THIS WEEK'S VISITORS (836)

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

1. United Kingdom 373
2. United States 184
3. Russia 113
4. Ukraine 48
5. France 28
6. Canada 25
7. Germany 23
8. India 17
9. Latvia 16
10. Romania 9

This week's total: 836 (last week's: 954). These are aggregates of figures from the top ten countries only. Blogger's stats software doesn't show me numbers of pageviews below the tenth-ranking country.

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" (whenever that is), "today", "this week", "this month" and "all time" (which seems to mean the last 12 months). They're updated each time I look at them.

OPEN PUBLIC SERVICES WHITE PAPER

At Leicestershire Centre for Integrated Living this morning, for a joint meeting with One East Midlands on the Open Public Services White Paper.

More than a dozen participants are here today, representing ten organisations (including Leicester Council of Faiths):

• Age UK
• Leicester Local Involvement Network (LINks)
• Leicestershire Centre for Integrated Living
• Nottingham Community and Voluntary Service
• Nottingham Inter Faith Council
• One East Midlands
• Pakistani Centre, Nottingham
• The Race Equality Centre
• Speak Up 4 Urself Children's Advocacy

This meeting is partly in preparation for an event coming up in Nottingham on Monday 19 September, a conference on "Taking Public Services Forward in the East Midlands" at which there will be a presentation on the Open Public Services White Paper. Today's session is led by Rahcel Quinn, CEO of One East Midlands, who'll be appearing on a panel at the Nottingham event.

A WELCOME VISITOR

Having been at my desk in the Welcome Centre since early this morning, I'm surprised to hear a very light tapping on the door around 0845. I open the door to Irene Zempie, who introduces herself as a Research Student and Tutor at the University of Leicester, Department of Criminology.

We sit and chat for half an hour or so; Irene's unexpected visit reveals itself to be a piece of serendipity. She tells me that her specialist area of research is that of harassment, persecution and victimisation of Muslim women who wear the niqab in public. She has been struggling to obtain local contacts who would be willing to help with her research and just happened to be on her way to a volunteering appointment at Victim Support (our next door neighbours in Bishop Street) this morning when she saw the big poster in the window of our downstairs office, which led her to come upstairs and knock on our door.

Irene's work is highly relevant to recent discussions I've been having with some of our partner groups and organisations in the city in relation to the forthcoming International Hate Crime Day (Friday 28 October), which will be marked with a day-long event at Phoenix Square Film and Digital Media Centre. In exchange for advising her about local contacts who can help with her research, Irene may be able to assist us on 28 October. I look forward to us being able to come to a mutually beneficial arrangement - watch this space.

LEICESTER PEOPLE'S PHOTOGRAPHIC GALLERY: OFFICIAL OPENING

Chris Minter, Head of Leicester Adult Skills and Learning Service; Cllr Manjula Sood, Chair of Leicester Council of Faiths; Sven Goran-Eriksson, Manager of Leicester City FC; Nicola Wood; The Birch - Leicester City FC legend Alan Birchenall

This afternoon I attend the official opening of the Leicester People's Photographic Gallery, which occupies most of what used to be the Central Lending Library on the corner of Belvoir Street and Wellington Street.

The old Central Lending Library is a former concert hall, where musical celebrities such as Paganini and Liszt performed in the mid-19th century. The entrance hall of the library was once a cinema, so today's visitor walks through what used to be a cinema into a what used to be a concert hall – then into what used to be a public library until six months or so ago. I ask three people (who should be in the know) what the building is going to be called in its new incarnation – and I get three different answers. For our present purposes, faithful reader, we'll stick with the old Central Lending Library when referring to the building as a whole, to Flint Hall (as it's going to be renamed, after the architect William Flint) for the as yet underdeveloped ground floor (although you have to go up a flight of stairs or take the lift to get to it) and the Leicester People's Photographic Gallery for the first floor, where the photos are. Never mind the temporary Bike Park in the basement! *Phew*

In his laudatory speech today, Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby described this as "a wonderful use for a magnificent building" – and he's right. Reliable sources at BBC Radio Leicester have stated that this is the biggest photographic exhibition space outside London. Apparently the bill presented to Leicester City Council for getting the building into a fit state to be open to the public was no more than £65 – so much has been achieved by volunteers and from donations. Well-deserved credit goes to Ian Davies, the driving force behind this whole enterprise. Thanks are also given to John E Wright, the commercial printers backing the gallery and providing professional presentation services.

The most striking feature in the (soon to be renamed) William Flint Hall is a sand sculpture by Nicola Wood. Nicola's work is well-known around her home city of Leicester and she's been gathering a following and reputation further afield. My kids have seen lots of her stuff and they love it. She did a great sand sculpture of Tanky Thomas at Summer Sundae last month. She's become known nationally as presenter of Deadly Art on CBBC. You can find out more about Nicola Wood on her website.

Prominent among the guests today is Sven-Göran Eriksson, Manager of Leicester City FC (and former Manager of England, of course). His presence brings a certain frisson to the event. Even I (a dyed-in-the-wool Scotland supporter) get unreasonably excited!

Among the refreshments available today, I'm pleased to see Rosie Clarke offering and promoting her Virtuous Bread. Rosie will be making use of the sizeable kitchen on the second floor of the building as part of her social enterprise. She asks me if I’d like a quick look at the facilities there, but then we discover that the kitchen has been taped off to visitors today to deter the more inquisitive among us. Rosie and I discuss how we might be able to collaborate during National Inter Faith Week at the end of November or during the week-long Leicester Speaks event in October. We put our heads together and come up with a couple of good ideas that we hope to able to develop, to our mutual benefit.

I'd like to acknowledge that I've adapted some information from Colin Crosby Heritage Tours for this blog entry.

A nice set of photos from the official opening can be found on Simon Johnson's Perfect Snapz website.

FOCUSING ON OUR COMMITMENT TO EACH OTHER

Riaz Ravat has written the First Person column in today’s Leicester Mercury: 

Focusing on our commitment to each other 

Riaz Ravat looks at Sewa Day, an inter-faith charity event which brings people together 

In a few days, volunteers from a number Leicester's Indian-rooted faith communities, will come together for a special Sewa Day event. "Sewa" originates from the Indian language of Sanskrit and the concept invokes a spirit of community and selfless service for a just and fair society. It is promoted by different cultures and faiths but the core belief is the same – to sacrifice your time and resources for the benefit of others without wanting anything in return. In this age of the "Big Society", Sewa Day makes a key contribution. 

Leicester would not be Leicester unless we deliver Sewa Day in our own unique and cosmopolitan style. This is why for us the day is anchored in the wider inter-faith context of the city. It is all too easy to run campaigns for individual faiths, by individual faiths. Rather, we have established a special partnership which includes several Gurdwaras, Hindu groups, a Buddhist Temple, an Indian restaurant, as well as individual volunteers from the Buddhist, Hindu and Sikh communities. 

Our project, "Talk over Tea", will involve engaging and entertaining elderly members of the African Caribbean community. Not only are we sharing food and socialising with one of society's most isolated and vulnerable groups but we are also building relational bridges between people of different backgrounds. 

There will be so many conversations to explore, such as discovering each others' cultures, faiths, life experiences, traditions and, of course, diets! It seems like a simple idea, which it is, but it doesn't often happen very often. That's why we need a focus and Sewa Day gives us that opportunity to stop and think about our commitment to each other. 

Although Sewa Day is a relatively new initiative, it is nevertheless, a reminder about the long-standing efforts made by Buddhists, Hindus and Sikhs to the social fabric of the UK. 

Charity is part and parcel of these major faiths and is delivered in temples and communities every single day of the week. Sewa Day is just one of many faith-based social action initiatives run each year. In November, the Christian-Muslim Dialogue Group will run its 10th annual charity dinner. 

St Philip's Centre with its Christian heritage has co-ordinated the distinctive effort for Sewa Day. There is a precedent for how people of one faith can engineer charity efforts which are based in other traditions. Last year we launched Leicester's first-ever Mitzvah Day campaign. Mitzvah is a Hebrew word meaning "good deed" and our partnership with the Jewish community and other faiths of the city once again demonstrated our common endeavour, which is to utilise the best that each of our faiths offer to serve wider society. 

Sewa Day – next Thursday – will show that when Leicester contributes, it makes a difference by being different. 

Riaz Ravat is based at St Philip's Centre, Leicester.

RELIGION UNDER ATTACK

This letter appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

Religion under attack

Mr Allan Hayes (Mailbox, September 10), member of the Leicester Secular Society and the humanist movement, again tiresomely calls for religious influence to be abandoned.

Some of his views I can find favour with. The need to co-exist, the need for all of us to respect one another's views, the need for understanding.

There he should leave it, but, no, he insists on picking a fight with us of faith, all faiths.

He reminds me of the story of two tribes, the "Haves" and the "Have-nots" that lived on either side of the wide densely covered jungle valley. They each survived and lived in peace for many generations unaware of the other's presence.

One day, they discovered each other's existence, and although they lived only several miles apart, they had developed quite separately. The "Haves" had religion, the "Have Nots" had not.

Most of the tribe members were prepared to continue their way of life undisturbed and trade with the new tribe, except one person in the "Have Nots", who felt their way was the supreme way and continually harassed the other tribe to change their ways until the "Haves" patience was exhausted. Readers can finish the story themselves...

It was well over a year ago the Leicester Secular Society and the UK Humanist tribe set out to harass us religious people, even though we had co-existed for years. I cannot claim the Church has a clean record – recent reports would prove me to be deluded if I tried – but the actions of a few selfish, arrogant and perverted individuals in positions of trust should not condemn the millions who do charitable work day in, day out in centres, churches, streets and schools.

If a small minority's actions forecast the fate of millions, atheists would suffer, whatever My [sic] Hayes and his colleagues would claim against religion.

If atheism is so good, and for some it may be, why do committed atheists harass faith followers rather than centre on atheism's merits for recruitment?

Stephen A Warden, Wigston

CENTRE "HAS BROUGHT MISERY"

This article appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

Centre "has brought misery"

Neighbours say inconsiderate users of a community centre are making their lives a misery.

People living in Keble Road, off Welford Road, Leicester, said they have faced nuisance parking and late-night noise since Knighton Community and Education Centre opened in July.

The Islamic centre is allowed to open from 7am to 1pm but neighbours said noise had been heard as late as 3.30am.

Maria Moran has kept a log of incidents of traffic congestion and noise in the cul de sac.

She has collected a 15-signature petition calling for action against centre users she said parked on double yellow lines.

"They've got a lease for three years and I can't live with it because I know it's not going to go away. I can't stand one more week of it," Ms Moran said.

She said the centre was at its busiest on Friday afternoon, when up to 70 worshippers attend.

Another resident, Lizzy Webb, said: "The parking is the biggest problem.

"I understand on the odd occasion it needs to be open longer but we are a residential street.

Neighbour Julie Miller said: "I don't think they're being respectful.

"They need to find somewhere suitable but I don't think that's Keble Road."

The centre was due to host a meeting last night with residents, councillors and police.

A statement released by the centre said it was aware of residents' "worries over potential noise and visual pollution caused by an increased flow of people to the area".

It said: "Ultimately, it is our desire to create an education centre which will aid members of our community.

"Furthermore, we desire to resolve any outstanding issues so we may all continue to live in peace together."

Fayyaz Suleman, secretary of Leicester Council of Faiths, said: "People were parking in a way that was not appropriate and we admit that.

"We've held our hands up but there are some people who won't be happy whatever we do."

FIRST SIGHT OF NEW BAPS SWAMINARAYAN MANDIR

Following our meeting with representatives of British Hindu Voice at Shree Sanatan Mandir, I suggest to Minou Cortazzi that we take a quick trip up Catherine Street to see the new BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir.

Despite having heard so much about the temple and having seen various articles and letters about it in the Leicester Mercury, this is the first time I've actually clapped eyes on it. I have set out to see it on foot at least twice already, but never quite made it (thank you Google Maps!)

This will be the biggest Hindu temple outside of Neasden. In a word: impressive!

RE: WE SHOULD TAKE A BROADER VIEW OF BELIEF

Allan Hayes has written the First Person column in today's Leicester Mercury:  

RE: We should take a broader view of belief

Allan Hayes calls for change in the position of religion in our schools' curriculum.

Thank you for your Opinion column, "Compulsory religion is out of date" (Mercury, September 7). It is time that we faced up to these issues. I write in a personal capacity, but with a long involvement with religion and its role in society: I am a director of Leicester Secular Society, a trustee of the British Humanist Association and Humanist representative on the Leicester Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE).

The requirement of compulsory acts of worship could be simply dealt with – it could, and I think should, be removed. That not just because it is widely ignored and the majority of the population is in favour of its removal; compulsion in religion is morally offensive.

Of course, morning assemblies are a valuable part of the school day.

One of the most inspiring experiences during my year as chaplain to the Lord Mayor, was a visit to morning assembly at one of the city's infant schools.

It was a joyous and happy affair with children singing and reading, and reflecting on life and caring. It set the feeling for the school as a caring community – it was good.

Religious Education is a more difficult matter.

In spite of the efforts of teachers and advisers, the subject still gives the impression to many people of the state pushing religious views on to children.

And consider the make-up of SACREs, the local bodies responsible for what is taught: four groups, one for Church of England, one for other approved religions, one for teachers' representatives, one for representatives of the local council. What about other beliefs and the great number who just want to get on with their lives without reference to religion? Millions of people are essentially humanist in their outlook, but Government guidance is that humanists should most definitely not be full members.

In addition to these issues of principle, there are real worries among teachers of RE at the reduction in the subject's status and the resources available, and its not being included in the English Baccalaureate.

What might be done? Can the subject evolve and widen into one in which our humanity is nourished and celebrated, including our religions – a subject where we learn to value one another directly as people and where respecting someone's religion is a consequence of a wider respect for people?

I would like to think that it can, but I don't know. Perhaps, here in Leicester, we have the possibility of bringing this about.

Our schools should bring us together, and it is on this point that, while I welcome your opening up of the discussion, I have to say that I think that your suggestion of simply leaving RE and worship to individual schools would push us in quite the wrong direction. It would lead to division – it could also result in schools rather than the state exercising compulsion.

EVENT CELEBRATES THE BEST OF OUR CITY

This article (about Our Leicester Day) is published in today's Leicester Mercury:

Event celebrates the best of our city 

People turned out to an event promoting local charities, community groups, societies and clubs yesterday. 

Up to 100 organisations showcased their work and activities during the inaugural Our Leicester Day, held at the city's market. 

Businessman and charity worker Richard Brucciani came up with idea after seeing a similar event while on holiday in France. 

City mayor Sir Peter Soulsby, who attended the event, said: "It's a wonderful opportunity for groups from all over the city to share their activities with the whole community. This is a great initiative." 

Dawn Morgan, 54, of Newfoundpool, Leicester, said: "I've just come into town with my daughter and grandchildren and happened across this. I never knew there were so many organisations doing so much good work in Leicester." 

Community worker Riaz Ravat said: "We see Our Leicester Day as a chance to promote the work we do and the opportunities for people to get involved. 

"But what is more significant is that we're showing how Christians and Muslims can work together on the 10th anniversary of 9/11." 

Mr Ravat arranged for leaders from the Christian, Hindu, Muslim and Sikh faiths to visit people and businesses following last month's violence in Leicester. He said: "We want to help restore the reputation of Leicester because the city has taken a few knocks recently." 

Our Leicester Day featured a diverse mix of groups, ranging from a sci-fi club and Viking enthusiasts to organisations helping people cope with cancer, HIV, sexual assault and domestic abuse. 

John Niblett, of the Rotary Club of Oadby Launde, said the group hoped to recruit more members by taking part in the event. He said: "It gives the organisations who carry out so much voluntary work in Leicester a chance to make the public aware and hopefully involve them in the work that they do."