Many of our churches and schools run regular activities or one-off projects that show their faith lived out in everyday action, caring and serving people in need in their communities.
The diocese's Social Responsibility Panel exists to support churches in their loving service of the world. The panel is chaired by the Archdeacon of Leicester, and individual panel members hold briefs for different specialist areas, which you can explore below.
Bishop Martyn's Social Policy Advisor can also be contacted (florence.gildea@leicestercofe.org) if you have any questions about engaging your community on social or political issues.
If you are planning a social action project, click here for more information and advice.
Areas represented on our Panel of Social Responsibility:
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
Panel for Social Responsibility Contact:
Chair Alison Adams: alison.adams@leicestercofe.org
Chair Alison Adams: alison.adams@leicestercofe.org
Criminal Justice
Panel for Social Responsibility Contact:
Helen Stokes: Helen.stokes@hmps.gsi.gov.uk
Helen Stokes: Helen.stokes@hmps.gsi.gov.uk
Deaf Ministry
Panel for Social Responsibility Contact:
Karen Sly: karen.sly@leccofe.org
Karen Sly: karen.sly@leccofe.org
Here is a video we made of: The Lord’s Prayer in British Sign Languag
Dementia
Panel for Social Responsibility Contact:
Chair Alison Adams: alison.adams@leicestercofe.org
Chair Alison Adams: alison.adams@leicestercofe.org
Deprivation
Panel for Social Responsibility Contact: Clare King, cmking@leicester.anglican.org
For more information on diocesan activities concerning Estates Churches and Urban Affairs please contact Clare.
Disability
Panel for Social Responsibility Contact:
Emily Williams: emily.williams@LeicesterCofE.org
Emily Williams: emily.williams@LeicesterCofE.org
For issues relating to Disability please contact Emily, or see the resources available.
Environmental Matters
Panel for Social Responsibility Contact: Andrew Quigley: revdaquigley@gmail.com
Take a look at our Eco Diocese web pages here to see how you and your church could start making a difference.
Fairtrade
Panel for Social Responsibility Contact:
Vicky Gilbert: vickygilbert2004@gmail.com
Vicky Gilbert: vickygilbert2004@gmail.com
Fair trade means that the people who grow or make what we buy get a fair price and fair conditions. Fairtrade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world. By requiring companies to pay sustainable prices (which must never fall lower than the market price), Fairtrade addresses the injustices of conventional trade, which traditionally discriminates against the poorest, weakest producers. It enables them to improve their position and have more control over their lives. Fairtrade standards comprise both minimum social, economic and environmental requirements, which producers must meet to be certified, plus progress requirements that encourage continuous improvement to develop farmers’ organisations or the situation of estate workers. Trade isn’t just about goods and services. It’s also about people – the people who work to produce things and the people who purchase things others have produced. When trade works well, everyone can benefit. When it doesn’t, some people can be exploited for the benefit of others. Seeking a fair deal for the people who produce what we use is part of our Christian obligation to love our neighbour and to strive for justice. That’s why we’re working to make trade fairer.
In the video below Vicky talks more about Fairtrade and what the Fairtrade mark means and how it is awarded, and you can download an additional fact sheet here.
Fairtrade shop
Just Fair Trade
36 Silver Street
St Martins Square
Leicester
LE1 5ET
T: 01162538032
E: askjust@justfairtrade.com
Just Fair Trade
36 Silver Street
St Martins Square
Leicester
LE1 5ET
T: 01162538032
E: askjust@justfairtrade.com
Prayer and Worship Resources: Christian Concern for One World has prayers and resources for churches.
Global Affairs
Panel for Social Responsibility Contact:
Peter Yates: pyates@talktalk.net
Peter Yates: pyates@talktalk.net
In the video below Peter Yates talks more about Global Affairs
Health, Mental Health and Social Care
Panel for Social Responsibility Contact:
Chair Alison Adams: alison.adams@leicestercofe.org
Chair Alison Adams: alison.adams@leicestercofe.org
Housing and Homelessness
Panel for Social Responsibility Contact:
Chair Alison Adams: alison.adams@leicestercofe.org
Download a guide to Leicester Homelessness Services availability during Christmas and New Year 2021-2022
Chair Alison Adams: alison.adams@leicestercofe.org
Download a guide to Leicester Homelessness Services availability during Christmas and New Year 2021-2022
In the video below Alison Adams talks more about homelessness
Modern Day Slavery
Panel for Social Responsibility Contact:
Margaret Rouse: margaretrouse123@yahoo.com
Margaret Rouse: margaretrouse123@yahoo.com
The diocese is a signatory to the ‘Find It, Fix It, Prevent It’ initiative of the Church Investors Group, with the aim of increasing the effectiveness of corporate action against Modern Slavery.
Margaret is also a past Diocesan Mothers’ Union President. The Mothers’ Union has very useful materials around gender-based violence, both to raise awareness and to become active in the battle against this. Check out their PowerPoint presentation and their activism pack on their webpage which explains their annual 16 days of activism against gender based violence. Margaret addressed Diocesan Synod regarding this subject in September 2020, you can read her statement here. In the video below Margaret talks more about what Modern Day Slavery:
Download a fact sheet with support and resources for individuals and churches here.
Christians in Leicester and Leicestershire Against Modern Slavery
CLLAMS are a group who long to see modern day slavery eradicated from our communities. The group is formed of Christians from the locality who come from a cross section of Christian and professional backgrounds. Read more about them here or visit their Facebook Group here.
Poverty, Debt and Hunger
Panel for Social Responsibility Contact:
Alison Adams: alison.adams@leicestercofe.org
Alison Adams: alison.adams@leicestercofe.org
In the video below Alison Adams talks about financial inclusion
In the video below Christina Mottram talks about the Working Poor
Download a fact sheet with support and resources for individuals and churches here, plus an additional one on the working poor here.
Rural Affairs
Chris Oxley is the Leicestershire chaplain to the Farming Community Network (FCN).
The challenges facing rural churches and the communities they serve are a priority for the diocese. Our Rural Commission produced a series of findings which we are currently addressing.
Germinate (Arthur Rank Centre) helps rural churches and communities to flourish. It operates nationally and has some fabulous resources around rural mission etc.