New future for Venerable Bede attraction
SOUTH Tyneside Council is stepping in to save the Anglo Saxon museum and farm, Bede’s World, from closure (News, 19 February). The educational venue in Church Bank, Jarrow, which celebrates the life and work of the Venerable Bede (672 to 735 AD), was previously run by the Bede’s World Charitable Trust, and supported by council grants. The trust became insolvent last month, however, and ownership passed back to the council, which is now planning to introduce new facilities to strengthen the appeal of the site.
Letter
New Dean of Rochester announced
THE next Dean of Rochester is to be the Revd Dr Philip Hesketh, it was announced today. Dr Hesketh has been a Canon Residentiary at the cathedral since 2005. He was educated at King’s College, London, and trained for ordination at Ripon College, Cuddesdon. He served his title in Canterbury diocese from 1994, before becoming Vicar of St Stephen’s, Chatham, in the diocese of Rochester, in 1998.
Churches earn thousands by renting out parking spaces
CHURCHES in the UK have earned more than £500,000 in additional income by renting out their spare parking spaces online, new figures from JustPark suggest. More than 300 spaces, owned by 40 different churches, are reported to be listed on the site, where offers of up to £45,000 are made for parking spaces in areas of high demand. JustPark says that renting private spaces was a “convenient and affordable” alternative to pay-and-display car parks.
Trespassing Quaker at Heathrow sentenced
THE Recording Clerk for Quakers in Britain, Paul Parker, has praised members of the community “who feel impelled by their faith to break the law”, after Sam Sender, of Ealing, was found guilty of aggravated trespass on Wednesday of last week. Mr Sender, a Quaker, was given a six-week suspended sentence, and required to do 120 hours of community service, at Willesden Magistrates Court, after he and 12 activists from the environmental pressure group Plane Stupid entered a security-restricted area at Heathrow Airport.
Nicolson to appeal against High Court judgment
A RETIRED priest, the Revd Paul Nicolson, will appeal against a High Court ruling that found in favour of Grant Thornton, Haringey Council’s external auditors. Mr Nicolson had argued that costs awarded to the council by the Tottenham magistrates if late and non-payers of council tax were summoned and if they were issued with a liability order were unlawful. Mr Nicolson challenged the way that the costs were calculated. He has been ordered to pay Grant Thornton’s costs of £50,000.
Bible society appoints new CEO
THE Bible Society has appointed the economist and theologian Paul S. Williams as its new chief executive, it was announced on Tuesday. Mr Williams is currently Research Professor of Marketplace Theology and Leadership at Regent College, Vancouver. His work focuses on the relevance of the Bible in society. He will take up the post in September. He replaces James Catford, who left the Bible Society in December, after 14 years.