Board Meetings
  

 

  

Faith Organisation Diocese of Guildford, Church of England

Faith: Christian, Church of England
 
Department for Social Responsibility, Diocesan House, Quarry Street, Guildford, GU1 3XG
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01483 790 324 (P.A. Emma Beswick) 
 

Chris was a founder member of SEEFF in 1998 and represented Faiths on the SE Regional Assembly. This was followed by six years experience in NW England developing positive Inter-Faith responses to the riots in northern towns. The model developed in the NW is now used as a model for other Regions.

 

Returning to SE England, Chris set about encouraging a consensus to re-launch SEEFF. This has involved gathering Church and Faith leaders, building relationships with central, regional and local government in order to secure resources, and bringing together people of Faiths from across the SE Region. Since the re-launch conference attended by 180 people membership has developed to 1,400.

 

Chris has been instrumental through DSR (Department for Social Responsibility, Diocese of Guildford) for the development of SEEFF and represents SEEFF on the English Inter-Faith Network, securing funding for the recent consultations with SEEFF members which led to the new structure and the promise of two further years funding. As Chair, Chris will establish the new structure, consolidate resources and build upon the expectations of SEEFF members, especially developing engagement with young people. 

 

 

  

 

Faith Organisation: Church In Society

Faith: Christian, Church of England

 

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Church in Society, 2-3 Bedford Place, Maidstone, Kent, ME16 8JB 

01622 755014 (switchboard)
01622 689 493 (direct line)
 
As Partnership Development Advisor essentially I am representing the Church in the Rochester & Canterbury Dioceses; house of God aside; as the considerably experienced Voluntary & Community Sector Organisation and Charity that it clearly is. Enabling a range of appropriate and feasible partnerships within and between the Church and other agencies, locally and regionally, by encouraging Churches to contribute to community partnerships and in doing so contributing to community well being. The work compliments Church in Society’s existing involvement in Community Ministry, Regeneration, Mission through Heritage, Delivering Public Services, Education and supporting individual Churches in their own communities.

 

Coordinating and developing the Critical Incident Chaplains faiths response is also within my brief and is delivered in partnership with Kent County Council Emergency Planning Unit and the Kent Voluntary Sector Emergency Group. The Chaplains are commissioned by Churches Together in Kent and a growing initiative involves working and learning alongside other Faith Groups in the search for more Multi Faith Chaplains.

 

In the secular world alone situations like these are precious, imagine then the opportunity for witness as the Church is invited to contribute to and influence policy and practice through shared experiences and by taking part in shaping and serving communities in which people of all faiths and none can flourish.

 

 

 

Faith Organisation: Crawley Inter-Faith Network

Faith: Muslim

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Active role in interfaith work from its early “Informal” years, then in the formation of CIFN as an organisation and recruitment of a Development Worker.

I believe that Networking at the regional level is important for supporting individual groups to form stronger links with local and national organisations and to gain from shared experiences, for the benefit of all “Grassroots” members in the region.

 

 

 

Faith Organisation: United Reformed Church

Faith: Christian
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Peter trained as a farm manager and became a crop advisor in the South West before entering the Ministry through training at Cambridge. He has been ordained for 20 years and alongside leading a church he has served as a chaplain in hospital, developed training material for community development and established a number of social enterprises. He has served on a number of regional and national networks trying to make links between theory, policy and ideas with practice, concrete proposals and transforming delivery. He has served on an EU committee involved in the importance of faith in the public area.

 

He is committed to developing better links between the public, private, voluntary and faith sectors and believes that SEEFF can deliver transformational results if resourced. At present he is a Board Member on the Thamesgateway Kent Partnership which is implementing social change in the area. He serves as the Regeneration Officer for the URC helping local groups deliver community activities.

 

He has served as Chair of SEEFF in the past and retains his networks and contacts to facilitate further opportunities. He is entrepreneurial and committed to making a difference in the local community for the good.

 

 

 

 

Faith Organisation: Sudanese Coptic Association

Faith: Christian Coptic
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My name is Evelyn M Girgis a Bachelor of Accountancy, married and mother of two boys 21 years and 19 years. I am from a Sudanese background and have lived in Hove since 1991. I have worked for Lloyds TSB for ten years, and have been involved in a voluntary capacity with ongoing work with Sudanese women and children since 1992 and the Sudanese Coptic Association since 1993 which I joined as a member and after all this years I have built my confidence and gained more responsibility to become their Treasurer. I am also a member of BMECP (Black and Minority Ethnic Community Partnership).

 

 

Members of the Regional Board 

 

 

Faith Organisation: Slough Muslim Forum

Faith: Muslim

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11 Tuns Lane, Slough, Berks, SL1 2XA
Tel: 07838 189 380
 
As a Muslim I feel privileged to have grown up and living in a multi faith United Kingdom. As a former pupil at a C of E school I understood the value of respect for other Faiths. FAITH ENRICHES US ALL. We have so much in common.

 

Currently working in partnership with Slough Faith Forum, Slough Mosques/Temples and Art-Beyond-Belief. National work with Faith Matters in Mediation and Conflict Resolution. Actively involved in advancing the Cohesion Agenda (including Preventing Violent Extremism) and meaningful dialogue via Faith Conferences. THIS IS OUR FUTURE.

Experience as Chair—Iqra Islamic School, Slough and Eton CE School, Slough Race Equality Council, Slough Community Leisure Ltd and Slough Muslim Forum. Director of Age Concern. As Director of Slough Equalities Commission responsible for Quality Mark /Targets. Regional networking with Sikh,Muslim, Chritian and Hindu Organisations. I live in Slough, my multi faith Town to be proud of and the most diverse town in the UK.

 

 

 

Faith Organisation Churches Together in Oxfordshire

Faith: Christian Orthodox
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Bede Gerrard, County Ecumenical Officer for Churches Together in Oxfordshire; Chair, Oxford Council of Faiths. A Reader in the Orthodox Church (Thyateira and Great Britain Archdiocese), I am personally involved in minority communities, worshipping with people from Eastern Europe, the Balkans, the Middle East, Africa, America and India, and attending the Chaplaincy Council of Oxford Brookes University. Working with people of all faiths and none, I sit on the Oxfordshire Partnership Board as Faith Representative.

 

With a working background in the London Borough of Ealing Social Services Department and Oxford Citizens' Housing Association, I carried out research projects for the Royal College of Psychiatrists, and the Personal Social Services Research Unit at the University of Kent in Canterbury.

 

I work closely with OCVA, OREC, Oxford Indian Union Association and Oxford BEM Pastors' Forum, and am part of a multi-faith planning team for the annual Friendship Walk of Faith. It attracts 400-600 people, from many faith communities, walking together from the Synagogue via a Church to the Central Mosque for a shared meal. Bringing a working knowledge of religious and ethnic diversity, I will act as a supportive voice for minority and mainstream groups, particularly those who are poorly represented in society and its decision-making.'

 

 

Faith Organisation: Art Beyond Belief
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David trained in photography, and worked in local journalism before starting his own photographic business, which he ran for thirty years before founding Art Beyond Belief in 2005. He has illustrated many books on automotive design and motoring, and his work has been featured in high profile magazines and journals.

 

David is the creative lead and project manager for all Art Beyond Belief projects. His first ABB project was the Via Dolorosa, in which a traditional Christian narrative was interpreted by artists of different faiths. He has since managed Faith Junction - a series of interviews between ordinary people of faith, and most recently the Festival of Dialogue, which incorporated discussion forums, a 'borrow-a person' scheme at Slough Library and an interfaith conference. In addition, David also develops and delivers ABB's Art Monitor programme, designed to foster self-confidence and self-determination to vulnerable groups in the areas of domestic violence, mental health, autism and learning disability.

 

David's other interests include art and music. He is a member of the Wynkin de Worde typographical society, a member of the Guild of Motoring Writers, and a member of the Thomas Merton Society.

 

 

 

 

Faith Organisation: The Well Inter-Faith Community

Faith: Christian, Church of England
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I am a Priest of the Anglican Church , of over thirty years experience, and also a professed member of the society of the Sacred Mission, a religious Order dedicate to mission and outreach. Most of my ministry has been in Australia , my last position was Rector of the Parish of Alice Springs, in Central Australia. I have been working in England, based in Milton Keynes for going onto four years. During this time the order has encouraged me to develop a ministry mainly concerned with interfaith dialogue and community understanding.
 

I am committed to the peaceful resolution of conflict and also I feel that inter-religious dialogue in one of the best ways to build stronger societies in our multi- cultural environment. I dedicate myself to helping to build a just and tolerant society in the South East.

 

 

 

 

Faith Organisation: Guildford and District Jewish Community, Guildford Synagogue

Faith: Jewish
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Alexander Goldberg is the Chief Executive of London Jewish Forum, a chaplain at the University of Surrey and represents Guildford on the Board of Deputies of British Jews where he was formerly their Community Issues Director.

 

At the London Jewish Forum he has the lead within the community on housing, cohesion, the Olympics, culture and community relations, recently setting up the Jewish London think tank. He represents the Jewish community on,the London Olympic Committee’s Faith reference group and is a Football Association Ambassador for social inclusion. He was an initiator of the FA Commission on Antisemitism and Islamohobia.

 

Alex was called to the Bar in 2001. At the University of Surrey, he is part of the multi-chaplaincy team building an innovative Multi-faith Centre for the Surrey University. He addressed the inaugural session of the UN Human Rights Commission in 2006 as the chair of the CCJO - René Cassin group and last year was a member of the DCSF’s Ministerial Committee on School Governance. He is a national advisor to the Three Faiths Forum. He is a broadcaster and writer on community issues, human rights and interfaith issues. He is a regular panelllst on BBC 1’s The Big Questions.

 

 

 

Faith Organisation: New Life Church (Baptist) Old Woking, Surrey

Faith: Baptist, Christian

 

13 Evelyn Close, Woking, Surrey, GU22 0DG
tel: 01483 827745
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Community cohesion is essential for the continuing health and prosperity both of our town and for this country. I have enjoyed working with the Woking People of Faith forum. It is proving a great way to celebrate the richness and diversity of the many people groups living and working in the town. I look forward to enabling the people of South East England value the benefits & richness given by living in our diverse multicultural society.

 

 

Samir Dimachkie 
 
Faith Organisation: Hants & Dorset Three Faiths Forum
Faith: Muslim 
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Born in Jeddah to Lebanese parents; a Moslem father and Christian mother. Samir studied Islam and Arab history from an early age and performed Haj. He was brought up to appreciate the common values shared by the Abrahamic faiths and the contributions made by the Arabs to culture and science. Early in his childhood, Samir spoke five languages and remains proficient in Arabic, French and English.

Having completed his education in Lebanon, Samir moved to London in 1972 where he embarked on a career in aviation utilising his multi-lingual and multicultural skills, this culminated in him establishing and managing a corporate travel agency (1980-89) in London. In 2002 Samir gained a Post Graduate Diploma in Management from the Open University to compliment his BA in Public Administration. In 2006 he moved to Hampshire to pursue his interests in bridging cultural, religious and linguistic gaps. Appointed trustee of Winchester Area Community Action in 2007; a local charity; where he serves on the Sustainability and Finance Sub-committees. In 2007, he delivered the first of many talks on ‘Arab Culture’ to the Institute of Engineering and Technology in London and, other clubs and societies in Hampshire. In 2008 he became the Moslem Co-ordinator and Administrator for the Hants & Dorset Three Faiths Forum and has delivered talks on Islam at a Church Easter Workshop. In 2009, he became Volunteer Co-ordinator for the Furzey Gardens Charitable Trust where he recruits and manages volunteers. Samir is married to Nonnie and enjoys classical music, tennis, horse riding, cooking and debating. 
 

 

 

 

 

Faith Organisation Guildford Cathedral and University Chaplaincy, University of Surrey

Faith: Christian, Church of England
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Jonathan’s spiritual home is Guildford Cathedral where he is a Residentiary Canon. He co-ordinates the Multi-Faith Chaplaincy at the neighbouring University of Surrey and is Bishop’s Adviser for Inter-Faith Relations in the Diocese of Guildford. Jonathan is a member of the General Synod of the Church of England. He attends the National Advisory Board of the Three Faiths Forum and is involved in the Council of Christians and Jews in Guildford. Jonathan’s work at the University brings him into daily contact with young people from a wide range of religious and cultural backgrounds and keeps him in touch (just about!) with some of the issues and questions raised by their experience. Jonathan is particularly keen to see relationships deepen across the generations within and between religious traditions: ‘we are stronger together’. Jonathan believes learning to listen more effectively (‘easy to say, tough to practice’) will be essential if bridges are to be built between young and old and if we are to work side by side for a healthy, just and cohesive society. Jonathan is married with three teenage children.