Diocesan Press Release

Bishop of Southwark visits Battersea

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  30 November 1998

The Mayor of Wandsworth and local Rotarians joined the Bishop of Southwark, the Rt Rev Tom Butler, for lunch with clergy and other guests at All Saints, Prince of Wales Drive, Battersea on Tuesday November 24. During the lunch, Canon Ivor Smith-Cameron introduced a Chinese professor who performed a dance of celebration. It was part of a day-long programme in which the Bishop visited a nursery, two schools, an old people's lunch club, a health centre, and a community centre.

All are Christian projects or involve the churches in Battersea Deanery. The Battersea Fields Health Centre, on Doddington Estate, is explicitly Christian in its staffing and outlook. And the Katherine Low Settlement, Battersea High Street, is a Christian community centre with grant aid from the Church Urban Fund. It includes a club for young people with learning difficulties. Clergy and church members came together for a Eucharist at Christ Church, Candahar Road, Battersea in the evening, then discussed the area's needs, hopes and plans with the Bishop.

The schools visited were Christ Church Cof E School, Este Road and St George's CofE School, Patmore Estate. Both have been turned around after a poor OFSTED report and have now attained high standards. The Bishop commented: "I was very impressed with the Christian commitment of the staff in both these schools. Getting them released from special measures was a tremendous achievement."

The other places on the Bishop's itinerary were:

Humming Bird nursery, in Christ Church Hall; St Michael's old people's lunch club: All Saints Church, Prince of Wales Drive; a walk through Kambala and Winstanley Estates to St Peter's Centre; and The Ascension Church, Lavender Hill.

Ends.