Churches Together in Cumbria’s Give a Day to Kendal initiative was swiftly followed by the signing of a new Faith Covenant and its inaugural multifaith football match played by two new teams, Hope FC and Unity United.
The Faith Covenant was signed at Kendal Town Hall on 1 July, bringing together representatives from faith groups, Westmorland and Furness Council leaders and partner organisations, including HM Lord-Lieutenant of Cumbria, the High Sheriff of Cumbria and NHS Chaplains.
The covenant is a shared commitment to work together in open, respectful and practical ways on priorities including youth work, climate and nature action, and strengthening community cohesion. It also highlights a joint commitment protecting the right to freely practice religion.
Westmorland and Furness Council acknowledged that faith communities already play a vital role locally, supporting inclusion, providing practical help and safe spaces for people, and contributing an estimated £1.67 million in financial value to the area.
After the formal covenant signing, the following weekend there was football, hosted by The Lakes School, Windermere. This was a significant location for the football match, as in 1945 it saw the arrival of the Windermere Children, the 300 Jewish refugee child survivors of the Holocaust. Some of the Jewish members of the football team on Sunday were grandchildren of the Windermere Children.
The friendly 90-minute, 11-a-side match was the culmination of an inspiring idea by Abigail Mann, who represents the Jewish community in the area. It became a reality through collaboration between Churches Together in Cumbria, the Westmorland Football Association, Furness Multicultural Community Forum, and The Lakes School.
Players of all ages, abilities and backgrounds—including Muslims, Jews, Christians, Quakers and Buddhists and people of no faith joined in. Hope FC secured a 10–6 victory. However, the result was secondary to the real purpose of the event: bringing people together through sport, conversation and shared community. Together they made new friendships, recognised their similarities and provided a powerful demonstration of unity and shared purpose.
As a mark of the uniqueness of this event, players signed a football which will be kept for posterity.
Churches Together in Cumbria Social Action Team Member, Rev Jonny Gios, who co-organised the event and took to the field as goalkeeper for Hope FC, said: “This was a practical way of coming together after the Covenant was signed this week…it was fantastic to see everyone encouraging one another both on and off the pitch.”
Abigail Mann, another co-organiser of the event said: “In a world where many of us experience misunderstanding and prejudice it was uplifting to witness the coming together of communities who respected each other’s beliefs. Through football we brought together people and enabled them to meet those they may otherwise have never encountered.”
Find out more about Churches Together in Cumbria.
Photo credits: Jonny Gios/ChurchesTogether in Cumbria