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The Synod Medical Officer, Dr David Whyler, recently
endorsed the petition
that was mentioned in the latest Living Ghosts
e-letter:
The Medical Justice network has got hundreds of doctors to
speak out about the government plans to further restrict the
rights of people refused asylum to access primary health
care. A recent article in the British Medical Journal noted
that what "is shocking about the current proposals
is that they are not primarily about recovering costs but
about
denying access and refusing treatment".
There is an online petition just for doctors:
www.gopetition.co.uk/online/15682.html
. Please contact any registered (medical) doctors you know
asking them to support the
statement
. Doctors are particularly important - the more there are,
the more unworkable it will seem to the Government.
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Cytûn and the
Commission of the Covenanted Churches
FAITH,
ORDER AND WITNESS OFFICER
Salary £
28, 664
Closing Date
July 18 2008
Further information:
029 2046 4204
post@cytun.org.uk
Cytûn:
Churches Together in Wales Ltd, England and Wales, No:
05853982,
58 Richmond Road,
Cardiff, CF24 3UR.
 The
Churches Tourism Association returns to The Hayes Conference Centre
in Derbyshire for the 2008 Convention.
This year’s programme will explore key themes under the overall
banner of SACRED
BRITAIN – NEW HORIZONS:
Pilgrimage. International – Let’s be inspired to think what we can
create today. And
find out what’s happening elsewhere.
Multifaith collaboration – Let’s hear from projects that are opening
up their buildings to
wider audiences. Let’s hear from leading figures on how best to get
together to inform
the public about our great heritage of sacred buildings of all
faiths.
Celebrating places of worship and welcoming visitors – How to
‘show-off” your building to visitors: its history, its stories, its
specialness, training in best practice and finding out what’s
available.
Come along and enjoy keynote speakers like Sir Roy Strong on the
future of the country church.
You’ll be offered a choice of practical
workshops.
You’ll get fresh ideas from people who have already blazed a trail
and made their place of worship a “must see” experience for
visitors.
You’ll meet like-minded friends.
You’ll learn more about free entries on national websites, the
ASPIRE project, and local initiatives to make faith buildings more
accessible.
Booking opens 1st May 2008.
Keep an eye on www.churchestourismassociation.info for further
details.
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29 May
2008
Churches praise Government’s new stance on cluster
munitions
At
talks in Dublin over the last two
weeks, governments have drafted the text for a treaty to
ban the use of cluster bombs. This week the Prime
Minister, Gordon Brown has committed the
UK to withdrawing the remaining two
cluster munitions from its arsenal.
The
Baptist Union of Great Britain, the
Methodist
Church and the United
Reformed Church have for some time campaigned for a full
ban on cluster munitions. Today they issued a joint
statement welcoming the outcome of the
Dublin
summit.
Graham
Sparkes, Head of Faith & Unity, the Baptist Union of
Great Britain says; “the churches have been calling for
such a treaty for a long time. Cluster bombs kill
indiscriminately and continue to do so long after
fighting has stopped, harming those who are already
living in a vulnerable situation following the
conflict.”
In the
two months after the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah on average three
civilians were killed every day by unexploded cluster
bombs. One third of these deaths were children.
Simon
Loveitt, the United Reformed Church’s Spokesperson on
Public Issues, says; “The agreement in Dublin offers hope for a
future without such weapons and the chance to offer
improved protection for civilians during and after
conflict. In the past, the UK has been a
significant user of cluster munitions. The UK
Government’s support for a complete ban is therefore
particularly important."
However, Steve Hucklesby, Methodist Secretary for
International Affairs, warns that there is still much to
be done; “The work is not yet finished. The strength of
this treaty will largely depend on encouraging more
governments to support it and take the important steps
to phase out the stockpiling and use of these weapons.”
Information about the Churches’ campaign on cluster
bombs can be found at:
www.jointpublicissues.org.uk/clustermunitions
ENDS
Notes
1.
Cluster bombs are air or ground launched devices that
scatter smaller bombs (or submunitions) over a large
area. The submunitions that fail to explode pose a
unique threat to civilians. These unexploded bombs
effectively create minefields and maim and kill
children or adults who disturb them
later on.
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