The Bell of Hope
A huge bronze bell has been blessed by The Archbishop of Liverpool as it embarks on its journey ringing out for positive change on its way from England to Uganda.
The bell, which is more than 120 years old, was blessed by Archbishop Patrick Kelly at Liverpool Hope University before being shipped thousands of miles to Fort Portal in Western Uganda. Liverpool Hope University, in partnership with Chester & District Housing Trust (CDHT) and the Voluntary Missionary Movement, have championed a sustainable skills exchange with the Mountains of the Moon University since 2009. The One Brick at a Time project has resulted in more than 10 primary school classrooms being refurbished, accommodation for orphaned pupils as well as the building of a library. This successful initiative, which has positively impacted on more than 2,000 children in Uganda, has now received support from the Headley Trust, which is a Sainsbury’s Family Charitable Trust.
Colleagues from CDHT and other partners such as Halton Housing Trust, the North West Training Council and Seddon, helped local workers in Uganda reconstruct classrooms which were damaged by an earthquake in 1994, replacing doors and windows, repairing damaged brickwork, plastering crumbled walls and patching-up cracked floors. A Ugandan priest called Father Sebastian visited the UK and stayed with CDHT Deputy Chief Executive Su Bramley before attending the launch of the project at the Ugandan Embassy in London. The bell is intended for Father Sebastian’s Church, which he built using the bricks he made and blessed himself.
The bell, which is from Whitechapel Foundry in London, was found by Roger Felstead, a consultant in East Sussex. By a remarkable coincidence, Roger visits Uganda three times a year and his uncle is Bishop of Uganda. The bell, which was found after a national search, cost £1,600.
The next team of partners to embark on the skills exchange will leave the UK this September, including students from West Cheshire College. Liverpool Hope University is holding a fundraising dinner for the Ugandan skills exchange on June 9th.
Speaking at the blessing, CDHT Chief Executive John Denny said:
“I met Martin Carey in South Africa. We were inspired by the social enterprise activity we saw in Africa. During the trip we found ourselves in Fort Portal, Uganda where we met Father Sebastian and saw his brick factory and the church he had built. Whatever your viewpoint is on faith and religion, what he has achieved is absolutely magnificent. All he wanted to complete his church was a bell. This bell will be the crowning glory of what Father Sebastian has achieved.”
Chief Executive of Liverpool Hope University’s Urban Hope and Business Gateway, Dr Martin Carey said:
“Liverpool Hope University is pleased to be involved with this special project. When John Denny and I first met Father Sebastian Twinomugabi we were aware that here was a very special person. This meeting was part of our first visit to Uganda to set up the successful skill exchange programme that we now run. Father Sebastian, in an extremely challenging environment, set up his own Church. To contribute the bell and to get the Archbishop of Liverpool to bless the bell seems a fitting way to recognise the hard work and faith that exists in his community close to Fort Portal in Uganda.”
Speaking from Uganda, Father Sebastian added:
“We are very grateful for this wonderful gift. This bell’s angelic sounds will always echo in the foothills of the legendary Mountains of the Moon. Thank you for teaching me how to create more opportunities for people, to leave the place better than we found it. We give thanks to our partners in Chester, Liverpool Hope and the Archbishop of Liverpool.”
The One Brick at a Time Gala Dinner 2011 starts at 7pm on Thursday June 9 at The Great Hall, Liverpool Hope University’s Creative Campus. Tickets, which include a champagne reception, three course-dinner with wine and entertainment cost £50 with tables of 10 at £500. For more information call 0151 2913291 or email: taylore@hope.ac.uk
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Archbishop Kelly, Archbishop of Liverpool blessing the Bell of Hope at the EDEN Building, Liverpool Hope University, with John Denny, Chief Executive of Chester & District Housing Trust, Su Bramley, Deputy Chief Executive of Chester & District Housing Trust and Dr Martin Carey, Chief Executive, Hope Business Gateway & Urban Hope, Liverpool Hope University.
The Church built by Father Sebastian in Fort Portal, Uganda showing the bell tower where the Bell of Hope will be housed
Notes to editors
Chester & District Housing Trust (CDHT) is a dynamic and enterprising organisation at the forefront of delivering positive impacts in the communities with which it works. The Trust’s homes span six communities – Blacon North; Blacon South; Chester City Area; The Rurals; Lache and Handbridge; Upton, Hoole, Newton and Plas Newton.
Committed to the best principles of social enterprise with over 14,000 local customers in 6,200 properties and 53% of its 275 colleagues living within its communities, the Trust adheres to key commitments and principles relating to people, places, partnerships and performance which underpin the Vision to ‘create opportunity’, through its mission, ‘by doing the right thing’.
The Trust is about being transparent and accountable in everything that is done and to this end is one of the first organisations nationally to have established a Residents’ Board, with full delegated powers from the Trust Board, to direct services which impact upon their lives.
The Trust has a comprehensive development programme delivering over 330 new homes including the £12million regeneration of the Treborth Road area of Chester providing new homes for rent, sale and shared ownership, as well as a village green and wildlife habitats.
CDHT also provides services on a partnership basis, to a number of other customers e.g. Telecare services, TrustWorks Maintenance Services, Housing Options advice, waiting list management and choice based lettings to neighbouring local authorities and registered social landlords.
The Trust is rated as two Star excellent by the Audit Commission, has the highest possible rating from Telecare Services Association and is also credited Investors in People and is the overall Employer of the Year For Cheshire West. It has been in the ‘Top 100 Sunday Times best companies to work for’ for the last four years, reaching its highest position of 27h this year.
For more details please visit www.cdht.org or request a copy of CDHT’s Corporate Plan 2009-2014.
CDHT Press Contacts: Phil Brotherhood
E: phil@marketingprojects.co.uk M: 07884 493370
Jane Harrad-Roberts
E: jane@marketingprojects.co.uk M: 07785 395705
W: www.marketingprojects.co.uk T: 01244 330000
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