Press Release

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6 September 2002

Andreas Whittam-Smith, First Church Estates Commissioner, spent a day touring Southwark Diocese with Bishop Tom Butler on Tuesday 4 September.

They started on the London Eye, which gives a bird’s eye view of much of the Diocese. Their next calls were many miles south, at the ancient rural church in Chaldon, Surrey, at the picture village of Bletchingley and then Wychcroft House, the Diocesan retreat centre.

Moving towards London, the Bishop and the Commissioner called at the Croydon Episcopal Area office to meet staff members, the local Rural Dean and Croydon Borough councillors. They had lunch in the Café Van Gogh which is part of the community facility within Christ Church, North Brixton. From there they went to one of the housing estates owned by the Church Commissioners, and discussed the housing crisis with Diocesan specialists.

Further north still St Saviour’s and St Olave’s Church of England Girls School welcomed them and they called into one or two classes and chatted with some of the girls before the close of the school day. From there they went to Southwark Cathedral to meet with other staff and advisers, considering inner city issues and community development, as well as church finances. Southwark Diocese has been among the most heavily hit by recent changes in Church Commissioners’ budgeting policy.

The last visit of the long day was at St Peter’s, Walworth, south London, where the Bishop inaugurated a new £1.3 million development project. It will include a café, internet centre, arts projects, and a gathering place for young people, for the elderly, and for refugees. The Bishop also blessed the church garden known as The Monkey Park, which is to be replanted and opened to the community.

At the end of the day Mr Whittam-Smith reflected, “I was very impressed by the vibrancy of the Diocese and by the commitment of the people I met. I gained many insights into the Church's work during the day.”

Bishop Tom remarked, “I was glad to be able to show the First Commissioner the great variety of Southwark Diocese, and discuss some of the considerable challenges in our mission.”

Diocesan Communications Officer
Tel: 020-7939 9400
Mobile: 07831-694021
Fax: 020-7939 9468