Columns (November 2009)
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Green Links
with Janis Irvine
When I was a child in Tasmania we had an open fire in which we burned split logs which sizzled and crackled in a most comforting way. Apart from keeping us warm, the fire helped to dry the washing during the often-wet Winter months, not to mention my hair, and could be called upon on a drizzly, grey Sunday afternoon to toast simple comfort food such as slices of bread or pink marshmallows. The wood for the fire was dragged out of the bush on routine forays into the hills surrounding our property.
Nature had a way of shedding branches from giant eucalypt or myrtle trees on to the bush floor and these were gathered up and brought back for cutting into suitable lengths. At around nine years old, I was considered safe to let loose on a small tomahawk and it then became my role to cut some of the pieces into kindling sticks, a task I found strangely satisfying.
This direct reliance on trees taught me at an early age just how important they are, an insight further compounded by watching my father employ his joinery skills to build wooden furniture that was used in the house. Tasmania is known as the ‘Apple Isle’ and every Spring the fields around the Huon Valley would be a mass of pink and white blossom. In late Summer, there would be a plentiful supply of locally-grown produce if this was not enough, trees supplied that all-important shade from the blistering heat of a late Summer’s afternoon. Walks home from school would often be spent hurrying from one tree to another where the canopy would give valuable shade and an air temperature several degrees cooler.
Trees have captured people’s imagination down through the centuries. Think of some of your favourite places and it is highly likely trees will feature somewhere in the scene.
In his wonderful little book “The Man Who Planted Trees”, the French writer, Jean Giono said he had written the story in the 1950’s “to make people love the tree or, more precisely, to make them love planting trees”. It is the story of a shepherd who planted oak, beech and birch seeds as he moved about with his sheep and over the years, instead of the desolate, wind-swept terrain that had been, his new plantations of trees had brought water to wells and dry river beds which in turn brought meadows, new habitation and gardens. Within a few years of the story being published it had been translated into a dozen languages and inspired re-forestation efforts all over the world.
A modern-day champion of trees is Wangari Maathai who grew up in Kenya and was fortunate in having a wise mother who made sure she went to school. As a child Wangari watched as her local forests were felled and witnessed the devastating results of this short term gain: the soils dried up and the rivers died. She gained a biology degree at university in Kansas and became the first woman in East or Central Africa to get a PhD. She made it her life’s work to bring trees back to Kenya “to make her country green again”. In a country where the people were often malnourished, she saw that trees would provide a supply of wood that would enable women to cook nutritious foods, provide fencing materials and fodder for cattle and goats. They would also give shelter for people and animals, protect watersheds and bind the soil while fruit trees would provide food. In turn birds and animals would return and bring life back to the land.
Wangari Maathai has suffered much over the years in Kenya but because of her vision, her Green Belt Movement has seen 35 million trees planted in Kenya. She now campaigns against the destruction of the world’s native forests and climate change saying: “The world’s forests are its lungs. Thick, healthy strands of indigenous trees absorb huge amounts of carbon dioxide and keep them out of the atmosphere. If the Congolese rainforests were entirely destroyed, for example, 135 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide would be released – the equivalent to more than a decade of manmade emissions. So if we lose these forests, we lose the fight against climate change”.
Both of these stories offer hope and inspiration. We, too, can plant trees and help make a difference.
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Rural Affairs
with Dagmar Winter
You may remember a good while ago we heard of the new structures which the new unitary authority in Northumberland was going to bring about. Amongst other things, there was talk of Community Forums. As these are now gradually being set up, more advanced in some parts of the county than in others, it’s time to have a closer look.
Of course, Community Forums are not just for rural areas. But I wonder whether they are particularly relevant for rural areas, since many of our towns already have community partnerships of various kinds. In the sparsely populated rural areas, where parish councils often work in isolation (geographical and otherwise) from one another, there will often be a number of issues beyond the control of an individual parish council which affect a number of parish councils in a particular area at the same time. Highways are an obvious example, but it may be any kind of service provision or facility relevant to more than one parish among neighbouring parishes.
So, what is a Community Forum?
Here’s the official wording: “It is a gathering of people and organisations [so this includes your church, your sports club, your village hall, your WI etc; DW] who are willing to work together to improve the quality of life in their towns, villages and neighbourhoods, for the good of all residents. Forum work is an attempt to link the views and ideas of local people with the decision-making processes of the local authority, parish and town councils and those involved in delivering services.”
Note, this does not take away power from the Parish Councils since a Community Forum (which will naturally include both parish and unitary councillors) has no decision-making authority. But don’t lose interest just yet: a Community Forum has an important function in gathering the voice of neighbouring parishes on really practical issues of common interest, and, importantly, pursuing and following up such issues with the relevant Parish Councils and County Council to make sure good ideas and intentions don’t get lost.
Who can be on the Community Forum?
These may be individuals, members of voluntary and community groups, people who run businesses, and parish and unitary councillors. They might meet around a table to talk, or they might meet somewhere else, outside even, wherever a particular issue needs to be pursued and where the local people most affected are to be found.
How is it organised?
Within each of the three localities of North Northumberland, West Northumberland and South East Northumberland, there are several areas comprising a number of parishes. Every area has one Community Forum. Eg, in North Northumberland, one area is called Seahouses and Belford (seven parishes), another area in West Northumberland is called North Tyne and Redesdale (nine parishes).
Of course, a community forum needs someone to make it happen: a host. The host sorts out the practical running of meetings (publicity for them, invitations, venue, minutes, etc). For Seahouses and Belford, to stay with our examples, the host is the Seahouses Youth Project, for the North Tyne and Redesdale area, it’s the North Tyne and Redesdale Community Partnership. In many other areas, this is only just being set up and staff from the Northumberland Strategic Partnership are setting up initial meetings. During initial meetings, a chair is also elected who brings the voice of the Community Forum to the Area Partnership of either North, West or South East Northumberland.
By the way, the boundaries of the areas for Community Forums are not set in stone and may be adjusted. Apart from that, it’s also perfectly possible for Community Forums to cooperate across area boundaries, or for parishes to relate to more than one area – it just depends on the practical issue at stake.
Is my church involved? And in which Community Forum area are we anyway?
Ask your parish priest or PCC Secretary if you’re not sure whether your church or anyone in your deanery is involved. Ask in the congregation whether anyone is involved in another capacity and can report back on what the issues are.
Serving on a Community Forum makes sense for a local church: it helps focus on local issues and involves the church with other individuals and organisations who are concerned for the good of local people.
For details about the areas, excellent maps, go to www.nsp.org.uk/page.asp?id=5 or ask your local councillor for details.
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View from the Lantern
with Canon Sydney Connolly
Soon after Margaret Robertson retired as Manager of the Cathedral Shop at the beginning of this year, Heather Gunn took over and has devoted a lot of time, energy and enthusiasm to her job.
One of the major changes has been to the layout of the shop, still in its latest location in the Refectory. The furniture has been changed around, and several new stands put in place. Another important change, says Heather, is that the shop is now open on Saturdays, and so is the Cathedral Cafe, from 10.30am to 2.30pm. So now you can feed on home-made soup and organic bread, scones and cakes, before you browse through the extended range of goods on offer in the shop.
The Saturday opening is perfect for those days when you are in the Cathedral for something else, and need a bite to eat or something from the shop before you go home. A few Saturdays ago, for example, I was there for the quarterly Taize style worship, which included the ministry of the Laying on of Hands and Anointing, and was able to enjoy some delicious soup and bread afterwards. I’ll tell you more about the Taize services and the Cathedral’s Ministry of Healing in future articles.
Heather reminded me that the shop now stocks the everpopular “Yankee Candles”. She can describe the various scents far better than I can! “The scents range from clean cotton which reminds one of freshly washed linen, sparkling lemon which strangely enough smells like exactly what it says on the jar – clean, crisp lemon” she says. Alongside the scented candles, the shop also stocks things to go with them, such as plates to stand them on, candle shades and votive holders. To cope with expected Christmas demand, three new scents have been ordered to add to the existing stock.
A fruitful partnership has been struck with Newcastle Tourist Information Centre, which means that we can extend our stock of such souvenirs as aprons, tea towels, mugs, bags, teddies, key rings, badges and confectionery.
A completely new addition to the shop is a beautiful range of hand-made jewellery by local designer Ruth Haldon, which is proving to be very popular. You will find on display earrings, bracelets, and necklaces, all of which are crafted with the highest quality of beads, glass and gems.
The shop also holds a diverse range of books which includes a section for children, historical Newcastle, local interest, and some Bibles and other religious works. All in all, there is something for just about everyone in both good honest food and shopping: we look forward to seeing you. I haven’t heard anything yet about Buy One Get One Free, but who knows? Heather and her volunteers are now gearing up for Christmas, preparing for a busy few weeks ahead.
For a lot of people, a visit to the shop and cafe comes after they have spent some time looking at the Cathedral – perhaps for the first time. I am struck sometimes as to how hesitant strangers can be when they approach the Cathedral doors (and are more than a little relieved when they discover that entrance is free!) That’s where the Ministry of Welcome is so important in offering hospitality to our guests. After the visitors have spent time looking around, taking photographs, and visiting the shop and cafe, frequently, I’ve noticed, they sit quietly for a few moments, breathe in the peace, and maybe light a candle at St Margaret’s chapel. That’s when I feel that the Cathedral really has something beyond price to offer. Long may it continue so to do.
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Christian Aid
Quadruple your money and use it to help a hungry community thrive
Christian Aid is calling on churches, schools and other groups to raise money to make an arid part of Africa bloom and so transform the lives of thousands of local families adversely affected by climate change. What makes this project so special is that every penny raised by participating groups will be quadrupled by a European Commission co-financing project.
To join the scheme, churches and other organisations in the UK pledge to raise at least £5,000. Once the national total raised for Christian Aid reaches 220,000 Euros (almost £200,000), the Commission will then add three Euros for every Euro raised.
This follows the success of a similar scheme in which groups around Britain helped tens of thousands of people in Ethiopia get clean water and use it to turn their lives around.
The first North East church to sign up to the scheme was Emmanuel Church in Saltburn by the Sea. The vicar, the Rev. Guy Donegan Cross, says: “Emmanuel church has a long standing relationship with Christian Aid, and always find their resources useful. We were attracted to the church partnership as we knew the money we raised would go directly to a project that will make a measurable impact. The fact that the money we raised would release a lot more funding thanks to the European Commission was an added benefit.”
Now Christian Aid is asking those who supported the Ethiopia water project – and other churches, schools and groups across the country - to help 88,000 villagers in Burkina Faso, one of the poorest countries in Africa. That support will mean that after years of hunger and drought, families can escape the trap of poverty, grow all the food they need and have some left over to sell or trade for other necessities.
Money raised by the scheme will go to Christian Aid’s partner agency in Burkina Faso, the development organisation of the local Evangelical church, known by its initials, ODE. In consultation with local community leaders, this agency will use the money to set up community market gardens and provide initial stocks of seeds and tools, install drying equipment to preserve food, so there is food year round, and give training in agricultural techniques to help offset the effect of climate change.
Crucially, it will also improve access to small loans and credit so that people can start to raise themselves out of poverty by setting up small businesses, such as grocery stalls or by buying a bicycle to take produce to sell in nearby villages. Once they are growing enough food for their own needs, families can then use the money raised from such enterprises to fund their children’s school fees – providing hope and opportunity for the next generation.
For an information pack and a free five-minute DVD that shows what is already happening in Burkina Faso, contact Kat Birch on 0207 523 2015, email kbirch@christian-aid.org or go direct to the page on the Christian Aid website, www.christianaid.org/churchpartnerships
P.S. It’s not too late to organise a Big Christmas Sing! Enjoy some yuletide cheer and sing your heart out to raise money for the world’s poorest. For more information/ a resource pack go to www.christianaid.org.uk/getinvolved/christmas/big-christmas-sing
Pictured: Zagre Rasmata, 61, a mother, says a dam built by Christian Aid partner agency ODE has reduced her vulnerability to climate change, so if the rainy season is short her food crops of rice and spring onions still have enough water. She says she is now living well and can afford to pay the school fees to educate her children.
Photo: Christian Aid/Karen Hedges
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