Church of England charity helps rebuild communities after riots (From Sutton Guardian)

Church of England charity helps rebuild communities after riots

1:57pm Tuesday 7th August 2012 in Riots: One year on By Alexandra Rucki

A Church of England charity is helping to rebuild links in communities affected by the riots.

The Church Urban Fund works to tackle poverty in England and has been running projects in Battersea following last year's disturbances.

A community listening campaign was launched in Battersea, which worked with churches, schools, youth groups and mosques.

It also set up a Youth Leadership Programme, with 50 youngsters building relationships with people from different backgrounds in a bid to tackle injustice.

Borough police commander Chief Superintendent David Chinchen agreed to change patrol routes in estates to target places where drug dealers frequent.

Reverend Simon Butler, Vicar of St Mary's Church, Battersea Park Road, Battersea, helped run the community listening campaign.

He said: "The community listening campaign has been remarkably positive, an increasing number of organisations have joined the campaign, and real relationships have been built between community leaders.

"People are now actively engaged in improving their communities through the twelve newly formed residents associations and youth leadership programme."

Paul Hackwood, chairman of trustees at the Church Urban Fund: "We are very pleased with the difference that the community listening campaign has made to the local community in Battersea.

"The community listening campaign has offered practical long term solutions to foster better community cohesion and engagement, which will help re-build not only the communities directly affected by the riots, but also more broadly to address the underlying causes of the disturbances."

Visit cuf.org.uk for more information