Friendship Walk held to show unity in Jo Cox’s seat
CHURCHES, mosques, community groups, and the local council have arranged for a Friendship Walk to take place in the West Yorkshire town of Batley, five days before the by-election to choose the MP to replace the murdered Jo Cox. The Associate Priest in Batley, Purlwell and Hanging Heaton, the Revd Mark Umpleby, said that the walk on Saturday next week would publicly demonstrate to the community how united the different faith groups were. The man accused of killing Mrs Cox appeared in court on Tuesday, and refused to speak when asked to enter a plea of guilty or not guilty.
Police appeal for evidence in church-abuse investigation
SUSSEX Police and the diocese of Chichester have appealed for witnesses and information into alleged child abuse at St Margaret’s, Warnham during the early 1980s. It is alleged that a choirboy aged between nine and 11 was sexually assaulted by an adult in St Margaret’s and elsewhere between 1981 and 1983, and the police believe that other boys may have also been victims. A 55-year-old man now living in Essex has been arrested on suspicion of the crimes and interviewed by detectives.
Priest’s charity to offer housing-crisis solution
TAXPAYERS Against Poverty, the campaign group run by the retired priest the Revd Paul Nicolson, has launched a new drive to promote ways of solving the housing crisis in Britain. Experts on housing, including the Oxford academic Professor Danny Dorling, will write blogs on the charity’s website every Friday on the problems facing housing and possible solutions.
Conning couple who defrauded elderly priest sentenced
A SOLICITOR and his wife who plundered tens of thousands of pounds from a vulnerable retired vicar’s savings have been sentenced, writes Paul Wilkinson. The Revd Jane Waugh, aged 78, who suffers from Alzheimer’s, was one of four elderly clients who placed their legal and financial affairs in the hands of Giles Scott, aged 63, a former senior partner in a York law firm. But he stole money from their accounts to fund a lavish lifestyle and pay off his debts. He was sentenced to four years last week after admitting multiple counts of fraud, theft, and transferring criminal property. His wife, Clare, denied charges of money-laundering and fraud, but was found guilty after and sentenced to one year.
Medieval stonework raises £210,000 for Canterbury Cathedral
AN AUCTION of medieval masonry removed from Canterbury Cathedral during renovation work has raised £210,000 for future conservation projects (News, 23 September). More than 200 people took part in the auction two weeks ago where 144 lots of stonework were sold, including two pieces dating back to 1428, which sold for £7400 each.