In recent days, The Daily Mail has started a campaign arguing that Britain should divert money from its overseas aid budget to give to victims of the UK floods. Its editorial yesterday said "Britain has given hundreds of millions towards flood relief overseas. Today, it is our own people who are enduring the misery,… Continue reading Christians should lead the way in a boycott of The Daily Mail
Category: Poverty
Typhoon Haiyan: How to give direct to the Philippines – by Tom Graham
As everyone is already well aware, the Philippines last week fell victim to one of the most violent storms ever recorded. To put it in context, Typhoon Haiyan is the size of Germany and is estimated to have been 3.5 times more powerful than Hurricane Katrina. It hit vast swathes of the central Philippines and… Continue reading Typhoon Haiyan: How to give direct to the Philippines – by Tom Graham
Breadline Britain: how practical and political action can address the scandal of food poverty
I was pleased to see this morning that Church Action on Poverty and Oxfam’s report Walking the Breadline: the scandal of food poverty in 21st Century Britain as the lead story on the front page of the Metro Newspaper. This report is a stark reminder of the reality of life for over 500,000 people are… Continue reading Breadline Britain: how practical and political action can address the scandal of food poverty
Five lessons from Living Below the Line – by Alexandra Lilley
Five days on five quid. What would you spend it on? Last year I took up the Live Below the Line challenge, living on porridge made with water, lentil dhal and potatoes. Here’s what I discovered: 1. The less you possess, the more you need friends Obvious really, but this was a lesson in community… Continue reading Five lessons from Living Below the Line – by Alexandra Lilley
Tranforming communities: what the world can learn from the Philippines – by Tom Graham
Photo by Marfil Graganza Aquino on Pexels.com It’s a village community Christmas party, and a bunch of over-enthusiastic men are on stage, dressed as lady boys, dancing enthusiastically to the repetitive and yet (dare I say it?) catchy tune of Gangnam Style. Whilst everyone enjoys the show, you imagine these Alpha-males will regret their performance… Continue reading Tranforming communities: what the world can learn from the Philippines – by Tom Graham
A vital subject but a narrow perspective: Tim Chester’s ‘Unreached’ [review] – by Greg Smith
Tim Chester and his group of collaborators are to be praised for the work they do in living incarnationally in some of the toughest neighbourhoods in Britain. They seek to bring the Good News of Jesus to local residents and to plant culturally relevant churches among them. The book draws on this experience and is… Continue reading A vital subject but a narrow perspective: Tim Chester’s ‘Unreached’ [review] – by Greg Smith
Reversing the mad consumerism of Christmas
Photo by Szymon Shields on Pexels.com Every day, on the way to work, I get a bus up Oxford Street. I get off just outside the famous department store, Selfridges, and walk round the corner to West London Mission offices. The Christmas decorations, sponsored this year by Marmite, have been up since October. Walking in the… Continue reading Reversing the mad consumerism of Christmas
“Hard cases make bad law”: 3 principles for alcohol pricing
Photo by Ben Prater on Pexels.com The government has announced its plan to set a minimum price of 45p per unit for alcohol. This will mainly affect strong beer, cheap wine and spirit bottles, but not pubs. This is a big change and they’ll be a swirling vat of arguments over the next few weeks,… Continue reading “Hard cases make bad law”: 3 principles for alcohol pricing
Three days to stop the bookies’ take-over of our high streets
One of the most depressing sights in many communities is the huge number of betting shops that seem to spring up everywhere. In the poorest communities, shops are closing, businesses are struggling...but the numbers of bookies is ever on the rise. A key factor in this development is that planning law means that local councils don't… Continue reading Three days to stop the bookies’ take-over of our high streets
Don’t buy the lies about Executive Pay: Reward people for the contribution they make
“Did you know that the Chief Executive of Warwickshire County Council gets paid £173,000 per year, which is over 14 times the least well paid person in the Council who get by on £12,145?” Over the last month, I've been knocking on peoples' doors asking them if they want to sign the local Green Party's Fair… Continue reading Don’t buy the lies about Executive Pay: Reward people for the contribution they make
Grace + Truth 