Lancaster Faith & Justice Commission Parish News Bulletin November 2020 Peace Sunday 17 January 2021: a Culture of Care As
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Lancaster Faith & Justice Commission Parish News Bulletin November 2020 Email: [email protected] Website:www.lancasterfaithandjustice.co.uk St Bernadette’s Parish House, Bowerham Road, Lancaster LA1 4HT Inspiring, provoking resources for parishes and schools at https://theecg.org/resources/ The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons has been ratified by the required 50 states and will come into force on 22 January 2021. Hosted by Parliamentary CND, join our webinar to discuss how to advance this issue within parliament and civil society - to ensure that we move towards UK ratification. Co-chaired by Caroline Lucas MP, Green Party and Kirsten Oswald MP, Scottish National Party. Speakers include Ambassador Alexander Kmentt from Austria who was part of the initiative to develop the Treaty, Kate Hudson from CND, and Ambassador Barbara Alvarez from Cuba - a state party to the TPNW. Date: Thursday 12th November Time: 11:00 – 12 noon Register: Here Early Day Motion: Working with our partners in Parliament, CND is lobbying the British government to support the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and work towards the global elimination of nuclear weapons. Ask your MP to sign EDM1072 here. Peace Sunday 17 January 2021: A Culture of Care as a Path to Peace www.paxchristi.org.uk This issue includes : P.2 Modern Slavery: How the churches can help; Tip of the Iceberg P.3 Global link-a warm welcoming safe place; Solving a problem P.4 Are we all seeking sanctuary? P.6 Investment for a Green Recovery; Responsible Investment Bill P.7 IICSA Report; Living Wage for Careworkers Charter P.8 One year to COP 26-but what exactly is it? P.9 Report Your Planet and Your Parish -Living Laudato Si’ weekend at Boarbank; P.10 Faith for the Climate; Climate Coalition Green Recovery Plan P.11 CAFOD Report Plus more information , resources , events and opportunities to respond 1 Modern Slavery: how the Churches can help Churches Together in Cumbria and the Cumbria Police have organized two training sessions planned on-line through Zoom. The training is free and will be given by the Clewer Initiative. The Clewer Initiative helps church communities to respond to modern slavery by raising awareness in their communities and providing support and care to the victims. This training is designed for our church audience, although it can be used more widely. The Train the Trainer sessions will use material prepared by the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA), to enable participants to inform and raise awareness in their own parish or community. It will be delivered in two sessions, entitled‘ Trafficking Awareness’ and ‘Spotting the Signs’ it covers the definition of modern slavery, the Modern Slavery Act, the common hallmarks of modern slavery in the UK, and what you should do if you encounter it. It is a Train the Trainer course, so anyone who undertakes it should be able to deliver it themselves in their own community. Session 1: 4:00pm - 6:00pm Monday 16th November 2020 Session 2 4:00pm - 6:00pm Monday 23rd November 2020 In addition the sessions will look at the other resources which are on offer from the Clewer Initiative including; If you would like to participate please contact Shelagh Goldie • Safe Car Wash app at: [email protected] • Homelessness Please circulate the information as you think appropriate. • Hidden Voices • Rural toolkit • School Resources etc The tip of the iceberg? On 19th October 2020, the Home Office published itsannual report on modern slavery, outlining the scale of modern slavery in the UK and how the UK has responded to this threat over the last 12 months. It acknowledges the ongoing challenge of ascertaining the exact number of people trapped in modern slavery. Nevertheless, the available data and analysis makes sobering reading. For example, the number of NRM (National Referral Mechanism) referrals has increased by 52 per cent from 6,986 referrals in 2018 to 10,627 in 2019. While this is not a good estimate of overall prevalence, it does provide a snapshot of known victims and reveals, again, year-on-year growth. Similarly, if you consider Police Recorded Crime, it shows a substantial rise. In the year to March 2020, there were 7,779 modern slavery crimes recorded by the police, a 59 per cent increase from 4,897 in the year to March 2019. The force recording most modern slavery crimes was the Metropolitan Police, accounting for 30 per cent (2,334) of all crimes. This was followed by West Midlands Police and West Yorkshire Police. The figures exclude Greater Manchester Police, who were unable to supply data due to the implementation of a new IT system. In the last year, there has also been an increase in case referrals to the CPS, including cases referred for early investigative advice, which have resulted in charges being made. In total, 322 defendants investigated for modern slavery offences were referred by the police and a legal decision was provided during 2019, of which 239 defendants were charged by the CPS. While the number of victims in the NRM or cases referred to the CPS are just the tip of the iceberg, they are a good indicator and suggest that modern slavery is growing in scale. The report explains the Home Office’s strategy of Pursue, Prevent, Protect and its commitment to victim identification and support and responding internationally to modern slavery and encouraging upstream prevention. It is important reading for anyone interested in fighting modern slavery but sadly shows there is still a long way to go. Download report https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/ attachment_data/file/927111/FINAL-_2020_Modern_Slavery_Report_14-10-20.pdf 2 http://www.globallink.org.uk/ Global Link are seeking to raise the deposit to buy a building, where they can run educational classes, or health and wellbeing workshops, deliver their information and support services, the Sewing Circle and a 'store' for free clothes and household items. Where they could run a food club, and where refugees could run their own activities, like art classes or a craft market. Where, when things open again, resume the Lunch Drop in, have leisure activities, or just a space to relax and meet other people. The building they are looking at is the Britannia Pub on Ullswater Road, and deposit target was £75,000 (with a view to then getting a loan from the Charities Aid Foundation). In the weeks since its launch the fundraising appeal has raised £47,000, so it is definitely possible! Donate at: http://www.globallink.org.uk/NewHome.php Asylum seekers and refugees have described Global Link as a 'second home'. We know that Global Link is greatly appreciated, and even loved, by asylum seekers and refugees in the District As one refugee commented "I am not happy when I came to here ..Now I say it for everyone, if a new asylum seeker comes through the door I tell them 'you are very lucky to be in Lancaster', because I know what support you will get Here you can see two videos about our work with refugees and asylum seekers. This one focusses on our Lunch Drop in this one on all of our work We have a vision of a long-term space in Lancaster where refugees and asylum seekers can feel welcome, supported and safe, where they can meet local people, and where they can access support, information and advice to enable them to reach their potential in the UK. We need to raise £75,000 to help us fund such a space. Local agencies have observed that Lancaster would be much worse off without the hub of Global Link- a place for asylum seekers and refugees to get support and a place for socialising - and that there would be more isolation, homelessness, and mental health problems among asylum seekers and refugees We want to provide that warm and welcoming hub, a place where we can develop more support services, more educational and integration activities, more spaces for socialising and relaxing, more spaces for arts and physical activity, more spaces to find health and healing. Your donation will help us make this vision a reality by donating HERE If you would prefer to donate by BACs, please contact us on 01524 36201, and if you would prefer to pay by cheque, please send it to Global Link, YMCA, New Road, Lancaster St Wilfrid’s Parish Preston solving a problem A Coleman Shelter has now been purchased by the parish and is in place, in front of the garage, in the church courtyard. This is for use as a Lobby by parishioners before and after Mass when the weather is inclement and/or when social distancing cannot be maintained in the Narthex; for use by the Tuesday evening food Drop-In for the homeless; for use by Metanoia Project at their Wednesday evening weekly clothes Drop-In. 3 ARE WE ALL SEEKING SANCTUARY ? Just as new lock-downs are being announced, it feels as if many of us are having to find ways of living with the Covid pandemic. These often involve making difficult sacrifices and discovering ways of dealing with so many types of loss and bereavement. Just as our lives are turned upside down we might find a glimpse of what it feels like to suffer the losses and traumas faced by refugees seeking sanctuary. And for many refu- gees, particularly those awaiting decisions on their claim, life is particularly challenging. The recently- announced 3p per week increase in the asylum seeker subsistence allowance is nothing less than an insult.