Good Morning from the Church of England Communications Office

Daily Digest for Tuesday 8th January 2013

Issued at 09.15 by sj

1.  News from the Office of the Archbishop of York

Archbishop Launches City of York's Response to End Rough Sleeping

The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu this morning launched the city's response to the government initiative to 'End Rough Sleeping: No Second Night Out' at the Salvation Army, Gillygate, York. For further information, see end of Digest or go to: http://www.archbishopofyork.org/articles.php/2781/archbishop-launches-city-of-yorks-response-to-end-rough-sleeping

2. News from the Office of the Archbishop of York

Archbishop of York Youth Trust Extends Awards for Primary Schools

The Archbishop of York Youth Trust today announced the extension of 'The Young Leaders Award' for primary school children with a new character called 'Archie Bishop' who features as part of the resources. For further information, see end of digest or go to: http://www.archbishopofyork.org/articles.php/2783/archbishop-of-york-youth-trust-extends-awards-for-primary-schools

3. Today's press coverage

Eve Std (7/1) p17
Londoner's Diary notes that Dr Williams is now worshipping in Clapham.
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/londoners-diary/rowan-williams-finds-a-fresh-parish-8441233.html?origin=internalSearch

Tel p7
Report that 'communist China could teach Britain a lot about happiness because it is a more "equal" society, according to the Archbishop of York'.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9785979/China-could-teach-us-about-happiness-says-Sentamu.html

Guard p27
Diary piece notes the Archbishop of York tweeting about food from Waitrose.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2013/jan/07/hugh-muirs-diary-stephen-lovegrove and scroll down

Tel p7
Report that 'according to the Church of England, the beginning of January has become one of the busiest times of year for vicars because of a rush of couples getting engaged' noting increasing visits to www.yourchurchwedding.org.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9786116/Forget-divorce-day-January-is-the-month-for-love-says-Church.html

Mail p10, Guard p12, Eve Std (7/1) p7, Mirror p2, Times p9
Reports that 'senior bishops share the worries of the Prince of Wales that legislation to give princesses equal rights to princes in line of succession is rushed, risky and could lead to unintended constitutional crises'.
http://www.standard.co.uk/panewsfeeds/princes-fears-at-succession-reform-8441311.html?origin=internalSearch
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/uk/article3650607.ece
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2258744/Now-Church-attacks-plan-change-laws-succession-Senior-bishops-share-worries-Charles-rushed-risky-proposals.html

Times p20
Diarmuid MacCulloch argues that, if changing the Act of Succession causes problems, 'why don't we face the problem when we come to it?'
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/opinion/columnists/article3650582.ece

Tel p10
Report that York Minister should be coated in olive oil-based fat to fight damp.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/environment/conservation/9785469/York-Minster-to-be-coated-in-fat-to-keep-out-rain.html

Tel p10
Report that 'expectations that same-sex marriage could be defeated in the House of Lords are growing after the first poll of peers on the subject showed strong support for shelving the move'.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9785590/Gay-marriage-poll-shows-backing-in-Lords-for-postponement.html

Letters
Ind p14 - Rupert Bullock, Peter Forster, Chris Payne on gay bishops.
Times p23 - Harry Judge replies to the Bishop of Swansea and Brecon on same-sex marriage
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/opinion/letters/article3650377.ece

Ends

News from the Office of the Archbishop of York

Archbishop Launches City of York's Response to End Rough Sleeping

The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu this morning launched the city's response to the government initiative to 'End Rough Sleeping: No Second Night Out' at the Salvation Army, Gillygate, York.

Rough sleeping represents the most extreme form of housing need and can have a devastating long-term impact on a person's health and well-being. The services dedicated to No Second Night Out, will help agencies in York tackle this issue.

Speaking at the Launch, the Archbishop said: "Homelessness is a problem which forces us to reconsider the values on which we are building our society.  The challenge of 'No Second Night Out' is to provide better choices for people, and appropriate to their individual needs, so that people choose to take up the offers of support that are made.

"The idea behind it is not just to take people off the streets, to 'sweep them out of sight'; rather it is to move quickly to find a place of safety for those without a home and, where possible to reconnect them to their own community. In this way those helpful links which have been broken may be rebuilt and restored, before the dislocation becomes too great.  Our role is to be the connectors with the homeless, the communities they come from, and the agencies who can offer help." 

The aim of No Second Night Out is that:
1. New rough sleepers should be identified and helped off the streets immediately so that they do not fall into a dangerous rough sleeping lifestyle.
2. Members of the public should be able to play an active role by reporting and referring people sleeping rough.
3. Rough sleepers should be helped to access a place of safety where their needs can be quickly assessed and they can receive advice on their options.
4. Rough sleepers should be able to access emergency accommodation and other services, such as healthcare, if needed.
5. If people have come from another area or country and find themselves sleeping rough, the aim should be to reconnect them back to their local community unless there is a good reason why they cannot return. There, they will be able to access housing and recovery services and have support from family and friends.

The 'No Second Night Out' scheme has been developed with the Salvation Army, the Peasholme Charity, Arc Light, City of York Council, the Foundation, YACRO, Restore and Richmond Fellowship.

The partners and City of York Council are asking the public to help by calling a new helpline if they see a rough sleeper - especially in areas away from the city centre. People can call the national rough sleeper helpline launched by Homeless Link, a national organisation representing and supporting 500 organisations working with homeless people in the UK.

StreetLink enables members of the public to quickly connect rough sleepers to local support services by:
• telephoning the 24/7 StreetLink phone line 0300 500 0914
• using the StreetLink website www.streetlink.org.uk from a desktop computer or mobile. 
• downloading the StreetLink App from the iTunes or Google Market store free of charge.
Once contact has been made, in York, StreetLink contacts the Salvation Army's early intervention and prevention team who provide outreach support to rough sleepers. When identified, the Salvation Army will contact the rough sleeper, offer advice, support and accommodation to those wishing to move off the street.

News from the Office of the Archbishop of York

7 January 2013

Archbishop of York Youth Trust Extends Awards for Primary Schools

The Archbishop of York Youth Trust today announced the extension of 'The Young Leaders Award' for primary school children with a new character called 'Archie Bishop' who features as part of the resources.

The Young Leaders Award has been running at Key Stage 3 and 4 since 2011 and there are currently 49 schools with just under 7000 students completing the Awards.  Following the success of this Award, four York primary schools will be running the Key Stage 2 Award in the spring and summer terms this year.

Jonathan Green, Headteacher at the Archbishop of York Junior School whose 8-11 year olds will complete the Award in 2013 said: "I am expecting our pupils will be involved in lots of challenging projects from charity work, litter-picks and hospitality events.  These experiences are important in helping our pupils learn more about the world around them and what they can do to make it a better place".

Robin Rolls, Director of the Youth Trust said: "Archie Bishop is a brilliant central character with a story similar to many of the young people that the Youth Trust seeks to support.   The Young Leaders Award for Key Stage 2 pupils includes a DVD assembly of Archie B's story and rap, six lesson packs, an interactive theme song, Youth Trust scrap books, pens, badges and certificates.  We've worked incredibly hard on these resources and are excited about the response we have received for this Award going into primary schools".

The Archbishop of York said: "The more young people taking part in the Young Leaders Award and being the change they want to see, the bigger the positive impact we'll see across communities in the north of England! The Award encourages the service of others, be it within school, within local communities and it is all about making a difference in people's lives.  Young people are doing amazing things in their communities and I want to encourage them - keep up the good work!"