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UK news in brief

by
24 February 2017

WORCESTER CATHEDRAL

No duvet: volunteers listen to a poetry set before spending the night in the cloisters of Worcester Cathedral earlier this month. The sleepout was held to raise funds for St Paul’s Hostel and Maggs Day Centre, both of which provide support for those experiencing homelessness in Worcester

No duvet: volunteers listen to a poetry set before spending the night in the cloisters of Worcester Cathedral earlier this month. The sleepout was hel...

Changing Attitude film wins Iris awards
A FILM by Changing Attitude Cymru, All in One in Christ, which had its premiere at St Asaph Cathedral in December, and which features LGBT Christians from north Wales, has won the 2017 Iris Community Short Film Award, and an Iris Award for Leadership, it was announced on Monday.

 

Mothers’ Union welcomes reform of domestic-abuse law
THE Mothers’ Union has welcomed the proposed overhaul of current legislation governing domestic abuse, announced by the Prime Minister last week. The Mothers’ Union submitted a petition signed by 4500 of its four million members to Mrs May, in November, calling for changes to the statutory Child Maintenance Service, so that survivors of domestic abuse “are not forced to re-engage” with their former partner.

 

MPs launch inquiry into child hunger
AN INQUIRY into the extent and impact of child hunger in the UK during the school holidays was launched by a cross-party group of MPs and peers on Tuesday. Frank Field MP chairs the group, which says that many children return to school in a “worse mental and physical condition”.

 

Lion Hudson in administration
THE Christian publisher Lion Hudson, in Oxford, has gone into administration 14 years after its foundation, its appointed admin­istrators, FRP Advisory, confirmed to the magazine The Bookseller on Tuesday. A spokesperson for FRP Advisory said that Lion Hudson was now looking at new restructuring plans that “may include a sale of all the parts of the business”, and confirmed that no further redundancies had been made (News, 3 February). The business continues to trade.

 

Priest helps to convict cannabis producer
THE Team Rector of Twerton-on-Avon, Bath, the Revd Rich­ard Wilson, was one of three landlords to give evidence against a Conservative councillor, Donal Hassett, who was convicted of conspiring to produce cannabis, at Bristol Crown Court, on Wednesday. The court was told that cannabis was produced be­­tween January 2015 and March 2016 in four properties across the West Country, including Mr Wilson’s, it was reported this week. Mr Hassett paid thousands of pounds to secure tenancy of the properties under a different name. Six other people are due to be sentenced for their part in the drugs ring.

 

Christian Aid launches business network
CHRISTIAN AID launched the Salt Network on Monday to sup­port businesses by improving their sustainability, and offering an opportunity to provide financial support to businesses in develop­ing countries, through a special fund. It was formed in response to the UN Sustainable Development Goals to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure equality in prosperity. Besides other changes in practice, members have pledged to assess the risk of modern-day slavery related to subcontractors, and build staff awareness on the subject.

 

Church pays tribute to car-accident victims
MORE than 300 people gathered at St James’s, Selby, on 10 Feb­ruary, to pay tribute to Levi Dickinson, aged 16, and Rhogan Jones, 17, who were killed in a car accident earlier this month. “Levi was a well-known and popular girl who lived on the Flax­ley Road estate in Selby, where we minister,” Captain Richard Cooke CA said. A book of condolence was opened. The church has offered to conduct the funeral free of charge.

 

Correction: Our picture caption featuring a still of two participants of the film mistakenly stated that the women were nuns (News, 17 February). They are former nuns. We apologise for any embarrassment caused.

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