Home is a small Birmingham-based charity with dual complementary aims. Firstly, to provide a safe space for people with experience of seeking sanctuary to build community, to share stories and experiences, and to engage in creative activities. Our sessions together involve conversations, creative writing and many cups of tea! We have, among other things, written a poetry book and co-created a performance with the Welsh National Opera. Our participants come from all across the world, with people of different genders, ages, cultures and faiths: and yet describe ourselves as one family. And secondly, to facilitate encounters which take their stories to others, particularly but not exclusively in schools.
Not everyone who has sought sanctuary wants to share their personal story, but for those who do, helping them to find their voice and the confidence and opportunity to do so is mutually beneficial for both speakers and listeners. No-one tells the story of seeking sanctuary better and more powerfully than those for whom it is their lived experience. We deeply believe in the power of personal encounter to transform understanding, to challenge stereotypes and misconceptions, to develop empathy and compassion, and to inspire action.
ChangeKitchen CIC
ChangeKitchen CIC, has dedicated over 13 years to serving colourful, tasty climate conscious food for all, to Birmingham and beyond, with their credentials winning them the Birmingham Green Restaurant award.
Their team of diverse staff and volunteers deliver incredible, memorable weddings, birthdays, office lunches and more, as well as cooking up meals for the community using surplus ingredients. With a wide-ranging selection of well-loved dishes from around the world to sample from, as well as proudly catering for dietary needs and allergies, they are well placed to deliver on our ethos of bringing everyone around one table of colourful, exciting dishes.
All their food is made with local ingredients wherever possible, from golden rapeseed oil from the Cotswolds to free-range eggs from nearby, high welfare farms. And we do all of this while supporting those furthest from the labour market back into work. We believe passionately this makes a difference not only to our food, but to the world.”
