The Church Commissioners for England has appointed Jennifer Longstaff, formerly associate director of Savills’ Newcastle office, as Strategic Land and Affordable Housing Asset Manager. Longstaff (see photo) will help drive forward the Church Commissioners’ ambitions for affordable housing delivery, particularly in rural areas, across the Church Commissioners’ land portfolio. The Commissioners’ real asset portfolio includes significant landholdings, which have a critical role to play in supporting rural communities and maintaining their vibrancy across the country, including through the delivery of new housing. A chartered member of the Royal Town Planning Institute, Longstaff has nearly 15 years’ experience working for Savills undertaking project development and securing planning permissions to support new developments, including rural housing.At Savills, she managed several smaller development sites, as well as successful larger housing and mixed-use projects across the North of England. She also worked closely with the Church Commissioners’ teams as a development consultant on their rural housing projects across England, with great success.The Church Commissioners expect to deliver 9,000 affordable homes across its land portfolio in the next 15 years and, additionally, are seeking to accelerate the delivery of small-scale rural affordable housing sites across England, in partnership with housing associations and local housebuilders. Recent successes that Longstaff will seek to replicate include collaborations with English Rural Housing Association (ERHA) to provide homes of mixed affordable tenures in Shepherdswell, Dover, and local needs homes in Mersham, Kent, to be kept in perpetuity as an affordable housing option for the local community.Joanna Loxton, head of strategic land investment at the Church Commissioners, says: “We are delighted by Jennifer’s appointment and are looking forward to working with her regarding our commitment to accelerate the delivery of affordable housing across our land portfolio, aligned with the values outlined in the Archbishops’ Coming Home report that was published last year. “Jennifer’s extensive experience and proven track record, successfully managing both strategic land and rural housing projects, will offer valuable support in driving forward our mission to boost the delivery of affordable housing across the country.”
Mandated to drive ‘significant cultural and structural change on issues of racial justice within the Church of England’, the Archbishops’ Commission for Racial Justice (“ACRJ”), headed by The Rt Hon Lord Paul Boateng, is charged with monitoring, holding to account and supporting the implementation of the forty-seven recommendations of the Racial Justice Taskforce which were laid out in the Taskforce’s comprehensive 2020 report From Lament to Action.In his foreword letter to the First Report, Lord Boateng writes, “This is a painful process, and necessarily so, in that the response to an examination of racism and the exposure of injustice is often one of denial and defensiveness or obscuration and delay. This must not go unchallenged.”Released today, the Commission states: “In this, the first of the six reports the ACRJ will produce, we have outlined the beginning of this work, reporting on the formulation of the seven workstreams in the last three months, and the progress of work on the five priority areas and the forty-seven recommendations identified in From Lament to Action."Subject to the availability of appropriate support and resources, the Commission will produce a further report by the end of 2022 and will report twice a year thereafter. The Commission will conclude its work in October 2024 with a final report drawing the work of the three years together.” Lord Boateng, commenting further in his foreword letter on the issues of the resources required to implement the Taskforce and the ACRJ’s recommendations says: “We have taken the view that a minimum of £20 million needs to be set aside… to fund the delivery of From Lament to Action, and to meet the cost of such recommendations that we make within the lifetime of the Commission.”The Report makes clear the importance of each Diocese within the Church of England developing a Racial Justice Strategy to as to make the most impact with the resources available, and sets a time limit for this [Patronage, Governance & Funding, Page 39]The Report makes comment on the issue of monuments and slavery and calls for a strengthening of the guidance issued in this regard to create an appropriate balance with respect to the planning requirements for historic conservation so as to stress the paramount importance of equitable access to Christian worship, and which reflects the Church’s commitment to racial justice. [Slavery, Page 21]The Report also highlights the need for wider reform of the Church of England’s Consistory Court process and calls for greater diversity and inclusion in its administration. [Slavery, Pages 23 & 24]Commenting on the first Report, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby, said: “We strongly welcome the first report of the Commission on Racial Justice and the clear, independent scrutiny it provides. I am very grateful to Lord Boateng and his Commission members for the work they have done so far. This report identifies the difficult and long path to eradicating the pain and injustice felt by so many, but provides us with hope that through the Commission’s work, these issues will be addressed.”The Archbishop of York, the Most Reverend Stephen Cottrell added: “We are encouraged to see the work of the Commission in challenging current practice and stimulating culture change in the Church of England. It is important for us to engage with these ideas and continue to build both support and action. This reminds us that justice lies at the heart of the Gospels and it is our hope that the whole Church will be inspired to commit in earnest to this transformation.”
Last week Guildford Cathedral welcomed 2,800 children to the year 6 leavers services at the Cathedral. These uplifting events were a way to mark the end of primary school for all children at our schools. Here is a wonderful prayer from St. Mary’s Church of England Primary School - ChessingtonPlease don’t let goDear GodAs we prepare to take these important steps from primary school to secondary, please don’t let go.Hold our hands and guide us on the right path, helping us to make positive choices.As we face new challenges and sometimes stumble, please don’t let go.Pick us up and give us the strength and courage to carry on.As we say goodbye to old friends and teachers and meet new ones, please don’t let go.Help them to see all that is good in us, showing mutual kindness and respect. As we enter unfamiliar places, perhaps feeling a little lost and alone, please don’t let go.Walk alongside us, giving us courage and helping us to find our way.As we are presented with new and sometimes confusing situations, please don’t let go.Open our minds and hearts to new ideas, helping us to grow with empathy and tolerance.As we are asked to take more risks and decisions on our own, please don’t let go.Give us the strength and knowledge to become more independent.If we know you are holding us tight and always by our side, we won’t let go of you.You will remain in our hearts, helping us to learn and grow, full of kindness and honesty.Amen
