Contents:

Lancashire Outreach

Employment News

Training News

Global Issues

Centre News

Partner News

Can you help ...?

Centreview

We must re-discover

shared values

St Antony’s Centre

for Church & Industry

“Catholic Social

Thinking in Action”

We are continuing to extend our services in response to the needs of the wider community and in particular to those in the World of Work who are facing difficulties because of the ongoing recession, job losses and uncertainty in their employment.

This autumn we launched the Plater Project in consultation with parishes in Hyndburn soon to be repeated in Manchester & Salford. This is giving adults an understanding of the Church’s social mission linked to the recent call by the Bishops’ Conference for a greater engagement with the wider community and the World of Work. Through the project at least 150 individuals will be supported and will lay the foundations for future development in the Diocese.

The call by the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales for a continuing campaign to re-establish values in our society that are commensurate with the dignity of people, and the recent visit of Pope Benedict XVI, have given us an opportunity to renew our thinking about the way in which the Church and its structures can be adapted to meet the changing nature of the society in which we live.

A key element must be the ongoing formation of the active adult lay apostolate, especially

people who can carry the Church’s social thinking into their spheres of influence at work, home and in the political and economic arena.

The rediscovery of values that we share and the commitment to serving the dignity of all people is a common bond that should lead us all to address the common good in our midst. People of faith have a pivotal role to play at this time of re-shaping our society.

If we are silent, then the Church and many in the vo luntary and community sector will be left to pick up the “victims” of misguided schemes and policies that t r e a t p e o p l e a s commodities not persons.

We must shape the “Big Society” debate to ensure it has at its heart Justice and Truth. It cannot become an excuse for ideology and job cuts or for transferring essential

s e r v i c e s t o t h e “Community” without the means to deliver them. We must measure the real cost to the Community and ensure our collective voice is heard. In this regard faith communities have a key role in the public space.

K W Flanagan Director

Winter 2010

St Antony’s Centre banner is greeted by the

Bishops of England and Wales

at Hyde Park - September 2010

Centreview 2 Winter 2010

St Antony’s Centre for Church & Industry

Reaching Out to Lancashire

In Summer 2009 St Antony’s Centre in partnership with the GMB Reach Out Project opened the Accrington Community & Training Centre (ACT Centre). Guests at the successful launch included representatives from Hyndburn Borough Council, Lancashire Adult Learning, GMB Union, Skills Funding Agency and Maundy Relief.

The qualified staff at the Centre are on hand to offer F R E E i n f o r m a t i o n , advice and guidance to anyone who is facing redundancy or who has recently been made redundant.

Since opening, the new facility has supported

and trained more than 400 people. The demand for Information, Advice and Guidance services remains high. The Centre in Accrington has candidates studying Skills for Life, Information Technology and ESOL courses. (English for Speakers of Other Languages).

The Centre extends its thanks to members of the ACT Centre Steering Group, St Joseph’s Parish and the many other agencies and individuals who have helped to establish the Centre as an innovative and effective facility supporting those in need.

Contact Details:- The ACT Centre is located at 25 Warner Street, Accrington, BB5 1HN. Tel 01254 238443

www.actcentre.org.uk

The Centre is delighted to have secured a grant from the Plater Trust to develop its outreach work in Lancashire.

The Plater Trust funding will expand the work of the ACT Centre (see above) and make courses and education available to marginalised and disadvantaged communities with the aim of increasing people's skills and confidence. Alongside these courses, the Centre is developing a Community Leadership programme to build the knowledge and skills of local people to serve and support their own community.

At a ceremony in Archbishop's House, Westminster attended by the Centre Director, Chaplain Fr Martin Saunders and the Deputy Training Manager, Archbishop Nichols

congratulated the Centre on the innovative approach it had adopted to deliver the Project.

The Director, responding to the award of the grant, drew attention to the fact that St Antony's Centre for Church & Industry was especially pleased to receive the award in its 30th year. As a Plater "Graduate" he was delighted to receive the award and outlined how the grant would be used to give a second c h a n c e t o marginalised people, an issue that was at the heart of Fr Charles Plater when the college named after him was first established.

Plater Award Success

Fr Martin Saunders, Melissa

Griffiths, Archbishop Nichols

and Kevin Flanagan

The Opening of the ACT Centre

Winter 2010 3 Centreview

Centre for Church & Industry Employment News

Nearly three quarters of workers laid off by Remploy have failed to find steady jobs over the past two years, according to a survey by the GMB union.

Former staff at the state-owned manufacturing company, which employs people with disabilities, have also struggled to find jobs which pay as well or with pensions.

The findings came two years after the company began a process of factory closures and

redundancies, which has seen some 2,500 workers laid off by the company and 29 factories closed or merged.

Of the 735 former Remploy staff in the survey, 74% said they were not currently in work.

Despite government assurances in 2007 that workers leaving Remploy for jobs outside would have their pay and pensions protected, over 82% of those surveyed said they no longer received a pension.

Nearly 70% of respondents said they had not received any support from Remploy since leaving the company.

Steve Sargent, deputy convenor of the Remploy joint trade union group, said: “People really don’t know what to do. They’re supposed to get support from Remploy and as you can see there’s very little confidence in that support and a lot of people are saying they have had no support at all.”

Remploy leavers struggle to find new jobs

Resident Labour Market Test

The UK Border Agency has introduced a change in the recruitment responsibilities of employers which

will make skilled UK vacancies more readily available to UK workers.

What has changed?

Since 31 March 2009, businesses can only recruit skilled migrants from outside the European Economic Area

if, having advertised their vacancy in Jobcentre Plus and one other specified medium, they are unable to find a

suitable resident to fill the post.

What must employers do?

They must advertise the job in Jobcentre Plus and by one other method permitted under the relevant code of

practice specific to their occupation. The job advert must include the job title, job description and location; an

indication of the salary package or range and the terms on offer; and the skills, qualifications and experience

needed.

Any other requirements?

All jobs must be advertised at the appropriate rate of pay for that job in the UK to make sure there has been a

genuine attempt to fill the vacancy with a resident worker. When hired, migrants must be paid at least the rate

advertised.

For how long must the job be advertised?

If the salary is £40k or less, the job must be advertised for a minimum of two weeks, and for one week if the

salary is over £40k. The period of advertising must start from the date that the advertisement first appears.

Should a resident labour market test be completed for all vacancies?

The requirement applies to the vast majority of skilled jobs in the UK - those which are filled under Tier 2 of

the Points Based System. An employer does not have to complete a resident labour market test if the job is an

intra-company transfer or is listed on the shortage occupation list. Or in a small minority of other cases where

an exemption applies, for example a job in the creative sector, where the code of practice states that

advertising is not required because the migrant will be making an additional contribution to the UK labour

market.

For information on the resident labour market test, including the codes of practice for each

employment sector, visit:

www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/employers

Centreview 4 Winter 2010

Centre Training News

Success for Teaching Assistants

Kings Road Primary School

Teaching Assistants at Kings Road Primary School are celebrating after recently achieving their Level 1 NVQ in Information Technology (iTQ).

The iTQ course is based on assessing how people use computers and IT in their work and leads to nationally recognised City & Guilds qualifications. The Course was delivered by tutors at St. Antony’s Centre in Trafford Park. To make it easier for staff to take part in the programme the course was delivered on-site over several months at times to suit their working day.

The next stage for many of the learners is to register for Level 2 qualifications as part of their on-going professional development.

Richard Lait, Head of the School, commented: “We all continue to learn throughout our lives and it’s great to celebrate the hard work and achievements of staff at the School.”

Tom Fredrickson, Training Manager at St. Antony’s Centre stated: “It has been a pleasure to work with the Teaching Assistants because of their commitment to develop new skills and improve their ability to support pupils and colleagues.”

The training was funded by the Skills Funding Agency and European Social Fund. It is open to anyone who is currently employed and lives or works in Greater Manchester.

St John Vianney School

The end of the school year at St John Vianney School in Firswood saw a unique celebration combining the award of certificates to both pupils and staff who had achieved qualifications in Information Technology.

In September 2009 St Antony’s Centre began delivering a Start IT course to 6th form pupils at the school after helping pupils achieve the same qualification in the previous academic year. At the same time, 11 Teaching Assistants enrolled with the Centre on a Level 1 NVQ in Information Technology (iTQ) as part of their professional development.

At the award ceremony on the last day of term, Tom Fredrickson, Training Manager at the Centre, spoke about how impressed he had been with the quality of work achieved by all the learners. In particular he praised the creative use of IT made by the 6th form pupils and the enthusiasm and dedication shown by the Teaching Assistants in completing their course around their work commitments.

The Head of the School, Elaine McMorrow, congratulated the pupils for the hard work they had put into achieving their qualifications. She also commended the staff for their commitment to developing their own skills so that they could better support students at the school. The joint presentation of the certificates was a proud occasion for the school and a special opportunity to celebrate all the learners’ achievements together.

Would you like to gain an ITQ? Why not give us

a call on 0161 848 9173

Pictured receiving their certificates from Tom

Fredrickson and Richard Lait are l-r: Fiona

Grant, Sanna Anwar, Catherine Gallon, Beverley

Scott, Iffat Waqar and Farhana Latief.

Winter 2010 5 Centreview

Global Issues

Recently you may have noticed dramatic cuts in the cost of bananas as supermarkets enter a price war over Britain’s favourite fruit. Unfortunately, this war is set to undermine the Fairtrade movement and have a devastating impact on those who work in the banana growing industry. Bananas have regularly been the subject of price wars but the scale of current price slashing is unprecedented and comes as banana farmers in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific face soaring costs in fertilizers and

fuel alongside significant losses of crops due to storms. The damaging effect of the price war is increasingly being felt - prices to suppliers are one third less than seven years ago meaning few plantation workers can now earn anything like a living wage. Since 1992 20,000 out of 24,000 Fairtrade banana producers in the Caribbean have gone out of business. In an effort to protect smaller growers from multi-national concerns growing bananas on an industrial scale the Fairtrade Foundation has set a minimum guaranteed price paid to its farmers. And some supermarket chains now source all their bananas from Fairtrade suppliers

in the hope of ensuring that farmers and workers are treated fairly. However, the huge and growing difference in cost between normal and Fairtrade bananas is threatening to jeopardise the success of a change in purchasing power which saw £700 million spent on Fairtrade goods in the UK during 2008. If we get the idea that any food can be produced and sold so cheaply the whole question of fair trade is undermined. If those who supply supermarkets are not able to make a living, be they dairy farmers in the UK or banana growers in the Caribbean, the inevitable c o n s e q u e n c e s w i l l b e unemployment and poverty.

Colette a friend of the Centre is working with 29 disabled young men aged between 20-24 in the town of Lima in Peru.

The Missionaries of Charity Brothers have established a home to support the young men who would ordinarily be abandoned. The two properties need a great deal of conversion as several of the boys are severely disabled and immobile. The Brothers need patient lifting equipment for the volunteers who support the young men.

Colette, who has made several trips, will be returning there on 3

January 2011 to spend seven weeks with the boys. So far she

has painted the walls of the outside recreation area, creating images of the Lake District and Scotland to brighten it up. Paintings have also been created on the inside walls of the home. Work has been extended to the local juvenile prison where Colette will be working with the Brothers and prisoners to create a mural on the prison Chapel wall.

The Brothers need a new industrial washing machine and cooker. The cost will be in the order of £2,500. The Brothers do not fund-raise and depend upon divine providence. The St Antony’s Centre Team and Management will be sending a donation as part of our Christmas giving for 2010.

If you would like to know more about this work or to help us to find ways in which to support this important initiative by the Brothers in Lima Town, please do

not hesitate to contact us.

The Missionaries of Charity Brothers also operate at St M a l a c h y ’ s , C o l l y h u r s t , Manchester, supporting a wide range of individuals and families.

Their particular mission following their foundation by Mother Teresa is to support those in greatest need in the community. They can be contacted on 0161-205 2055.

Anyone who has witnessed their work, cannot but be deeply moved by the commitment, enthusiasm and joy they bring to many peoples’ lives throughout the year.

What price a

banana?

Lima Outreach

Juvenile inmates with their artwork at

the Chapel

Colette with some of the brothers in

Lima

Centreview 6 Winter 2010

Centre for Church & Industry News

www.stantonyscentre.org.uk

Are you “Choosing the Common Good”?

Over 25 people took part in discussions at St Antony’s Centre in Manchester, leading up to the General Election. The sessions looked at developments in the economic and political life of the country using the Bishop’s Statement “Choosing the Common Good”.

The 4-weekly sessions gave an opportunity for people from across the Diocese to share their own experiences and understanding of the Church’s Social Thinking as it related to their communities and world of work. Many of the participants were surprised to discover the depth and richness of Catholic Social Thinking and its history.

A presentation was also made

to Churches within the Wythenshawe area at the Sacred Heart Church. This was part of their preparations for a public meeting where 150 people presented their views to prospective parliamentary candidates in the area.

The Bishops’ Conference is asking people to continue to consider the issues raised in “Choosing the Common Good”. Copies can be obtained from the Centre for £1:00 plus postage or from the CBCEW website www.cbcew.org.uk

Progressio has just launched their new website www.catholicsocialteaching.org.uk which has a study guide on “Caritas in Veritate”.

Fr Joe was in good form when Bishop Terence Brain paid him a visit recently at

the nursing home in Yorkshire.

The Bishop has been one of many visitors to see Fr Joe since his move last year. Thanks to all who have conveyed their greetings to Fr Joe - they are being passed on to Judith who continues to visit on a regular basis.

Team News

We welcome three new members to the team.

In July, Kathryn Moore joined the Centre Training Department as a Community Learning Tutor. Her role is to support delivery of the Response to Redundancy programme and the Plater Project.

Also joining the Plater Project was Philip Unsworth who began work in September on developing the parish and community engagement aspect of the project.

Finally, Joanne Connor has recently started as the new Conference Administrator in Manchester. We are delighted to welcome all our new team members and wish them every success in their roles.

Stork in Flight! We are delighted to announce that Lisa Mullan, the ACT Centre Administrator, is expecting her third child in February 2011.

We look forward to meeting the new arrival in the New Year.

The Centre website contains information about the various projects run by the Centre. It is a means of communication to all our current users as well as an information portal for those who may not know us yet.

Log on, have a look around and give us feedback about the site and what you would like to see included on it.

We also have new contact e-mail addresses for Centre staff ending @stantonyscentre.org.uk. Key contact details can be found on the back page.

Have you heard?

Fr Joe

Winter 2010 7 Centreview

Partner News Congratulations to HCL

Happy 10th

Anniversary

A ground-breaking project in Lancashire celebrated its 10th Anniversary with a “Big Lunch” for the local community held at the Haslingden Community Link Centre next to St Mary’s Church, Haslingden. The project was established to serve the needs of the local community and is housed in the former St Mary’s RC Junior school which had remained under-utilised for a number of years. Bishop Patrick Kelly invited the Director of St Antony’s Centre to work with the Parish Community in finding a new use for the building.

The Chair of the first Steering Group was Terence Kelly. The late Fr Jim Christie, the Parish Priest at the time was instrumental in encouraging and supporting the first stages of the project which eventually secured a major Lottery Grant toward the conversion of the building as a community and child care facility. Since then the project has continued to expand and develop with the building of a Children’s Centre as part of the network of Centres across the country bringing together support services for children and parents.

Haslingden Community Link (HCL) is now seen as a model of good practice across Lancashire, bringing together a diverse range of groups and organisations to meet the needs of the community. From its location in one of the two most deprived wards in the area it has made a significant contribution to local needs. The services are strongly supported by a number of former parishioners and community representatives. The Diocese of Salford gave strong support, assisting the project to obtain property next to the Church in order to provide improved vehicle and parking access for HCL and the Parish.

Barry Payton, Head of the Centre, the Centre Management Committee, in particular Dorothy Mitchell who has been a long serving member and community activist

recognised by many for her contribution to the community and local health services, have provided a strong support network for this innovative and exciting project.

The “Big Lunch” provided an opportunity for members of the public and parents to visit the Centre. Photographs showing the development of the Centre were on display along with news about the current activities within HCL. Food provided by a number of organisations, including Donnamays the on-site cafe which is well known in the area and a range of goodies prepared by the local Polish and Asian community were appreciated by all present.

K Flanagan attended on behalf of the Diocese and St Antony’s Centre.

We take this opportunity of congratulating Michael Cruise, the Chair and the HCL Team on their 10th birthday. We look forward to working with them over the next 10 years and more! They have served their motto well:-

“For the Common Good”

Why not pop in for a coffee at their cafe next time you are near Haslingden?

Tel: 01706 230 116, or website www.hcl.org.uk

Barry Payton, Head of Centre;

Mike Cruise, HCL Council Chair;

Kevin Flanagan, St Antony’s Centre

(HCL Council Member)

Centreview 8 Winter 2010

St Antony’s Centre for Church & Industry

New E-mail Addresses Kevin Flanagan - Centre Director

kflanagan@stantonyscentre.org.uk Paul Callaghan - Contracts Manager

pcallaghan@stantonyscentre.org.uk Patricia Gallagher - Centre Secretary

secretary@stantonyscentre.org.uk Melissa Griffiths - Deputy Training Manager

mgriffiths@stantonyscentre.org.uk Conference & Hire

conference@stantonyscentre.org.uk

GMB Reach Out Contacts David Flanagan - Senior Project Worker

dave@gmbreachout.org.uk Secretary secretary@gmbreachout.org.uk

Can you help?

Interested in helping us develop our work? We always welcome people from across the Diocese who may be interested in helping us promote our work in their area. If you have some time to spare and our work interests you, then give us a call. Training is given to all our Team to help them in their own Community / Parish.

Vacancy - Treasurer GMIM We are still looking for a volunteer Treasurer to help with the Greater Manchester Industrial Mission Charity. GMIM co-ordinates the Ecumenical Industrial Chaplaincy network in Greater Manchester. We manage a small Trust Fund to support the work. The Centre is the Administrative and Team base for GMIM. If you have some experience of finance or acting as a Treasurer for a Charity, then give us a call. Four meetings a year and some oversight duties—4/5 hours per month.

St Antony’s Centre Eleventh Street

The Village Trafford Park

Manchester M17 1JF T: 0161 848 9173 ~ F: 0161 872 9480

www.stantonyscentre.org.uk

The ACT Centre 25 Warner Street

Accrington Lancashire BB5 1HN

T: 01254 238 443 www.actcentre.org.uk

Registered Charity No: 250037-R “Catholic Social Thinking in Action”

According to UN figures the number of hungry people in the world is now more than a billion. In 2008 a global food crisis triggered by record oil prices and the increasing use of farming land to grow biofuel crops led to food riots in many of the world’s poorer countries. As a result of shortages food prices in 2009 were higher in 80% of the

world’s countries. At the same time world food supplies

have come under further pressure following a succession of droughts, typhoons, floods and earthquakes that have destroyed crops in Russia and Asia. All these circumstances combined threaten to aggravate the plight of millions of people already destitute as a result of natural disasters and widespread unemployment caused by the

global financial crisis. Worse still, many millions of the world’s poor will face loss of food aid as rich countries cut their contribution to the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) which currently feeds nearly 100 million people a year. Against this scenario, aid agencies are urging rich countries to donate more in order to prevent the WFP having to cut food rations that would lead to a humanitarian disaster for millions of the worlds poor.

Global Hunger Worsens

Any News? If you would like to send us

any news or stories for future editions of Centreview,

these would be most welcome. Please contact Kevin Flanagan

at St Antony’s Centre