Co-ordinator of Chance to Thrive – a regeneration initiative within the Priority Areas Committee work of the Church of Scotland which supports churches in the 5% most deprived areas of Scotland as they seek to engage with their local community in a transformative way. An interesting video was produced describing aspects of the programme’s first phase.
Has in depth experience of churches, faith based work, and voluntary and community sector management, gained especially through working independently in Northern Ireland with a range of groups and projects such as the Irish Churches’ Peace Project (ICPP), the Northern Ireland Inter-Faith Forum, The Churches’ Community Work Alliance (CCWA) and Oxfam Ireland; and, also with employers such as St Andrew’s Community Action Group, Newtownabbey Methodist Mission, The Corrymeela Community, Northern Ireland Hospice and the Presbyterian Church in Ireland.
Wrote funding bid which gained £1.2m SEUPB Peace III funding to establish the ICPP.
Has research experience of reconciliation issues such as Ministry of Reconciliation; Church-led Good Relations Work; Desecration during the violence in Northern Ireland; and, Disability and Hate Crime.
Finds a spiritual home within the Christian tradition, and is particularly intrigued by new monasticism with its concern for marginalized people, places and spaces, socio-economic justice, hospitality, peace-making, environment and formation in the way of Christ.
Enjoys –
- Digital photography – Encounters with Light
- Blogging – Fred Vincent
- Running – three marathons (just about!) completed, latest being the spectacular Causeway Coast marathon, September 2014
Living in Scotland (currently Glasgow), since June 2015.
Available for research, strategic development and facilitation work, as well as, speaking and writing on themes of faith, conflict and reconciliation, community and development.