Strengthening community resilience with London’s faith communities

London Boroughs Faiths Network (LBFN), a close partner of London Plus, plays a vital role in fostering collaboration and unity among London’s diverse faith communities.

One of the key objectives of LBFN is to bring these communities together, encouraging dialogue and collective action on issues that significantly impact the city. As part of this work LBFN coordinates three networks:

• The London Resilience Faith & Belief Sector Panel (FBSP) works alongside the London Communities Emergencies Partnership (LCEP) in linking with London’s resilience frameworks
• Borough Faith Forums are groups of faith leaders from different backgrounds. They get together to discuss important issues and have been meeting every month since the beginning of the pandemic
• Local Faith Resilience Champions are graduates of the Faith Leaders Community Resilience training programme. This network of champions is already 50+ and another 60-90 will be trained in the coming year

LBFN summit

The first in-person ‘summit’, combining the three groups, took place recently on Monday 9 September at Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha in Hounslow. It brought together key representatives from various faith communities.

The agenda included discussions on several critical issues:

1. The Role of Faith Communities in Responding to Public Disorder. Faith leaders shared their experiences and strategies for addressing rising public disorder and religious hatred, with a focus on prevention and protection within their boroughs
2. Reflections on the Grenfell Inquiry Report. The importance of community coordination with public sector actors was highlighted, especially during crises like the Grenfell Tower tragedy. The role of faith leaders in supporting victims and fostering collaboration was emphasized
3. Preparation for Winter and Cold Weather Crises. As the colder months approach, discussions focused on bolstering community resilience to ensure that communities are prepared to face severe weather challenges, particularly through coordinated efforts between faith and public sectors
4. Inter Faith Week. Initial plans for upcoming Inter Faith Week were also explored, focusing on bringing communities together for dialogue, understanding, and shared activities

Upcoming events & initiatives

• The next Borough Faith Forum meeting will be held online on October 7^th, continuing the important work of bringing faith communities together to discuss and collaborate on key initiatives
• Preparations are already underway for the Community Resilience Training at Westminster in November. This in-person training will focus on enhancing the ability of faith leaders to respond effectively to emergencies
• An exciting Winter Webinar in partnership with LCEP is scheduled for early November, where key topics related to severe weather preparedness and winter resilience will be discussed
• Measles Awareness. There has been a rise in measles cases, and raising awareness on the importance of vaccination is essential. LBFN encourages faith communities to spread the word and protect vulnerable populations. More information on measles and vaccinations can be accessed here

LBFN continues to provide a platform for faith leaders and public sector representatives to come together, working towards building stronger, more resilient communities across London.

Future newsletters will provide further updates on initiatives and collaborations aimed at enhancing community resilience and interfaith cooperation.

Be sure to keep your eye on the upcoming London Plus newsletter for more details and exciting opportunities to get involved with faith and community resilience initiatives!