Interfaith at Ammerdown
The Ammerdown Centre was set up almost fifty years ago as a centre for peace and reconciliation. From its inception, interfaith has been a significant part of its work: educating people about different faiths; offering opportunities for dialogue between different faiths; and providing a safe place for people to meet and reflect together. In 2016, the Ammerdown Interfaith Project (AIP) was set up to address faith and race related hate crime. The AIP was sponsored by the Methodist Church for three years and is currently sponsored by the Beeston Community Trust and the Ammerdown Centre.
Building on established connections, the AIP has established an extensive network of people in Bristol, Somerset and West Wiltshire who are of different faiths, actively involved in interfaith groups, working with refugees, and working in secular organisations addressing hate crime. During this time, the AIP has also connected to some local schools, local faith communities and those living in the area who are keen to learn about people of different faiths.
Through this network, the project has been able to provide a variety of ways for people to connect with each other, in the hope of breaking down prejudices and recognising our common humanity. These include Meet our Neighbours - an afternoon or evening to meet people from a different faith; listening to the stories of refugees; actively participating in discussions about different aspects of faith and intersectionality; learning from faith experts; visiting places of worship; enabling learning opportunities for schools to learn about different faiths, holocaust, genocide, and refugees; and a Book Club on racism.
Ammerdown becomes new Voice and Influence Partnership Multi- Faith Delivery Partner
Voice and Influence Partnership Faith Community Fund - SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS ANNOUNCED
Thank you to all the Bristol based faith groups who applied for the Faith Community Fund. We are pleased to announce that there are six successful applicants!
This has been an exhilarating experience, discussing the applications with the five volunteer working group to select the projects to be supported and then connecting with the people involved in each of the projects. Four grants of £600 were awarded and two grants of £300 were awarded. £600 for multi-faith projects; £300 for one faith projects.
£600 UWE Multi-Faith Chaplaincy
The Chaplaincy is developing a Talk Corner for International Students, particularly needed to connect students during the pandemic.
£600 God’s House International
Faith and Community Support – offering support for single parents and ex-offenders in terms of mentoring, food, accommodation, employment and childcare.
£600 Bristol Methodist Centre: a safe service in times of Covid.
The fund will be used to purchase PPE and equipment to enable a take away service for the homeless that is safe.
£600 Black2Nature
Walk 4 Faith will produce videos of faith leaders in different BAME languages, explaining the importance of looking after our health, including our mental health, and encouraging regular walking.
£300 The Bristol Sikh Temple
With the challenges and restrictions faced due to the Covid pandemic, the temple is experimenting with the live streaming and broadcasting of its services. The funding will allow the temple to purchase its own private equipment in order to enable this.
£300 Bristol Bethel Apostolic Church
During Covid, keeping the community connected has been vitally important. The church had already started to raise funds and supply community members with a means of communication and connectio. Three tablets will be bought and training and support given in particular to young adults and seniors.
The Ammerdown Centre has joined the Voice and Influence Partnership (VIP) as their new Multi-Faith Delivery Partner.
The Voice and Influence Partnership is made up of leading equalities organisations and community champions from across Bristol who work together to make sure our diverse communities are part of local decision making. The partnership is for people who are: from a black, Asian or minority ethnic group, disabled, a member of a faith group, LGBTQ+, over 55. The Voice and Influence Partnership is led by The Care Forum. Read the Press Release here.
Thank you to all those who joined us for the first Multi-Faith Meetings of the Voice and Influence Partnership in November, 2020, and January, 2021. It was fabulous to see such a diverse group of people representing the many different faiths and equality groups in Bristol. If you would like to participate in the next meeting on Thursday 29th April, 3-4.30pm please contact interfaith@ammerdown.org for details. This meeting will hear from three of the faith communities who were awarded the community faith grant; speakers about mental health; and the possibility of forming an interfaith group to tackle climate change.
The Voice and Influence Partnership invited the four main party candidates for Bristol Mayor to answer the questions that are most important to you and your community. The film of their interviews will be available here soon!
The Bristol Faith Manifesto , written by members of the Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Sikh and Hindu faiths, can be found here.
The Christian Muslim Forum meet at Ammerdown
