Earlier this year, the Centre for the Study of Christianity & Culture at the University of York produced a report on the value of churches to local communities entitled Churches, COVID-19 and Communities. This was measured primarily through the services and support churches provide to local residents (members and non-members alike), as well as through the experience of loss felt as a result of the closure or restricted activity of churches during the pandemic. The report and subsequent work have looked at four central questions:

On Thursday 11th February, Rt Hon Stephen Timms tabled a debate in Parliament on the response of faith groups during the covid-19 outbreak. Several MPs joined this debate to commend faith communities and faith-based organisations for the excellent and often sacrificial ways in which they have served their communities throughout the past year. Timms drew special attention to the Keeping the Faith report, conducted by the Civil Society Unit at Goldsmiths, University of London, and commissioned by the APPG on Faith and Society with support

The Faith Covenant was set up by the APPG on Faith and Society in order to facilitate open, practical working between faith communities and local authorities, removing mistrust and encouraging collaboration according to a mutually agreed set of guiding principles. Since 2015, 13 local authorities have signed up the Covenant, with many others expressing interest in recent months as a result of the crucial role that faith communities have played in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Faith Covenant works not only to establish an

A new report has recommended that a Faiths Commissioner be appointed to champion faith groups across Government. Keeping the Faith has been published today by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Faith and Society and the Faiths & Civil Society Unit at Goldsmiths, University of London, found that collaboration between local authorities and faith groups dramatically increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey was sent to all 408 local authorities in the UK and 55 in-depth interviews were conducted with local authority leaders and co-ordinators of

The Rt Hon Stephen Timms MP and the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Faith and Society are hosting The launch of a new Demos report, ‘Holy Alliances’ Tuesday 3 September • Westminster Refreshments provided If you are interested in attending, please contact [email protected] for more information. In the decade following the 2008 financial crash, there has been a widely acknowledged growth in church social action, as well as a much less-acknowledged rise in partnership working, as churches increasingly link up with non-Christian organisations to meet social need.

Fiona Bruce MP, Rt Hon Stephen Timms MP and the officers of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Religious Education and the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Faith and Society invite you to attend Compliance, Assessment and Enforcement: Promoting Positive Outcomes in Religious Education and Relationships and Sex Education followed by Q&A Tuesday, July 16th, 5pm • House of Commons To attend, please RSVP to [email protected] This joint meeting will address issues in enforcing law and regulation with regards to RE provision and will explore the impact