Southend Faith and Belief Network

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Southend-on-Sea Faith and Belief Network

Who are we?

Members of the network are representatives of the local faith and belief congregations, groups, and projects, Southend City Council staff, and representatives from partner agencies we have over 100 subscribers to our page getting regular news from the Faith community and communications from Southend City Council, NHS, 3rd sector organizations and invitations to our monthly meetings organizations subscribe to keep informed.

What do we do?

We bring together faith groups and public services committed to

  • pro-actively build relationships and trust between faith groups and public services

  • creating opportunities to raise awareness and share learning and knowledge between different faith communities, and within the public services

  • seeking opportunities to bring people together to serve the community, particularly the most disadvantaged

We meet monthly to share good practice, hear from invited speakers and support each other in activities which support the above commitments.

Content

On this page there is a wide range of resources for faith groups, from funding opportunities specifically for the faith community, to community initiatives, events, links to useful information as well as news relevant to the faith community feel free to add your event, your place of worship into our map and subscribe to join our monthly meetings and get our newsletters.

News : The latest information for Faith and Belief groups.

Have your say! : Tell us your views, surveys, and funding applications!

Map : Add your place of worship and contact details, other can use this information to reach out, find out where you are or worship!

Events : Subscribers can add their events and invite others.

Who can join?

The network is open to faith and belief leaders, congregational members, community leaders, projects members inspired by their faith and beliefs and professionals and agencies wanting to supporting the network’s aims and objectives.

Background story

The council has a long history of working with the diverse faith and belief community in Southend which is making an immense contribution to the wellbeing of residents in Southend. They provide spiritual guidance and also get involved in serving the most disadvantaged in Southend, from food, housing and employment based activities, through to using their assets to host play groups, sports clubs and social and community events.

The Southend Interfaith Working Group was set up to support this work but when the when the pandemic started in 2020 we had to engage with as many people as we could in a short space of time. The more agile and peer-based Southend Faith and Belief Network was born out of this with weekly then monthly meetings. It proved again the role our faith and belief communities play as an invaluable source of support to the residents of Southend, from sharing messages to congregations, assisting with covid testing and vaccinations, supporting vulnerable families in need and generally ensuring that people have felt less isolated and more valued.

The work of Southend’s Faith and Belief Network has naturally evolved since then. The members have been meeting monthly to discuss issues such as safety compliance, the health and wellbeing of community members, support for the Afghanistan and Ukrainian families in Southend on Sea, where they have been able to support their community needs and have generally been getting involved in projects happening across the City as well as working solidly to support their own congregations.

The tragic events related to the death of Sir David Amess in 2021 brought us together as a network with ideas such as the 1000 Conversations, the 2022 Unite in the Light event at the Cliffs Pavilions (23 plus congregations represented) and Eid in the Park with over 4k residents attending. We come together many times as a group, to be a powerful, united voice and group and the Southend City Council joined the Essex Faith Covenant.

In 2023 the network followed through with Unite in Light: One Planet event bringing together congregations to showcase how they look after the environment informed by their faith and belief.

The network keeps on growing and sharing ideas so please do reach out to find out more by emailing:

faithandbeliefnetwork@southend.gov.uk

To read about how the Council handles your data please visit our Privacy notice: Southend-on-Sea City Council Privacy Notice

Southend-on-Sea Faith and Belief Network

Who are we?

Members of the network are representatives of the local faith and belief congregations, groups, and projects, Southend City Council staff, and representatives from partner agencies we have over 100 subscribers to our page getting regular news from the Faith community and communications from Southend City Council, NHS, 3rd sector organizations and invitations to our monthly meetings organizations subscribe to keep informed.

What do we do?

We bring together faith groups and public services committed to

  • pro-actively build relationships and trust between faith groups and public services

  • creating opportunities to raise awareness and share learning and knowledge between different faith communities, and within the public services

  • seeking opportunities to bring people together to serve the community, particularly the most disadvantaged

We meet monthly to share good practice, hear from invited speakers and support each other in activities which support the above commitments.

Content

On this page there is a wide range of resources for faith groups, from funding opportunities specifically for the faith community, to community initiatives, events, links to useful information as well as news relevant to the faith community feel free to add your event, your place of worship into our map and subscribe to join our monthly meetings and get our newsletters.

News : The latest information for Faith and Belief groups.

Have your say! : Tell us your views, surveys, and funding applications!

Map : Add your place of worship and contact details, other can use this information to reach out, find out where you are or worship!

Events : Subscribers can add their events and invite others.

Who can join?

The network is open to faith and belief leaders, congregational members, community leaders, projects members inspired by their faith and beliefs and professionals and agencies wanting to supporting the network’s aims and objectives.

Background story

The council has a long history of working with the diverse faith and belief community in Southend which is making an immense contribution to the wellbeing of residents in Southend. They provide spiritual guidance and also get involved in serving the most disadvantaged in Southend, from food, housing and employment based activities, through to using their assets to host play groups, sports clubs and social and community events.

The Southend Interfaith Working Group was set up to support this work but when the when the pandemic started in 2020 we had to engage with as many people as we could in a short space of time. The more agile and peer-based Southend Faith and Belief Network was born out of this with weekly then monthly meetings. It proved again the role our faith and belief communities play as an invaluable source of support to the residents of Southend, from sharing messages to congregations, assisting with covid testing and vaccinations, supporting vulnerable families in need and generally ensuring that people have felt less isolated and more valued.

The work of Southend’s Faith and Belief Network has naturally evolved since then. The members have been meeting monthly to discuss issues such as safety compliance, the health and wellbeing of community members, support for the Afghanistan and Ukrainian families in Southend on Sea, where they have been able to support their community needs and have generally been getting involved in projects happening across the City as well as working solidly to support their own congregations.

The tragic events related to the death of Sir David Amess in 2021 brought us together as a network with ideas such as the 1000 Conversations, the 2022 Unite in the Light event at the Cliffs Pavilions (23 plus congregations represented) and Eid in the Park with over 4k residents attending. We come together many times as a group, to be a powerful, united voice and group and the Southend City Council joined the Essex Faith Covenant.

In 2023 the network followed through with Unite in Light: One Planet event bringing together congregations to showcase how they look after the environment informed by their faith and belief.

The network keeps on growing and sharing ideas so please do reach out to find out more by emailing:

faithandbeliefnetwork@southend.gov.uk

To read about how the Council handles your data please visit our Privacy notice: Southend-on-Sea City Council Privacy Notice

  • Southend-on-Sea City Council pledges support to the Essex Faith Covenant

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    Southend-on-Sea City Council pledges support to the Essex Faith Covenant

    Southend-on-Sea City Council has pledged its support to the Essex Faith Covenant (EFC).

    Launched in October 2017, the EFC is part of a national initiative to encourage faith and community groups and public services to collaborate more closely in the care and provision for residents, especially those who are vulnerable, and to strengthen community cohesion.

    Cllr Stephen George, leader of the council, said: “Southend is an inclusive and welcoming city. By pledging our support to the Essex Faith Covenant, the council is building on its existing work with the 70-member strong Southend Faith and Belief Network. The network supports multiple collaborations in areas such as homelessness, combating loneliness and poverty, COVID response and very successful events that have brought our diverse communities together such as Unite in Light and Eid in the Park.

    “We are joining regional partners that have pledged to follow a joint vision that together we are stronger, and we recognise and value the benefits of diversity and inclusiveness in our city, where people from different backgrounds are valued and get on well together.”

    Rob Polkinghorne, chief executive of the council, added: “The council’s equality objectives were reviewed earlier this year in consultation with residents and partner organisations and some of the most important issues identified were mental health and racial equality.

    “We have witnessed the benefits that social cohesion can bring to underrepresented groups including those from disadvantaged communities, people with mental health issues and disabilities. We will work to bring equality, diversity and inclusion issues into sharper focus and seek out improvements to our services and work environment, and working with the Essex Faith Covenant will be an important part of the process.”

    The Rev. Canon Ivor Moody, chair of the Essex Faith Covenant steering group, said: “I am delighted Southend-on-Sea City Council has pledged its support for the Essex Faith Covenant. This will greatly increase the scope and possibilities for the covenant.

    “Since its launch many public services, organisations and faith groups have signed up to the covenant and begun real collaboration on various community projects to share ideas, resources, and training.

    “This means that more people in Southend and across Essex, including minority groups, are having their voices heard and better services provided for them. An example being the early stages of development of an Essex Mind and Spirit Cluster Group in Southend looking at the connection between spirituality and wellbeing.”

    For more information, please visit:


Page last updated: 28 May 2025, 03:05 PM