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Might SACREs help schools stand up and be counted against poverty this coming October? Hello Denise (and others in NASACRE and SACREs) If you look at www.just1.org.uk and then on to StandUps and Lending a Helping Hand, you'll find what should be a very pleasant surprise for many in SACREs across the country (and my wife is a member of one.) It's something seriously ecumenical, simple, and right in line with your aims. So you should find it a nice little extra for October that many involved with RE will appreciate knowing about early on. The core idea will chime well with head teachers and PSHE/RE co-ordinators and others in faith schools - and in many with a similar caring and outreaching ethos. Last October from a standing start I got 17,0000 in schools to join in - and that response has helped me gird up my loins and other bits for this year. With StandUps Against Poverty, schools and colleges of all sizes and sorts will take part in this year's 50 Days of Global Action on Friday 16 October (or the nearest convenient day before). They'll all share out loud the simple Promises to the Poor - during assembly or in classrooms (I saw both last year). As last year, many teachers will use the opportunity to develop other activities. Many with follow with letters to the Prime Minister (I've warned him - and he has sent me a delightful letter full of appreciation for everyone taking part). I'm sure the idea of composing StandUp Songs will appeal. There's no money involved - and the only material needed can simply be downloaded for printing just what people want. And if it works well we should have a million people in schools and elsewhere standing up against poverty in October - alongside 100+ million around the world. It's a sort of rally - but not political, not lobbying, not marching on the streets but thoughtfully in classrooms and places of worship and homes and where people usually are on a Friday to Sunday. To get StandUps rolling across all faith groups this year, my first route has been to ask all 120 or so Catholic and Anglican bishops in the UK and Ireland to invite all their schools (and parishes!) to join in. Three have already asked for theirs to be counted as a StandUp Diocese, automatically enrolling nearly 500 schools. Others are sounding out their advisory teams. To move things along, I'm about to nudge all directors of education in dioceses, and to send press releases to national, education and faith media. And I'll also be getting the word out to other faith leaders, locally and nationally. Just1 is just me. What would help hugely - without much effort or time on the part of people - is for local SACRE chairs and members who like the StandUp idea to... simply spread the word among their own schools and contacts by drawing attention to what's at the website www.just1.org.uk. perhaps join in wherever they are on Friday 16 October (and a great place would be alongside the pupils in one of their schools) perhaps declare themselves a StandUp SACRE! If so, I'll be happy to list their basic details on a special webpage, and perhaps do some media write-ups which would help to further the public appreciation of all your work and perhaps rehearse reading out and sharing the Promises to the Poor in SACRE and other meetings, conferences and courses, . (Last year one bishop did this with 100+ head teachers who were apparently very moved by this quite unusual action.) You may have other suggestions, of course - and I'm happy to keep an open ear. Anyway, that's for starters. I'll keep you posted on developments.
With all best wishes |
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