FAITH AND REFLECTION ROOM AT RNIB COLLEGE LOUGHBOROUGH

 

I've  accepted an invitation by the RNIB College Loughborough to take part in the official opening of their new Faith and Reflection Room today, during the College's Winter Festival.

The RNIB College Loughborough is a national specialist college, supporting people aged 16 and upwards who are blind, partially sighted and/or have other disabilities, through day and residential places.

I'm met at reception by Norma Curtis, Quality Improvement Manager (with responsibility for Equalities and Staff Development - in the pink top in the photo above), who shows me a space among the tables offering tombola, raffles, crafts and games where I can display our pop-up banner and leaflets (as well as literature from the Regional Equality and Diversity Partnership – REDP).

Once I’ve got that set up, Norma takes me to the Faith and Reflection Room ahead of its official opening, so she can show me what’s there and tell me how it has been developed. The room has been designed by learners for everyone's use: fellow learners, staff and visitors. It's reserved for use by Muslims exclusively every week day, 1310-1330.

Given its particular setting, those designing the room have addressed needs and sensitivities that are not often considered: high colour contrast between objects; soft furnishings; appealing to different sensory experiences than might be found in other such rooms (a fragrance diffuser, a basket of stones of varying textures, a speaking clock); use of braille and large type.

There’s a small chest of drawers with space for resources for Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Humanism, Judaism, Sikhism (and for Islam, stored in a separate box, as one of the Muslim learners has particular access difficulties). Some of these are less full than the others; hopefully, we can encourage the relevant communities to donate some appropriate material.

Copies of the 2011 Directory of Places of Prayer, Meditation and Worship in Loughborough in large print and in braille are mounted on the wall (and copies to take away).as well as the "Find a Church" directory.

Improving quotations have been printed out and mounted on the wall, amongst which are the following:

"He who sows courtesy reaps friendships, and he who plants kindness sows love." (St Basil) 

"It is easy to do what is harmful to ourselves. What is helpful and good is hard to do." (from the Dhammapada) 

"Life is a progress and not a station" (Ralph Waldo Emerson) "Wonder is the beginning of wisdom." (Socrates)

Leicester Council of Faiths doesn't have any specially adapted material for people with sight loss, but we have tried to bear in mind best practice in terms of layout, typography etc for print and display materials to promote better accessibility (thanks for this advice and guidance to Eric Day, Access Officer at Leicestershire Centre for Integrated Living). We’ve tried to do the same for our online presence (e.g. website, blog).

We gather for the official opening shortly after 1100. Following a brief introduction by Tony Warren, Principal of the College (centre, in the photo above), a blessing is delivered by Father Joe Mullan, Roman Catholic Chaplain at Loughborough University (left of Mr Warren in the photo above). Next, I’m asked to say a few words about the multi-faith nature of the room and its resources.

Among the small party a the official opening of the Faith and Reflection Room is Lesley Ansari (far right in the photo) whom I know from Human Rights and Equalities Charnwood and as being involved with Loughborough Council of Faiths. What I didn’t know until today is that she’s also a member of the College's Board of Governors

Above and beyond the particular Protected Characteristic of Religion or Belief represented by opening of the Faith and Reflection Room, it's gratifying to see how the College is dedicated to equality and diversity in their fullest forms.

A statement of the college's Code of Practice on Equality and Diversity is on public display, not only in the Faith and Reflection Room, but throughout the building. There are also names and photos of the college's Equality and Diversity Champions, one for each of the following Protected Characteristics:

• Age
• Disability
• Marriage / Civil Partnership
• Pregnancy / Maternity
• Race
• Religion, Belief & Non-Belief [sic]
• Sexual orientation
• Transgender / Gender Identity / Sex

I speak with Norma about REDP and the possibility of the college’s involvement in our activities. We agree that I should come back out to discuss this specifically, early in the New Year.

After the official opening of the Faith and Reflection Room, we're all ushered into the Arts Centre for a performance by learners of their Christmas show, "The Thief of Christmas". This is tremendous fun to watch (and to perform, by the looks of it). Parts of it are presented as a pre-recorded video, which can be seen on the college's YouTube channel (and I bought a copy of it on DVD as well).

From a personal perspective, I’m interested in visiting the college and learning something about its work. I have several issues related to my sight: diabetes (though thankfully, no sign of retinopathy from my regular scans) narrow-angle glaucoma (treated with a combination of drops each morning and evening – though I had unsuccessful laser surgery to try and correct it a few years ago); I also had a cataract removed and replace earlier this year. So although I’ve had no personal contact or involvement with the RNIB College before this event, I find it reassuring that it’s there and doing what it does for those who need it most.

The College mentions the Faith and Reflection Room on its website.

This emphasis on religion can prove divisive

Here's the latest First Person column written by Allan Hayes, published in today's Leicester Mercury:

This emphasis on religion can prove divisive

Allan Hayes, of Leicester Secular Society, makes a plea to the Church of England

On numerous occasions recently I have been heartened by the humanity of people from many faiths and backgrounds (I'll come to my serious worries later): I gave an invited talk to the Christian/Muslim discussion group at St Philips; took part in a presentation by a fellow humanist to Loughborough Council of Faiths; attended a farewell party for a clergyman whom I have known and respected for many years; had the privilege of saying a few words at the launch of a book compiled by a leading Leicester Muslim; I was grateful for generous provision of free space in St Martin's Centre [sic] for the use of Leicester City of Sanctuary (which is not a faith organisation). I have just been invited to speak to a local Muslim community.

All these point to a wish to understand, to get on with, and to value one another as people. The same drive has been evident in other ways: Leicester Secular Society meetings have had speakers from a variety of religious backgrounds; the recent British Humanist Association conference was on the meaning of life and one talk was entitled "What has religion got that we haven't?"; I have been closely involved in the preparation of the Sea of Faith conference taking place at Leicester University this weekend (SoF is a national organisation with members ranging over all the religion/belief spectrum); a week ago I was at a conference in London with humanist, Muslim, and Christian speakers on religion in public life.

For the last eight years I have been the humanist representative on the Leicester Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education, Sacre (this body is responsible for religious education in Leicester state schools, apart from a few faith schools). This has led to many interesting conversations including ones at local and national meetings of RE teachers.

Plenty of evidence then that things are going well: so, what worries me?

I am worried by the prospect of division arising from Government policy: the handing over of significant parts of our school system and public services, to religious bodies; the lack of recognition that at least half of the population chooses not to belong to a religion and does not believe in God, over-emphasis on religious identity, and the privileged consultation accorded some religious organisations.

The Church of England's historical presence and privilege has provided a basis for this state of affairs, and its present institutional policies aimed at maintaining its position, particularly by using schools, have encouraged and legitimised the claims of others. A new accommodation is needed.

I know that some will interpret the preceding remarks as an attack on religion; I hope that the earlier part of this article will go some way to dispelling this impression, and I ask them to join in constructing a human ethos and political vision that will include all our contributions and enable us to go forward together.