C of E primary school scolds drug-smoking parents
THE deputy head teacher of a Church of England primary school in Greater Manchester has been forced to write a letter to parents asking them not to smoke cannabis around the school gates. Deborah Binns, from St John’s C of E Primary School, in Radcliffe, wrote that parents and some children had spotted others smoking cannabis, and had reported the “serious safeguarding concern” to the school. This set a poor example to pupils, Ms Binns said. She also said that the police had been informed.
Christina Rees to become Dean of Little Gidding
A FORMER General Synod member and campaigner for women’s ordination, Christina Rees, is to become Dean of Little Gidding, the former community and retreat house near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire. The newly created post combines being warden of Nicholas Ferrar House and development officer of the site, which includes the Grade I-listed church founded by the Ferrar family in the 17th century, made famous by T. S. Eliot. Mrs Rees and her husband will move to Little Gidding in the summer.
New research into faith and social media
PARTICIPANTS for a study into how faith is expressed and received on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social-media networks are being sought. David Giles, a postgraduate researcher at the University for the Creative Arts, who also manages social media for the Salvation Army’s International HQ, is looking for Christians to take a survey at www.faithinsocialmedia.org and also, if they wish, to share their social-media history.
Thirty-five years in publishing comes to an end
NICK JONES, the managing director of the Christian publisher Lion Hudson, has announced that he will soon step down after 35 years in the trade. Mr Jones, who has been in his current post for three years, has worked in Christian publishing since 1981, and was managing director of Angus Hudson when it merged with Lion Publishing in 2003.