Quotes from the media

GENDER STEREOTYPES: PRIMARY SCHOOLS URGED TO TACKLE ISSUE

Calling girls ‘sweetie’ or boys ‘mate’ in primary school perpetuates gender stereotypes, campaigners say.

In a letter to the education secretary in England, various groups are calling on the government to address the language and ideas used in schools.

Stereotypes limit children’s aspirations and create inequalities that help fuel gender-based violence, they say.

The government says [that] challenging stereotypes is in its guidance.

The letter to Education Secretary Gavin Williamson … says the curriculum, books and language used in schools reinforce ideas of how girls and boys should look and behave.

It suggests schools should ‘actively challenge gender stereotypes’ from an early age before they become ingrained...

The letter … urges the government to ensure more specialist resources and training are made available to nurseries and primary schools.

It suggests this could lead to an improvement in other areas such as encouraging more girls to study science, technology and maths, helping to improve boys’ reading skills and increasing children’s wellbeing.

Church of England Newspaper

‘EAT LOTS OF CAKE’ – TIPS OFFERED FOR A SUCCESSFUL MESSY CHURCH

Plenty of cake is a significant part of ensuring that Messy Church works, a two-year survey ... suggests.

The report, A Voyage of Discovery ... has produced a list of ‘clear actions’ that churches should consider if they want to ... ‘make disciples and grow deeper in discipleship’. It concludes with the tonguein-cheek injunction... ‘Eat lots of cake.’

More serious suggestions include: Decide to be a community of reflective practice... Notice God at work... Decide to be church all month... Value quality as well as quantity… Give up something – even something you enjoy – to prioritise Messy Church and make it a deeper, richer experience… Journey together... Enjoy it... [And] more than anything, decide to be disciples and to make disciples.

Church Times

CHURCHES IN SCOTLAND TO BENEFIT FROM HATE CRIME SECURITY FUND

Christian campaigners have welcomed plans to protect places of worship from religiously motivated attacks.

The Scottish government’s £500,000 Hate Crime Security Fund provides grants to install security measures to help protect places of worship.

Places of worship deemed particularly at risk of attacks are eligible for 100 per cent grants. This is higher than in England, where buildings are only able to receive 80 per cent funding.

Individual places of worship can receive up to £20,000 in funding to install up to three separate security measures.

The fund ... will run for two months. Grants are expected to be paid out by the end of September this year.

Premier

CofE INVEST £1.25M IN CONTACTLESS GIVING TO BOOST TITHING

The Church of England has announced it will invest £1.25 million in enabling digital payments to half of all its churches by 2023.

The funding will be used to provide contactless devices, helping to set up online giving, training and one-to-one support.

Speaking to Premier, Grace Emmet, the national digital giving manager, said they want to see as many parishes as possible embracing different kinds of digital giving.

‘For some churches I think that will look like having a contactless unit and online giving, making good use of QR codes and sources… For other churches, it might be one or the other, particularly if you’ve got a church that say, got really high visitor footfall, but actually hasn’t got many people coming on a Sunday, then a really good contactless donation unit might be the right fit for them.’

Rural congregations, where connectivity might be a problem, will be offered units that are able to take offline donations or devices that can run off a mobile sim...

‘[We are] trying to work with churches to find good solutions and connectivity is a big part of that as well,’ Emmet continued.

A first pilot has already begun in the Diocese of Carlisle with more than 100 churches taking part.

Premier