Reflections of a Christian consultant
‘I have been a doctor for forty years working in a broken system. Endless demands with inadequate resources have been costly. But will striking work? Does Jesus want me to strike? I’m conflicted. Philippians says, ‘Don’t look out only for your own interests, take an interest in others, too with the same attitude of Christ.’ If I strike someone else will cover. They’ll be taken from routine work, making the queue of suffering grow. Nevertheless, when all is said and done, the NHS is not playing fair; they expect everything and erode my salary by stealth. The BMA says a strike in August will show the government we mean business. Colossians says I should think I work for you Lord, not them. Do I really have to trust you to meet my needs? Or must I agree with BMA’s next strike over pay and conditions?’
Co-op 'no-go' areas due to crime
The Co-op has warned some communities could become ‘no-go’ areas for shops due to crime hitting record levels, increasing by over 1/3rd in the past year. There were about 1,000 shoplifting and anti-social behaviour incidents every day in the past six months. A Freedom of Information request revealed 71% of serious retail crime had not received a police response. Many police forces do not prioritise retail crime. The Co-op has called for an ‘urgent change’, and for all forces to target repeat and prolific offenders in cities where organised criminal gangs operate - it could be described as looting. Criminals come in with bags, sacks or clothing which can conceal hundreds of pounds’ worth of stock - coffee, meat, spirits; others clamber over the kiosk and just tip products into their bags. They know the police don't have the resources or can't attend quickly enough.
Call to Christians to consider how banks invest their money
Christian Aid have cut ties with Barclays over the bank’s investments in oil and gas industries. The bank is known to be one of Europe’s leading funders of fossil fuels. Sarah Edwards from Just Money Movement said, ‘I think charities, companies, churches, and individuals are all having to think now more about what our money is doing, and the kind of world that our money is shaping. I think that's a really positive step. And we're really pleased that Christian Aid have done this. Money shapes the kind of world we want to see. Banks don’t just sit on our money when it is in a current or savings account, they invest it, they lend it, and use it in different ways. Some of those ways we might not be happy with.’ Barclays said it will set an ambition to become net zero by 2050, as addressing climate change is an urgent and complex challenge.
£1m raised to save hospital closed by NHS
Residents of St Ives have raised £1m to buy Edward Hain Memorial hospital after the NHS closed it. They feared it would be sold to developers to provide holiday flats. It will be a new hub for health and wellness, providing accessible and (wherever possible) free services to residents of St Ives and west Cornwall. Charities and health groups will provide support for people with conditions such as Parkinson’s, dementia and offer wellbeing and preventive services like food quality awareness, yoga and exercise. The League of Friends decided to try to buy it, so fundraising events including music gigs, balls, coffee mornings, afternoon tea and golf competitions were held. 92-year-old Enid, who was a nurse there in the 1950s, did a sponsored walk to help save the building. Fundraising will continue to pay off a £400,000 mortgage that helped them reach the target, plus the renovations and upgrades that are needed.
