BISHOP BACKS THREATENED COMMUNITY NETWORKERS

05-05-2007

The Bishop of Birmingham is backing the city’s Community Empowerment Network (BCEN) which is facing closure. The organisation, which supports grass roots organisations, has had it’s funding slashed by 40% - and the money runs out altogether in five months.

Plans to merge BCEN with another grassroots organisation Birmingham Area Neighbourhood Forum were put on hold earlier this year while the City Council decides on a way forward - but that’s left BCEN workers in a state of uncertainty, and without the money to do their job properly.

The Bishop, the Right Reverend David Urquhart has leapt to their defence, saying: “The diversity networks are making a real contribution to the decisions that are made, so that we get a better quality of life for everyone,” and he called for “some serious commitment from those in power”.

BCEN’s Acting Programme Manager Hannah Worth told The Stirrer about the difficulties staff face with the threat of closure in September hanging over their head.

She said: “People might find it difficult to understand what we do, but if we weren’t there they would soon notice the difference. We use our networks to connect organisations, and help people influence decision making.

“We reach out to more excluded people such as young Muslim girls, disabled people, and we’re useful in trying to bring those people into the city’s networks.

"We bring in faith groups, friends of parks groups, mothers’ groups…so that the huge diversity of the city can be an asset.”

BCEN organises events to help its various member organisations, and gives small grants to help them set up websites, podcasts and so on - although their have been clashes in the past with BANF because of its willingness to aid residents' groups.

Birmingham Council told us that the city’s Strategic Partnership has, “called for a review of community engagement in Birmingham that is being carried out by a number of key partner agencies including West Midlands Police, the health authority, the chamber of commerce, the Voluntary Service Council and others.

"As the relevant accountable body, the city council has released six months of funding to keep BCEN operational while the study is carried out, and it is hoped the review of community engagement will be completed within this timeframe."

To hear an interview with the Bishop of Birmingham and read more about this click on to our old mates at Podnosh here (http://www.podnosh.com/blog/2007/05/01/bishopbirminghampodcast/)

And do you know about the work that BCEN does? Would it be missed? Leave a comment on our messageboard.