Birmingham City Council Christian Faith Leaders Health Review Panel

This summer an unprecedented project between the Church of England Birmingham and Birmingham City Council Public Health has been launched through the work of the newly established Birmingham City Council Christian Health Review Panel.

Over the last year Birmingham City Council Public Health have been developing a series of health information packs with information relevant to the Christian, Muslim and Sikh faith groups living in the Birmingham area. The information is presented alongside spiritual reflections from those faiths, to aid further discussion, and to get health and healthy living on the agenda in our places of worship.

Canon Julian Sampson, who is a member of the Bishop of Birmingham’s Interfaith Relations Team, is leading on the project.

“During the Covid crisis, Birmingham City Council (alongside local authorities across the country), relied heavily upon the expertise and local knowledge of faith communities to deliver key services to vulnerable people and discovered how effective we can be in bringing positive transformation about. Because of this, they have revaluated the valuable work we do in our communities and are keener than ever to partner with us in making Birmingham a better place to live.

Birmingham Public Health have asked the Church of England Birmingham to pilot the Christian Health Information pack with a group of key Christian leaders and community members from across the city. They will review the material to discern what the most relevant health issues are in our communities through structured discussions.

We are particularly keen to hear from Christian groups who feel they do not have a voice within the life of the city. At a later stage we hope it will be possible for different faith groups to meet to discern how we might work together on common issues.

Any Christian leaders or churches who are interested in taking part are welcome to contact Canon Julian.

JulianS@cofebirmingham.com