Film maker, MP, aid specialist and theologians to speak at NJPN conference

Sarah Teather MP, theologian Dr Gemma Simmonds CJ, award-winning broadcaster and film maker Mary Colwell and Claire Dixon, head of CAFOD’s Latin America desk, are the keynote speakers at this year’s annual conference of the National Justice and Peace Network of England and Wales. The theme is: 'Called to Life in All Its Fullness: accepting the responsibility of our baptism' and it will be held at the Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick, from 18–20 July 2014. Revd Ruth Gee, President of the Methodist Conference 2013/2014 will chair the conference.

Sarah Teather is Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Refugees and regularly speaks out against negative attitudes to refugees. She recently tackled plans to introduce a residence test for legal aid, saying the plans would deny recent migrants from accessing legal aid for civil cases, including clinical negligence, unlawful removal of children and provisions for children with Special Educational Needs. Speaking in a recent parliamentary debate, she said that the residence test will have far-reaching consequences for vulnerable individuals, and will leave women who are victims of sexual abuse without legal assistance if they do not meet the test. Other causes she has taken up recently are better protection for tenants of private landlords, and opposing the cap on welfare benefits.

Gemma Simmonds CJ is Senior Lecturer in Pastoral and Social Studies and Theology at Heythrop College. As well as teaching and spiritual direction, she has worked with women and street children in Brazil and as a chaplain at London’s Holloway Prison. She will address the notion of the priesthood of the laity, focusing on the layperson priest as bridge builder, healer, and consecrator of ordinary things that through their service are transformed into effective signs of grace.

Mary Colwell, is a producer at the BBC Natural History Unit, making Shared Planet on BBC Radio 4. She speaks regularly on faith and environment, commenting: “Nothing challenges us more than our attitude to nature. It has no voice, it is not human and cannot organise a campaign - it simply relies on us caring. How are we responding as Christians?” She adds, “When I look at the Christian world I see only small pockets of concern and no organised effort”.

Clare Dixon OBE, is an advisor to the Department for Justice and Solidarity of the Latin American Bishops’ Council – CELAM – and a Trustee of the Archbishop Romero Trust. Speaking to the theme of prophetic witness in Latin America, she will draw on more than 30 years’ experience of working on Latin America, especially with CAFOD, and speak about ‘prophets’, many of whom she has known personally.

Among the choice of workshops, there will be: ‘Called to serve those in prison’, led by Fr Patrick Cope, who is the lead on RC issues at the Ministry of Justice HM Prison Service; ‘Joy in Enough: Economics for Planet and People’ led by Paul Bodenham, Chair of Christian Ecology Link; ‘Water’, led by Ashley Ralston and Ellen Teague of the NJPN Environment Working Group; ‘Defending the Safety Net’ run by Alistair Murray of Housing Justice and Liam Purcell of Church Action on Poverty; ‘What is human trafficking?’ led by Hana Waheed of the Medaille Trust; and ‘Palestine: Time for Action’ led by Pat Gaffney of Pax Christi and Ann Farr, who has worked as an Ecumenical Accompanier in Palestine/Israel.

There will be a programme of activities for children and young people, and a Just Fair with information and resources from many organisations. Fr Peter Hughes will be providing resources from the JPIC team of the Columban missionaries and Bruce Kent will run a stall on behalf of the Movement for the Abolition of War.

An Eritrean Coffee Ceremony will be held outside on the lawn, hosted by Sheffield's Eritrean community. In Eritrea and Ethiopia, coffee is something of a delicacy and to be asked to take coffee is a special invitation, a symbol of hospitality to honour a guest. The ceremony, which involves roasting the raw beans through to making and drinking the coffee, is an opportunity to reflect and give thanks for the good things in life.

A few spaces are left at the conference. Phone Conference Administrator Ann Kelly on 020 7901 4864 or admin@justice-and-peace.org.uk