SEEING IS BELIEVING: EXPOSING THEMES FOR DIALOGUE

At St Martins House this evening for a seminar accompanying the display of winners and finalists of the national photographic competition, Faith Through a Lens.

The seminar, entitled Seeing is Believing: Exposing Themes for Dialogue, is led by Revd Canon Dr John Hall, Director of St Philip's Centre for Study and Engagement in a Multi-Faith Society, which is hosting the Faith Through a Lens exhibition (under the title Faith in the Community) for a week here in Leicester.

John walks the group around the exhibition, leading and encouraging discussion and reflection on the twelve photographs in turn and how each of them fits into the three themes of the competition: Moments of Faith; Community Spirit Against the Odds; and A Year of Service.

John explains that this is the third in a series of touring exhibitions that St Philip’s Centre has put on in 2012-13 (one per academic term). The previous two were Religious Tolerance - Islam in the Sultanate of Oman (July 2012) and Multi Faith Spaces (October 2012). The Centre hopes to make this a regular part of its public programme.

In the photo above, Revd Canon Dr John Hall and Maureen Hebblewhite (Centre Manager at St Philip's) are shown with the overall winner of Faith Through a Lens Photography Exhibition 2012, “Brothers in Arms” by Paul Tiller.

I'll pick out a couple of the photos we looked at and talked about this evening.

Ayyam-i-Ha

by Ronnie Bindra

This photo was taken at the National Bahá'í Centre in Knightsbridge during Ayyám-i-Há, a short period that precedes the Bahá'í period of fasting every March. During Ayyám-i-Há, acts of charity, generosity and hospitality are emphasised. In this photo, people of many faiths and traditions are collecting toiletries to distribute to vulnerably homed people as part of a Year of Service project. I spoke about Ayyám-i-Há to the group this evening - and the Fast that follows it and Naw-Rúz that brings the Fast to an end. Perfect timing too, as we were looking at this photo if not right on sunset, as close to it as makes no difference. So I said that it was Bahá'í New Year right now. Everyone was very nice and wished me Happy New Year. Except I realised soon after that I was a day early! I didn't own up though; didn't want to be a buzzkill!

Helping Hands

by Bobbie Cook

This one gave me pause for thought. When I was younger, I hoped I would be the guy on the left, lending a helping hand. Nowadays, I begin to hope that when I'm the guy on the right, someone else will be there to lend me a helping hand!

As I do at the end of all my blog posts referring to St Martins House, I refer any reader wondering about the omission of the possessive apostrophe from the building's name to a letter from Rev. Peter Hobson, Director of St Martins House, published in the Leicester Mercury, 29 March 2011.

SCOUT HUT READY TO OPEN AS CENTRE FOR COMMUNITY

This article appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

Scout hut ready to open as centre for community

A former Scout hut at the heart of a long row over plans to lease it to a Muslim group is to reopen as a community building this weekend.

The Forgotten Estates group has refurbished the property in Thurnby Lodge, Leicester, and intends to lease it out as a venue for clubs and community groups.

The group was formed in opposition to Leicester City Council's plans to allow As-Salaam Muslim community group to take over the hut.

The council rethought the idea after months of protests by residents outside a nearby community centre where As-Salaam was already meeting to pray.

Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby agreed the Forgotten Estates Committee would be given the lease on the hut, in Nursery Road, for two years rent-free.

Maxine Williams, landlady of the Stirrup Cup pub and founding member of Forgotten Estates, said: "We are very nearly ready to reopen.

"We have had new windows and guttering, a kitchen fitted and fire doors put in. It looks like a totally different building."

She said it would be renamed The 55th – after the Scout group that once met there.

She thanked residents who had raised thousands of pounds toward the refurbishment of the building, as well as tradespeople who had donated time and materials to the project.

She said: "People's generosity has made this happen. The 55th will be used most days of the week.

"We are currently putting the final touches to the groups and the timings."

As-Salaam said it had now agreed terms with the city council over leasing the council-owned Raven Centre, next to Thurnby Lodge Community Centre.

Imam Mohammed Lockhat said the group had started moving in, ahead of formally taking over the lease on April 1.

As-Salaam had previously said it could not afford the city council's asking price for rent, but he said terms had now been agreed.

He said: "We are in the process of moving in. We have resolved all of the issues."

He said the protests which cost more than £200,000 to police and had deterred some worshippers from attending prayers, had stopped.

He said: "There have not been any protests for about a month.

"That is we are getting back to normal.

"I am trying to get all those people who were scared to come to return, but that is taking time."

Sir Peter said: "We have reached a position where everybody involved has the opportunity to fulfil their hopes and ambitions.

"It has taken a lot of patience from everyone involved and I would like to thank them for that."

FAITH IN THE COMMUNITY: AN EXHIBITION

All this week at St Martins House, St Philip's Centre for Study and Engagement in a Multi-Faith Society  presents a collection of inspiring images from winners and finalists of Faith Through a Lens, an annual photographic competition attracting entries from all over the UK. Profiling faith in the community, entrants were judged across three categories:

• Moments of Faith
• Community Spirit Against the Odds
• A Year of Service

Judges for the 2012 competition included renowned photo journalist Don McCullin, Minister for Faith and Communities, Baroness Warsi and the Rt Hon Eric Pickles MP.

All copy below comes from the exhibition catalogue. All images are the property of  Congregational & General Insurance Company, sponsors of the competition.

Brothers in Arms

by Paul Tiller
OVERALL WINNER

This winning entry was praised by all the judges as an exceptional photograph focusing on two Romanian drug addicts who were helped by a Christian ministry. As an image it has immediate impact and was praised for clearly conveying the message of a moment of faith. It has fantastic use of light and has been closely cropped to create a real intensity in its composition. The New Testament seems almost luminous and there is a sense that the two men are in a world of their own as they read these words from the Bible. The photo was a unanimous favourite amongst the judges, with its compelling subject matter and excellent composition making it a worthy winner indeed.

Alfred's Lunch

by Sarah Phipps

Sarah's photograph was highly praised by the judges for profiling the work of unsung heroes who do so much "behind the scenes" in society. it's a simple act of giving someone a meal, but it's a powerful act nonetheless and portrays a positive community spirit message. It's a photograph that has both warmth and visual interest.

There but for the Grace of God

by Bob Boler

Excellent composition and good tonal balance makes this image stand out. There is a connection between the two people and the expressions on their faces are very well caught. it was judged to be powerful, with a sense of movement and several points of interest around the central characters. It's not just a case of "down and out" or a negative portrayal of homelessness. The photograph clearly portrays a service.

Receive

by Angela Broadberry

Singled out for its clear Eucharistic overtones, this photo was praised by the judges for its quality and tone of light. The composition was well liked there is a softness to the photo and calmness much like a still-life painting. The clarity of the lines on the person's hands gives the photo added character and depth.

Hands of Love

by Jennifer Humphreys

This photo was judged to have a strong composition and was well like by the judges with an overall image that symbolises community and openness. The photo speaks of an openness to receive and the strong bonds that exist between members of faith communities across the UK.

Eyes On Me

by Elija Paul Villanueava

A visually interesting image created through the use of colour. This photograph was praised for having a painting-like appearance, much like a Canaletto. The composition was also highlighted being strong with St Paul's Cathedral central to the image conveying a message of faith.

Love of Faith

by Ravin Mehta

The judges felt that this lively image reflected a positive powerful force. There is good colour balance and the setting of Trafalgar Square, the scene of many gatherings over the years, adds dynamism to the scene.

Interfaith Iftaar

by Riaz Ravat

A strong photograph demonstrating the cohesion in society as represented by many different faith and community groups coming together. It communicates diversity and multi-faith strongly and speaks of community spirit too.

Ayyam-i-Ha

by Ronnie Bindra

There is a great deal of vibrancy and activity within this photograph, with people giving, talking and sharing. This was thought to be a good representation of the category as well as being pleasing to the eye. It has a positive image of everyone working together. [I should add here that this photo was taken at the National Bahá'í Centre in Knightsbridge during Ayyám-i-Há, a short period that precedes the Bahá'í period of fasting every March. During Ayyám-i-Há, acts of charity, generosity and hospitality are emphasised. In this photo, people of many faiths and traditions are collecting toiletries to distribute to vulnerably homed people as part of a Year of Service project. - GMB]

Realisation

by Gary Watson

This was thought to be a nicely composed photograph which captures a poignant moment that speaks about faith. The photographer has chosen to highlight certain elements of the scene with colour which draws attention and invites the viewer to question why?

Hope, Faith & Love

by Kamal Mostofi

The image portrays a very strong and dramatic image depicting uncomfortable subject matter. The central character's face shows the pain that homelessness can bring. The power of this photo comes from its clear and gritty portrayal of humanity, but its clear and gritty portrayal of humanity, but its photographic beauty comes from the fact that there is always hope, even in the midst of despair.

Helping Hands

by Bobbie Cook

This simple almost self explanatory street scene was singled out for its very powerful composition; in particular the figures of the elderly man stooped and walking with crutches in juxtaposition to the young helper. It portrays a sense of humanity and the prospect of hope in humanity and the prospect of hope in society too. This was judged to be an uplifting and poignant image.

Faith in the Community runs till 1200 on Friday 22 March. Revd Dr John Hall, Director of St Philip's Centre, presents Seeing is Believing: Exposing Themes for Dialogue, a reflective seminar discussing  themes of the exhibition's imagery and exploring the possibilities for further inter faith dialogue at 1800 on Tuesday 19 March in The Wycliffe Suite at St Martins House.

As I do at the end of all my blog posts referring to St Martins House, I refer any reader wondering about the omission of the possessive apostrophe from the building's name to a letter from Rev. Peter Hobson, Director of St Martins House, published in the Leicester Mercury, 29 March 2011.

TREE OF LIFE IS PEOPLE'S CHOICE

I'm pleasantly surprised (that's putting it mildly) to see Charlotte Jones post this on her Facebook page:

Waiting 5 years, rescuing it from near skipping and lugging this tree across Leicester on my back, was all worth it - it won the prestigious "People's Choice Award" at the Green Light Festival!! (Voted by a small but obviously well refined group of voters.) I'm glad it got this final outing before it goes/gets lugged to it's final resting place at Folville Primary. Well done all 150 children (now teenagers!) who made it!

Some choice quotes from the kids (they're written all over the tree, inspired by a 500 year old tree we visited):

• In the future I would like to stop terrorism.

• There will be a new Skittles flavour.

• I hope I don't get shot.

• Will the BMX track be bigger?

• Artists should invent more animals.

Tree of Life was an educational project in which I took part, with Clare Bull, Clare Carr, Charlotte Jones and Claire Plumb for a week in the summer of 2008. It was based at Leicester's EcoHouse and used the ancient oak tree in Western Park. This involved several local schools in day-long sessions of storytelling, handicrafts, honing their thinking and speaking skills, music and movement - and new ways of seeing, thinking about and expressing their relationship to the natural world. It was one of the highlights of my post and stands out as a beautiful, enjoyable and fulfilling experience on a number of levels. The sun shone the whole week long and it all left a lovely memory.

The Tree of Life itself (made by Clare Bull, its leaves populated by the words of the schoolchildren who took part in the project) hung on the wall of the Eco House for several months, then  ... vanished. I'm glad to see that it has risen like a phoenix - if that's not too mixed a metaphor!

EDUCATION SECRETARY OPENS FREE SCHOOL

This article appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

Education Secretary opens free school

Education Secretary Michael Gove unveiled a plaque at a school yesterday to mark its official opening.

The minister was at Leicester's first free school, Krishna Avanti, in Evington, where he cut a ribbon in front of guests and pupils, including Leicester East MP Keith Vaz.

Mr Gove pioneered the free school concept in which parents, charitable groups and others can bid to set up a school.

Krishna Avanti was set up by the Hindu-based Avanti School's Trust in September 2011, using £4.5 million of Government funding.

Mr Gove spoke about the "inclusive" nature of the school, which takes pupils from all faiths.

Head teacher Christopher Spall said: "It was great to have the minister here and to celebrate the opening with guests from across the city's faiths.

"It also gave us a chance to show off the facilities and to thank all those who helped bring the school together."

THIS WEEK'S VISITORS (1,298)

Regular update on the number of pageviews received from different parts of the world in the week just ending.

1. United Kingdom 526
2. United States 372
3. France 126
4. Germany 61
5. Sweden 52
6. Japan 45
7. Ukraine 43
8. South Korea 32
9. Spain 21
10. Russia 20

This week's total: 1,298 (last week: 1,712). These are aggregates of figures from the top ten countries only. Blogger's analytics doesn't show the numbers of pageviews below the tenth-ranking country and they don’t show the cumulative total including those additional countries, which is undoubtedly larger than the number shown above.

The world map at the top of this post is the graphic that I see on the stats page. The darker the green, the more pageviews from that country. I can see different versions of that map for "now" (i.e. in the last two hours), "today", "this week", "this month" and "all time". They're updated each time I look at them.

COMIC RELIEF FROM THE DCU

It's Red Nose Day and the Justice League put in an appearance on Charles Street to help raise money for Comic Relief. DC Comics recently rebooted their whole line, giving some well-known characters a well-deserved makeover. I don't really think that this is what they had in mind though! And where are the other members of the League? Green Lantern and Aquaman were on a break at Caffe Nero (just water for Aquaman, obviously) while Cyborg was visiting the Apple Store in Highcross, looking for a Pink Lady. That last one is quite a good joke if you're a fan of the DC Universe by the way. Well, Harry got it anyway!

MEET IAIN STEWART, GENERAL SECRETARY, EDINBURGH INTERFAITH ASSOCIATION

A lunchtime meeting in Brucciani's, Church Gate, with Iain Stewart, General Secretary of Edinburgh Interfaith Association. Iain is taking the MA in Inter Religious Relations at St Philip's Centre for Study and Engagement in a Multi-Faith Society and is down here for one of the course sessions tomorrow.

Iain and I met for the first time almost exactly a year ago at an  second Open Meeting sponsored by Leicester Council of Faiths. The topic was "God in My Faith" and the meeting was held in in the Parish Hall of Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church, Mere Road, Highfields. At that time, Iain was in his previous post as Interfaith Worker for the Church of Scotland. On that occasion we had barely enough time to introduce ourselves one to the other and promise to make time to meet again later. So here we are!

We know many of the same people and places that feature strongly in the inter faith work in Scotland - although my experience there is mostly historical. It's good to hear about the current scene in my home country - and home town of Glasgow in particular.

At the end of our hour or so together, I take Iain into Highcross, to show him the site of our annual Inter Faith Week exhibition and the Faith Room nearby. I can tell he's impressed - I hoped he would be! 

KRISHNA AVANTI PRIMARY SCHOOL OFFICIALLY OPENED BY RT HON MICHAEL GOVE MP

I'm privileged this morning to have been invited by the Governing Body of Krishna Avanti Primary School to attend the official opening of the school, in the presence of guest of honour The Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State for Education.

Krishna Avanti Primary School is housed in Evington Hall (a Grade II Listed Building) which was built in 1835 as the home of the Sheriff of Leicester. Set in five acres of of lush grounds, the spacious site provides an ideal environment for learning and play. The hall was previously home to Leicester Grammar Junior School. There has been a major refurbishment and new build programme which combines the very latest in modern design with the heritage of Evington Hall.

Keith Vaz MP (in whose constituency the school lies) acts as MC for the visit. Mr Gove's car is about half an hour late, which gives guests more time than we expected to mix and mingle in the cold outside the front entrance to the school.

Once Mr Gove arrives, it's hard to get a decent photo of him, despite my best efforts (witness exhibit A, above, where Mr Gove's face is obscured by the furry microphone on Nick Harmer's video camera). I have more luck getting a shot of Mr Gove leaving (exhibit B, below).

The Minister's visit is covered extensively in the local media (see reports in the Leicester Mercury before and after, reproduced in this blog) and on the school's website.

EDUCATION SECRETARY TO VISIT LEICESTER'S FIRST FREE SCHOOL

This article appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

Education Secretary to visit Leicester's first free school

Education Secretary Michael Gove was due to officially open Leicester's first free school today.

Mr Gove pioneered the free school concept and will visit Krishna Avanti, in Spencefield Lane, Evington, to unveil a plaque at the site.

The Hindu free school, which was set up by the Avanti School's Trust in September 2011, takes pupils from all faiths but has a Hindu ethos.

Some £4.5 million was granted by the Department for Education to the trust to buy and develop the school in the grade II-listed building, formerly occupied by Leicester Grammar Juniors.

A contribution of £200,000 was also made by the trust.

Mr Gove said: "Free schools such as Krishna Avanti are helping to raise standards across the country.

"Krishna Avanti provides an inclusive education with a special Hindu ethos that is rightly popular with parents and I'm delighted to have this opportunity to meet the staff and children."

Krishna Avanti was created under the Government's new education agenda where parents, charitable groups and others can bid to set up a school, providing they demonstrate the ability to do so.

Although free schools don't have to follow the national curriculum, Krishna Avanti does.

It is funded via the local education authority in the same way as most schools, but money goes directly to the school and no cash is retained by the city council for central services.

Three free schools in London are also run by the trust.

Leicester East MP Keith Vaz will also be at the site for its official opening.

John Simpson, chairman of the trust, said: "We're pleased Michael Gove and Keith Vaz have accepted to formally open Krishna Avanti.

The trust now has four schools in its family, each of which are committed to providing a distinctive high quality education."

Mr Vaz said: "I'm delighted that despite his busy schedule, Mr Gove is coming here. I want to pay tribute to Krishna Avanti, who worked long and hard to acquire this school, and for the land to remain as an education site. This is a symbol of what makes Leicester so special."

Finishing touches to the school were made at the end of last year. It now has two new classroom blocks added to the building and a worship hall which doubles up as a dining area.

A large plaza has also been created. The grade II-listed building has been repainted throughout and new carpets added.