70 year old Canon's 'leap of faith'

Canon Ivor Smith-Cameron marked his 70th birthday with a sponsored sky-dive from 12,000 feet.

The daring leap took place at Headcorn airfield, Kent, on 27 October, so that the video could be shown at the party on his actual birthday, 12 November.

Canon Ivor, who was born in India and now ministers at All Saints, Battersea, was raising funds for a medical centre in south India. It is part of a project called Roofs for the Roofless which helps self-supporting schemes in 18 villages around Madras. Ivor Smith-Cameron has worked in London for most of his ministry, and since 1972 in the Diocese of Southwark.

Commenting on the sky-dive, he says, "I enjoyed it very much. I did it before when I was 60, but the difference is that at 70 the pressure coming out of the plane went faster to my weak spots - ears, teeth, back and legs! I was also twirled around a lot and felt my breakfast coming up!"

Synod agrees to ethnic origin count

Battersea motion goes all the way!

It all goes to prove that persistence can win the day even when you don't feel as if you have any chance.

At the November meeting of the General Synod, the Battersea Deanery motion which made its way through Deanery Synod and a trial run in the area, through Diocesan Synod and finally onto the floor of General Synod was agreed.

It was a deserved moment of triumph for Vasantha Gnanadoss (below) who spoke for the Diocese and Battersea Deanery and it ensures that in the future the Church of England will have a clear picture of the ethnic make-up of the church.