Standing Together Rally
Updated 14 May 2019
Churches have responded to the high incidence of violence, especially amongst young people in London, with a rally in Trafalgar Square on 6 April 2019, designed to show support for all who have been affected. Watch the video above to find out more about the important message behind the rally.
It was well attended and featured contributions from many Church leaders, including Cardinal Vincent Nichols from the Catholic Church in England and Wales, and seven bishops from the Church of England. The rally was organised by the Ascension Trust, London City Mission, Churches Together In Britain and Ireland and Southwark Diocese.
The rally is the first part of ongoing work by a growing coalition of churches, para-church groups, Christian agencies and organisations working to end serious youth violence in Britain and Ireland. It will include a website, aimed at being a hub that captures everything that the churches are doing to combat serious youth violence, and will include organisations, groups and churches that have developed programmes or resources on this issue.
You can read reports on the rally on The Voice , Premier and Keep the Faith Magazine
You can also keep up-to-date on the Churches Standing Together website.
Read a briefing paper on serious youth violence by Richard Reddie, Director of Justice and Inclusion at CTBI.
A gallery of images from our Standing Together Rally can be found here.
From Social Media
Privilege to share with others from @chelmsdio in London Churches #StandingTogetherRally against youth violence at Trafalgar Sq: supporting families so marred and bereaved & praying for a better future @elwincockett @CottrellStephen pic.twitter.com/Tw3NRe8JX5
— Peter Hill (@peterhill92) April 6, 2019
Good to speak at the #standingtogether rally against knife crime in Trafalgar Square.. Communities and churches supporting victims and working together to bring the violence down @RCWestminster @AscensionTrust @CardinalNichols @bishopSarahM pic.twitter.com/pDZ8XGbh14
— Sophie Linden (@SophieKLinden) April 6, 2019
A privilege to lead #StandingTogetherRally in prayer that we may show the love of Christ as peacemakers in our city ?@SouthwarkCofE? ?@AscensionTrust? pic.twitter.com/YdFLZiCIm7
— Jonathan Clark (@BishopofCroydon) April 6, 2019
.?@bishopSarahM? leads a time of lament #standingtogether pic.twitter.com/Vbh5katG3X
— Southwark Diocese (@SouthwarkCofE) April 6, 2019
A lot of church leaders and huge crowd here in Trafalgar Sq for #standtogetherrally - in solidarity with families bereaved through serious youth violence ?@CTBI? pic.twitter.com/6UAw4M2J0G
— Peter Colwell (@PeterColwell) April 6, 2019
INVITATION TO SYNERGY NETWORK
We are thankful that you have recognised the value of working in partnership with other members of the Ascension Trust Synergy Network who are seeking to make a difference to their communities and the cities of this country. The network is open to a wide spectrum of organisations and individuals seeking to bring about community cohesion through the reduction of serious youth violence.
Since its inception in 1992, Ascension Trust has been at the forefront of attempts to tackle guns, gangs and serious violence. This began with the successful ‘Guns Off Our Streets’ road show in 1993 and in recent years the ‘Gangs Summit’ in 2014, ‘Bringing Hope’ in 2016 and the ‘Report on Gang Violence’ by Selina Stone with ‘HOPE’ 2017, all looking at the rising phenomenon of serious youth violence, gangs and disorder in society.
Synergy Network
This journey resulted in the formation of the HOPE Partnership – a collaboration of four different organisations who have worked collaboratively to share their resources, experience and expertise in tackling different aspects of youth violence and its consequences on family and communities.
The Ascension Trust Synergy Network takes this initiative further in bringing together a larger collaboration of professionals, practitioners and policy shapers from various organisations to interact, receive information and have their organisations listed in an online directory. We look towards growing this directory where subscribers who will amongst other things gain access to special events to hear from experts and notable speakers on pertinent issues. Youth organisation will be listed in an online database hosted by our partners which, has over 37,000 registered subscribers, 27,000 social media followers, 3,000 churches and receives 1,000 ‘hits’ per day.
We would like to reassure you that membership will be limited to those who are credible individuals or organisations with good record of dealing with issues of serious youth violence and who are making an impact in tackling these issues.
We welcome you to this growing family, which since its inception, has held a number of successful meetings. The launch of the Synergy Network held at Southwark Cathedral in November 2017 looked at some of the historical legacies of trauma in the black community and its continued effect today.
Join Us
This collaboration is a real partnership and opportunity for the community, church and practitioners to come together to address the rise of serious violence in the society; to influence the debate as well as to receive tremendous benefit. Membership is only £35.00 per annum for individuals and £100.00 per annum for organisations.
You can join via the website https://www.ascensiontrust.org.uk/synergy-network. You will also find on site a booklet giving more information about the partnership and Network.
If you are joining the network, you will be asked to provide the following documents as these will enable us to reassure the members of the Network of the credibility of your organisations and you as an individual wishing to joining the network.
- Your registered Charity Number
- Names of your Board of Trustees
- Article of Memorandum
- Other – Please specify
If you are unable to provide any of the above, please give a brief explanation of your circumstances.
In light of the GDPR, we would make the following request. Could you provide the following:
- a link to your organisation for display on the members page of the Ascension Trust Synergy Network site with permission to use your photograph and logo;
- permission to contact you by email regarding upcoming events.
If you are unable to provide the above, please state the reason.
We very much look forward to receiving your application and the expansion of what promises to be a significant work at such a time as this.
Bishop Lenford Rowe
Chairperson of the Synergy Network Board
*Our partners are 'Keep the Faith' Magazine and Marcia Dixon Promotions (MDPR) who also give discounted
e-blasts and colour entry in 'Keep the Faith' Magazine